make hay while the sun shines

November and December are always a big time on the art calendar. 

Along with the big end of year exhibitions at the private galleries, you also have the graduation shows at the the art schools. AND then you cant forget the emergence of the Summer blockbuster shows at the big art institutions like the MCA and the AGNSW.

Every few years or so I catch the art frenzy bug that infects the local community and I try and see as many exhibitions as my body and brain will allow. 

This year the sun was shining and I saw some beautiful works - and that also has to include my trip to the APT8 in Brisbane (which I talked about in my last post). 

Here are just a few images from some of my favourite artists and exhibitions. 

Zoe Veness and her beautiful and intricate folded paper jewellery pieces
were on display at Studio 20/17 last month in her solo exhibition entitled
'Autonomous Jewellery'

The amazing Stephen Bird just exhibited his new collection of ceramic pieces
at Olsen Irwin Gallery in Paddington. Mad and amazing...

One of my favourite painters Elizabeth Cummings has her solo show on now
at King st Gallery on William. This piece is entitled
'Granite Country 2015'

Gemma Smith and the amazing polished concrete floor made a great combination
at Sarah Cottier Gallery. 

This a view of the main gallery floor at Roslyn Oxley Gallery
and on display a couple of weeks ago was this amazing exhibition
by the brilliant Australian artists' John Wolseley and Mulkun Wirrpanda.

On Sunday I had an hour to kill before hearing Grayson Perry talk at the Opera House,
Unfortunately the attendants at the MCA informed me that this HUGE Summer exhibition
needed longer than an hour to view.
Fair enough...
So I went down to see the permanent collection
and found this beautiful work by Rosalie Gascoigne entitled Tiger Tiger 1987

The Tenderness of Rain 2011-12 by Lindy Lee
was also on display at the MCA. Loved the texture and detail in this work on paper

Finally... I had to include this street find.
I found it on the weekend in Redfern and its by Baf Cat -
who is a Fine art student from Wollongong

interwoven 2015

^Beautiful multi media coil woven artwork by Gina...
who had never woven before!^

This post has been a long time a'comin!! 

Nearly two months to be exact. 

Where those two months have flown to - I have NO IDEA! 

It has been an insanely busy start to 2015. 

And even though Ive often thought about posting on this tiny blog, 

Ive rarely made it to my desk to compile and write.

But today im so happy to finally share some images with you of my Sturt summer school course that took place at the beginning of January. And let me tell you it was hard to cull down these photos as I had about 100 beautiful images to choose from. 

The course was entitled Interwoven: from abstract drawing to multi media coil weaving - and yes - that is complicated title for a summer school course. I believe many of my students were confused (fair enough!) and just took a punt when enrolling. 

I just couldn't think of another way of describing it - as over the week long course - each student draws with lots of different materials; paints their own textile designs onto fabric; and then finally learns how to coil weave with many materials including raffia, plastic, rope, fabric, etc.

It is a fun, colourful and and extremely creative class and no two coil woven artworks are the same. 

Everyone creates something within their own aesthetic + style. And that's the most exciting thing - seeing all the work come together for the exhibition on the last day, and realising that everyone found their own way through the course by creating something unique to them.

Plus we all got to meet and get to know a whole new group of amazing people.

Thank you again to Mark, Tracey, and all the team at Sturt.

And thank you to all my amazing students! 

I hope you enjoy these images from the week...

....................

This year I wont be teaching many workshops but for ART MONTH 2015 - I will be giving one adult multi media coil weaving workshop in my Camperdown studio. 

All the details can be found here...

^Sturt campus in Mittagong. Such an inspiring place to stay and create^

^One of my returning students Ruth - who is an amazing weaver and all-round lovely person^

^Vanessa - getting her hands around the beginnings of a beautiful piece^

^The mark makings of Gina^

^ Mel - another lovely returning student - who decided to try working with 3D coil weaving^

^This is her amazing completed object^

^This colourful multi textured bowl was by Jane -
who was another new student to this week long workshop^

^An amazing sculptural woven piece by Zoe -
who incorporated some of her hand made textile fabric into the piece^

^The beginning of a large coil woven form by Ruth.
On the right are some of her abstract mark making drawings that inspired the coiled object^

^This multi media installation piece was created by Kath -
who was taking it home to finish as it was going to be MASSIVE^

^A beautiful 3D sculpture by Joanna - who again - had never tried coil weaving before^

^Mel's mood board - complete with abstract drawings,
hand made textile designs & multi media coil woven forms^

^At the end of every day it was lovely to walk into the the gardens at Sturt... and relax!^

the design files

Getting our photo for The Design Files before Saturdays opening of art/vert
... at Saint Cloche in Paddington.
Photo Credit: Nikki To for The Design Files
(from left) Luisa Brimble, Evo O, me, Tara Burke, Alex Standen,
Emily Besser, Amber Cresswell Bell, Fiona Chandler, Ali Wood and Alison Fraser
(and missing from the pic... Drew Truslove)

What a weekend.

What an opening.

And its all documented for posterity on The Design Files today. 

Thank you Amber for all your hard work and for putting together such a lovely show. 

And thank you to Kitty and all the people that worked so tirelessly to get the Saint Cloche gallery space, and this show, off the ground - in January!!

It really is a beautiful concept... art and plant-life exhibited together in a light filled and airy gallery space. All the artists have created a unique collection of works all responding to the idea of nature and landscape. And all of the ten artists involved seemed to have created a series that is harmony with everyone else on display. Which is rare!

The exhibition is open everyday (10-5pm) at Saint Cloche until Sunday Feb 8. 

I know ill be back a few more times to enjoy it.

In situ... and surrounded by beautiful greenery.
Photo Credit: Amber Creswell Bell

(from left)
The work of Evi O, Emily Besser, Luisa Brinble, Evi O and Drew Truslove

The beautiful, light filled space of Saint Cloche in Paddington
Photo Credit: Nikki To for The Design Files

(from left) Emily Besser, Luisa Brimble, Evi O and a whole lot of lovely plants...
Photo Credit: Nikki To for The Design Files

the nocturne 528

^Banumbirr, Mixed Media drawing on Paper, 2013^

I swear it feels like a year since my last blogpost! 

So much has happened... 

And most of it centred squarely on my exhibition that opens in a couple of weeks time.

One of the most important things on my list was to commit to an exhibition title and find an image that best describes this new body of work that Ive been quietly creating these past two years. 

So... not an easy task!

As the theme of this new body of work is Quantum Mechanics I settled on The Nocturne 528 for the title- and this mixed media drawing (above) for the cover art.

I mean - abstract theories/abstract artwork. I think they marry. The deep indigo of this drawing speaks of what lies above our heads... and the energy and particles, atoms, stars and space that constantly move, shape, connect and inspire us. And the title speaks of the night sky and the sound (528 Hz) or note that promotes energy and healing. Full on concepts I know. But last year I did a bit of reading and research and its amazing how much we are yet to discover - about energy - and the Universe. 

So the invitations have gone out, the works on paper have been delivered to the framers. 

And im in the studio finishing off a few last pieces.

Below is a sneak peek of a few of the works that will be in the show. 

And in the next few weeks Ill be posting more images on instagram and here on this tiny blog! 

I swear ... I will be back! Soon! 

In the meantime I hope you're all well and warm and enjoying some lovely sunshine wherever you maybe sitting in the world.

take care

^ Mosaic Connections (detail), mixed media on board, 2013^

^Mix Media coil weaving, 2014^

touring the future and the past

^ a quiet spot at Carriageworks in Sydney - a venue for the 19th Sydney Biennale^

Over the last week Ive been busy.

Busy taking advance of the beautiful + unseasonably hot weather.

And busy trying to catch up on all the exhibitions that are soon to say goodbye to the city.

This long weekend marks the final days of the VIVID festival (still on the to do list) and the 19th Sydney Biennale - that opened in four venues across the city in March. 

Now... at this point I have to admit something to you.

I can be a bit of a Johnny come lately when viewing exhibitions. Its not that I drag my heels to see art. Its just that I am alittle selfish - and like to see all these festival and exhibitions after everyone else has been and gone - so a can quietly walk through them! 

I love viewing art in silent spaces, and be able to sit and think in my own time and not queue to view each artwork on the wall. Plus - as you may have already guessed - Im quite short - and crowds are usually unforgiving to people that are deficient in the height department!

Anyway - after taking myself to the AGNSW, the MCA, and Carriageworks - 

yesterday marked my last day with the Biennale. And Id left the best till last.

Cockatoo Island. One of my favourite spots in Sydney.

And I took my Dad for his first visit (he appears in one of my photos later in this post.)

It was lovely to take him with me and show him some contemporary art while walking around this historic island.

But all in all it was a mixed Biennale for me. 

The Australian artistic director, Juliana Engberg, is a great admirer of video art pieces, which can sometimes leave me cold. I always look for the handmade aspect in an artwork and there werent many to locate in this years Biennale - entitled Imagine All that you Desire. 

But funnily enough my one of my favourite artworks from Cockatoo Island was a video work by Augustin Rebetez and Noe Cauderay - entitled Maison (2012) - which was an amazing stop animation piece that was incredibly detailed and inspiring.

But what always inspires me is the venues and especially Carriageworks and Cockatoo Island.

I hope you enjoy my images from the past few days....

And find some art in your Long Weekend!

^ a wall that could tell a thousand stories.
Carriageworks^

^collecting colour.
Carriageworks^

^In the beautiful sunshine
at Cockatoo island
to see the final leg of the Biennale^

^within//without.
Cockatoo Island^

^im not ashamed to say it...
Im addicted to taking photos out at the island.
Everything inspires me out there^

^I took my dad out with me to see the island and some of the contemporary art.
He wasnt sure about the art, but he loved the island...^

^volunteer work station inside the Turbine Hall.
So much restoration still needs to be carried out - and a lot of retired men and women
spend their days hammering, gluing and painting the history back together -
piece by piece^

^one of my dad's favourite artworks at Cockatoo Island.
Its by Australian artist
Mikala Dwyer^

^colour and texture...
These are a few of my favourite things^

colouring in

^This is me on the streets of North Sydney with two taffic cones,
a fluro safety vest and a trusty blue crate that also acted as a step ladder and
a seat^

I guess you will have noticed the deafening silence on this little blog in the last few weeks. Im actually surprised you still click and visit! Thank you for still supporting my artwork and this tiny blog - as things on this tiny site have been alittle quiet of late. After seven years of diligently writing three posts a week - Ive recently found myself treating this space like a second or third class compartment in my life - and I wish that wasn't the case. 

When I started this blog way back in 2008 my life was very different.

I was working part time at Object Gallery, exhibiting my artwork here and there in Sydney, and focusing on my health, as it slowly deteriorated with the onset of some very serious complication with my Crohns Disease. In amongst all of that the tinytrappings blog was born and it became my refuge and my creative outlet for everything and nothing.  Exhibitions, artists', books, music, street art.... 

Fast forward to 2014 and my life looks and feels completely different. My health (touch wood is better), my artwork is happening in a lovely studio space in Camperdown, im teaching workshops in weaving and drawing.... And instead of walking the streets and photographing murals, im working on the streets and colouring them in with my own designs. 

Late last year North Sydney Council initiated a project entitled 'Colouring Our Habitat' where locals artists were asked to workshop ideas with a community or school group, and then design and paint three traffic light boxes that line the streets. 

A few weeks ago I shared with you my photos from a workshop I held with a group of Year 9 students from Monte Sant' Angelo which started the whole process. And then shared my photos and inspirations while doing a reccy around the area where I was about to paint my designs.

Since then I have been working on my final designs and in the last two weeks or so Ive been out on the streets painting. 

And here are the final pieces!

I hope you like them....

Ive really enjoyed this project and the opportunity it has afforded me. Working on street art is something I've wanted to do for a very long time. And now - after years of ill health Ive been able to achieve it. 

And ive loved it.

Who knows...

Maybe you'll find a few more of my artworks on the lane ways of Sydney?

I mean.. 

I do have some left over paint....

^Final design for Walker st. - entitled Through the Trees' 

^Through the Trees.
Walker st North Sydney^

^Final design for box 1 on Berry St.
This one was called Folded Spaces'

^Box 1 on Berry st with Box 2 looking very naked in the background^

^Final design for Box 2 on Berry st.
This design is called Stained Nature^

^ Box 2 all dressed and ready to go.
It was completed this time last week^

^The two berry st boxes side by side
standing side by side^

Thank you to Alison and all the team at North Sydney Council.
Thank you to Kate and all the staff and students at Mont Sant'Angelo.
Thank you to my family and friends who supported me on site - delivering take away coffees and words of encouragement.
And a massive thank you to the public who were so lovely to me as I painted during the week and on the weekends. I never knew how much people noticed while walking around the streets. But you noticed me and were very very complimentary which truly surprised me.

Open studio // Workshop playtime

^The beautiful kids weaving workshop I held at my studio on March 2 for the
Marrickville Open Studio Trail (MOST) Weekend^

March has signalled its intentions. 

It has stated in no uncertain terms that it means business! Literally! 

And to kick it off - the first two days of the month were spend celebrating two big events on the Sydney calendar - The Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival and Art Month 2014. 

As I am working in a Marrickvile council residency studio space I had the privilege of being asked to take part in Art Month's Marrickville Open Studio Trail - which is an event where local artists' open up their studios to the public and host talks, tours and workshops. 

I decided to host two workshops for the public.

And boy were they busy! 

It all started with the adult weaving workshop on the Saturday which was filled with old and new faces - all wanting to escape the rain and get creative for the start of Autumn. And even though everyone was packed around the big table like a can of sardines it was a truly a fun class - made even more special for the fact that everyone enjoyed each other company.

By contrast Sundays kids weaving workshop was a picture of complete serenity. It was calm, quiet and industrious as parents and kids worked with rope and wool to create the beginnings of some beautiful little bowls. It was such a lovely way to end an extremely busy weekend, and a great way to meet the public and invite them to share and play...

^A beautiful coil woven bowl by Olive that was nearly completed by the end of the class...^

^colour co-ordination!^

^busy hands.
concentrated faces...^

^On Saturday I held an adult weaving workshop and boy - was it a big class!
But it was such a fun morning with lots of old and new faces all sharing
their creativity and stories around the big table^

^Wool n raffia^

^The gang
surrounded by colour and conversation^

^The lovely Pernille and the beginnings of a new woven bowl^

^Giving a demonstration while Christal took
a photo of the table in a state of colour chaos!^