Cabaret II

Linen, thread, tulle and feathers on calico   76 x 61cm

Dry Stone Walls

Andy Goldsworthy

I absolutely love the work of Andy Goldsworthy and yesterday I was lucky enough to happen upon an exhibition of his photographs of his early work. What a thrill!


Andy Goldsworthy

Leaves polished, greased made in the shadow of the tree from which they fell, pinned to the ground with thorns.

Le jardin Massey, Tarbes, France,
22 August 1989



I find his works completely inspirational. They seem to reawaken and refresh my experience of the natural environment around me. Each piece has so much integrity - I really respond to the way we get the sense of the artist interacting and responding to the natural world. There is so much honesty in his representation of natural phenomena and I find the way in which he manipulates natural materials & environments thrilling! 

Andy Goldsworthy
Storm King Wall
1999

I also have a thing for dry-stone walls!

For more information on Andy Goldsworthy:
http://www.ucblueash.edu/artcomm/web/w2005_2006/maria_Goldsworthy/TEST/index.html

The Dailiness of Life

"Creative work needs solitude. It needs concentration, without interruptions. It needs the whole sky to fly in, and no eye watching until it comes to that certainty which it aspires to, but does not necessarily have at once. Privacy, then. A place apart-a pace, to chew pencils, to scribble and erase and scribble again.

 

But just as often, if not more often, the interruption comes not from another but from the self itself, or some other self within the self, that whistles and pounds upon the door panels and tosses itself, splashing, into the pond of meditation. And What does it have to say? That you must phone the dentist,that you are out of mustard, that your uncle Stanley’s birthday is two weeks hence. You react, of course. Then you return to your work, only to find that the imps of idea have fled back into the mist."

Excerpt from "Of Power And Time" by the American poet Mary Oliver. It is taken from the book "Blue Pastures", 1995, Harvest Books.


laundry basket detail from Blue Jean

I have recently been introduced to the wonderful poetry and writings of Mary Oliver.

Her words really speak to me and this excerpt describes perfectly my constant daily struggle to balance "the dailiness of life" and my creative time. 

Not quite so tidy threads...

 

But equally as beautiful as those tidy ones I posted last week!

 

 

 

....and a fabric combination I am playing with

Just a few days left....

Passion for Fashion at Manyung Gallery closes this Sunday 30th September. The show includes my thread and fabric work - Fabric of Life.

 

This piece is exhibited in the exhibition. It is titled Far from Home

It is inspired by my occasional pangs of longing for the hills, glens and lochs of my homeland.

 http://www.manyunggallery.com.au/

Lots of other artists are exhibiting in this vibrant exhibition. It's worth a look! I particularly love the amazing hats by Felicity Northeast. Each one is made from an original artwork.

http://www.manyunggallery.com.au/gallery/Felicity-Northeast

Sewjourning with Sisters of Inspiration

I have just returned from a wonderful and enriching creative weeekend away at Sewjourn with my inspirational "sisters". Check out http://sewjourn.net.au/

 

Here are a few of the projects that were underway:





 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful brooches by Jo. Have a look at her blog - http://josoandsew.wordpress.com/