Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Old Stories New Yarns Beaniefest

Yes it's that time of year again....... Beaniefest in Alice Springs !
and this year to honour the Theme for this year, I have attempted to tell two stories that play a big part in my life.
First the Rainbow Regions biggest extinct Volcanic Caldera of the southern hemisphere, with Mt Warning in it's centre.
Mt Warning is a Weather magnet !  It draws rain, clouds and rainbows to its fertile vibrant green flanks almost continually ! 

It has rained  so much over the past 4 years, since my journey in the bus decided that 12 years was long enough, and it was Time to be close to my genetic family, for some quality time. 


Mt Warning (viewed from the south on the hat, and from the north in the background), is always catching clouds on it's peak.
The second hat story is about The Rainbow Chai Tent, which I have been involved with for nearly all of it's  30 years of existence, from the early days at St Andrews Market, and Down To Earth's 'Confests'
 I may have to start making another hat like this just incase it sells and doesn't come home, as Benny Zable, the infamous painter of Rainbow Flags, and amazing banners, has declared he wants to paint a portrait of my brother Michael 'Wombat' Chai, wearing a Chai Tent Hat, and enter it in The Archibald !
I have never attempted to make something like this before, and I had many ideas of how it might finish up.  My 'fatigue' that has been 'plague-ing' me for the past 4 years, meant that I left my beanie making to the Very Last month this year !! and I found I ran out of time to add in all the detail, I thought I wanted to try and include.
'Tho in hindsight, less is better. It has a nice simple and clean, uncluttered feel to it , and I felt pleased with what I achieved. I do hope it does come home after the exhibition, as I had only a day to really admire it before it was gone.

Last years hat, won the Champion Elements - Earth, Fire, Air and Water, and was sold, so didn't come home to me ! Luckily I did get some lovely photos, but I miss that it is not part of my collection in our local Tweed Valley Artist's Co-op Gallery here in Tyalgum, Northern Rivers Rainbow Region, NSW, Australia.


Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Waterfall Way to Canberra


Driving down to Canberra for the 40th Anniversary of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, Liffy and I decided to take the scenic route  via the Nymboidia valley as the best way to reach the inland highways and avoid the coastal highway. What a perfect time to leave the rainy and soon to be flooding Northern Rivers region.
 Ebor Falls were powering ! Soooo much water thundering over the two falls !




 And even images from the past showed themselves briefly for those with eyes.

Monday, January 9, 2012

35Degrees Centigrade and Rising


...well ... I am resting today !! .... it's over 36 degreesC  here, (97F) and I've only just bought the thermometer outside  and the mercury is rising ('twas 35 as I brought it from inside 2 minutes ago.........
'tis so hot I forgot what I went inside to get ......and just got the camera'/puter cable to start doing pix from saturday and yesterday ........
a while ago the breeze from the fan 6 feet away seemed to stop !! .... I think the air just got tooo thick for a tad .....?
37 already ..... it feels like it is over 40 ! I bet it is out in the sun ..... it'd have to be !!
Came home early from The Channon market yesterday  

as soon as cars could move thru the packing stallholders, and as the drummers and dancers were just getting going at The Chai Tent ........ where Amanda (Blossum) has garlanded everyone with Marigolds !(had to drive home in the hot westerly sun !! 'tho !


Our Art Cafe went Brilliantly and everyone was most impressed 
...... we gained an active new member who learnt to make Toasted Foccacias and has delegated herself 'publicity officer' !! hehe 






We'll be getting her to send an invitation to the CEO of DreamWorld,to our next ArtCafe,    He/she Flew down to Tyalgum in 3 Jet Helicopters for lunch at Flutterbies Cafe !!!  ....landing and taking off out the front of hall beside the Tyalgum Cricket match ! 'Twas all on in Tyalgum ! (our sleepy little village )
37.5 now ! and rising
Thought I post my chat comment from over in our DUST forum thread as 
seem to be writing in there than ever posting in here ...... just about to
'process' my recent photos  and then I'll maybe add them in here too 
it got to 38 and dropped back to 37 ...... 'tho I hopped into the cooling
overhead waterfall of my new outside/undercover shower several times as it
rose and fell
Put thermometer out into the dappled shade for a short while and just
checked it 41C.. (103F)