'Sailing Inland' last day

My second day of installing my sails at Gerrard's Lookout went well.
I chatted to lots of people and many were quite impressed with the concept.
I set thinks up a bit differently yesterday - sails on both sides of the road and I sat in the shade under a convenient tree [35deg in the sun], where most people needed to pass me to get to the lookout - ample opportunities for a casual chat.

Thanks to Christine for helping me set up, Ken for the morning coffee, and of course a huge thank you to Barry for the behind the scenes paper work to make the whole art4place 'Creative Spaces' viable.

A Mad Month

...well, not really mad, just full on with Art Activities in this region - fabulous stuff happening everywhere- too much to post here with my SLOW internet connection, so please forgive the frequent links to further information.  Please go into the links because there are great works and activities to enjoy and inspire.

I will start with my GOOD NEWS.

A. Flying Arts Award.
I have been awarded the fibre prize for my entry into the 2013 Flying Arts touring exhibition. This entitles me to flights and all expenses paid to a 'Textile Fibre Forum' class of my choice in 2013. Geelong, here I come in Sept/Oct next year. Thanks very much, Flying Arts and TAFTA.
This is my entry:

‘Devil’s Dice’

rust dyed silks, machine stitched 'pojagi' style.

"These shapes relate to the mining of iron ore in North and Central Queensland.
Devil’s Dice are iron ore cubes which can change to pyrite then limonite through a process of ‘pseudomorphism’.
For me, the mining issue is a difficult one to come to terms with. It creates jobs for our people, wealth for the nation and raw materials for all those ‘essential’ goods we take for granted. On the other hand, the country is being decimated, traditional owners forced from ‘country’, and greed and consumerist mentality reinforced.
The ‘devil’ is a good metaphor for the industry and the dice has connotations of ‘dicing with death’, and taking risky chances. Will Mankind one day decide that the risk was too great?
My silk shapes reflect the fragility of the situation and the process of metamorphosis that happens not only to the iron ore and the silk, but to the whole universe".

B. 'Food as Art'
Ken [Sept 18th post] recently organised an exhibition of local artsits to cooincide with the highly successful Real Food Festival held here in Maleny. This is my entry:

'An Apple a Day'

[highly colourful for me - it was fun for a change]

C. Flags for Peace.

This project was started By Mary Jane Dodd in the US. Fiona and Ken coordinated the project locally. This is my entry which is still hanging on the front deck and hopefully will stay for many weeks yet. 

The flags read 'Peace' in English, Japanese, Arabic and Tibetan.

D. 'Sailing Inland'

Art4place is a community arts organisation which I belong to. We have 6 projects running this month. This is my contribution:

"This installation tells stories of the past and of the present, connecting the coast to the hinterland.

The white sails echo the arrival of many of our forebears by sailing ship, along the coast that stretches out far below the escarpment.
The colourful sails reflect the hang gliders that regularly float and thread themselves across the skies above, taking off from the escarpment and drifting down below, bringing the mountains to the sea"

E. Peace in the Trees

...another art4place activity - starting with a 2 day sandstone carving workshop culminating with an open day yesterday to view the sculptures in situ - beautiful.



F. Jackson Li and the Suncoast Clay Workers

We met Jackson last year in China. He is the owner and founder of the Sanbao Ceramic Institute in Jingdezhen, China. Jackie Gasson of the Suncoast Clay Workers organised a major EVENT [Ignition exhibition and competition at Cooroy Butter Factory, Hands of the Masters - [Jackson, Kevin Grealy, Greg Daly and Janet de Boos] -  at the Art and Ecology centre, Tanawah, and other various workshops and networking events.

...Mieke won the Ignition Sculpture award - congrats Mieke...

...Greg Daly's lustre work...

Kevin Grealy's works...

...Janet de Boos latest China/Australia collaborative pieces....

...Jackson Li's Australian made pieces and rice paper painting...

G. Jackson's Brushmaking Workshop

...ah - I LOVE being a student.

....preparation with a tea 'ceremony'...

...my brushes - from dog and horse hair [goat and donkey would have been better].



I think that's enough for one blog - hope it's not too much for your computer, but I think mine is super slow -  I am about to update my download.

...and we still have a week of September to go!!!



'Peace Book'

A week or so ago, Fiona co-ordinated an exhibition of 'Peace Books' in the local library display cabinet. It's always lovely to be included in these community collaborations, and as it's 'International Day of Peace' today, Friday, 21st Sept., it is nice to be spreading the word in my own humble way.
This is my contribution and words of explanation.

"My book represents the notion that life has become so complex with dark layers of ‘stuff’ forever present.

The high tide mark in the ink indicates that enough is enough.

It’s time to look beyond the distractions, however enticing, and to rise above the craziness to a peaceful, quiet, empty space where we can be replenished and renewed.

The mountains on the front cover are a serendipitous addition that appeared as the ink was settling – a wonderful metaphor for me because I truly need mountains in my life to achieve a peaceful state of mind".

Fiona's Peace book,

Barry's Peace 'Book',

Ken's two Peace 'Books'

'Culture 2 Culture' exhibition

http://rosebedstgallery.com/exhibitions-coming-up/

At last the past six months of work is coming to fruition.
My artist friend Christine Elcoate and I went to China in October 2011 and connected with many artists, thanks to our Sister City friendships and local government support.
We organised 4 fabulous workshops in March with Chinese artist Li Jun, here on the Sunshine Coast, and now we have a collaborative exhibition at Rosebed St Gallery, Eudlo, with 12 artists [Li Jun and 11 locals], and school children's works from 2 Chinese schools and 3 Sunshine Coast schools.
The centrepoint of the exhibition will be 300+ domino sized ceramic tiles - made in Australia, some glazed here by local artists, others glazed in China and brought back for the exhibition.

Maya, Noela, Annie and Christine looking at ways to display the work in the gallery.

Here's a sneak preview of some of the wonderful works to be exhibited:

...watercolour detail by Li Jun,

..."The Burn" detail, by Pam Walpole [one of my favourite artists of all time],

..."Never Green", detail by Merv Jefferson,

...Southern Ice Porcelain Beaker by Kim Schoenberger,

...lidded vessel by Mieke van Sambeek,

...detail of jacket by Christine Elcoate,

...free standing sculpture by Ken Munsie,

...carved porcelain light by Robyn Gill,

...calligraphy by Fiona Dempster,

...'Bus Stop Mountain' detail by Wyn Vogel.

...little book detail by Noela Mills.

My sincere thanks to all the artists, the gallery owners, our new Chinese friends and all the tile makers, especially Kevin Grealy, who made and fired many of the 300 tiles. Your trust and faith is us and the project has been wonderful.

It will be a fabulous representation of how the Chinese cultural traditions have inspired and influenced us all in so many different ways.

Please join us for the opening, Friday 25th May, 7pm, at the Rosebed Gallery, Eudlo.