Creative thinking boosts

There are many ways to trigger creative thoughts - and old paperbacks can be just what the doctor ordered. Roll a heap of individual pages into scrolls and stick them in a jar for safe keeping. As required, remove a scroll and paste into the visual diary or journal and find six or seven words that "jump out" (maybe from every paragraph, or every 42 words, or every 3rd sentence). Then have a bit of a party in the head about what this might mean or could lead to ..... mind map, go wild, capture the thoughts on paper ... it never fails to get something going, even if it's to say "codswallop ... I'll do this instead ..." Still enjoying a friend's fb post which said "Go to bed with a dream, wake up with a purpose". Musty pages never looked so good .....

 

Early days of linoprints and wood cuts

I've been over in the studio for a few full days of just being in the studio. Precious and rare.  It's been a time of starting with naked lino and progressing to a final print through about 10+ stages of cutting - it's about challenging the comfortable way I work by having a set of rules (every time a bird flies past the window, every 35 minutes, every 46 cuts ...) and not when I'm necessarily ready to print.  Then a day with a piece of ply provided by WMBM - and a grevillea leaf saved from a fabric printing session. Can't wait to try these out on some PFD!

 

 

 

Lots of experimentation - burnishing in different ways. Then waiting for them to dry. Sigh. I've always said I'm a patient goddess.

 

 

Best wishes for 2013

The WMBM (world's-most-beautiful-man) and I want to wish you and yours all the very best for the coming year - wherever you are and whatever comes your way. This year has been full of superlatives and the odd expletive for us -  we're looking to the future for the magic to continue. Little sister has a great number of wisdoms including this gem  "Be kind. Contribute."  May your kindnesses and contributions be many in 2013.

Quilting, printing and Suzy Buhle

Quilting time - the last few days of the holidays are being spent catching up on some unfinished  machine quilting projects, planning another and more printmaking in the shed. Hand burnishing is the new sport for toning arms. Who needs a gym? Later, a visit to Suzy Buhle's art studio in Aratula - always good for the soul and I came back fully recharged and ready for ... tomorrow.

 

 

 



In the studio and having fun

Having some fun on Boxing Day printmaking with Sue (little sister). We played, inked up, tried this, printed that, experimented, created some more and got completely exhausted. My idea of heaven - spending an afternoon in the studio with someone you love.



Rolling in it

 

Sue's visual diary

 

 

Wood block print - a recycled game

This piece of pink silky oak got repurposed into a printing block. Before launching onto fabric, it is being tested on cartridge paper.  Gentle rubbing, a brayer and then the third was burnished with a soup spoon. The ghost print in the top left corner was a pleasant surprise. Then it was time to empty the brayer across the cutting board, add some depth and shadows and create the final print. And last but not least, the splash of red ... just because. 

Printmaking journal

Printmaking is occupying my thoughts for the next 10 weeks or so and for starters, I needed to make a visual diary. Found some tough board and covered it in the fabrics I made in Sue Dennis' Leaf it Alone workshop earlier in the year - printed weed leaf, coriander and wattle seed pods. Then came the drilling of the holes and screwing in of the posts - and voila - one A3 sized record of my printmaking fun.  Can't wait to work on more textiles ... so many ideas, so many years required to do it all.