An Uncomfortable Model

Later this year, my creative efforts and I are off to Bush Christmas - an exhibition showcasing the work of rural and remote artists and artisans, held in Toowoomba in December, and I'm pretty stoked to announce that yours truly is to be the Featured Exhibitor for Day One of the exhibition.

What that means, is that I'll be there, set up with some goodies from my studio, ready to chat with anyone who is prepared to stand still for a minute, and share the delight of colourful, fun materials. There is potentially going to be a product addition to my offerings this year... There is a book in the pipeline! But more about that, later.

For now, the fabulous Bush Christmas organisers need photos and information to update their website and begin promotion. 

This is my least favourite part of this job. As a model, I make a good cook; and I agonise for hours over what to write about myself that people will find interesting to read. Thankfully, my daughter-in-law, Caitlyn, knows her way around a camera, and proved skillful in sneaking some shots of "the artist at work in her studio" that didn't leave me feeling awkward. 

I think she did a great job, and I particularly love this photo, with DO IT NOW on the inspiration board behind me. Not only because the kick-in-the-pants directive is helpful; but the focus is off me! 

When our "photo shoot" was finished, I bit the bullet and wrote the 'about me' piece to accompany the profile picture:

In between knocking up mustering smokos, doing budgets and bookwork, and managing the office for our Central Queensland family farming business; I create artwork, write, and prepare art journaling classes for people who are keen to flex their creativity, but aren’t sure where or how to start. I believe every human possesses an innate desire and capability to create, and have made it my business to help others unearth and explore that desire. Their eyes light up, shoulders loosen and they smile. A lot. I have a passionate belief in the transformative power of creativity.

Gleefully abandoning an art teaching degree in the 80’s to marry my salt of the earth farmer, my city upbringing gave way to the adventure of country life, where I’ve spent thirty years raising three high spirited sons, while fine tuning my skills in fine art, photography, writing and textiles. Ironically, the art teaching I was anxious to flee from has become a source of delight and fulfilment.

I have a tendency to think a lot more than I speak - there’s lots going on in my head. I have a thing for funky cowgirl boots, yoga, and soulful conversations; and my grandbabies think I sing the best “Incy Wincy Spider” the world has ever heard. Others might disagree.

Over the years, Bush Christmas has been a catalyst for a lot of amazing opportunities for me, along with the many other talented artists and artisans who exhibit there. You can follow Bush Christmas on Facebook for a look at some of the clever work happening in sheds and studios all over rural Queensland, and New South Wales. 

I'm off to the studio to get busy... safe and secure in the knowledge that I won't need to smile for the camera for a couple more years!

Zentangle Inspired Cards

Recently, I was introduced to "Zentangles"...and my incessant doodling was legitimised! I have a confession.

I doodle.

A lot.

Our office diary (supposedly a serious business tool for recording important notes and messages) is more often an account of how long Telstra may have kept me on hold. Alan will take a quick look, and have a rough idea of how much time I might have spent on the phone on any given day. I doodle while I listen - on the phone, in meetings (which can become embarrassing when the people either side of you show more interest in your doodle than the meeting), and especially in workshop/lecture type situations. It helps me concentrate. Is that bizarre?

Zentangles were created by Maria and Nick as a kind of meditative process. There are some guidelines for creating a zentangle...which I learned, then chose to follow my nose and more or less do my own thing.

These cards are the result. I'm doodling away in front of the TV in the evening, creating some of these to send off to Bush Christmas in November.

In the drawing class I attended a few months ago, our lovely tutor Deb Gilmartin encouraged us to go nuts Zentangling, she believes it's a great way to free up your 'right brain'. The Zentangle site lists the benefits and uses to include: Entertainment, Relaxation, Education, Motivational Training, Artistic Development, Collectible, Gifts and Therapy.

All that with nothing more than a nice piece of paper or card and a fine tip black pigma pen!

Bush Christmas Sneak Preview!

Here is a shot of a corner of my office/studio, where my creations for Bush Christmas await a date with bubble wrap and tissue paper. It's been a frenzy of paint, thread, glue, paper, silk, bottle caps, grinder discs, embossing powder, sticks, wire, beads and more!



This little darling is constructed from silk paper that has been free machine embroidered, and adorned with a clasp created from an abandoned piece of 1980's jewelry (the 1980's are a treasure trove of funky stuff that was probably awful jewelry, but make great features and focal points!)



I think this might be my favourite piece..painted, stamped Khadi paper with a free machine stitched slip of a Fleur-de-Lis. The disc is a beer bottle cap, flattened out and taken to with metallic paint and embossing powders...(sorry about the cloudy patch on the photo - I had it all framed up, under glass - then tried to take the photo...always a challenge!)

Finally, the last stage of the 'work in progress' I started here a while back. The loose, lacy, net-like piece bonded nicely to a base of felt which had painted vliesofix applied, it received some more stitching to anchor it down, along with a tiny shimmer of metallic foil. The neat silk lining fabric has been languishing in a box for years - A cast off from my Grandmother, and just perfect for this belt!

The packing and paperwork are waiting...but before I go...if you're anywhere near Toowoomba, Queensland from the 20th to the 28th November, call in to the Masonic Centre in Neil Street and check out the amazing work on offer from creative types all over rural Queensland and New South Wales... I love being associated with Bush Christmas - it is such a rare and wonderful opportunity for the world to see what artists beyond the city limits are creating in sheds, spare rooms and sometimes even backyards! I am privileged to be in such illustrious company! The Bush Christmas website has all the details.

Working on Pieces for Bush Christmas

Aren't these colours lovely?! There's been some paint splashed about onto a variety of surfaces, in preparation for further creative pursuits...in other words, the rapidly evaporating time till Bush Christmas has got me in a frenzy! These pastel coloured chunks are rock salt, that was sprinkled onto some painted watercolour paper while the paint dried...this gives a very cool speckled effect, and the salt takes up a little of the paint colour. It reminds me a bit of the coloured rocks the boys used to have in the bottom of the fish tank years ago. The boys weren't all that into the fish - when the last one died, it was at least two weeks before one of them exclaimed in dismay "Where's the fish gone?" Heaven, my darling, but I promise I gave him a lovely funeral....

Thankfully, my days of fish funerals beside the toilet are long behind me now! Which has nothing whatever to do with this piece...but I'm a great believer in the benefits of gratitude (and expressing same!) The text here says: Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it. (Maya Angelou) It's a definition of success I respect greatly, and now that I'm no longer needed to perform fish funerals (which I didn't like doing) I think I must be free to feel successful! This piece is worked on a base of tissue bonded to felt, with handmade silk paper embedded with feathers free machine stitched in place. The little collection of discs at the bottom are from the bottom up: an abandoned grinder disc, a bottle cap, and a neat stoneware button. The disc and bottle cap have been painted and embossed to look bubbly and lava like...neat! (and fun!)