A Little Panic Starting

I just had a little panic this morning about my up and coming exhibition. Everything is going smoothly so where that came from I don't know. A big deep cleansing breath ... in ... out.

I'm not working on an artwork at the moment and it feels strange. I'm usually thinking of the next piece while completing the one I'm working on but The Best China was so big and consumed me so completely that didn't happen this time. Doing my reading for The Artist's Way Journey told me to just start and see where I go from there. How simple is that? Just start! So today I'll give my studio space a little clean up (something I like to do after I complete a new piece) and just start. There are a few little airy fairy ideas floating around so if I simply start, something will happen I'm sure.

Off to gym first to work on my health and then I'll be ready to slay dragons.

Time Travel

Had a lovely time with my friend Kris yesterday. Kris has had a bit of a rough time lately so I thought I would pamper her a little. I took her to Tangerine Treasures and Tea Rooms on Rose Street in Glenelg.

The music and decor act as a time machine so we went into the back corner away from the world and let the tearooms transport us back in time probably to the 30's or 40's. The tearoom is an L shape so if you walk to the back and turn left, there are no windows to remind you what century you are in.

Before we went in I told Kris the rules. "As we are stepping back in time we leave our troubles at the door. We only talk about nice things inside." I said.

We arrived mid morning so we decided to have some breakfast. Waffles with cream and maple syrup for Kris and raisin toast for me. Of course we shared so we could have some of each. I had a pot of Taylor's Earl Grey tea and Kris tried green tea with jasmine and we were set for a lovely morning of women's talk.

We were having such a good time we didn't want to leave so after a quick pit stop (too much tea) we decided to stay for lunch as well hehehe. So more tea and some sandwiches and more women's talk.

When it was time to leave and we finally walked through the door and back into reality we were very relaxed and contented. It was just one of those glorious days that becomes a treasured memory.

I love that quaint little tea shop. None of the tables match but each has its own old world charm and each has a doyley or an embroidered table cloth. The china is old English with floral patterns and not a matching set in sight. From Wednesday to Sunday, if you book in advance, you can have high tea (oo la la), sampling different teas with an array of delicious finger food. That will be our next adventure.

Paper Work

Yesterday was a day of catching up on some paper work. The way I figure it, if there's paper work you must be going forward. I wrote the proposal for an exhibition I'm planning to have with Julia and Zoe. Three generations of women. Worked on updating my CV and making it relevant to the proposal.

I also finalised the details for the artist in residence position coming up in the end of July at Naracoorte Primary School. I'm really looking forward to this one. I will be showing 350 primary school children (ages from 5 to 12 years) how to do collage. They each will get the chance to create a collage on a stretched canvas and the school will be having an exhibition in the art gallery. What fun, getting paid to play for a whole week.

I have a weekend workshop coming up in the beginning of August and I'm nearly organised for that as well. Just need a few more supplies.

My SALA exhibition plans are all coming along too. Just need to finish off the invitation. That's today's job.

The money I will be earning is going towards reclaiming our huge shed. We had it set up as a pottery studio and when we stopped doing that it just became a dumping ground and storage facility. Well I'm getting in some very big garbage skips and am going to be ruthless and throw everything out and turn it back into a studio. I had dreams of buying a new computer with that money but decided it would come to better use cleaning out the shed. I think its the next step in becoming more serious and professional with my artwork. I need a bigger studio space. A place where I can invite people to come and play with me. Some comfy chairs in front of the fire place (yes the shed has a fire place) to have a cup of coffee surrounded by art stuff, now that's what I call bliss.

Big White Scary Canvas is Finished

The big white scary canvas is completed. Its called "The Best China" and its 91x122cm (36"x48"). I have to say I have enjoyed the process of this piece so much that I'm a bit sad at it being over. I'm a bit lost now :( and not sure what to do next. Yesterday I tried working on the board books I want to alter but just couldn't get into it. Usually, as I'm working on a piece, I'm already formulating the next one in my mind but "The Best China" just mesmerized me and totally consumed me. It was great fun.

Market Day Has Come Around Again

View of Adelaide from the market car park. Won't find this view on any post card but I love it.

One of the flower stalls.

Fresh fruit and vegetables mmm yum.

Adelaide Central Market is alive with sights, sounds and smells to delight all the senses.

Bliss

Well I did get to spend the whole day doing my artwork yesterday YAY! The big white scary canvas is nearly done and I'm really happy with it. Will post a pic as soon as its finished. I love using text in my work and I'm having trouble fitting all the words in that I want to use. I will keep trying to resolve it because the words add another element and tell the story. Off to gym and then more art!

Whole Day in the Studio

It just so happens that I have a whole day to spend in the studio today so I'm not going to ramble on. Don't want to waste a second. Off I go weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Little Bit of This, Little Bit of That

Had a really good day yesterday. Been a bit mopey lately but now my high spirits are back. I did little bits of everything yesterday. The washing (its still on the line, too lazy to take it off yesterday), some more to the big white canvas, some photography, I watched my usual art programs on tv, my favourite being Sunday Arts and I spent time with Zoe.

The digital photography meet I've been attending, sets a mini project to do in the month till the next meet. This time its using macro and making sure your camera is on manual and you do the settings yourself. So I spent a few hours yesterday exploring the ideas I have for that but haven't got anything I'm happy with yet. Thank goodness for digital cameras where you can see the shot straight away and not wait (and pay for) developing.

Today is Mark's birthday (son in law) and we are going out to lunch but first I must head off to gym to keep my body healthy and my mood happy.

Fast Forward

Big white scary canvas is coming along nicely. All the background is done. Just need to add some text (love my text) and then onto drawing or painting my wooden chairs with a nice little teacup placed just so on the corner of one of the chairs.

Also have many ideas to alter the board books. Can't wait to get to them. There are so many ideas floating in my head at the moment and so many things I want to try I need two lifetimes or maybe more to get through it all.

Julia bought me a book on felting. Another project I want to get back to. I really need a fast forward button hehehe.

Anyway enough rambling, time for breakfast and a quick trip to the gym for my exercise. Once back home its back to the big white scary canvas and some washing. Thank goodness for automatic washing machines. They leave more time for art!

Photography

Went to a digital photography meet last night. They are held once a month and this is the second I've been to. We are learning and discussing how to use your camera on the manual setting. I've learnt about aperture and shutter speed and what settings they should be on for different situations. It gives you greater control over what the shot looks like rather than letting the camera do all the work on the auto setting. I have also learnt how inadequate my camera is. Oh well it will do me for now and what I use it for. No doubt in the future I will want to upgrade but I will cross that bridge when I come to it. Number one on my list of must haves is a new computer. One that's not a hand me down and doesn't crash five times in a row (and that's just when I turn it on).

Been good on the food and exercise front over the last couple of days and I'm feeling better for it. I do get tired of constantly battling with it. I swear I just have to walk passed a cake shop and I put on weight. I think I've got the slowest metabolism in the world. Listen to me complain, moan, moan, moan. With all that complaining you wouldn't think I'm in a really happy mood and raring to start the day.

Sex And The City

Went to the movies with Julia (daughter) yesterday and saw the long awaited (for some) Sex And The City. I never watched the series on tv. Was probably on too late or something but I really wanted to see the movie. Julia is a big Sex And The City fan and it was really special to see it with her. The movie was fantastic. It made me laugh and cry and was over far too soon. It was so enjoyable I consider it the best movie I've seen in a long time. Would love to see it again and will definitely buy it when its out on dvd.

Bad Girl

I have been doing so well with my eating and exercise habits that I thought I would treat myself to a few forbidden delicacies when I went to the market on Friday. That was the first mistake. I spent the whole weekend eating forbidden delicacies. I felt like I had a cold coming on so I thought I would take some time off and not go to gym. That was the second mistake. Can you see the destructive path I'm on? I have to stop this now before it spirals out of control. Off to gym this morning and then back to work on my big white canvas (not white anymore really). No thoughts will enter my head about my favourite soft and oozy cheese that I didn't manage to completely devour on the weekend. No its back to healthy eating and exercise. To be honest, eating the wrong food for 3 days has made me feel sluggish so back on the straight and narrow for me.....I hope.

Scared of the Big White Canvas? Not I.

I've started work on a large canvas 91x122cm (36"x48"). The large whiteness scared me at first. That's normal. I just grabbed the canvas and start sticking old book pages on and felt much better. My mind is working faster than my hands on this one. Probably due to the size. Its a bit frustrating when you want to get to the next stage, the next layer, or try the next idea and you still have such a big area to fill before you can go on.

This collage will be based on the old wooden chairs I bought second hand recently. The canvas is big enough to make the chairs nearly life size. Its going to be all about the background with the chairs to add interest to the foreground. These ideas could change as I go through the creating process but that's the joy of it, letting a piece evolve and not forcing it to go where it doesn't want to.

Its funny because these are the things that are frowned upon when you study art formally. Its meant to be planned out completely, doing little tests and mock ups until you get it right. No intuition or going with the flow is ever encouraged. Maybe that's what you have to go through to learn the principles of composition, design, colour and once learned you can go on what feels right and follow what you heart tells you.

In the Name of Progress

An eye sore to some but I just adore this old building. Its going to be demolished for what I consider ugly apartment blocks. The port has this old world charm. Hope that's not lost when all the modern buildings take over.

An old sailing boat on the Port River

How cute is this door? Its on a church close to my home. I've driven passed it for so long and kept thinking I must get a photo and I finally did. It would my a good painting.