Sunday, January 29, 2012

Jubby

Finally the quiet day I had been hankering for in order that I could complete my Jubby Doll!

A few weeks ago I had my first attempt at dying fabric - lace for Jubby's dress. It didn't turn out as bright as I would have liked but I didn't have time to experiment. I actually wouldn't normally work with lace but the pattern I was following did, so I thought that I would give it a go in my own unique way (Creative Cloth Doll Faces by Patti Medaris Culea)

I really enjoyed making Jubby and am pleased that I overcame the hurdles that it took to get her finished.  If anything, I am most satisfied with that simple fact - that I have seen a project through to completion :)  I feel surprisingly free and inspired and overall I am happy with the result.

She will sit in my studio now and be an ever-present reminder to me of what is possible if I am patient and persistent.  Thanks Jubby... and thanks Mum!

Saturday, January 28, 2012

The Sea

Well it seems that I am being drawn to the sea lately.  Not too surprising I guess, considering that it is Summer here at the moment.

A Garden

This photo looks like it could have been taken on some faraway, exotic island... oooh, how I wish :)  But no, it is actually beautiful Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.

My sister and I had a lovely visit to Heronswood Gardens there yesterday (http://www.diggers.com.au/gardens-and-cafes/gardens/heronswood.aspx).  It was an extremely hot day so the children were happy to sit in the shade and chat whilst we wandered and explored.  A wonderful place to be inspired and to dream.

A Book

I am currently enjoying reading The Lightkeeper's Wife by Karen Viggers.  It tells the story of a dying woman who is reflecting on her life, particularly the 25 years that she spent living in a lighthouse with her family.  It also features her son who is struggling with issues of his own and time he has spent working in Antarctica.  

I am interested in where this story might be taking me but I am also enjoying it for the wonderful references to the wild, windy and isolated parts of the Australian coastline and Antarctica.

A Movie

And now today, I have just heard from a dear friend about a movie called South Solitary which looks like the perfect accompaniment for my book!!  Thank you!


Thursday, January 19, 2012

Emma Hack

A lovely visit yesterday to sunny Queenscliff to see Emma Hack's exhibition at Seaview Gallery.  You may know her from the work she did on Gotye's video clip for Somebody That I Used to Know.  Amazingly beautiful but extraordinarily time consuming work!  Fabulous.



I took my eldest daughter with me, who was none too impressed about the prospect of a long drive or an exhibition for that matter.  However, it was a lovely thing to do as a one-to-one with her and we had a great day.  Well, she didn't go so far as to say it was great but I was very satisfied with an alright!  

Monday, January 16, 2012

Priorities

Well, as predicted, all quiet on the creative-front since my lovely family arrived home from their holiday.  It has been so wonderful to have them all home again but it has been a struggle to readjust my pace as well as give myself permission to get back to work.  Suffice to say that the Jubby Doll has lain dormant.

I was inspired by a post on the Daily OM a few days ago about Embracing Your Muse and am keen to get going on Jubby again today.  A little trip to the craft shop first and then we'll see how we go.

I came across a remarkable Melbourne artist recently - Michael Peck http://www.michaelpeckart.com/

Michael uses his art as a way of expressing some of his anxieties and sees it as a positive way to connect with people and relieve some of the loneliness that fear provokes in us (http://www.metrogallery.com.au/exhibitions/46/michael-peck-the-landing/)

His words resonated with me because it is in part my artistic driving force.  I am a deep thinker and observer and get frustrated by my inability to express my thoughts adequately or articulately to others.  Being creative and getting deeply absorbed in my work is a tremendously rewarding and satisfying outlet for me.

The challenge for me is in identifying it as important enough for me to see it as a priority.

What inspires or helps you to do the things that you feel passionate about?

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Photography

Popped in, albeit all too briefly, to a couple of wonderful exhibitions on display at the Monash Gallery of Art yesterday - http://www.mga.org.au/

Brummels: Australia's first gallery of photography

This exhibition showcases the work of a number of photographers who exhibited work in the Brummels Gallery in the 1970s.  Brummels was located above a restaurant in South Yarra and was established by a well known photographer, Rennie Ellis from 1972-1979.  It was the first gallery of its kind in Australia to display photography in its own right.

I thoroughly enjoyed viewing these pictures for the talented ability of the photographers to creatively capture the essence of that time and the people.

Tim Handfield, Deep Skin

I loved Tim's photographs and will definitely be heading back for a second viewing before his exhibition closes.  Tim's ability to capture simple, urban objects and scenes was stunning and particularly beautiful.

The Doll

The Jubby Doll is coming along.  More hair and clothes are to come.  I can't wait to see my gorgeous family back home tonight but will be interested to see how well I maintain the momentum with my creativity :)


Thursday, January 5, 2012

Melancholia

A pleasant outing to see the movie Melancholia today.  In brief, it centres on two sisters and their relationship at a time when a planet named Meloncholia is on a collision course with Earth.  The opening scenes are spectacular and the acting throughout was outstanding.  Kirsten Dunst certainly deserves the accolades she has received for her portrayal of Justine.  Alexander Skarsgard was great although I found it a little difficult to take him seriously following his role as Eric Northman in True Blood.  I kept expecting his fangs to pop out :)

The main negative for me was suffering slight motion sickness for the best part of the second half of the film, due to the hand-held nature of the camera work.

This movie is long and slow in parts and deals with depressing themes but overall I enjoyed it for its beauty and its depth.

Anyone else seen a movie of worth recently?

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Trust

So, it seems this week that I am learning to trust the process.  Revved up, inspired and ready to commence work on my Jubby Doll the other day, I discovered that my best sewing scissors were missing - grrrrr!  (Fortunately the benefits of sharing a studio far outweigh any pitfalls!!)  After considerable searching and feeble attempts at sharpening other pairs, I gave up.  It was a public holiday, no shops were open and I was defeated :(

With the benefit of free time, I reflected on my Jubby Doll.  It occurred to me that my creative spirit and confidence had expanded considerably since I had started her back in 2009.  The Jubby Doll that I had intended then, wouldn't really serve the same purpose now.  I needed something vibrant, colourful and unique.

Riffling through my fabrics for ideas, it suddenly dawned on me that there was another unfinished project waiting silently in the wings.  Some years ago, while helping sort through my Mum's studio after she had passed away, I came across cut-out pattern pieces and sketches for a doll.  To my amazement, my Mum had photocopied some material from a library book that I actually happened to own - 'Creative Cloth Doll Faces' by Patti Medaris Culea.  I considered it a precious gift that would require confidence and tenacity to tackle.

So now, today, it is exactly what I have been looking for - something initiated and inspired by my dear Mum that I can expand upon and extend.  Perfect!


A little bit of work yesterday and some more today and she has some body parts and a face.


I am ok with the fact that the other Jubby Doll now lays incomplete.  She isn't a failure but rather an important part of this process that is all about creating!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Balance

For the remainder of this week I have some rare time alone whilst my beloved family are distracted elsewhere having fun in the sun.  In anticipation of this time, my thoughts have naturally turned to the benefits of using it to complete some household tasks that would be more easily done in their absence.  I had visions of menu planning and cooking ahead, cleaning and tidying, feature wall painting, soil shifting, car cleaning, dog washing...

STOP!  STOP!  STOOOOOP!

Phew!  It has taken some time and been a bit of a struggle but I have finally shifted the shoulds and given myself permission instead to play!

I came across Janine Antoni recently and thought I would share something of hers that I found particularly inspiring.  Janine is a contemporary artist whose main focus is on the creative process. According to a presentation she gave at the 'Thinking Like an Artist Conference' at Guggenheim http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_4YoZqfBY0 she considers the ability to play as a significant factor in being creative.  She also speaks about the importance of paying attention to mistakes and being open to the process, as both makers and viewers.  I was really encouraged by her thoughts.

The following is one of her installation pieces 'Touch 2002'.  I thought her reference to finding balance is particularly pertinent as we head into yet another year.