Musings and Meanderings

Iris

2011-10-16T16:32:00.001+11:00

This was inspired by an iris in my garden. I just love the colour combination in the flower. I had a page with a bit of pink and some torn hand towel with the confetti waste stencilled on it. Just t he right start for the iris colours.

Peacock Feathers

2011-10-14T15:33:00.001+11:00

I’m not really one for pastels, but I started off with a spread I had cleaned off a brayer on, and then some strips of torn paper towel, also used to finish up the remains of some paint, The colours lent themselves to using some paler or fainter colours.

Once again, it took some time to work out how to finish the spread. I came up with the peacock feathers, and I guess they aren’t too bad for my first attempts. I just wish I could find a white correction or gel pen with an even flow, that would go scratchy on a textured surface. Traci did recommend one but I haven’t found it in Australia. Any suggestions from Aussies would be very welcome.

Playing with photos

2011-10-13T18:31:00.000+11:00

A few years ago I took this photo of the moon through clouds.

In this one I put it behind a photograph I took of forest that bushfire had been through. I desaturated the coloured photo to make it black and white.

In another I added some other digital trickery. I have forgotten where the brushes came from. I have referenced then in an earlier post.

Technorati Tags: Digital art

More Art Journaling

2011-10-11T13:36:00.001+11:00

This page started with some unsuccessful printing using a felt table mat. I liked the blotchy green effect though, and over printed it with a foam printing block traced from another table mat. Then I added the orange stamp made from a matt board shape. Then it sat for weeks because I couldn’t figure out what to do next. I resisted text because my text is underwhelming, to say the least, Finally, I decided to try to draw a pomegranite, one of my favourite shapes, and then the flowers. I googled for images to copy as I totally lack confidence in my drawing. I used both cheap water colour paints and the fabulous Derwent Inktense pencils in the colouring.

A very similar process used here.

Another of my favourite shapes. The printing on this started as navy and red. I hated it! Out came my new best friend, gesso! The lime sparked it up a bit. I really like using the water colours and the Intense pencils as the background really shows through, and here it adds texture to the poppies.

Maybe one day, if I have anything worth saying, I will add text to these, but for the moment, I am happy to leave them as is.

Traci’s Online class

2011-10-10T17:07:00.001+11:00

I recently joined a Traci Bautista online class on Art Journaling. I really enjoyed the lessons, though I was always behind because of various family things. I combined what I learned in her classes with some of the printing techniques from Ro Bruhn’s workshops and here are a couple of pieces I came up with.

I am discovering my style at last. It appears to be a combo of grunge and fairly stylised flora, but who knows where it will end up. I have more stuff in an actual journal which I will gradually add.

Back on Board

2011-10-10T16:02:00.001+11:00

I haven’t blogged for around two years. Life got in the way and, when I wanted to be creative, I felt I needed to spend more time doing, and less time reading and writing on the web. Having found my muse, got my studio up and running again, and attended a few workshops, I feel I have something to contribute again.

The first thing I would like to share are the pics of my beautiful repurposed coat made in the workshop held by Ro Bruhn and Patsy Worledge. I highly recommend this workshop. Ro and Patsy take two students at a time, help with the design elements, and Patsy does all the sewing on her industrial overlocker.How good is that! Not only that, but I have a one-off garment I would happily spend a considerable amount of money on, if I found it in a boutique.

My fellow student, Maha, also made a beautiful coat totally different from mine. So if you would like to get an idea of the types of things you could make, check out the page on Ro's blog and then, if you live in Melb., do yourself a favour and contact Ro re organising a class. No I don’t get a commission, I’m just a very happy customer!

KK necklace

2009-12-20T13:07:00.001+11:00

Lucy has received and opened the necklace I made as her Kris Kringle present, so I can now show everyone else. The beads were made from Primo polymer clay. I think it is called Blue Pearl. I was surprised that the colour wasn’t even throughout each bead. I’m not sure if it’s meant to happen or if I somehow messed up but I actually like the effect.

I haven’t got my muse back as far as paper or digital art is concerned, but I am really enjoying the jewelry side of things.

Back on Air

2009-12-13T19:06:00.004+11:00

I haven’t posted for a couple of months for a variety of reasons. Lost muse, lost internet connection, computer crashes etc. But I think had I anything really creative going on, I would have worked quicker to get all the problems fixed.

Anyway, a visit to Lisa’s fantastic boutique style shop in Upwey, Voski Von Muller, inspired me so much with the funky clothes and accessories, that I came home full of ideas.

I started off by making some fused plastic and making a little pouch for my phone, plus another purse.

I then started another project which I won’t talk about yet because it involves my Kris Kringle gift for my Arty Oz partner. I also tried the “fried marble” technique which was incredibly easy and has stunning results-see below.

Then last Saturday, I attended a class with Ro Bruhn, and made a rather funky necklace. Ro has a lovely house with a great classroom, she’s a terrific teacher, and her husband Steve fed us very, very well. If you get a chance to do a class with her, I can thoroughly recommend it.

Then, for the past couple of days, I have been working on a way of incorporating my fried marbles into a necklace. It took a while for me to figure out the wire wrapping but it was worth the effort. Unfortunately the photo doesn’t really show the crystalline effect of the marbles.

Yesterday I attended the Walk against Warming in Melbourne. I was tempted not to go because I had slept very poorly, but I believe the issue is the most important one confronting our poor planet, and think that the politicians need to see how many of us are concerned and watching them. It was comforting to be in the company of 40,000 others (accordng to the Age), young and old, who feel the same way I do- that we would love to be wrong, but if we are wrong, not nearly as much will be lost, as will be if the sceptics are wrong.

Sceptics used to deny climate change, however they have really lost that battle. Now their argument has slid to denying that humans beings are responsible for that change – an excuse to do nothing or virtually nothing-(very reminiscent of the tobacco companies and their apologist scientists). Imagine the fate of future generations if they are wrong- innundated Pacific Islands, far greater famine in Africa, severe droughts in Australia and massive loss of food production, plus the possibility of more catastrophic bush fires in many countries. I believe we are running out of time to act. We need a Fair, Ambitious and Binding treaty now.

Technorati Tags: Ro Bruhn,fried marbles,necklace,walk against warming,climate change

Moon Magic

2009-09-09T18:22:00.001+10:00

I am loving the Three Muses Wednesday Challenge as it provides the stimulus to start new or complete old pieces. This one started as an altered book spread in a Joy Bathie class. As is my form in classes, I didn’t complete it. So the background is painted and stamped and then I have digitally added the foreground image, moon and a bit more texture.

Moon Magic

Image Googled.I used two DW brushes, one from the Papermoon set and the other from the Special Effects set. The stamp is from the Making Memories foam set, Floral Dingbats.

Technorati Tags: altered book,digital collage

Two for one

2009-09-06T14:35:00.002+10:00

Last week I sent Ben a birthday card, only to realise that he would arrive home before the card reached him. I had to think quickly of a card to make, as I wouldn’t have time to buy one. I decided the Three Muses Wednesday Challenge (http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com/ ) might be the starting point so I made a card with him as Charlie Chaplin.

Being short of time this week I decided to use that image and the original for my entry in the challenge. I wanted to play with ordering layers. I still have a lot to learn, but here is my effort for this week.

A Crowd of Charlies!

A freebie

2009-08-22T19:36:00.001+10:00

Here's a collage sheet I made using some of my stash of postcards etc.

Technorati Tags: freebies,ephemera

Wings on things

2009-08-20T15:18:00.002+10:00

Here's my entry in the Three Muses' Wednesday Challenge

The Scream Revisited

I guess it only very loosely fits the description as I think I was supposed to put wings on something that doesn't necessarily have wings. Still, the bird's wing is "on" the "screamer"...

After last weeks cheery entry I wanted to try something a little gothic. When thinking of wings, I immediately came up Alfred Hitchcock's film, "The Birds". It was then just a matter of finding a way to portray the horror.

The skyline and birds are brushes from JMC Designs- Skyline. The sky is from one of my own photos, and the "screamer" is my rendition of Munch's character.

It is deliberately greyscale to suit the mood.

Technorati Tags: digital collage,Wednesday challenge

Never enough!

2009-08-17T16:59:00.001+10:00

I have mentioned my friends, Claire and Kirk, before and how I love the sunsets viewed from their property in north eastern Victoria. I visited them again recently and didn't bother to take my camera from the car as I thought I had enough sunset shots from their place. How wrong I was.

Kirk and I were talking, when I looked out the window and flew out of my seat shouting, "oh my god!" The sky outside was the most amazing streaks of pink and gold. Of course I couldn't immediately find the camera in the bottom of a suitcase in the car, and by the time I did, the best of it had gone. Here's some of what I did manage to capture -

I don't actually know if these are the best shots, 'cos i still haven't got full colour. Long sigh......

Anyway my new laptop should arrive on Wednesday and then I just have to figure out how to connect it to the internet via a wireless network.

On the way home from their place the following day, I saw a rainbow such as I have never seen before. It wasn't so much in the sky, as entirely in front of a row of hills, so that the hills themselves were painted different colours. Of course I couldn't find anywhere to pull over so I couldn't capture it. However,it has inspired me to try some digital imaging to try to recapture something of what I saw. This will be one of my first projects when my new computer arrives.

Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Project

2009-08-17T16:46:00.001+10:00

Did you know about this? Until yesterday I didn't. Aussie mathematicians Christine and Margaret Wertheim, who run the Institute of Figuring, in New York (I think), have started this project. Apparently hyperbolic crochet is the best way to represent the growth of a coral reef. So to raise awareness of how coral reefs are endangered and to celebate women's handcrafts, they have run workshops and invited people to add their own little bit of reef to the original project.

Check it out here

There are also a number of side projects.

On the main page there is a link to the Sydney group who are exhibiting in August.

Collaborative projects with yarn are certainly taking off. Have you seen Dneese's guerilla knitting projects? How cool is that!!!

Technorati Tags: hand crafts,collaborative projects,guerilla knitting

HATS

2009-08-15T10:00:00.001+10:00

This is my first entry in a Wednesday Challenge in The Three Muses. I was particularly attracted to this challenge because one of my favourite pics from my trip to Turkey was the photo I took in the hat shop.

I chose a new project with a transparent background. I then created a new layer, opened the hat photo, selected the part I wanted, cut it and pasted it to the new layer. Then I resized it to cover the entire background.

Next I created another layer and then opened the picture of my friend wearing one of the hats. I used the elliptical marquee to select what I wanted and then cut and pasted to the new layer. I resized it and moved it where I wanted it. Then I used the eraser tool to take away the edges and create a torn look to the image.

I then went into the layer styles and played around with blending until I found an opacity level I was happy with. At this point I also selected the notepaper filter to give the image the faded sepia look.

Now my dodgy computer decided to lose most of the colour, but I valiantly soldiered on! I merged the top layer down.

Creating another layer I used the eyedropper to select one of the hat colours (not being able to distinguish the actual colour!) and then chose the text tool and the warp/arch mode. I wrote the first word, and chose +50 bend and -30 horizontal. I then resized and moved the text. I repeated this whole process (with -50 and +30) for the word on the other side. Last, but not least, I flattened all the layers to reduce the size of the file and saved it as a jpeg.

The title comes from the fact that my friend was beside herself with delight when we discovered this shop behind the Blue Mosque and tried on almost every hat in the shop before deciding on one to buy.

I am very curious to see how it actually turned out if ever the colour comes back on the screen/or when my new computer arrives! In the meantime I think I am going to experiment with replacing colour and applying filters and see what happens of it. I might get some interesting art. Then again it may end up as rubbish. I guess which it is will be in the eye of the beholder!

Technorati Tags: digital art

A nightmare and a dream of a workshop.

2009-07-26T20:38:00.001+10:00

Yesterday started very badly. I woke up around two thirty chanting this catchy little number, ''crack crack sore head, crack crack brain dead"! The immediate image in my head before I awoke, was looking for someone and finding a whole bunch of bloodied people hanging from the wall in a freezer room. This really freaked me out and it is still visually very strong in my mind. It's been a long time since I had a nightmare, and I can usually track back my dreams to some sort of influence during the preceding day. I hate to think what inner depths this came from!!

Anyway, things rapidly improved, as we, SisterArts, had our first day of workshops with Keith Lo Bue. The workshop focuses on techniques for using re-bar wire for jewellery and to embellish small sculptural pieces. We had 11 students apart from Kathy and me, and all of us got a lot from the class. Keith is a great teacher and I learned so much, even if, as an organiser I didn't have quite as much time to practice all the techniques.

The great thing about using this wire is that it is very cheap so one can really be adventurous without worrying about messing up. As I am not taking any regular classes or doing any regular committee work this term, I intend to spend lots of time playing with things I have learned today and in a number of workshops over the past year or so

Working on Workshop

2009-07-21T09:41:00.002+10:00

The last week or so I have been trying to get together the supplies Kathy and I need for our Keith Lo Bue workshops. It's taken quite some time and many visits to various hardware stores, craft shops and jewellers' supplies. I sure it will be worth every mile, hour and cent.

Now it's time to get together the supplies needed to run the workshop, so no art or photography has even been attempted. However I have uploaded some more pics of our trip to Facebook.

Even if you aren't a member you can still view the pics on the following public links-

The magical Istanbul

Album 2

It looks like I will have to buy a new computer. I have been having trouble with the graphics crashing for a time, and no tech has managed to fix it, but now the picture frequently loses colour-leaving me with two shades of purple and yellow! Not ideal when my major use of the computer is art. I have put this off for so long because I'd rather spend the money elsewhere- travelling mainly! I am considering a Dell Studio 15 notebook which has had pretty good writeups. Any comments very, very welcome.

Next stop Jet lag Junction!

2009-07-08T18:11:00.002+10:00

It seems like forever since I last posted. In the meantime I have been on the move in Turkey and Greece. I had intended to send the occasional post from O/S but getting access to the internet was not easy. It seems more and more hotels are providing hotspots rather than actual computers, so I am thinking that before I go away again, I will have to investigate an iphone or netbook or something of the kind. I'd like some opinion on this, if anyone has had experience of one or t'other or both.

This trip to Turkey was with the same tour group (Turkish Magic) and several of the people from my first tour in 2007. As Margaret, one of the first timers, said to me, it was like meeting up with family again. We did have to explain to our guide, Metin, that we do have a range of first names in Australia , even if on this tour we had four Margarets (though one has never been know as this) two Denises, two Helens and two Johns!

I have had a massive dose of jet lag since I got home. Seems getting upgraded on the final leg from Dubai, and having my first ever real sleep on a plane, was to be paid for by days and days of not being able to get to sleep before 3am at the earliest.

Still it was all worth it. I left Turkey loving it even more and feeling more than a little sad that I would probably be there again. Then I decided that this is too final and maybe someday I will have to make Istanbul a stopover on the way to somewhere else. It really is a magical city, and the Turkish people are regarded by all I have met, who have visited Turkey, as the warmest, most hospitable people in the world.

I will be posting albums of photos on my Facebook Page page so I'll only put a few here.

On our first day we went looking for, and found a former medresse which had been turned into craft studios. It was still there, but the small restaurant was gone and was replaced by a much posher affair in the hotel next door. The outdoor area was gorgeous.

My travelling companion Denise is carefully cut out of the first photo as she likes her privacy and doesn't believe we need to reveal our lives on the net. So you won't see her in any of the pics. Shame really.

A small part of the hat display in a store in a shopping lane behind the Blue Mosque.

The contrasts are quite amazing-modern hotels and shopping lanes, minutes from derelict Ottoman buildings,

and the obelisk in the Hippodrome (with the Blue Mosque partially visible in the background.

And then there's the Spice Bazaar!

On another note entirely, I am very pleased to announce that SisterArts' Keith Lo Bue workshops will go ahead on July 25th and 26th

Technorati Tags: SisterArts,Keith Lo Bue
Technorati Tags: travel,Turkey,Istanbul
,

Keith Lo Bue workshops in Melbourne

2009-05-19T09:10:00.001+10:00

Kathy and I are very pleased to announce that Keith Lo Bue has agreed to teach a couple of workshops for us on July 25 and 26.

WORKING WITH WIRE - SAT 25 JULY 2009
GETTING ATTACHED - SUN 26 JULY 2009

Details will be in the files on our Yahoo Group SisterArts shortly. If you're interested, and not a member already, click on the sidebanner icon to join.

Technorati Tags: classes,workshops,Keith Lo Bue,found object jewellry,working with wire

A slip, a trip and a blip.

2009-05-17T16:34:00.001+10:00

Over the past couple of weeks life has been interesting, to say the least. My friend Denise, with whom I am going to Turkey and Greece in less than two weeks time, managed to break bones in her foot. She is on crutches and we have been keeping fingers and toes (unbroken!) crossed that she will be healed enough to do the trip. It is looking pretty positive now as she will probably be at the stage of wearing one of those most graceful blow up boots. A plus for having such an injury is that we will be well looked after by the airlines involved. A downer is that if she is still on crutches, much of the climbing at historical sites will be beyond her.

I am a little worried about dealing with the whole luggage thing though, as with tendonitis in my shoulder, I am not really capable of dealing with her luggage as well as mine, on the tour itself. I also know that, no matter how kind they are, fellow travellers can get pretty sick of helping someone at every stop.

Apart from helping Denise get set up, I have been up country again, visiting a friend near Wangaratta, and then spending a few days with Mum, taking her to Deniliquin and then having Mothers' Day together.

The sunsets from Claire's verandah never cease to grab me. I have taken so many photos of them over the years, in all seasons, and I couldn't resist this time.

Look how it transforms a cream wall

And what is is drying on the verandah?

and

Claire and Kirk have always had a fabulous vegetable garden and have been virtually self sufficient with their veggies until now. But the drought has caught up with them, the dams are virtually dry, and the veggie patch will be pretty small this year.

By cheer bad management ( I just zoned out) on the way to Claire's, I ended up having to cut across country from Healesville to the Melba Highway just near the Kinglake turnoff. How fortuitous that turned out to be.

The route takes you through the country side where much of the Black Saturday fire activity took place. What struck me was the juxtaposition of the bright green regrowth and the brilliant autumn colours of the exotic trees not damaged by the fires over the blacks and greys of the fire damage. I found it incredibly beautiful.

I nearly always have the camera at the ready these days but couldn't find many places to stop, so I planned to come back the same way hoping to find more opportunities to stop on the other side of the road. Unfortunatley at the crucial points where I had especially wanted to take photos I had a whacking great bus bearing down on me at breakneck speed, and I couldn't go slowly enough to find appropriate parking spots.

So I never did get that juxtaposition I found so appealing. A shame, as at the moment, photography is almost all I am doing artistically as I don't need to get out or clean up any gear. I expect this will be the way of it until I get back from our trip.

Lest We Forget

2009-04-25T22:08:00.001+10:00

I spent the my usual ANZAC Day crying as I watched the service at Gallipoli. It has become very meaningful for me since I visited Anzac Cove in 2007. As I watched the service today I was so glad we were able to visit the peninsula without hordes of other visitors. It was a time for walking amonsgst the gravestones, quiet meditation and horror as I saw the ages of the Australian, New Zealand and Turkish men who died in that battle. In that quiet, beautiful place, one needed solitude to imagine the ships coming in, the men battling and maybe dying before getting to the shore, and the bullets raining down on them (in the museum we saw bullets fused together as they had hit one another, so many were flying through the air).

As the mother of a son, I looked for, and found plenty of young Anzacs and Turks of around the same age and the emotion was overwhelming. Was it ever thus, young men dying in old men's wars.

It was really striking just how small the whole cove is. I wonder why it seems quite large in the televised service. Perhaps it's the type camera lens used. It has also struck me that the pilgrimages being made every year for ANZAC Day, is actually destroying the peninsula, as the Turks widen roads etc to accomodate the tourists. Perhaps the dawn service there should be limited to officials, forces and family members. The rest of us can visit another time.

There has been talk about whether or not ANZAC Day should become our national day. I hate the idea. I don't think ANZAC Day is a day to celebrate: it is about commemoration, honouring the dead, acknowledging mateship and great bravery, and reflection upon the chaos, destruction and futility of war. Australia Day is about celebration and rejoicing in our way of life. The two may have links but I don't think they're the same thing. Still, I think mine is a minority view.

What do you think?

Some freebies

2009-04-25T21:59:00.002+10:00

I've been pretty slack artistically lately so I thought I'd make some recompense by putting up some freebies from my collection of postcards, playing cards and cabinet cards. They may take a while to load as I kept the files larger than usual, so hopefully they will print better. My computer is dying. It's like a TV where the picture tube has lost most of the colour. I can't afford a new one and a trip to Turkey in June , so I'll just have to make do. I hope these are OK.

More to come!

Technorati Tags: freebies,vintage pics

To thine own self be true...!

2009-04-21T20:22:00.002+10:00

A few weeks ago I caught up with a couple of friends in Bairnsdale. On two evenings I took very different photos a sunset and a cloudy sky (see earlier post) Then, the week before Easter I took my first walk at Birdsland since the fires. I was upset by the damage but also pleased with how, so soon, the green is starting to come back.

On Easter Monday, Ben and I went for a drive into the hills. I wanted to see for myself the damage on the Black Spur, and to have a look at Marysville, where I had been to several conferences and always planned to go back to. I thought I would find material for 'arty" photos and ignored the nagging doubt about whether or not it was the right thing to do.

I should have listened to the inner me.

When we arrived the places was absolutely packed. I have never seen so many cars in the town. Everyone was walking around with cameras and I thought of flies around a dung heap. I felt sick and couldn't stop or get out of the car. I couldn't even stop to have a look at the guest house where I used to stay. To be honest, I found it very hard to orientate myself anyway. Anyway,I felt we were all voyeurs and vultures and just wanted to get out of town, I felt so ashamed to be part of it.

So I have no photos of Marysville or any little parts thereof, just an abiding sadness for what has gone. I also have the knowledge that my first instincts are usually right, that I am unlikely to ever be able to make art of something which has caused others so much pain and I certainly couldn't be a photo journalist, much as I might admire them.

So, here's to new beginnings

And here's a digital collage using the cloudy night and one of my burnt forest photos.

Technorati Tags: digital collage

International Charm Day!

2009-04-21T15:14:00.003+10:00

If you'd like to join this celebration of all things charming (pardon the terrible pun!) click on the title to head over to the International Charm Day blog. There is no swap, just a sharing of pics, ideas, links and tutorials. You could also be in line for a prize by simply following the blog.

A gift from Ben- professional photos taken.

2009-04-14T12:40:00.001+10:00

Ben had two weeks at home for Easter and informed me he had arranged for us to have professional photos taken. The last ones we had, I think he was about 10! I was chuffed to think that he'd want to do something like that, but I do hate having pics taken as I am not at all photogenic, and hate the forced smiles.

Anyway, the process was not at all painful, though I did discover I actually pull away from the camera and it it felt very awkward and unbalanced to lean forward.

Heidi used a digital SLR to take over 120 photos, which were immediately uploaded so we could make our selections before we left. I must say I was really happy with lots of the photos and it was difficult to narrow them down. We eventually got it to ten.

The pics arrived today and I couldn't be happier. My favourite is this . It was the only one that looked any good in black and white. We ordered an 8 x10, but when I got home and had another look at our smaller images on the receipt I decided I wanted a bigger one again so I ordered it in a 12 X14, which I may just have mounted behind glass rather than framed.

There were several of us that I really liked but these in particular-

BTW Ben is semi crouching in the first one, so the height difference is not so great!

And who'd have believed I could look this glam!

I had mentioned to Ben that I hoped Heidi didn't attempt to take out my wrinkles. Admittedly she used a portrait lens but I still have my crows feet etc but they just don't stand out! This photo is pretty much as it was originally shot.

It was well worth the money, but I am trying to get Ben to accept that this could be my 60th birthday present rather that just a gift out of the blue.

Back to normal-I hope!

2009-03-16T16:30:00.001+11:00

Life has definitely got in the way of art over the past 5 weeks. The death of a relative, and those of parents of two close friends,the serious illness of my close friend's husband, 3 evacuations and two trips to the country meant that a lot of the time I didn't know if I was coming or going. On top of that, I have either had a nasty virus or I was very badly affected by the smoke coming from the fires, so I was feeling lousy most of the time.

Also I never seemed to be able to find what I wanted because it was in a suitcase, or had been taken out and put somewhere else! I did have to keep reminding myself that by comparison with those who had lost family members or houses, I was really pretty lucky.

The past week has been much better. I spent 6 days with two old friends, one recently rediscovered. We talked, ate, slept , read books (one I had started 3 times previously) and visited several galleries. It was just what I needed for mental and physical replenishment.

I love the night sky in the country. The sunset on our first night was stunning. Two nights later, the moon and clouds were much more sinister.

On a drive to Nungurner, these mail boxes looked like little mouths open in anticipation

On a walk along the old rail track, I saw these rusty cans. Can't resist a bit of rust!

The day after I got back, I attended a workshop by Stephanie Lee which was organised by Bevlea Ross, and her daughter, of Soul Arts. I loved the workshop, particularly as as it was largely techniques and there was no pressure to finish a product. I rarely manage that in a class. I have some bits that I will finish when I find the right elements to incorporate.

A few of the "bits" waiting on the Muse, and the purchase of some flux, for completion

The retreat seemed to be very successful and I would have loved to have attended more workshops but, as I am going to Turkey and Greece at the end of May, I just couldn't afford it. Mind you, with the dive in superannuation funds, I can't really afford the trip either! But some of it was planned and paid for before I knew how bad things were.

Now I hope life can start getting back to normal. I have a lot of house cleaning to do, as there is a layer of dust/ash over everything. I also have to unpack all the stuff I had in the car to evacuate. In addition, I am planning a big clean out of ornaments and such. For some time I have felt very oppressed by "stuff". I feel burdened by possession and even things I love are giving me little pleasure. The problem will be to determine which of those bits and pieces that I love I am prepared to part with.

Technorati Tags: metals,jewellry

Artfull Bras

2009-02-15T10:42:00.001+11:00

Check out this travelling exhibition in support of breast cancer awareness and uninsured victims.The art will be auctioned in October. Hopefully we Aussies will also be able to bid!

Artfull Bras

Just a little taster! Click on the link to have a look at the rest.

Thoughts on suffering and disasters

2009-02-09T09:43:00.001+11:00

Victorian death toll 108 and rising! I am feeling very, very sad and little guilty that I feel so much more for communities I have had some contact with. I guess that's human nature and I suppose we just couldn't go on if we had the same level of grief for everyone. Still it has raised, for me, the whole issue of how 100+ lives here in Victoria affects me so much more that a whole bunch more in another country especially when I don't know any of them. I know a little of it is about the sort of death they must have experienced but, I sure deep down in all of us, it is also about "my kind". I wonder if that's a primitive survival reaction, or are we just pretty well inured to deaths in the third world.

I have been struggling with this issue for a long time. How many Palestinians is one Israeli worth? How many Afghanis or Iraqis should be allowed to die to protect how many Americans, Englishmen or Australians? What dictatorships should be protected because they are our allies, whilst we destroy other countries because their leaders are "dictators". How can we condone torture when it serves our interests and still think we can hold the moral high ground over others? How can we profess to believe in democracy and refuse to deal with elected leaderships we disagree with? Why are the actions of the powerless called "terrorism" and those of the powerful, self defence?

I know it's not as simple as that. I know some people are motivated by ideology alone, but just as the "terrorists" take innocent lives, so do the actions of powerful governments, except when the powerful take the lives, the innocent somehow become reduced to "collateral damage" and it's called "protecting democracy".

Lets not forget tens of thousands of Indonesians were murdered and our governments knew of and condoned those actions because those people were apparently "communists". Let's not forget Nelson Mendela used to be labelled a communist. It seems to me "terrorist" is the new "communist"- a convenient label used to dehumanise those we disagree with or fear, and to ignore the real problems to be solved. I'm not saying there aren't real threats but there is also the very real danger of ignoring great human need because we are too quick with the labels.

So here I am back at the beginning. When I grieve over some unknown lives more than I do over others, am I just participating in a process which reduces the world to "them" and "us"- "us" to be valued, supported and protected, "them" to be given a little charity if it doesn't cost too much, and never to our own detriment.

Greatest Victorian disaster ever.

2009-02-08T12:07:00.001+11:00

After waking this morning to news of the utter devastation around Victoria and the loss of lives and houses including most of the two townships of Kinglake and Marysville,I thought I needed a reminder that nature is always awesome but mainly beautiful.

I saw this video some time back but couldn't download it as the traffic was so heavy. I guess a lot of people were inspired too. I know that during times of disaster, most people come together,and I'm sure this will happen here. Wouldn't it be nice though, if we could just ignore all our differences and concentrate on our humanity, all the time.

If you are interested in seeing what has been happening here have a look at the ABC News link. There are lots of stories and links to video footage.

With floods in the north and the worst fires on record in the south, what more do the naysayers need to be convinced that climate change should be a priority. Surely it is better to be prepared and be wrong, than the other way around. And for those who think the economy should come first, one question: Just how much will these disasters cost us?

Technorati Tags: Victorian fires,climate change

Highest temperatures on record.

2009-02-07T23:35:00.001+11:00

Today is one of those days that all people who live in fire prone areas just dread. It is well over 40 celsius. The forecast was for 44 and it feels hotter. There is a gale force wind and the air is very smoky. Outside, every now and then, I can hear sirens but our fire siren hasn't gone off yet, thank God. Occasionally I can hear a helicopter, one of the fire spotters or water bombers, I expect. A cool change is supposed to come through in a couple of hours, but that can also be a very dangerous time, if there is any lightening.I do love living in the hills but, every summer, I ask myself if it is worth the anxiety.

That sky should be vivid blue, the grey is smoke not cloud.

I was supposed to go to a class with Jen Crossley today. I was all packed and ready to go, but I just couldn't leave my cat behind in the heat. I didn't want to leave the air conditioner on when I was out, and I didn't think my old Ceefa would survive the day without it. As it is, she won't stay in the one air conditioned room, but I force her in there for occasional breaks.

She is around 18 years old and although I am not really a cat lover, she is family and my son loves her dearly. Every time he rings I know to expect two questions, "How are you?" and "How is Ceefa?" She has cancer on her nose and, at the stage when it is distressing her, I will have to have her put down. Ben loves her so much, he will fly home to be here when that happens. So, not to do my absolute best for her would feel like a betrayal of him, as well as an unkindness to her.

My poor, fluffy old girl trying to deal with the heat.

Postscript: The cool change came in but not before temperatures in Melbourne had reached a record 46.4 and some parts of the state reached 48 and 49. Officially 14 people have died in fires throughout the state but authorities believe it could be as high as 40. My house is as hot as hades as the power went out late in the afternoon and now at almost midnight, I am still sweltering. But here we are lucky this time, so far - no major fires and no lightening strikes unlike some other parts of the state.

New Charms

2009-02-04T21:49:00.001+11:00

I have now completed my second lot of charms and here they are. I rather like the look of the five of them in a group. I may use this pic to create some background paper

Technorati Tags: charm

"Havin' a heat wave,........"

2009-02-01T19:30:00.003+11:00

The temperatures here over the past couple of days reminds me of when I was in Egypt in 2007! Only a couple of degrees difference from the high forties, and one 50 degrees celsius day there, to the mid forties here. The main difference is that the air conditioning in most places we were in was better that mine at home, though an hour or so outside was very challenging!

That's me, all covered up, at Abu Simbal. I'm guessing it was around 48 degrees. There was no shade and it was not cool inside as I thought it might be.

The first hot night I slept in my bedroom with a damp towel on top of me. The second and third, I abandoned my environmental scruples and slept on the floor in the living area with the ac on low. It's back in the thirties now, but I haven't turned the ac on yet. I'll wait until I am a melted blob and then give in. I guess I am very lucky to be able to have this moral dilemma when many have no choice at all.

There's a breeze building up and storms are forecast. Not a comforting feeling as lightning is often what starts bushfires and I live on the edge of one of Victoria's most dangerous areas for fires.

I have unexpectedly found myself with more time on my hands than I thought I would. So I went out and bought myself a Dremel work station. I want to start making more found object jewellery and the drill press makes it so much quicker and easier.

My new favourite toy. Now what needs a hole in it?

At the moment I have been making charms for a swap. The first set are mini dominos and I have made clay faces for a second set, which may or may not end up in the swap, depending upon what else I can come up with.

Technorati Tags: charms,dominos,clay

Exciting News!

2009-01-28T10:36:00.001+11:00

Kathy and I are thrilled to bits that the wonderful Michael Demeng has offered to teach another class for us. It will be the intriguing Island of Demented Toys. If you are interested in the details, join SisterArts by clicking the button in the sidebar. Remember we are in Australia, so it could be along way to travel (though that hasn't deterred one very keen new member!).

Technorati Tags: Michael Demeng,SisterArts,workshops

New Piece and Announcement

2009-01-24T19:55:00.001+11:00

Still Life

For a while now, I have been wanting to do another canvas using some of the techniques taught by Traci Bautista. I have had the petals cut for quite some time but never managed to get any further. As I had to miss Myday I decided today was the day. I'm unsure about the pink background, but overall, I'm pretty happy with the result.

And now for the announcememt ..........

My sister, Kathy, and I have started a new Yahoo group Sister Arts to promote any workshops we may organise in the future. Last year we organised workshops with Michael Demeng, Ro Bruhn and Judy Wilkenfeld. We like to stay small and only organise a couple of workshops a year, ones we really want to do ourselves.If you would like to join Sister Arts click the button in the sidebar.

I have been so flat chat I haven't written anything about Judy's 2 day workshop here yet. I am a very slack blogger I'm afraid. It doesn't help that my graphics card seems to be cooked. I have had problems for ages but now, the computer crashes continually and I can't really afford to get it fixed, because I am frantically trying to get enough money together for a second trip to Turkey, and then to Greece at the end of May. Anyway, Kathy has done a slide show of the workshop on her blog so if you want to check it out, head over there kattstuff to check it out.

Technorati Tags: collage,Traci Bautista,Michael Demeng,Ro Bruhn,Judy Wilkenfeld

Gaza Ceasefire Petition

2009-01-10T10:40:00.002+11:00

There has been too much bloodshed in the Middle East. Sign a petition to be published in the Washington Post, showing that people all over the world demand a comprehensive ceasefire and peace plan which will protect lives on both sides.

Photoshop Art

2009-01-08T23:30:00.001+11:00

As I promised myself, I have spent a good part of the day having a good play with Photoshop. I didn't follow any particular course of instruction, but did refer to the beginners' guide of the Focus guides for some help.

I started with an image from a magazine cover (I'm not showing it to you for copyright reasons) and used a lot of cloning, healing and smudging to replace a lot of text and get more of the colours I wanted. I saved that and used it as the basis of a couple of other pieces.

On the first piece, I then added some brushes, creating a different layer for each brush, so I could delete them later on if I wanted to without having to do it all from scratch again. The first brush I used was from 500mlfossils9. I'm not sure where these came from originally. This site says "created by biteintoacloud" but that may have been the package not the brushes.

The next brushes I used were eyes from avh brushes autumn sonnet. (And yes, I know they are different! A job for another day!)

I then opened a pic I had of some branches, desatuated it, upped the contrast and used the magic wand to select the tree, and then cut it. I pasted it onto a new layer with a transparent background, and resized it to where I wanted it. I used a black paint bucket to make it as dark as possible.

Once I had all the layers, I decided I could merge the brushes with the background. I saved all this as a psd file. I used a layer mask to obscure the branch so I could save a copy without it. I then reverted to the old file, went back through the history until I had deleted the mask, merged all the levels and saved it as a jpg.

With the second pic, I duplicated the layer with the eyes on it ( after I had used some of the tools in the "liquify" filter ) so that I could erase bits etc without losing the original background. I noticed that the bit of branch on the right eyebrow looked like a horn, so I decided to move the one on the left and make it look more like that on the right. By playing around with the layers I was able to cut it from where it was, clone some layer underneath, and line it up with the eyebrow. It still didn't look right so I copied the bottom bit of the right "horn", flipped it and pasted it over the left one. With a bit of erasing and healing, I think it turned out OK.

In the final piece I simply added a mouth using a brush from Obsidian Dawn. I'm not sure about this. The mouths available were all bit too voluptuous for what I was aiming at, and as it goes right over where the fossil is situated, I think it looks too pouty. I need to search for some different mouth brushes.

I'm pretty happy with my second Myday. I am learning heaps and loving it. Photoshop is such a brilliant tool. I've gone through what I've done in detail not because I think I've created anything great, but it does show what can be achieved with only a little knowledge and some time to play!

Technorati Tags: Photoshop,brushes

Second Week of keeping resolution

2009-01-07T10:29:00.001+11:00

Yes, I know it is early days and here in Australia many people are still on summer holidays, so the demands are not here yet, but still, I am pleased to announce that it is Wednesday (Myday) and I am doing things creative, as I resolved. It is 10.00am and I am already at the computer. I have made and embedded my play list. It will do for the time being until I learn how to add stuff from my computer, as a lot of what I want to add can't be found on Playlist.com

I haven't made any art so far this week but I have been looking at some of my photos from Italy and thought I might just add a few from time to time for inspiration. I know they certainly inspire me.

This one is from the Venetian island of Burano. I have taken photos that show more, but this just blows me away with the walls of colour. What a colourful, exuberant place. I really want to create when I look at it.

I have numerous photos along the canal, and once again, many are better that this next one, but I love the colour. Venice, truly is magical on many levels and is certainly inspirational ( even if was a killer for my arthritis!)

Here's a shot I took at the Guggenheim Gallery, which is a must on any visit to Venice. I love how this sculpture both merges with and reflects its environment, but also distorts it.

I adore sculpture. If I ever come back, I hope I get to be a sculptor!

That's enough of my photos for now. My plans for the rest of the day are to take a walk, and then continue on my voyage of discovery with Photoshop. I have downloaded a number of tutorials over the past couple of years and bought several Focus Guides, which are pretty easy to follow, but I never made the time to sit down and work with them. That is going to change with Myday

Technorati Tags: Myday,sculpture,inspiration

New Year's Resolution

2009-01-02T16:32:00.001+11:00

Well it isn't really. I made this resolution in September last year when I decided I was not going to stand again for election to the committee of my branch of University of the Third Age.

I am going to set aside a day of the week to pursue my creative interests. That will go ahead of all else except family emergencies or something I desperately want to do which can be done at no other time. Apart from that, other people's needs/wants will have to wait. My creativity, such as it is, really suffered this year from putting everything else first. I took a couple of classes but had almost no time to practice anything I learned. It felt like I had virtually given up on the one thing I wanted to do most when I retired.

I also hope to be more regular with my blogging, starting with putting up some of my fav photos of our trip- just as soon as I resize them to something manageable on the web.

Some Art at Last!

2009-01-02T16:18:00.001+11:00

Happy New Year everyone! I was really chuffed to have the greater part of New Year's Eve and New Year's Day free.

For the first time in a very long time I was completely free to play and leave my mess lying around until I was finished!

I wanted to try Patricia Seggebruch's Alcohol Reduction Technique from the Nov/Dec edition of Cloth Paper Scissors. I was so pleased with my first attempt that I forgot to scan it before I started to collage over the top. Unfortunately I didn't like my next effort nearly as much. I didn't follow the directions properly and it showed! Perhaps it won't be so bad when I do something with it.

Here's my first effort-

Missing You

Technorati Tags: Collage,Alcohol Reduction Technique

Free downloads

2008-12-24T15:14:00.002+11:00

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

2008-10-01T01:31:00.002+10:00

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!

2008-09-26T21:28:00.001+10:00

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.

2008-08-25T10:59:00.001+10:00

"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

2008-08-25T10:19:00.001+10:00

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

2008-08-23T15:27:00.001+10:00

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

2008-08-23T14:46:00.001+10:00

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

2008-08-23T14:07:00.001+10:00

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!

2008-08-02T23:18:00.001+10:00

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

2008-08-02T22:59:00.001+10:00

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

2008-08-02T22:48:00.001+10:00

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

2008-07-14T00:02:00.002+10:00

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

2008-07-13T23:33:00.002+10:00

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

2008-06-27T23:07:00.006+10:00

And a couple more...

2008-06-27T22:49:00.012+10:00

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-

2008-06-21T17:35:00.003+10:00

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!

2008-06-05T08:06:00.002+10:00

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

2008-06-03T17:42:00.003+10:00

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

2008-05-29T10:18:00.004+10:00

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

2008-05-24T10:01:00.004+10:00

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

2008-05-20T18:17:00.014+10:00

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

2008-05-19T20:18:00.002+10:00

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

2008-05-14T13:38:00.010+10:00

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

2008-05-12T21:48:00.003+10:00

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.

2008-05-12T18:08:00.004+10:00

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

2008-05-12T17:36:00.003+10:00

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.