Thursday, May 29, 2008

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.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

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.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

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.

Monday, May 19, 2008

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.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

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.

Monday, May 12, 2008

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.