Waiting for inspiration

Look what I got... yes a very good friend, reading my blog about getting back into creating, promptly busted her stash and delivered me a series of silk painting trays, frames, books and even included a set of scarves to get me going. She is off to New York for the summer holidays, and I have the use of all her wonderful stuff while she is away. Only requirement, I send her updates of my progress. As is often the case, best laid plans are sure to go awry. For two days it rained and thundered and rained some more, so I was not able to even consider setting up. Then today, the sky was clear, the wind had stopped and every other thing I had listed to do for the day was quickly sorted, or reshuffled on the list.

 

I set up on the front porch, fresh air, lots of open space good light, dyes ready and pot of tea at my side. Quick refresher from the 'how to section' of one of the books and oops, I realise that the gutta has not arrived. I had ordered some with other dyes late last week, but as can happen the post had not yet arrived.
Oh well, I can report I have begun. I have set up, I have gotten the workspace comfy, and I am sure by tomorrow I will have collected the final bits and pieces.
If not, then maybe I can jump straight to the more exotic processes like, wet on wet, salt tossing and marbling!!!!

The Big Knit Debacle

I cannot believe it, well maybe I can... this is one piece of public art that I suspected might be braver than brave from the moment I heard of it.
A dear friend of mine told me a while ago of her involvement in developing a public art programme with the Western area of Melbourne. The Big West Festival (www.bigwest.com.au). As a person with a long period of experience of working within the western suburbs of Melbourne, and also aware of the current racial undertones of reported acts of violence (international student bashings, attack of Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, fatal beating of Dr Zhungjun Cao to name a few), I was keen to know of a positive programme in the area.
I am very sad to report that today my optimism has been destroyed.
The news today is that the installation of this major project, a large knitted scarf for a long bridge was deliberately destroyed within 12 hours of its installation. Dave Cole (www.theknittingmachine.com) who was one of the major creative forces behind this project has been recorded as being totally overwhelmed by the violent attack on this project.
I for one am very disappointed that this has happened. Although a strong advocate of ephemeral art, I do not accept that one has the right to violate anothers work without appropriate discourse. So far it seems there has been no indication of why the attacker/s have done this, with both Karen (organiser) and others being shown in the public arena as shocked and searching for reasons why their hard work has been destroyed.
Will we be told why this has been done, or will it become another senseless act of bullying by stealth of night? An awful way of intimidating and silencing those who wish to live a more open and free life.

existential crisis's

How does one spell crisis plural? I am sure someone can tell us.
well, it has been a few weeks since I managed to sit at the computer and feel able to share anything slightly creative. I feel guilty at not having responded to a few comments people had sent to me. Especially one related to my last blog, where it seems the pictures of my tapestry did not upload. I will try to restore these asap.
I have been out and about a bit and look forward to sharing some of the interesting art and craft work I have been enjoying, but for now just want to check in and say hi!
Existential crisis's are not fun, and I feel as if I have been in a big deep hole. Although I was generally out and about "doing" "stuff" it felt as if most of the time I had a large veil covering my brain and I couldn't quite see or think. Of course I was doing lots of thinking, maybe too much. Then one morning, poof, just like that the veil seems to have lifted and my energy returned. While a struggle at the time, now I am coming out the other side it feels as if it was worth it.
somewhere in all of that thinking and wallowing I managed to readjust all the bits and find a direction for where to from now. One plan is to do a lot more silk painting and shibori work. So lots more about that soon too.