Doubts

The past few weeks have been kind of rough, I havent felt in the slightest bit creative and was getting really depressed by the entire issue. Slogging away with drawing just to keep up my 'creative fitness' as one of my tutors referred to it was SUCH a chore. So much so I have actually been wondering if I have made the right decision to move this far from family and friends.
I am hoping it is just the post move blues because in real terms I have been on the run since we got up here and not had much time to get creative- that and the fact there have been outside influences on my movements around the district. The aforementioned Wicked Witch has played a role in my mood, being accosted by strangers and abused for no real reason is not pleasant but that seems to have settled down. Her toxic presence is set to be removed from this sphere in about 8 days- and yes I am counting but I am not the only one doing that! ;-)
But maybe I am rediscovering the reasons I moved to this part of the world after my sailing evening on Wednesday- not much wind so a boring sail for the white knuckle dudes aboard but I loved it.
Good company and a brilliant light show and being able to photograph Samantha at long last in good light was a bonus

Ministry of Silly Walks

and hey after reading this morning that the Monty Python crew have set up a channel at You Tube I just had to post this
go and visit and have a giggle and know how much laughter the re enactment caused

http://youtube.com/MontyPython

Sketching trip that turned into

a skinny dipping expedition.
Yesterday I was restless and packed up the Rocket and took off to a local creek to do some sketching. A good omen as soon as I arrived was the appearance of a Ulysses butterfly- something I am taking as my personal totem in some ways I suppose- they have featured in my work in the past of course.
Did some pen and ink work but was feeling a bit hot and bothered and went for a paddle in the creek. Realising there was no one for miles around and I would hear anyone approaching I decided to get into the water but I hadnt brought a swimsuit- and anyway my swimmers are all too big now!- so as skyclad as they come I went for a swim in the water which was crystal clear and with little fish in it all over the place. The water was cold and refreshing and thankfully well above the Croc line up here in the highlands YAY
Nice place to unwind!

More

Cape Tribulation

Long drive but worth it
but get up there early unless you want to be run over by all the tour buses out of Cairns

Time is the shrinking commodity here

Haven't been around much because over the past couple of weeks we had some friends staying with us from Victoria which was terrific fun. Corrie and Hamish were brilliant guests to have and we have been whipped into shape by Corrie LOL.
Well she got me to get my studio sorted out FINALLY!!
We did some trips around the countryside and some sailing with the Sea
King who has not been so flash but at least his back is now better and it is only his hip that is still playing up. That bad lad has been limping for a few years now but it looks like replacement is the only way to go now the poor love. But Corrie and I have been giving him Reiki and it did ease the worst of it.

One of the trips we did was to Cape Tribulation in the Red Rocket- gosh I love that little car! One of the first stops was the Daintree Ice Cream factory- liked the macadamia and banana/mango flavours- the sapote and the wattle seed I could take or leave but the garden was spectacular as you will see from the above

'Popping the Kite'

Yep more sailing again, some friends are visiting us from Victoria and the Sea King suggested we all go to Snapper Island for the day after the race that started from the club very early on a Sunday morning.
The log was filled in with the wind reading of S.F.A which to most of you will make some sense but himself 'popped the kite' for a spinnaker run to Snapper. And boy is the aforementioned kite pretty! Check it out!! I didnt take too many photos yesterday mainly because I was busy keeping an eye on the skipper for much of the day.
Our darling friend the Sea King has had a bad back for a week or so and probably should not have gone out yesterday as he spent much of the time prone on the deck without getting much relief but his crew had a fabulous time although one was rather freaked by the sail back (me)
Got him home in double quick time and hopefully he was able to get some relief and some sleep but will hear more later today. Fingers crossed for a recovery for him.

Personalised Log

As many of you know the M.O.T.H and I hold our mate the Sea King in very high esteem.
His generosity of spirit and integrity has been somewhat undervalued by some people in his life of late but we decided that he would know just how much we both love him.
It was his birthday last Monday and we had his little celebration here with us- along with my Dad- with all his favourite food. A roast and a wicked flourless chocolate cake I know he loves.
AND I made him a personalised log for the love of his life- his yacht!
The image on the front of the log was the most work in design and stitch involved in the book as the pages within are for a very specific purpose and are very 'straight' but the image of Tau Ceti was painted and stitched from some photographs I have taken of the lovely lady in the past. He recognised it as his yacht immediately which was a buzz because I did want it to be recognisable.
It was a lovely celebration and nice to give my mate a present that is at once practical and beautiful. And to know he appreciates the thought behind it too!!!

Art, Gender and Textiles

Recently while making a present for my dear friend the Sea King - a personalised log book for his yacht which I have not yet photographed *blush*- I was musing on the almost inescapable fact that almost by virtue most of the work I do is largely 'feminine'. Although I have made him a quilt in the past - also for his yacht LOL- and things for M.O.T.H as well it is sometimes a battle to think of something for the guys.

Strange really because I am not a girly girl type.
But it raises interesting questions about the nature of gender and the allocation of art to some roles- although there are a number of male textile artists out there it is still very much an area of the arts that is dominated by women. Possibly another reason why in the larger Visual Arts areas it is lesser valued or dismissed as horror of horrors to that elitist ilk as 'craft'
Tracey Emin has lifted areas of our speciality into the realm of the mainstream art world but few others have made an impact such as her. Perhaps Annameike Mein is another but very few others have enjoyed the same profile in the larger art world.

All I can say is that the men in my life who love me have always been appreciative and supportive of my work. And for that I thank them and they can expect to get more 'girly' pressies in the future LOL
aaaargh I think too much!!!!!!!

Bats in the belfry?

Well I certainly know at least one person who has kanga's hopping around in her top paddock but we have micro bats roosting under the eaves of the house. They provide endless entertainment to Miss Jazzy in the evenings when they come out and hunt the insects that are attracted to the lights in the house. She alerted us to their presence yesterday by sitting and staring up under the eaves between two of the beams and there they were- although yesterday I am sure there were only about four there are a few more today.
Jazz has adapted to her role as an inside puss even though she longingly looks outside she seems happy enough to stay inside even when she has made it outside she doesnt stray and it is very easy to pick her up and bring her back inside thank goodness because of all that fluff I wouldnt like her to get a tick. She has alerted us to the amorous activities of the Boyd's Dragons and the big dance off between the males a couple of weeks ago but her favourite is the micro bats or as I am sure she thinks of them - the flying mice

The pyro in me

Last weekend we had a bonfire at a friend's house. I love fire in the night and played with the cam - and the flames a bit later on- to catch the flames dancing in the dark.
I know it is not very politically correct to burn off nowadays but around here they still burn canefields periodically- accidentally and deliberately.
and the reason I havent been blogging as much is my desktop was down with a crook video card but my dear friend fixed it again. Although he has warned me that it is 4 years old now and will need to be replaced sooner or later but I am so used to this machine and my laptop while great is nowhere near as much fun to use being loaded with the dreaded Vista. aaaargh

fish at Low Isles

Cooktown

Did a run up to Cooktown on Tuesday and it was fabulous- going back to photograph the place seriously in better light when I get an opportunity.
We took it easy because it is a good three hour drive from here but the road is good despite wandering stock and wildlife- and the odd road train.
Our niece from Hong Kong is staying with us at present because she has finished school and is waiting for Uni entrance here in Oz after living overseas for a number of years. Seeing the area through her eyes is an education because she has lived in Europe, Africa and Asia for the past 9 years or so and so it is all fresh to her. She was very pleased to meet a lady in Cooktown who was fostering Joeys and she got to nurse one to her huge delight.
Amber is an artist too so I am planning on get my sh*t together and sorting out my workspace and she wants to learn a few techniques I use so that should be fun. And having her to work with might return my desire to create because I have hit a bit of a flat spot of late. Feeling really lazy after the mad rush to complete the Ex work and just ever so slightly overwhelmed by the fact of the beauty of this place and finding my place here.

When I was in Melbourne the weekend before last I was feeling a bit ambivalent about pretty much everything. Did I miss it? Not the place as such but I do miss my friends- one in particular. I do miss Port Phillip Bay and the light it has that changes so rapidly, very different to the sea here which I DO love but it isnt my beloved Bay. I miss my folks of course but phone calls are frequent and they have finally been able to escape the winter in Vic and head a little way north for some warm before Mum gets all involved with her pennant season with bowls etc.
I really had a good time in Melbourne catching up with people and I didnt really have too much time to think except on the way back to the airport to fly back here and a really eerie thing occured. As anyone who knows me knows my slight obsession with Dr John and I was listening to his CD 'N'awlins. Dis Dat and D'udda" and the final track is called 'I'm Going Home' goosebumps ran up my spine as I heard it start just as I pulled into the car park at the airport- a REAL eerie sensation.
Maybe I think too much LOL but it seemed apt and I must admit I did a dance in my seat when the plane landed at the ungodly hour of 12.45am in temperatures of 24C
So I am home but still working on it and we will see how it progresses.

Exhaustion/exhileration

Since my flying trip to Melbourne last week I have been knackered lol. Spent most the week quietly with a visit here and there from nice neighbours- thankfully the not so nice one has been very scarce of late to the relief of a couple of us ;-)

I played with some discharge ideas during the week but I really have to pull my finger out and organise my workspace to do some more work.
But the weather has made me lazy- wet for most of the week til Thursday I mostly mooched around doing very little LOL then when it got sunny again went outside to play!!

I have to split my workspace in two- the room I will be using faces a large clump of lawyer vine or Wait a While- nasty stuff but the palms look so pretty in the dappled sunlight coming through the trees. The large built in wardrobe has some shelves but I can stack up my big tubs in there no worries and that will help with the issues the wet weather has shown about this house- when it rains it gets damp!!
I will do messy stuff out on the deck dyeing and stuff like that and hopefully when we extend it around the house it will give me access to the laundry area but I have made do for all these years so a couple more probably wont hurt me ;-)

The exhileration part is from yesterday, Ken took us out to Low Isles for a sail and we scraped the weed off the hull of Tau Ceti and amused a rather large angel fish who loved nibbling at the bits of goo coming off the hull. After lunch and a thaw out- the water IS warmer than Victoria of course but it does chill you after an hour or so- we went for a snorkel towed by the dinghy to the very edge of the reef around the barrier island of the group. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Massive brain corals, fans and other formations, myriads of teensy fish of all colours AND then there was the cod! A rather large coral cod with a crew of cleaner wrasses darting all over him. He let me get within two feet of him- even with the magnification of water this fish was about a metre long- and I could watch the little wrasses nipping off the parasites. so bloody cool!!!
M.O.T.H. got towed back to the boat but I elected to go back under my own steam and was surrounded by a school of small blue fish that seemed intent to escort me back to where the big Angel who had parked under the boat was waiting, as soon as he came into view the little fish just disappeared. We fed the Angel scraps of bread from our lunch and he was a greedy fishy that's for sure but so beautiful and free. As one of us observed ' A bloody perfect day'

Maybe I am not

a complete heathen because I can appreciate churches- certainly when they are as pretty as St Mary's
All shot hand held in very low light so only about six of the images are useable but I am planning on taking the tripod next week ;-)

Port Douglas in the evenings

It's pretty nice to be able to just wander around under a dramatic sky in the twilight. As my dear friend Fred would call it 'a sweet light' The fellas went sailing last night but I didnt feel up to it and just wandered with my camera and sketch book while they were out on the briny.
The mangroves are starting to fascinate me more and more- although I am not that keen on the idea of wandering through them on my own between being ever so slightly stinky and full of bitey critters I will have to find a guide LOL.

Beltainn I, II

Woodsmoke

this was previewed a few months back but shot in situ at the Charles Smith Gallery
65 Smith St Fitzroy - show on 'til September 30

Finally!

some pics of "the Work"
Solstise Eve.

Done!

The past couple of weeks have been fairly full on, but I have posted away my bits and pieces for the next exhibition. Unfortunately in the rush yesterday to pack them I was intending on photographing them but time was NOT on my side. Then himself suggested might be better to photograph them in situ at the gallery.
Oh well scatterbrained me!!

Not all my time has been taken up with work, in between slashing vines (and nasty Lawyer Vine being the worst) and other things I have become the designated driver for the Wednesday Afternoon Gents Sailing (WAGS) expeditions mounted by M.O.T.H and his 'brother' aka The Big Builder. As none of the so called adults stay terribly sober on these nights I was volunteered to do so as I dont drink very much. So it is no effort for me to stay sober and be the safe driver- I get my dinner out of it and some nice sailing although this week I didnt really feel like sailing much because I was generally blah and it was going to be a tad sloppy out there I decided to go and take some photographs instead. In particular of the boat in question that I chose the colours for- and wasn't THAT a drama in some quarters!
thankfully the drama queen hasnt been around much over the last month but that is about to change because her work has dried up so the evening sails could be bumpy and not just for the weather. (evilgrin) but I am so OVER her dramatic ways and the guys do need a sober driver and her consumption of the demon is pretty high for a woman so we will see. Stay tuned folks ROFLMAO
anyhow here are some pics of the boat and of another dragon in the garden
cheers
/R

Visitors

We are having our first visitors from Vic tomorrow- some friends are up from chilly old Vic and staying in Port D for a break and coming for morning tea tomorrow yipppee
so I am baking but we have had more animal adventures today with another dragon making its presence felt and a rather dozy frog but nature is nature

In progress

Finally some of my work is underway at last
this is an in progress shot taken for reference while I assemble the first of two- possibly three- masks for the exhibition.
Silk paper some stitch and very blurry because it is very overcast here today and my deck is quite dull but it give a guide of colours and intent

Trying to work but

the neighbours keep visiting and distracting me!!
These kinds of visitors are pretty exciting though
pademelons- no not a melon but a type of small wallaby that is fairly shy and not all the common. http://rainforest-australia.com/pademelon.htm

M.O.T.H decided to have sleep in this morning and heard them munching on the plants in the garden- we have been noticing the leaves scattered on the ground where the stems have been chewed out on a particular part of the 'garden' well it it is a jungle really LOL
We saw one, then realised another one was there too and a few minutes later after Dad wandered off the youngster came and spent some time with Mum- who seems to have a nasty scar on her leg so that means no loose animals in this household EVER

In the Tree House