Saturday 30 November 2013

final exhibition

The month is at an end, and so is my residency.  The exhibition of work produced by the community members who joined me in activities throughout the residency is installed and being enjoyed, not only by those who contributed, but also by others who've come to see what we've been up to. 

Pop-up museum of historical home-made toys in the foreground, and photo essays depicting Yanchep stories on the walls behind.

Another view of the exhibition.

Puppets made by the talented children in Miss Spowart's Year 3 Class at Two Rocks Primary School.

The community of socks dolls made by Angie, Merryl, Helen and myself

Monoprints and collagraphs printed by Merryl, Pam, Suzie and Angie with Karen in her studio.

Postcards and printed fabric by Merryl, printed fabric by Ann and Pam, with Pam's used to create several wonderfully inventive bags.

Printed fabric by Angie, and our young visitor Molly.  That's Molly's fabric on the left, specially impressive because this was her first ever printing session!    
Everyone who has visited the exhibition (approx 40 visitors so far) has been impressed by the amount and the quality of work produced by these talented locals.  Well done everyone!  Last chance to see the work is 11am - 4pm Sunday Dec 1st, at Capricorn Community House, 73 Lindsay Beach Bvd, Yanchep. 

Wednesday 27 November 2013

collections

I've been collecting stuff throughout my residency - beach detritus, socks....

With my residency rapidly drawing to a close, I decided it was time to wash the ever-growing pile of beach finds
 It's quite an assortment - rope, shells, a float, containers, a wonderful block of drift wood (which has since been commandeered by a chap who thought "that piece of rubbish would make a great chock for my trailer!"  I bowed to his greater need.........


This is the first thing I collected at the lagoon.  I had to squeeze behind the roadworks fence to retrieve it, but at 6am there was no danger of getting in the way of the workers who were yet to arrive.  A broken plastic wheel trim or similar, it just begs to be turned into the base of a container.

 
These treasures, drying on the line, were found at the Two Rocks Primary School fete - great piles of children's used socks at 20 cents per pair!  I invested $2.20 and left the rest for others to enjoy, but suggested that any not sold be delivered to Renae for use in her classroom.  (See an earlier post for the sock and peg treasures Renae's class produced last week).   

Monday 25 November 2013

Collagraphs


On Friday Angie, Pam and I had the good fortune to spend a few hours with Karen McGlurkin in her studio, creating and printing collagraphs.  Here Karen is winding a plate through the press.

Karen removing the excess etching ink from the plate.


Angie watches intently as Karen refines the ink removal process 

Pam with her frog print

Angie compares her plates and the resulting prints

Some of the results of our labours.  Thanks, Karen! 

Sunday 17 November 2013

creative children at Two Rocks Primary School

A big thank-you to teacher and TRYCAN member Renae Spowart, who arranged my visit last  Tuesday to Two Rocks Primary.  I had a busy time, talking to seven classes of attentive and appreciative students about the family heritage of making-do which inspires my work.  Best of all was the final talk, to Ms Spowart's Year 3 class, where I had time to include a brief activity.  Inspired by my family collection of old rag dolls and the sock dolls made during the residency, the children created a wonderful range of dolls and sock puppets using pegs, socks and a variety of scraps.  I managed to get photos of some and also a few descriptions.  I hope to have the whole class's dolls on display, with their stories, at the residency exhibition at the end of November (more on that in a later post).  What a wonderful talented class! 

 A cotton ball red-back spider, and a sock puppet horse

 


A crazy-haired, googly four-eyed monster




Happy family in the making - Dad was missing from the group only due to the lack of a third sock! 

Mr Money, a robber

  
A grandmother, and a masked Ninja

Thursday 14 November 2013

Open House Friday

Tomorrow from 10am till 2pm I am throwing open the doors of my residency studio.  I hope some WAFTA members will visit.  The air-conditioning will be pumping and kettle boiling in anticipation!  Bring your lunch and some work, or even an old sock to give new life.  I have plenty of  threads for you to use.  Local artist Angie Beck and I will each be showing several pieces from our collections of other textile artists' work, and I will have some old textiles as well as some of my own work.  Plus you can meet the small community of sock dolls we've made over the last week or so.  (see my previous post for the address).


Wednesday 13 November 2013

sock dolls underway

We've been busy recycling old socks up at Yanchep, and here are the beginnings of the growing community of sock dolls which is expanding daily.  Keeping them company are my little vintage sock doll found in America at an estate sale, and the rag doll made a century ago my my grand-mother.


Angie and Meryl have been keeping me company and stitching up a storm.  This photo was taken last week.  The number of new sock dolls has since grown to nine. 


Why not come along and join us on Friday to add some more?  It's an open house from 10 till two, everyone welcome.  Tea and coffee will be flowing (bring your lunch), and you can sew in air-conditioned comfort.  Yanchep Capricorn Community House, 73 Lindsay Beach Bvd, Yanchep, (enter car park from Azure Mews).      

Monday 11 November 2013

printing the stash

This is the pile of donated fabric waiting to be used at Yanchep.



We made inroads last week during a relaxed printing session.




We have another session planned for Monday morning 18th November.  Interested?

Saturday 9 November 2013

Pop-up museum - sneak peak

Sunday Nov 10th, from 2 till 4 pm, at Capricorn Community House, 73 Lindsay Beach Bvd, Yanchep (in air-conditioned comfort on a hot day!) I will be sharing some favourite items from my collection of examples of making-do and mending. These include some family toys such as a train made from a tin can and a piece of wood, some rag dolls, and a small wooden kangaroo. I also have two small Japanese-made dolls, an elderly couple constructed with love and care from available resources including scraps of recycled fabric. Here is a sneak preview of these little treasures, as there were seen when first exhibited back in 2003 in my exhibition Memoirs and Mementos.


I invite you to bring along a treasure of your own and share its story, whether it be an improvised garden tool or a mended kitchen item or perhaps a hand-made sewing project passed down through the family. These objects and their stories will contribute to a brief “pop-up museum” display for everyone to enjoy on the afternoon, before dispersing back home with their owners. One such treasure has already been delivered for your viewing pleasure, a bucket shower from a now-demolished beach shack but full of fond memories for the owner. Come along and find out who it belongs to and hear its story!

Thursday 7 November 2013

photo ramble at Yanchep Lagoon

We had the beach almost to ourselves early on Tuesday. I guess the locals were still warm inside on a cool windy morning, or were preparing for the annual Melbourne Cup celebrations.


As I admired the juxtaposition of pink and brown seaweed,


I found a disturbing and poignant juxtaposition.


Rose petals have no place on the shore.


The lagoon looks safe and protected to the unsuspecting, but those familiar with it know that its currents can be treacherous.

Sadly, last week a young man disappeared in a rip at the lagoon and lost his life. The sea has not given him up, but by Tuesday it had washed ashore the remnants of the floral memorial tributes caste into the water some days earlier.

Tuesday 5 November 2013

The residency is underway

I'm here! Many thanks to those who came along on Sunday evening to hear about my plans for the residencies community activities.


Special thanks to Angie and Pam who worked so hard to get the program out to everyone, and to Jo who has surrendered her office to me for the duration.

I am now set up in my residency studio space. Yesterday's photography workshop, based on the understanding that pictures can tell stories too, was followed this morning by a photo ramble at Yanchep Lagoon. More on that in my next post. In the meantime, here is the timetable for the next two days.

Wednesday morning, 9am till noon
Fabric printing workshop to overprint some of TRYCAN's fabric stash. Put away today's Melbourne Cup finery and wear some work clothes. If you want to bring a little of your own plain coloured cotton fabric that's fine but not essential, as everything is provided, no charge. If you want to stay on and print into the afternoon, bring your lunch.
Venue - Capricorn Community House
73 Lindsay Beach Boulevard Yanchep
(enter car park from Azure Mews)

Thursday morning, 9am till noon
OPEN HOUSE - All welcome
Recycle one of your odd socks, and join me to make a sock doll inspired by my little vintage treasure shown in a previous post - scroll down and you'll find it! Bring a clean odd sock, the most important item, and hand-sewing supplies, old buttons and embroidery threads if you like, but I have plenty of supplies to share.
Venue - Capricorn Community House
73 Lindsay Beach Boulevard Yanchep
(enter car park from Azure Mews)

Tempted???