Victor Greenaway demonstation day

 

                                   Victor Greenaway is one of our extraordinary Australian potters.
                                                He lives much of the year in Tuscany, Italy
                                                 where he makes his ceramics and paints.
                                     He and his partner conduct art tours and retreats in their region.

                                     Last Sunday Victor generously shared his expertise
                                    in working in porcelain at the first CSG gathering
                                    for 2013 ay Dense Park in Epping, Sydney.

                                        and it certainly gave me a thirst to work in this media.

                              His style is unique and although it was wonderful to watch,
                              many techniques in the demonstration I wouldn't repeat in
                               my own work, as it is directly associated with his personal
                              mark making.
                               However watching him work the clay was delicious
                               and his tips on using porcelain and its possibilities had me
                               wishing I could pick up a lump of his clay and have a go.

                             Thanks to the CSG and Victor for a lovely day it was very inspiring.

                                                This blog is part of the Mud Colony 
                          so  click on the link to have a look and see what other potters are doing.

Stitch stitch stitch.....and then there was porcelain

                                     I am focused on my WOW entry at the moment.
                                     Yes, once again I am surrounded by a collection
                                     of found materials and objects which are being
                                     put together with the aid of my trusty sewing machine
                                     an iron and a vat of glue.
                                    It is an usual piece this year and I am allowing it to evolve
                                     rather than being too ridged with my design process.

                                      My usual process is to have a brain wave idea
                                      and I just set to and make it.
                                      Not this year ... the idea is still forming
                                      and I am now well into making the piece.
                                      It will either be brilliant or a total flop....who knows
                                      but it is fun in the making and great to be working on a gut level
                                      instead of from an intellectual level for a change.

                                       NEWS FLASH!

                                       Just 10 min ago I found my TEXTILE magazine in the post.
                                       This months looks different to the one shown in the link above.
                                       It features a lovely photo by fellow WOW
                                       designer  Paul Hagger - with a detail of a work by Sharyn Hall.
                                       Look for a green cover.

                                       I was delighted to find an lovely article on my SHE SHELLS.
                                       You can find this mag in most good newsagents in Australia
                                       and in some O/S.
                                       I am in fine company with the work of Susan Holmes,
                                       Svenja and Paul Haggers works.
                                       YAY for us! 
                                       Thank you to Janet DeBoer for her ongoing support.

 

                                   There is one mistake in the article,
                                   it states that this was my 4th entry
                                   but it was actually my 5th.

                                   AND THEN....

                                  I am off to a Victor Greenaway demonstration on Sunday
                                  all being well.

                                 If you are in Sydney and interested
                                 better phone quickly to get a place.
                                 Looks like a beaut!

                                   I will now post this blog entry on the MUD COLONY site
                                                so check what is happening over there too.
                                                                

Use it till you lose it

                                              I have been battling with my arms...
                                                   Elbows, wrists and thumbs
                                                           for some years now.
                                               I am sure many of you fellow artists
                                               have experienced the same condition.

                                                     Very frustrating as an artist
                                             with itchy fingers to be slowed down :(
                                                               But I have had to.
                               Tennis elbow and arthritis don't sound like much of an issue
                                      but when it comes to making, it is quite difficult.
                                                        No strength and plenty of OUCH!
                                                                        BOO!

                                               So the treatment has been stretches
                                                and gentle weight bearing exercises
                                                                      for 6 weeks.
                                                Today I started the first of a series of 4
                                                             sugar water injections.
                                                   These will happen every 2 weeks now
                                                                over the next 8 weeks.
                                                          They go into the tendon in the elbow.
                                                      As tendons don't have much blood flow,
                                     the theory is to trick the body into healing the tendon.

                                                             After these 4 injections
                                                there may be a further series of injections
                                                    of my own blood into the same spot.

                                           The good news is that I can get back to work.
                                                      As long as I use my arm brace.

                                                              Well that's a relief !
                                 I was thinking I would be a nervous wreck before too long
                                           if I could get into the studio in a serious way.


                                                     Construction site update....YAY!
                                                                      Happy dance!

                                                     Below - is where the paving will go.

                                                                  This will be grass.
   

                                                            here is the wall Linda Starr
                                     
 
                                                        Below will be the alternative firing spot
                                                                ... pitt... raku.... sawdust

All rather EXCITING!!!

            This is part of a blog share with other potters that you may like to join Mud Colony

A little bit of digging.

                                   We have a little bit of landscaping happening this week.

                                             The plan is to have the space between
                                               my studio (on the left of the picture)
                                and the verandah (my unofficial outdoor studio) on the right,
                                         paved in such a way that we can drive a car in.
                              I will also be able to set up tables for workshop and /or art classes.
                                                           ALL VERY EXCITING!

Let the work begin!

                                                 
                          I have spent the last three months abstaining from studio work.
                                                                        Why?
                                         Well I have a bodgy elbow at the moment
                                and it makes working with my hands quite difficult.
                                    So it has been all about x-rays and ultra sounds,
                                       exercise and being a little careful with it for a time.

                                                                       Also....

                                   After our family exhibition in Sydney last October
                                        there was a lot of family life to catch up with.

                                      My lovely in-laws are in the process of moving
                                      and I have been accepting bags of STUFF from them
                                         that they kindly thought might be helpful in my work.
                                  So I would bring them home and throw them into the studio
                                                                      (out of the way)
                                                   Yes, thrown in on top of all the STUFF
                                                      that came home from the exhibition
                                               and that  STUFF was piled up on top
                                              of all the raw material STUFF (grasses and clay)
                                            that I collected in outback NSW last year...
                                                 which was in and around boxes of STUFF
                                           that came from my mums house when she died.
                                                                            OH MY !
                                     What A LOT of very interesting and useful STUFFFFFF!
                                           How could I find anything or have space to work?...
                                                              Where could it go?

                                          Broom and garbage bin at my side I set to work!

                                           My mum was an artist and the hundreds of drawings
                                      that she left behind when she died at 87 have been a
                                         huge responsibility in deciding when and how to move on.
                                                      The family had taken what they wanted
                                           and still there were boxes and boxes of drawings!
                                                                  OUT THEY WENT!

                                                          Well when I "drop off my perch"
                                              I hope my family will feel free to just keep what they want
                                                           and not hesitate to chuck the STUFF.
                                                           In the mean time I have decided
                                                        to try to keep throwing out STUFF.
                                          So that there is as little as possible to worry about.

                                            Out!.... went costumes and forgotten half done projects.

                                            Out!... went these spare cup cakes
                                                        from the 'Tea Party' 2011 costume.

                                            Out!...went  'Opera Diva'  #1 and #2
                                                      ( I have kept #3)
                                                            
                                                             It has been a huge relief.

                                 
                                                        

                                                         In the textile side of my studio
                                          all my "BITS" draws have been put in order

                                                          Grasses have been strung up
                                                        for basketry and paper making

                                                          and it is now possible to walk in!

                                                      In the ceramic room of the studio

                                       
                                            My pottery tools have been washed and set in order.
                                            Towels and aprons are washed and ready to use.
                                                     I am still re organising the space a little and
                                                           I am hoping that it will sorted
                                              and ready to start teaching by March or April.
                                              We have some landscaping about to start
                                       which will create an outdoor teaching space
                                       and sculpture garden for open studio exhibition spaces.

                                                                  2013 is looking BIG!
                                              I hope to start my WOW costume next week
                                                and will only have 2 months to complete it.

                                           I am going to the Victor Greenaway demonstration
                                          in porcelain throwing at the CSG in a couple of weeks.

                                         Will do a jewellery workshop with my daughter
                                                          at Context Forum in April
                                                      Our first workshop together! YAY!
                                       I will also have work on display in their exhibition.

                                     Then off to Gulgong for Clay Push with my sister in May
                                            
                                              and another little pottery jaunt to Melbourne in June.

                                                    
                                                     ........and that is just the first part of the year!

                                                         My first born will be married in August


                                                There may even be a trip to WOW in September
                                               IF...I manage to be wow enough with my costume
                                                       and make it through the selection process.

                                         So that is me for now LET THE WORK BEGIN!

                                  the Mud Colony blog share is up and running again
                                             from this week so don't forget
                                      to check what all those busy clay workers are up to.