A day of new friends and old friends :)

                                  After some secret planning over the last couple of weeks
                                                 ( instigated by the fabulous Adrianna)
                                                     a few members of the Mud Colony 
                                   decided to pay a surprise visit to Everleigh Artisan Markets today.

                                                        The ACA had a group of stalls
                                and one of those stalls was run by the beautiful mud colony member,
                                       Kathryn Mitchell, with her lovely hand painted ceramics.

                                          Katy had come down from the Gold Coast
                                              and Adrianna came up from Melbourne...
                                                  I think Katy was a little surprised ;)
                                                   Laughter and hugs all round  :D
                                    Many of us were meeting for the first time, face to face,
                                            so our virtual Mud Colony relationships
                                      have now started to became part of the real world.
                                                              WHAT FUN!



 I  bought a few lovely pieces from the potter stalls

                                                      An early dinner in Redfern
                                              (seared tuna and salsa and an iced coffee)

                            Then off to find an old friend who I went to uni with from 1998 -1991
                                            Gail Priest who was launching her latest LP

                                               How wonderful to sit back in an interesting space
                       in a comfortable arm chair and be given a feast for the senses.
                                                                           WOW!
                                     There were several sound artists over the evening
                                                    and each created interesting music
                                            that affected me both emotionally and physically.
                                     I say that it affected me physically because the sounds
                                                seemed to get into the muscles of my body
                                                and create physical waves and vibrations
                                           causing an emotional response.....fascinating!

                                             So I also had to take home some of their work.
                                               Now I can continue to enjoy that experience
                                                         while I am working in my studio.
                                                                       Very inspiring!

Taking time to enjoy the garden

It is all about the garden at the moment.

After loosing our last two chicks...to something.... :( 

Poor mama, on the right, is trying to get on with things 

and build her strength back up.

                                Then about a week ago one of our other hens had 5 new chicks,
                                                               all different colours :)

                                from left to right Sooty, Chomp, Duckling, Graphite and Iris.

                                                   What a good little mother she is.

                                 and these two jealous gals have decided that it is their turn ;)

My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean

                 I am not doing anything much along the creative lines at the moment
                                    I am just enjoying the quiet after the creative storm.
                                            
                                                           BUT I do have some news.......


         I was delighted to receive an email this week stating that WOW will be exhibiting
                             my first (and maybe my last) CERAMIC costume 'She Shells'
                                   in their Museum/Gallery in Nelson NZ for up to a year.

                                   Given the weight and the fragility of ceramics
                                         they are problematic to send overseas.
                                    Let alone the challenge for the performers
                                       (who did a wonderful job, I might add).
                    So I wasn't surprised when the wardrobe manager of WOW
                    pleaded with me to "please make your costumes in paper next time"
                                  sorry Ingrid....I am planning a lighter one next year.

                               You see the conch shell that  goes with the 'Conicles'
                                        is made of paper and light as a feather.

                 I couldn't have the model inadvertently bumping the bra and breaking it!
                                                            Well could I?
                    It would have been kinder to make the bra of paper and the shell in ceramics....
                           but I wanted to do the impossible and make wearable ceramics....
                                                      I know, I am a bad girl....

                             However they do make quite good exhibition pieces I think....
          (she says, hoping that they still look fresh after a two week run on the WOW stage!)

                                                                'CONICLES'
                                                          model - Sarah Sulan

                                                                         'URCHIN'
                                                            model - Frances Donaldson

                                                                      'CLAMS'
                                                        model -Amy Donaldson

                                                                   'SHE SHELLS'
                                        comic strip super heros meet 50's water ballet stars
                                                modeled by my 3 beautiful nieces

                                                                    Stay well my babies.



                                  Now I am off to see what is happening at the Mud Colony

Haven't we had a wonderful time?

Here is a little photo journal of our exhibition 'in our blood' that closed last Sunday 14th October.

OPENING NIGHT

                                                           
                                                 A welcome of trumpet duets at the door

                                                            

                                                       

                                                                 MIKE'S SLIDE NIGHT

                                for more info about Mikes books and treks check out his website
                                                             http://www.wildrocks.com.au/

All these lovely photo's are courtesy of brother Chris.

You can find his more serious art photos on his website

 http://www.chrisdonaldson.com.au/

(which I am proud to say sports a drawing I did of him with his camera at the ready)

We had two 'Meet the Artists' events 

on the two Saturday afternoons with nibbles and wine, 

laughter and chats but we don't seem to have photos of those days.

There were lots of lovely people and we loved seeing all who managed to get there

so I am sorry I can't post photos of you all.

I think we must have just got overwhelmed and not picked up our cameras.....

Well that is my story but photos may emerge from the others as time goes on.

My boys were working when most of the big events were on

but it was lovely that they got there at other times with their little families.

They are a huge inspiration to me :)

I did manage some pics of them ;) :) :)

                  
                          As you can see I had to buy Luca several times because she is just too cute
                           and little Lillie fell asleep in my arms for the first time...awww lucky me :)

So I guess those of you that didn't make it to the show

particularly the Mud Colony bloggers

 and my interstate/international friends might like to see what work I had there?

Well OK....

 

                                          

                                                 and then we were done......next time?

                                                          2016 ? ........at the earliest!

                                                  Time to think about the whole process.....
                                              Although we had a very successful exhibition
                                          selling way more than many shows I have been to in Sydney
                                               it is still a huge expense and immense work for us.
                                                   At best some of us have broken even
                                   but mostly we run at a loss, when everything is taken into account.

                                                      BUT we did have a wonderful time!

                                  So it is into the garden for me , time to recharge the batteries
                                       Time to smell the flowers and feed the baby chicks :)