Gallery 159 @ 3.30pm today for SotAQ11

This is meant to be a picture of the invitation to our SotAQ11 opening at Gallery 159 today. Life often reveals to us how we are simply not as clever as we think - even a goddess like myself. So, instead of the gorgeous PDF invitation that Mel Forrest cleverly designed, here's a small section of part of one of the quilts at SotAQ11 today. Please feel free to come along and share the opening with us @ 159 Payne Road, Ashgrove. 

Mossman Gorge and the Daintree

Mossman Gorge is accessed from the southern side of Mossman, about 10 minutes north of Port Douglas. There are a number of public access tracks ranging from wheelchair friendly to easy to moderate ."Moderate" includes climbing up and down waterfall like areas, a lot of uphill and down dale  rocky steps that required appropriate footwear. Made note to self about the footwear.  My only "complaint" would be that looking down to avoid tripping reduces the time spent absorbing the imagery of this unique and unimaginable place.  

 The Gorge is more than exquisite - and we walked the 3-4 km trails in the aftermath of rain. At times the magic and mystery of the forest was overwhelming - in a truly beautiful sense. I wondered if Tolkien had taken inspiration from rainforest.  Jeannie Baker's works came to life with each turn of the track.

 

 Moss laden rocks, stairways to the light, ancient networks of roots - the machine quilting patterns seem endless, especially the root systems, vines and branches.  Finally, some fungi that I could not do justice with the camera - brilliant black and orange against the nap of the mossy bark.

A weekend adventure in the Daintree

Thala Beach Lodge sits high above the ocean just off the Captain Cook Highway, about 10 minutes south of Port Douglas. It was the first stop on our mother / daughter weekend together after pancakes on the Esplanade in Cairns - and the only things rivalling the views were the house made cheese balls, duck crepes and a parfait dip with grilled bread. The champagne wasn't bad either! The lodge is heaven on a stick and then some. We were made most welcome, as day trippers, and decided we had to return. The view from the dining area is gorgeous - open and inviting - immersed in the trees and wildlife.



Next stop Port Douglas where we walked for miles, so it seemed, in search of lookouts, lighthouses and the beautiful (if tiny) multi faith church serving serenity by the windowful. Long sits not recommended for those who melt quickly or prickle in the humidity.

We had a great time at Mossman Gorge which deserves its own post - then we spent Monday on the old Kuranda Railway - it's been a year since the last train adventure in the Rockies - and did girlie things at the top (Kuranda), including a close encounter with the WMBMs favourite wild bird  and rather smart to ignore the humans trying to attract its attention.

Last part of the weekend was the Skyrail over the rainforest - an incredible experience that has lost none of its magic over the years - here we are crossing the Barron River. It is sometimes good to be still, and quiet, and simply listen with one's heart.



Gerhard and Natures Face Art

© Image of Gerhard Hillmann

A really nice thing happened on the way to the market in Cairns on the weekend. I met Gerhard Hillmann from naturesfaceart on the Esplanade with his exquisite photography, cards and fabric squares. The selection of colourways and imagery is vast - landscapes with earthy and autumnal tones, the electric colouring of Ulysses butterflies and passion flowers, wattle and eucalyptus leaves, lilly pilly and a kaleidoscope of natures art. The images are printed on quality cotton and are available individually or in coordinated packs through Gerhard's website or by email. Thank you Gerhard - your work is simply beautiful. I can't wait to get back to sewing and being creative with these squares.

© Image by Gerhard Hillmann

© Image by Gerhard Hillman

Gallery 159 and State of the Art Quilt 11

Wow - it is hard to believe that in two short weeks Gallery 159 will host the State of the Art Quilt 11 (SotAQ11).  The exhibition starts on 12 November. This year a number of the artists whose works were juried into SotAQ11 will be talking about their works, what inspired them and all things art quilt. Ankie King's One Hundred Squares was created through a self-challenge to work in black, red and gold and create one hundred squares. Each square is different and contains many surprises on closer inspection.  Everyone is welcome to attend.  Where: Gallery 159 @ 159 Payne Road, Ashgrove When: Saturday 12 November 2011. The exhibition runs until the 2QAQ Christmas Party on 26 November - gallery hours are available from the TAFTA website.  Many thanks to Janet De Boer and the TAFTA Board for their ongoing support of SotAQ.

One Hundred Squares by Ankie King
Image of Ankie King

Masters Art Quilts Vol. 2

Sunday has arrived cloaked in grey. A perfect day for sipping the delights of Masters Art Quilts Vol 2 which has been curated by Martha Sielman of Studio Art Quilts Associates (SAQA) published by Lark Crafts. Masters is 414 pages of sumptuously illustrated major works by forty artists including Jane Dunnewold, Laura Wasilowski, Dianne Firth and Alice Beasley. For me, this book is a must-have reference for art quilters and textile artists alike. I am particularly taken with Alice Beasley's work - her ability to encapsulate the rawness of human emotion with hand cut equally raw-edge applique.  Alice's 1994 quilt Home Street Home is featured in Masters. It depicts a homeless war veteran lying on the footpath with a half smoked cigarette, old newspaper and sign for company. A doll carrying, young girl  walks off the left hand edge of the quilt. Alice exquisitely contrasts the vulnerability and stillness of the homeless man against the haste and speed of the passing girl.  Alice frequently uses the tool of extension whereby a small part or piece, such as a foot or elbow, pokes out of the quilt. In Home Street Home the girl appears to literally be walking from the quilt and into our world, pulling the confronting imagery with her into the forefront of our thinking. I love the way in which Alice has used privilege to challenge the viewer's consideration of race (white girl/black man), young over old, a taker over one who has sacrificed to support that privilege, upright over prostrate - the artist challenges us on many levels through this quilt.   Alice uses print fabrics and free cuts them to create what she calls "objective realism". 

Detail - Home Street Home (1994) From a photo by Jim Jacobs
Masters Art Quilts Vol 2, p. 189

Another inspirational artist is Laura Wasilowski who's quilts are created from her own hand dyed fabrics. Laura uses vibrant colours - especially orange, turquoise and green and uses machine and hand quilting for added emphasis.  Quirky, fun and cheeky. Laura uses scraps that she describes as "starter dough" and talks of the endless possibilities that arise from their use. My favourite from Masters is Reading Lamp (2009) the style of which reminds me of Vincent Van Gogh (although I get that reading lamps are very much post VVG).  I love the way Laura's use of colour is playful and how her quilts celebrate the ordinary, bringing them to new life in her art quilts.

Detail - Reading Lamp (2009) From a photo by George Tarbay
Masters Art Quilts Vol 2, p. 249

(Masters Art Quilts Vol 2 was provided for review by Lark Crafts)

Thank you Getaway Girls

Flew home for the weekend to the WMBM and a large stack of snail mail which contained a most precious gift from the Getaway Girls - fifteen squares with everything from beautiful red work to a crazy patch and everything in between. Thank you so much - and I'll bring them along to our next ... getaway!