Monday, May 21, 2012

My studio Blog -Please excuse the mess!!


Welcome to my studio-apologies its  late I have had the flu for the last few days and forgot -plus Im still learning the ins and outs of Blogger and wasnt sure how to set up the timer thingy!

Anyway welcome to my Space!! -I dont think I can really call it a studio! When I started my bear business in 1995 with 4 very young children I ran my business from my coffee table and couch -as the room we had allocated for a "studio" was full of renovation junk. So for 9 years I could direct traffic and be with the children and got into the habit of working on orders into the wee hours., when the house was quiet.
After I stopped making my bears( after loss of income due mostly to 9/11and feeling isolated from other artists in a home based business).
I went back to school and completed my Diploma of Vsual Art and began my move into other textile areas - I challenged my tutors at every turn about what constitutes art-which at that time was painting, drawing and printmaking with a little sculpture thrown in, but luckily they also offered " community "art subjects as well as fine art components, so I had masses of fun learning a large amount of subjects such as jewellry making, soft sculpture, print making, sculpture,photography. This fired up my creativity again and my tutors surrendered to my slashed canvasses with  wrapped and wired roots and organic assemblages with just a smear of paint to make it a painting. Well to meet the criteria. Shortly before I finished "Mixed Media" became a "new" stream in the course -so suddenly what i had been doing became acceptible.
Anyway I moved onto new aspects of art and mediums and helped set up ATASDA (aust textile and surface design assoc.) in QLD which introduced me to a whole new world of Textile based art forms.
Back to the Space. After we finished our downstairs I took over the lounge area to get away from the now, teenagers -my room was still full of "junk" with a mix of my art "junk" as well. So I utilize the same system I have for all these years - a corner of my couch and my horn cabinet.



Welcome to my little corner of the world! As I predominately embellish on all my art quilts, accessories and other art pieces, my portable table has become more permanent these days but does get packed up for visitors
 



My old Horn cabinet has been a valuable piece  of equipment for my machine and storage. Storage in our old 1870 colonial house has always been an issue as there was only one cupboard in the whole house and that was in the kitchen so - We have added as much as possible, but it seems never enough. I drool over new homes with walk in robes and loads of cupboards.
 NOW BRACE YOURSELVES FOR THE INTENDED "STUDIO"
I APOLOGISE IN ADVANCE!

Sad but it is really messy!! These photos werte taken around the time of attendance at Ballarat forum so it was messier than normal ,but realistically it is full of "stuff" most of which is isnt easy to store from canvases and boxes , to masses of wools, and huge amounts of different materials from various art forms including rolls of wire, and sculpture bits and bobs!!!  I also have a massive library of books which my husband says tracks the stages of my life -from renovation -pregnancy-child rearing -gardening and art and craft and so on.
 

I still have an extensive bear collection from my years of swapping with other artists and award winners and so on , which I am getting ready to part with on ebay! As I still have collectors that occasionally email me about any new works, even though i havnt made  an art bear in 9 years ! Thats keen! to me!! But I have bears in museums and collections around the world  so I should be proud of that, but have moved past the medium but learnt massive amounts of skills during my time of creating them.
 
 
 
 

My computer area that also is a laptop, gaming and computing space with 3 teenager boys ,is also always messy! I give up alot of the time as straightening up just goes away after a few hours.
I also share the loungeroom with my husband who is a train and scifi modeller so just out of shot is his table/s and boxes of stuff.He has a room  thats 3 times the size of my "studio" filled with models, equipment and train boards.

So welcome to my world.!
I imagine you are all sighing with relief at how neat your world is- I could say its organized chaos but thats not always true!! It depends on the day! LOL!!!

The next Blog hop is to visit Brenda Gael  Smith -so enjoy!!!

Brenda Gael Smith23rd Mayhttp://serendipitypatchwork.com.au/blog/

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Thursday, May 17, 2012

ooooohhh what a beautiful day!!!


I couldnt help snapping pics at the local florist with their sidewalk display - its so pretty and bursting with colour and wonderful weather to boot!!!!!!!!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Playday with Tricia Smout


Lovely Lady -Tricia Smout  -came to my place today  for a playday for pieces for the Botanic gardens.
Tricia went mad cutting on my Sizzix in paper, Lutrudur, felt, and fabric, while I sat and cut aluminium  cans into flat pieces - Ive recycled about 200 cans into art pieces lol!!!!!
Thanks to the alderly police depot for all their donations of drink cans -even with 3 sons we would never drink that much lolly water! Even though I am a closet diet coke drinker-butI am cutting down seriously!
 
 
 
 
 
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Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Ballarat Forum -a world unto itself!

Ballarat Forum ,Kim Thittachai -the lost draft!!!

Well Ive come back from Ballarat Forum and while it was a week ago ,I think I have only now recovered!!!
It was an exhausting but fun week. Kim Thittachai was a hoot! although I didnt get a massive amount done in class time, but I got some ideas to take away and use -so that was good! And forums are such fun! Just heard that Janets Blue Mountains forum went well so its good news all round.


Kim along with some of our pieces in assorted materials. The gorgeous
organic piece was created by Wilma

Our display at the open night I had 3 pieces in the display -2 centre wall , far right and the pink 3D
Jane Bodnuruk's cute daughter in her Steampunk class with Kirry

A gorgeous Shrine from Chris Atkins workshop-hopefully well have her tutor with ATASDA
in the southern states next year. She is having a workshop in WA later in the year.


Ill have to add more images to an external album until i sort the images part out on Blogger!

Monday, May 7, 2012

saqa Oceania blog hop

For those interested in looking at others' studios SAQA (Studio Art Quilters Association) is running a blog hop. I hope that  I have done it all correctly.
I have already taken the images for mine as they are " real"lol. As I took them before going to Ballarat. So you can only imagine!! Well youll just have to  have a look see, on May 21 and the list below has everyone else.
Fingers crossed all the links worked!!
However - every second day a new blog entry will be put up to show you through a studio.
NAMEDATEBLOG ADDRESS
Mel Forrest1st mayhttp://mixedmediabymelforrest.blogspot.com.au/    
Sue Dennis3rd Mayhttp://www.suedennisartquilts.blogspot.com  
Lisa Walton5th Mayhttp://www.fibreinspirations.blogspot.com.au/
Linda Robertus7th Mayhttp://lindarobertus.blogspot.com/    
Dale Rollerson9th Mayhttp://downunderdale.blogspot.com.au/
Averil Stuart-Head11th Mayhttp://www.avesrave.blogspot.com  
Beth Miller13th Mayhttp://serendipitypatchwork.com.au/blog/
Sally Westcott15th Mayhttp://www.sallydunn.blogspot.com/
Ali George17th Mayhttp://www.aliquilts.blogspot.com/
Pam Holland19th Mayhttp://www.pamhollanddesigns.typepad.com/
Felicity Clake21st Mayhttp://bearlytherecreations.blogspot.com.au/   
Brenda Gael Smith23rd Mayhttp://serendipitypatchwork.com.au/blog/
Alison Lawrence25th Mayhttp://www.fibreinspirations.blogspot.com
Jenny Bowker27th Mayhttp://jennybowker.squarespace.com/postcards/
Sue Domeney29th mayhttp://quiltstodyefor.wordpress.com