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I've was overseas for a month where access to the internet was just too much of a hassle. Since then life has been absolutely hectic, hence no posts for 3 months. After Christmas I will post some photos from my trip. In the meantime, I just wanted to acknowledge the great pics and patterns for goodies that I have been downloading from Lisa Volrath's website. Check them out.

Venice at last

After a long time of planning and along trip we are finally in Venice. We arrived At Fuimicino at about 6.am and set off for Roma Centrale station. It wasnt so nerve wracking this time because we knew our way around the station and how the system worked.

We arrived in Venice late in the afternoon and haven't been disappointed with our hotel. after dragging our suitcases forty steps up and down the bridge, we we at our hotel.It is every bit as good as we hoped. Our room looks over the Canal and is therefore a bit noisy very early in the morning, but it is worth it.

Yesterday we walked all day, looked at mask and glassware and just cruised around. We found a great restaurante for dinner and ccame home exhausted.

Today we had to walk to the Galleria Accademia because the Vaporettos were on strike. Of course we got slightly lost, but arrived on time for our booking. I have discovered a love for the work of Vittore Carpaccio. He has a very wry eye.

We finally found the Guggenheim but it was closed. I wonder if we will be be able to find it again.

Have done quite bit of shopping already. We both love buying presents!

We caught a vaporetto home. It was a very sick baby and we really did wonder if we were going to make it. But it was preferable to using our very tired legs.
Tomorrow I will try to find out if I can post pics on this internet cafe

Italy here we come!

I am getting pretty excited as I head off to Italy tomorrow with my friend Sue. It seems to have been a long time coming and we still have a possible issue to deal with. We have booked internal flights with Alitalia, which we have now found out, is on the verge of collapse. Today I read that there has been another rescue bid, so hopefully the unions will accept the offer and we won't have to buy another lot of tickets. Did you know travel insurance usually doesn't cover the "insolvency" of a carrier? I didn't, but even if I had, I didn't know about Alitalia anyway.

Anyway, at this stage, I just want to get away, and we'll face the problem if it arises. I'm so looking forward to seeing Venice again after 33 years! We have a hotel on the Grande Canal but it's not in the centre. It's a twenty minute walk to Piazza San Marco. Antiche Figure (our hotel) has had very good reviews and is rated third or fourth by contributors to Trip Advisor.

After Venice, we head to Florence and stay at the same apartment we had three years ago- Convivio Apartment.  It is very central- just off the Piazza Della Signoria. We just have to cross the Piazza and we are  at the Ufizzi Gallery. We have a bar and deli beneath us, and green grocer, fishmonger and poultry shop opposite. What more could we want apart from a terrific piazza just down the lane!

Then Sicily for two weeks. If we have flights! I haven't been there before and am really looking forward to seeing this very ancient and eclectic island which seems to have been invaded, and hence influenced, by  an enormous range of cultures.

I am hoping I will be able to add to the blog from time to time while we're away. If I can manage the technology I'll add some photos as well.  Till next time "arrivedeci"!

Human Rights abuses forced by US defence contracts.

"American security laws based on where a person was born mean some Australians can't work in defence industries in Australia. It's against our laws - but it's like it or lump it. Reporter Lorena Allam."  This is the description on the ABC website introducing yesterday's Background Briefing.  I was appalled to hear that Australian companies with US defence contracts were being obliged to  fire or give other work to Australian citizens who were not born here but came from a very large list of proscribed countries.

Anyone born in any of those countries, no matter how long they have been in Australia, why they came here or whether or not they now have citizenship, is barred from working on certain projects. (In one case, the US government classified a person as Sudanese because he was born in a plane flying over Sudan!!!) In some firms, in order not to have to fire employees, companies are insisting workers wear badges designating their country of birth. Those wearing certain badges are not allowed to enter some areas. I felt sick hearing this. It has shades of Yellow  Stars of David to me.

What happened to freedom and human rights? So many people have come to Australia seeking refuge from persecution and now we say they are not to be trusted because of where they were born and because some elements in the USA are now racially profiling workers. I wonder how many US citizens are aware of this. It's a sick world when the guy who designs a piece of technology the Defence Dept wants is not allowed to talk to them because he's of the wrong ethnic origin. Mind  you they don't reject his technology, just him.

OK, so maybe enough Americans are prepared to see their right taken away for the sake of so called security. Australians should insist we don't want American contracts at the expense of ours.

Technorati Tags: human rights

Matt Medium Transfer

Here's my first effort using the  background paper below. I altered it slightly using Photoshop so that there weren't intrusive objects where the face was to go.

I then used a transparency and matt medium to transfer a photo of my son, Ben, back in the days he  had dreadlocks. (I didn't create the photo image,. He did it from a photo one of his friends took.)

I expected the transfer to be black. I was delighted by whatever chemical reaction turned it green!

I then stamped the letters on another sheet of the same background using Ma Vincis  grunge alphabet stamps

Technorati Tags: transfers,backgrounds,Photoshop. matt medium

Anne has a giveaway

My favourite blogger Anne is giving away a piece of her art to celebrate her 6 month anniversary in blogging. Click on the hotlink to go to her website and take your chance at winning the giveaway.

Play Day with Ingrid

Technorati Tags: backgrounds,Photoshop

Last Monday Kathy and I got to spend a whole day "playing" with backgrounds at Ingrid's place. Ingrid showed us a printing with string technique she had seen in Cloth, Paper, Scissors . She has done some gorgeous work and we were really inspired by her samples . We were also pretty impressed with her workspace and her very calm inducing house. I think her neat freak husband, Tim, may have something to do with that. I wonder if she hires him out!?

Here are a couple of backgrounds I made -

The one above started off as a blue sheet and then I printed with a red paint, then some dark blue and finally stamped some cogs. I then decided to play a little in Photoshop and added a couple of brushes. The most distinct one is  from Missm-abstractgeometry. (Try as I might, I can't find the link to post for this). I just love Photoshop and only wish I had more time to learn to use more of it. Maybe next year. I also really appreciate all the work so many artists put into developing fabulous brushes. I think when I have time I might start a list of brush links.

 

One of my other pieces was done using the negative of the string on the brayer. I started here with dark green paper.

Junk Bracelet

A couple of weeks ago, I did a class with Jenny Crossley where we made a bracelet from found objects. The main purpose of the class was to teach us some basic soldering which I have been wanting to learn for a long time.

I really enjoyed the class and have finally added the couple of objects I hadn't finished. My soldering is a bit wobbly and some of my objects aren't so  much  "found" as purchased, but I'm pretty happy with my first attempt. Thanks Jen and Bevlea from Soul Arts for running the workshop.

Technorati Tags: jewellery

Italy here we come!

My friend Sue and I are travelling to Italy in just under 2 months time. We went there in 2005 (it was my first visit since 1975) and loved it so much we decided we would return in 2008.

With just under 8 weeks before we depart, I am getting quite excited, especially as I start to book some entries so we don't have to queue for hours. I found a site Initaly where entry passes can be bought in advance for the Uffizi gallery and several other places in Florence, plus major sites in Rome and Venice amongst others. They should save heaps of time rather than queuing. I also found a site where I could purchase a discount card for government owned  transport, churches, museums and galleries in  Venice.

I wish I had more time to study my Italian vocabulary. I have been taking classes for a couple of years now but don't do enough studying and find my brain won't retain nearly as much as I would wish. Still hopefully I will be brave enough to at least attempt some discussion in Italian.

Technorati Tags: Italy,Florence,Venice

Orange, black, white and gold Twinchie

 

I recently completed this for an arty_oz swap. The image is from an old playing card I found and doctored in Photoshop. The background is a Cuttlebug embossing folder with Gold Shiva stick.

Technorati Tags: Twinchie,arty-oz

Coming to Melbourne-Judy Wilkenfeld

My sister Kathy and I have invited internationally recognised,  Aussie Artist, Judy Wilkenfeld to run her 2 day book two day book workshop in Melbourne in November. The dates are Nov 8 and 9, and the venue will be the  University of the Third Age Knox.

The cost of the workshop is $395 and includes lunches and morning and afternoon teas. Judy is also offering a value laden kit for $25.  It will be available on the day for those who have pre-ordered and paid for it.

If you would like to check out the book we will be doing, hit the hot link to Judy and have a look at the Fair Maid of Perth

After that if you are interested contact me byrnemargaretm@yahoo.com

or Kathy kathyata@yahoo.com.au

Technorati Tags: workshop,Judy Wilkenfeld

A Great Ro Bruhn workshop

My sister Kathy and I organised an altered book workshop taught by the very talented Ro Bruhn. As usual, I had difficulty trying to work out what images to bring, but in the end it didn't matter as it was all about developing layered backgrounds. Here's my first effort

Here's how it looked after I had Photoshopped it, to use as a paper

My next page started like this

 

Technorati Tags: Ro Bruhn,altered book,Photoshop

Final Piece in workshop

 

This is late being uploaded. I thought I had done so and only just discovered it wasn't here. I messed up us the original border so it has ended up larger than I intended, but I quite like it this way.

The scanning doesn't do justice to beautiful luminous quality of the splashes which were done with acrylic inks. Now what images to put on this page....?

Technorati Tags: altered book

And a couple more...

A couple of weeks ago, I experimented with the bandanna technique of making backgrounds. Today, I decided it was about time to do something with them.Here are the results-

I have finally gotten around to photographing and uploading the completed beach huts piece. I took people's comments into account and then thought about what worked for me. So I added texture in via modelling paste in the sand area and some clouds. I didn't want to add too much to the sky. Then I used the deck chairs to join the beach huts but tried to put them on different planes, so they didn't just lined up. I think the car, behind the palm tree is a bit too small, but that's all that would fit. It would have been lot easier if all this had been planned before I started, but then I wouldn't have had the benefit of everyone's advice! So thank you to everyone for their comments.

Let them eat frogs!

The Burmese government apparently cares so little for its people that it has decided the people in the Irrawaddy delta who haven't yet received any aid, don't really need it. They can live on frogs. ASEAN finds this "regrettable"- an absolutely stunning response, which is bound to shake up the Burmese junta!

Because governments have been so weak in their response to this, I believe the citizens of the world have a greater responsibility to donate and to pressure their own governments to act.

Keep in touch with what is happening around the world through the voluntary organisations such as AVAAZ and Medecin San Frontier. You can also make donations to both. AVAAZ is raising money for the Burmese Monks Association so that they can distribute aid, and Medicin San Frontier works directly with those in need.

Work in Progress

I finally had the time to try one of the techniques we did at the Artjourney Retreat a couple of weeks ago. I did a piece a la Traci Bautista. I'm not sure about it though. I don't know whether to add an element or two or leave well enough alone. So I've decided to be brave and ask for some constructive criticism. What do you think? I have wondered if I should add a black internal border to the beach houses. I also thought about some footprints down to the edge. Never having had any art training, I am always so uncertain about when to stop.

Ban Cluster Bombs

I have lifted this directly from an email sent to me by the activist group Avaaz .

Avaaz.org avaaz@avaaz.org

I'm sure they won't mind as they want as many people as possible to email their governments to sign the treaty. I think that if you click on the link above you can go directly to the letter to sign, but you may need to be a member. Anyway if you think it's important to ban something which aims at causing as much damage as possible to as many people as possible, find a way to contact Kevin Rudd or your local member. As individuals most of us may not be able to make much of a difference but a lot of individuals working together most certainly can.

Final negotiations are underway right now in Dublin, Ireland on a treaty to ban cluster bombs. Arms manufacturers are pushing governments to riddle the treaty with loopholes and delays -- and the final text will be decided in the next 72 hours. Cluster munitions don't just kill during war. They scatter small, shiny, unexploded "bomblets" on the ground that hold their deadly charge for years. When children pick them up, they are often maimed or killed. Most governments agree that these weapons should be outlawed, but back-room pressure is rising to undercut a strong ban. We're hearing the Australian delegation is one of the problems -- so we need to send an avalanche of messages from Australians to Kevin Rudd

Other governments such as that of the USA also oppose this treaty. Make sure your government, wherever it is, knows you want them to support the treaty.

Collaborative Book Page

I completed my page for the Arty Oz collaborative book some time ago but didn't scan a page. I found my extra pages a couple of days ago.

I wanted a retro look and originally decided on an image of Audrey Hepburn. Then I found this beautiful photograph of Marilyn Monroe and decided use it. The idea of using the cuttlebug embossing pad didn't come to me until I had completed the background and thought it just needed something more.

Strangely I didn't connect the diamond embossing with the stone on her finger and the quote until I has completed the page and showed it to my sister, Kathy. It was simply a fortuitous coincidence.

Artjourney Retreat Part 2

My first workshop was with Traci. I was really looking forward to this as I am becoming more and more attracted to bright colours in what I do, but haven't been confident about how to incorporate them. Traci taught us some great techniques for making our own background papers and then using them in our work. I was happy with a few of the backgrounds I produced and made one collage I really liked though it is as yet unfinished. I'm hoping to get some time soon to really play around with this technique

The following day our class was with Misty. I enjoyed this one just as much but really struggled here. My transfers just wouldn't work properly even though I've never had any trouble before. I think it must have to do with the particular printer ink and water colour paper combination, as I hae never used this paper before. As a result my transfers were far too light to successfully paint over and still have enough outline to work with. I ended up trying to draw in a lot of the outline and I have almost no drawing ability. Misty was a great help and and pic shows she does great work!! Somewhere in there is something of mine but the lips and jaw outline are definitely hers. I just couldn't get it right! I did pretty good hair and my face colouring was not to bad though Misty really contributed there as well.

About halfway through the afternoon my upper back really started to hurt. I often get this when I have my head at the same angle for any length of time. I was in too much pain to continue with the painting so I packed up and lay on the floor!! Not a pretty sight! Still I was lucky we were in a larger class room and there was space at the back for me to do so.

The last workshop was with Nina. Kathy and I attended a workshop with her last year and knew what a great teacher she is. Having been planning this for 12 months I had collected a few things on a trip to Turkey and Egypt last June/July and had some other bits and pieces collected on other trips or which reflect something about my travels. I am pretty happy with the necklace so far even though it isn't finished and could certainly be improved. The nature of the piece does mean, however, that it doesn't have to look neatly and evenly finished.

Art Journey Retreat

I am exhausted today after three wonderful days of workshops. I think I actually brought home a cold with me, but it was worth it. My sister Kathy and I attended the workshops run by Traci Bautista, Misty Mawn and Nina Bagley and we both had a wonderful time. It's very cool having a sister who has similar interests to me and we do a lot of arty stuff together. We also live only about five minutes apart which is very handy for car pooling!

I think I'm a bit of a technique junky. I love attending workshops and trying out new things. I have learned that I work pretty slowly, rarely finish a piece, and am often less than impressed with what I have achieved. But now, I just accept that that is the way I learn. I take in what I can, take notes and photographs, and try it out at home. I no longer compare what I have done with that of anyone else in the class and I'm no longer disattisfied. It's a heck of a lot less stressful too.

These workshops were held at Swinburne University (Hawthorn Campus) in Melbourne. It wasn't an ideal spot because there were parking issues some of the time, but it was very close to some good coffee shops. This was what was needed after leaving home very early in order to be able to find somewhere to park. It was also a bit strange being on a campus on Friday while classes were running, and quite amusing to see the faces of some of the young male engineering students as they looked at us through the windows. It was great to catch up with some people we met at the first Retreat in Freemantle last year, as well as others we see more regularly, and to make new friends too.

I would like to thank our three wonderful teachers for their generosity and terrific teaching. A very special thanks to Nina who was not at all well, and soldered on, despite the most dreadful cough; a real trouper and a great teacher.

I am too tired to post photos tonight but I will upload a few in the near future.

Time for Something Arty

I haven't done much in the way of arty stuff lately so I'm posting some old and a little new. "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" and "Destiny" are pieces I did in a workshop that my sister and I organised with Michael Demeng when he was last in Australia. We all had a terrific time and learned so much from Michael, a very warm and geneous teacher. And I finished a piece each day, something very unusual for me in a class!!

Gothica is an ATC I made for a swap. I used Photoshop extensively for the images both in the background and foreground and made the bat stamp myself.

The jigsaw piece is for another swap- Rich Red and Gold. I was a little stumped for a decent image which would fit the shape without having to do too much tracing and cutting in such a limited space. Then, when I did the background and the paperclay image, I thought it looked very Baroque, so I decided just to decorate rather than add any more images. It's not the sort of thing I usually do but I'm quite happy with it. I have no idea how it will fit into the completed jigsaw as there were no other guidelines. It will be interesting to see how the individual pieces combine.

Now I just need to learn how to manipulate my images on this screen better. All tips gratefully accepted.

Mean Kitty Song

And now for a bit of fun. I saw a link to this video somewhere and thought this it was such a hoot. I'm not particularly a cat lover though I confess to being quite a softy when it comes to my own cat Ceefa. Cat lover or not, I think most people could relate to this song.

Make this song a hit.

I belong to an activist group called Getup/Standup which campaigns, largely by email and internet, on various issues of interest to members. Getup has become such a force in politics that a rep was invited to Rudd's recent summit. Getup decided to celebrate the "Sorry" speech by producing a music clip incorporating elements of the speech with Paul Kelly's wonderful song "From little things big things grow". The lyrics have been altered to reflect that momentous occasion in Canberra.

Getup had the aim of making the song a hit to celebrate, and keep in people's minds, the issues raised in the "Sorry" speech. It is currently in fourth position on the charts and has attracted interest from around the world. To view the clip, click on the title bar above. If you'd like to help get the song to number one buy and download a copy. Why not join Getup? It's not just for young people and you are not obliged to support any particular campaign. It's a great way to find your voice and actually make a difference. Individually we can't change much, but by combining many voices, perhaps there are all sorts of possibilities.

Finding an old friend

I finally got around to setting up a blog and when I do it's because I am so, so sad. After talking to my friend, Cathy Daulman last week, as I have on many occasions, about the situation in Zimbabwe. Today, I decided to seach for information on my old friend Simbarashe Mumbengwe, who Cathy told me, was now Foreign Minister in that perversion of a government. I was hoping that somehow, she had the wrong person, though I knew in my heart of hearts that, this wouldn’t be the case. I had looked before but must have mistyped something because I didn’t find his name and thought this must mean he was someone fairly unimportant in the regime. This time there were no typos and I’ve seen the truth in print.
I feel gutted that Zimbabwe, for which we had such high hopes, is now a basket case economy with a megalomaniac leader. I grieve for the friend from my youth who was handsome, intelligent and honourable.
I understand Africa is very complex and that politics, kinship and tribe are all interrelated, and that if someone is not a supporter of the regime, then they are an enemy and they and their family and friends are at risk But there are many others who have had the courage to oppose the regime and been prepared to pay the price. On an individual level, I wonder how someone can accept the beating up of an old friend such as Sekei Holland but I suppose history is full of people who have betrayed friendships. I know it is stupid to feel personally betrayed when an entire nation has been betrayed, but that's how I feel.
My sadness is of nothing compared to what others who were closer, or who have been directly affected, must feel, but still I grieve for the friend with whom I argued, watched the sunrise from Mt Dandenong, danced at parties and went to rallies and sit-ins, who introduced us to hot chillies and Miriam Makeba, and who had such an influence on me, confirming for me the lifelong value that human rights for all must be a foundation plank for any person of integrity and any just government. I wish I could turn back time.