clara-emily

Tah Tah!

2010-07-09T22:56:00.000-07:00

I've moved!!! (I think!) I'm still getting used to it, so cope with my lack of internet talent for a while! But come and visit me over here!!!

http://claraemily.wordpress.com/

Cross Stitch amendments,,

2010-07-06T22:24:00.000-07:00

This is my second large scale text based cross stitch of 2010, I've been completing them on black aida cloth in order to differentiate mine from the another style in the class, and also working in this large scale rather cold, freehand font. I've decided that although they are aesthetically contemporary and cleanlined, I'm going to work on some smaller cursive fonts in order to make these pieces a little more 'me', they will still be on the larger scale, just hopefully not so time consuming as I currently have about six to complete!

Flotsam & Jetsam

2010-07-06T01:04:00.000-07:00

After many excruciatingly frustrating trials, involving cotton, crochet thread and embroidery threads, I've finally found a thread that has the strength to hold my manipulated shells, and here are some shots of the (almost) finished product - it's been pared back and simplified into oblivion, but I kind of like the fact that at least one thing in my 2010 portfolio won't be entirely over the top!

Wool Braids!

2010-07-06T00:47:00.000-07:00

Despite this terrible photo of my translucent vampire skin vs. my flurescent red dress, and funny face - I finished another French knitting plait necklace last night, whilst waiting for Karl to finish cooking dinner - I'm planning on sewing two or three together, they're much more effective as larger more structural pieces!

Sarah CrowEST

2010-07-06T00:39:00.000-07:00

I briefly checked out the happenings at Linden today, and Sarah CrowEST has some seriously intriguing and awesome sculpture/ceramic/figurine kind of things on show at the moment - glitter ah! And although I couldn't find any appropriate images, it was a pretty exciting exhibition, I loooveee seeing interesting contemporary ceramics in real life (as opposed to craft/art magazines) I studied ceramics as a brief minor in my first year at UB, and I really think that the lecturer stuffed up by not showing us much contemporary ceramics- instead we were told to research makers like Picasso and Rudy Autio - there is so much awesome ceramic stuff going on out there and if only we'd had a helping hand in finding it there might've been a lot more ceramic majors graduating this year!

With Glass

2010-07-02T23:18:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the year I collected and cleaned a heck of a lot of smashed windscreen glass from sides of roads around my area, I was planning to use them in an installation at the end of the year- accompanying my baby quilt actually.
But as soon as I brought them into the studio, another student literally grabbed hold of my idea and has used them in a series of photographs, therefore, I haven't been able to use them at all, despite it originally being my idea and the object containing symbolism appropriate to my work.
In short, I've had to abandon the material, and find something else, which I won't be bringing into the studio, and thought that I would take some shots with the glass, just for fun, here are the more succesful ones - I was reinterpreting and old idea, having had adopted similar compositions in my manipulated Japanese novella piece from 2009.

2010 Photo Series

2010-07-02T23:13:00.000-07:00

Disappointingly, after taking a trip to my mum's, and driving around for a quite a while in the dark around Wonthaggi, and even going to the cemetery in the middle of my night by myself, none of those particular shots worked out - not a single one!!!
So out of the last few rolls of film that I've had processed these ones are probably going to be featured in my end of year series.

My street..

2010-07-02T23:08:00.000-07:00

I've lately been trying to take alot more photo diary style shots- as in I'm trying to have my camera more readily avaliable at all times.. here are some of the results from my street!

2010-07-02T23:03:00.000-07:00

I'm beginning to be a lot more appreciative of my little apartment in the winter, it's relatively cosy and I'm quite happy to spend alot of time indoors, working on various projects I've also worked out that having numerous candles lit not only creates a warm aesthetic lighting but also works as an extra heating supply!!

Yum Yum at Mums!

2010-07-02T22:56:00.000-07:00

I did a heck of a lot of cooking whilst down at my mums, lamb cutlets with lemon and garlic asparagus and honey roasted dutch carrots, not to mention vanilla almond and berry cupcakes, carrot cake and yoyo's!
I also found my new winter love, whilst I was spending my time in mum's warm lounge room crafting away, it is fresh lemon and mint and honey tea! It's so good and not too bad for you either (I assume!)

Julianne Swartz

2010-07-01T22:50:00.000-07:00

These are some of Julianne Swartz poignant photographs, I'm positively obsessed with any incorporation of mirror into art pieces!
Currently I'm being extremely productive, but my creative juices are definately a little in drought at the moment, seeing works like these can definately lighten the mood!

"In The Ditch!"

2010-07-01T02:11:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of the finished baby quilt (almost finished, I still need to decide what to, and embroider a patch onto the underside and organize installation techniques, but these things have all been put on the back burner as I'm planning to exhibit this piece in the end of year show as opposed to the upcoming Melbourne show!) with mum's help and quilting expertise, we completed the quilt, with cotton batting, quilting in the ditch and a hand sewn binding (edging).
It's a lot smaller than I thought, and might take a few washes to get the flexibility that my installation ideas will require, but I truly love it and think it's a pretty good effort for a first quilt!

Sunshine Possum

2010-07-01T01:59:00.000-07:00

2010-06-30T02:01:00.001-07:00

sunlight recedes,
wolves howl in the night,
amongst red cellophane rooftops,
together we ate,
gnawing on the tense bread,
that was ours,
in the moonlight,
fur encompassed,
and mother's narrowing eyes were upon us.
Find me inhaling blue carpet,
sipping red currant iced tea,
mallards are windswept,
and frozen in flight.
Suspended above us.
As the ocean wails,
he comes,
circumfluent,
LED lights burn,
in the distance,
an amber glow.
Before sunrise,
before nostalgia,
we are enveloped by billowing red curtain lengths.
Toes exposed,
blue ice cold.

Rose Tinted Sinew

2010-06-30T01:56:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what's going on with my scanner, but here's a blurry image of a free form tapestry that I'm doing on a rug making base - it's a pretty quick little format, and I really love the alternate depths and dimensions the loose frame implies.

Tin Chandelier

2010-06-30T01:47:00.000-07:00

I spent the entirety of my saturday drilling tiny holes into this tin box lid, with my trusty Dremel, and then threaded them with Swarovski crystals - I figured if everyone else in my class has decided to incorporate a kinetic element to their work (I would be utterly surprised if any of those aforementioned students knew the definition of this word) I've been forced to "up the anti" - and although these images don't really explain what exactly I'm doing, I think I have sufficiently 'upped the anti' with this tiny piece, I've just got to decide on lighting!
(Oh and I just thought I'd post some images of the damage you can do to your cheapo Ikea desk if you don't use a mat whilst drilling!!!)

Free style Text Cross Stitch

2010-06-30T01:46:00.000-07:00

I'm getting much, much faster at cross stitch, considering these are the first non-abstracted/automated ones that I've done for about six months, I'm proud to say that each rather large scale stitching is taking me around four days to complete - therefore, I'm feeling good, a little less stressed even!

(Oh, and I'm calling them free style just this once, as my Mum was extremely surprised that I don't use a font pattern!)

The Bay

2010-06-28T02:12:00.000-07:00

And seeing as I forgot my camera lead have a photo of it down here from less freezing times .. gotta love that graduated pastel sky!

Suck Lemons!

2010-06-28T01:58:00.000-07:00

I'm at my Mum's place in the country at the moment, forcing her to help me finish my quilt, generally just sewing, sipping coconut black chai steaming hot tea with honey, baking carrot cake, watching my sausage dog make an absolute fool out of herself, and might I admit it, relaxing just ever so slightly!!

I'm loving the fact that the old ladies in the op shops down here (I got an AWESOME tan suede parka today for $5!) not only sew ALL of the stuffed toys in the shop jumpers, beanies and general warmth but also sell home grown non waxed lemons for 20c a pop!! So cute! These lemons on the other hand are of the fabric variety exquistely crafted by my exotic friend Sharon!

2010-06-25T04:32:00.000-07:00

Carried on the tide of progress, we all seem to be fast-forwarding into a future where our memories become irrelevant relics from a useless and discarded past. - Matthew Flaming

Skully Wuggle

2010-06-24T04:30:00.000-07:00

This week has been extremely productive - I've finished the topside of the baby quilt, organized alternatives to casting my bones (here seen in gesso process), taken numerous photos and numerous more shall be taken over the next 7 days and started on a new embroidery/wrote a few more pieces of prose that are waiting to be embroidered!

In the remnant of the study break I intend to finish the embroideries/quilt, take way more photos ready to have printed, source the presentation bits and pieces, consult with a neon maker, re-think and produce an alternative to the rose ceiling piece - thanks to a rather abrupt flourishing of kinetic works within my class.... mmmm let's not talk about it... re-develop the memoirs of flotsam and jetsam pieces, and at some point in time get to all of the bajillion awesome shows on in Melbourne at the moment! Excited much?!

Quilt #2

2010-06-22T05:47:00.000-07:00

And so here are some shots of the completed first component of the baby quilt, it's made up for fabrics including swatches of old clothes, pillow cases and the main fabric is an old doona cover that I've had for as long as I can remember, and the one of the major concept behind the works is to mystify the object whilst maintaining it's imbued memories.
I do worry that it looks a little too much at this stage, and I had a few ideas for the installation that I think I might encourage towards different projects as I think it would just be way too over the top! But as much as I hate to admit it, that over the top, kind of clashing florals is very me, and I think everyone who knows me will probably agree with that assesment!
Anywho, tomorrow I'm off to have molds made for pendants, followed by a solid night of full-steam- ahead embroidery things are getting serious over here!!

Quilt #1

2010-06-22T05:45:00.000-07:00

Over the last few days I've been working on the top side of my baby quilt, which will be a part of the Blue Hued Winter installation.. it's definately not perfect or mathematically accurate, but it's not too bad for a first attempt, and it's extremely personal which I feel is made concrete through it's slightly askewed aesthetic.

From Home

2010-06-22T05:17:00.000-07:00

Exciting!

2010-06-21T03:18:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Boys

2010-06-19T20:04:00.000-07:00

When the child's forehead. red and full of pain,
Dreams of ease in the streaming of white veils,
To the side of his bed two lovely sisters come
With delicate fingers and long silvery nails.

They take the child with them to an immense
Window, where blue air bathes a flowery grove,
And through his heavy hair, as the dew descends,
Their terrible, enchanting fingers probe.

He listens to their fearful slow breath vibrate,
Flowering with honey and the hue of roses,
Broken now and then with whispers, saliva
Licked back on their lips, a longing for kisses.

He hears their lashes beat the still, sweet air;
Their soft electric fingers never tire -
Through his gray swoon, a crackling in his hair -
Beneath their royal nails the little lice expire.

Within him then surges the wine of Idleness,
Like the sweet deluding harmonica's sigh;
And the child can feel, beneath their slow caresses,
Rising, falling, an endless desire to cry.

The Ladies Who Look For Lice by Arthur Rimbaud.
Images scanned from Goldin's The Devil's Playground.

Etc.

2010-06-19T04:34:00.000-07:00

And here are some of the shots from that particular day that have made the cut (at this stage I think) this whole process has made me realize that I really need to take my camera everywhere and get out a lot more than I do .. I say this on a Saturday night eating a sneaky brown ale cupcake for second dessert post Japanese dinner!

Recent images

2010-06-18T22:55:00.000-07:00

My 2010 photographic series has taken a rather unexpected turn, focussing alot less on portraiture and more on abstract portraiture via a kind of photo diary style, anyway these are some shots from a recent photo taking trip, that haven't made the cut.

For the very first time in my entire life I opened the back of my camera before winding up the film and exposed some really awesome close ups of the underside of these mushrooms- they were saffron hued and honeycomb textured - absolutely hating myself right now and blaming it on the insomnia!!!!

Bois Trio

2010-06-18T22:51:00.000-07:00

These are the only 35mm images that I took at the recent Forest Collective and Exaudi Youth choir evening, Bois as my camera is just a little too loud for these intimate music gigs.. I love the fact that it is almost entirely impossible to decipher these shots of my small contribution.

Seven Thousand Oaks Festival -ADAPTATION

2010-06-17T20:39:00.000-07:00

Last night I attended the opening event of the 2010 Seven Thousand Oaks Festival at Guilford Lane Gallery that consisted of an exhibtion opening, the show entitled Adaptation, while I initially thought the opening was part of the Utopian Slumps initiative, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found.

To be honest, I wasn't being very attentive - celebrating end of exams - and I didn't do too much looking or figuring out whose work was whose, what I did do though, was feel and smell and be so utterly invigorated by what I experienced. The top images refer to what I believe is Brie Trenerry's work, (I'm terribly sorry if I'm incorrect, and I will be going back to check it out properly) a kind of jellified water and astroturf/flurescent light garden with real growing flowers! I'm not sure how long this garden will last, or if it will grow but I make another assumption in thinking that this process is probably the point!
The below images I believe is the work of Tim Cracker - a transparent partition made from dried fennel? The viewer was encouraged to grope and smell the materials and they smelt delicious! Okay, maybe that's going too far, and maybe it's very naughty to have not paid more attention, but I loved the show and highly recommend it and that anyone else who views it pays more attention than I did!

Jill Orr - Vision

2010-06-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

Jill Orr is a reknowned Australian performance and visual artist whose fecund oeuvre encompasses shocking and highly emotive performance pieces that burgeoned from the 1970's. Her work seemingly concentrates, subtlely orbits and makes strong connotations regarding the connections between human existence, nature, environment and art.

The works currently on display at Jenny Port gallery of Richmond until the 3rd of July, within an exhibition entitled Vision, examine the identities of students from the Avoca Primary School, concerning creative, imaginative and sustained environments that they are immersed within at this pivotal moment in life. Whilst also poignantly and quietly regarding how drought and climate change (Avoca is a rural Victorian township that has been highly susceptible to and affected by drought) has influenced their lives, beings and subsequently their identities and sense of selves.

These subtle references are conjured through the employment of a drying and cracking white paint that the children's faces bare, whilst alluding to Indigenous culture, dance and dress, something that Orr has explored in the past. Here the children's faces become intimate baron and fruitless landscapes, reflecting their environment and reminiscent of Kahlo's The Broken Column.

Furthermore, the works acknowledge the dichotomy of the gaze and facilitate both a voyeuristic, penetrative searching within these young people's existence whilst acknowlegding the limitations associated with portraiture, in the form of closed or restricted channels of gaze within images that portray the subjects with their eyes closed. Here the viewer is forced to recognize their own reflection, and position within the conveyed issue, in the dark nothingness that now engulfs them.

Whilst this series is quite different than any of Orr's other work that I'm aware of, the poignance and extremely strong whilst simultaneously subtle messages imbued within and exuding from these works is indicative of her impressive and influential oeuvre.

All haired out!

2010-06-16T03:56:00.000-07:00

Seeing as I've spent a good part of the last few days in and out of my bathroom I thought I should post some (really bad webcam) photos of the result! It's actually a very slight shade of pale pink, although you can't really tell in these shots - hoorah for a change!

Oldies for Sharon

2010-06-16T01:14:00.000-07:00

My ma was seriously hot, don't know how I missed out on those pins in the gene pool..

Oh, maybe it was my predilection for snacks that did it..

Because I'd much prefer blogging than studying at the moment, and it is about time that I scanned these - here are some awesomely old photos, I miss living in the country, it was so green and fresh, as opposed to the city in which the smog locks in light to the point of a star less night. Also - why did everyone else in my family (including my father) have devine mermaidesque manes of hair, whilst I was shunted with the full bowl cut year in year out???

Recently baked continued..

2010-06-14T03:35:00.000-07:00

Jam Doughnut cupcakes from here, my first ever attempt at using yeast!

And HOORAH! I finally made a batch of friands that didn't become completely destroyed when turned out!

They're white chocolate and raspberry French fanciers (aka Friands) I got the recipe from Stephanie Alexander's The Cook's Companion, and then added Black's Organic White Chocolate and a tonne of frozen raspberries!

And these are vanilla cookies from the Indulgence cookies cookbook as mentioned in the last post, the first time using the Scotty dog cookie cutter Steve bought for me - these were intended for Anna but accidentally got left at home!

Recently baked.

2010-06-14T03:28:00.001-07:00

Krissy's birthday Blackberry Jam melting moments recipe from here.

First recipe attempted from Trotski and Ash - half eaten chocolate mousse with Black's Organic milk chocolate, minus the ganache!

And another first attempt, from Ming's Cupcakes, for Karl cupcake #27, Vanilla and Almond cakes with Maple Syrup Cream Cheese Frosting (for this one I recommend getting the $10 Canadian maple syrup as opposed to the $3 Green's one that I used - too runny!)

Quilting Cubby

2010-06-13T02:17:00.000-07:00

Over the next few months I'm intending (intending as opposed to doing has become a frequently used word of mine, thanks to the staggered structure of this academic year) to produce a small quilt which will be comprised of swatches from childhood sheets and pillow cases etc., and then hand embroidered with my prose.
The finished piece will be suspended and quite possibly house some secret bits and pieces, in order to conjure memories of childhood structures such as the one pictured (here with the Boy with Balenciaga) and all of the dreams and imaginary adventures that occured within them.

Kim Anderson

2010-06-12T23:21:00.000-07:00

I recently popped into the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery to see the work of my Art Theory tutor Kim Anderson - the exhibition titled A Natural Comparison - encompasses a series of black and red extremely fine and detailed drawings.
The drawings examine the fine detail and juxtaposition/similarities of depictions of anatomical images and natural ephemera, the latter consisting of dried leaves and branches etc. Obviously inspired by both botanical and anatomical drawing the pieces work to discover and convey the beauty inherent within the natural environment and also raises questions regarding death (through the depiction of various bone structures) possibly implying associations between death and nature within our increasingly environmentally concerned conscious.
In short, the work abosultely blew me away, the stunning (and beautiful although it's not my favourite word) attention to detail, coupled with the cold and formal titles creates an interesting dichotomy and I'm intending to go back to view the images with my glasses on - they are that intricate! The exhibition runs until 30th July at the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery on Lydiard Street.

Dutch Gold

2010-06-08T07:09:00.000-07:00

Pardon me, just some pointless study induced scanner madness.

Chloe Piene

2010-06-08T07:07:00.000-07:00

I came across these drawings in an Ice Cream and they haven't been far from my mind in most life drawing classes, if only I had talent like this.

o-check design graphics

2010-06-08T07:03:00.000-07:00

Yep they're everywhere, and I wonder why? Probably because they convey heartfelt designs with romantic prose and I've now decided that (although I have bought them as gifts in previous years) these journals will compile my xmas shopping in its entirety.

Some Finch Love

2010-06-08T04:16:00.000-07:00

One of Spencer Finch’s installations that both references literature and employs technological devices is titled Two Hours, Two Minutes, Two Seconds (Wind at Walden Pond, March 12, 2007).

This work consists of a semicircular arrangement of 44 computer controlled box fans, stacked four high. For around two hours, the fans periodically create a gentle, intermittent breeze from varying angles and speeds. This pattern was discerned by Finch’s measurements conducted with a digital anemometer and weathervane whilst standing on the wooded shore of Walden Pond.

The symbolic significance of this work lies in it’s obvious reference to another New-England based luminary, writer and poet Henry-David Thoreau. Specifically the book entitled Walden; or Life In The Woods first published in 1854, which was written whilst Thoreau lived in a cabin located in the woodlands just off of the Walden Pond shore, a residence he kept for two years, two months and two days.

Therefore, the piece is designed in order to allow the viewer’s own perception of what Finch and presumable Thoreau once felt whilst standing on the shoreline. This experience becomes much more poignant on the attainment of the knowledge that Walden was written as Thoreau removed himself from society (to an extent) and returned to nature, in order to develop a greater understanding of the society in which he existed.The text and the project concerned were inspired by the transcendentalist philosophy which refers to the concept of transcending normalcy and experiencing the Sublime through nature and thereby achieving a connection with it.

Therefore, it can be argued that Two Hours is an attempt made by the artist to remind the viewer of this essential connection, one that is lost in a modern world that is often so forcefully removed from nature. Yet, the need to employ such an overly cumbersome apparatus in order to facilitate the depiction of such ephemeral phenomena as, air currents, seems absurd. But this implicit absurdity is precisely how Finch’s work functions- it encourages it’s audience to appreciate and reinvestigate natural phenomena, on a technologically comprehensive level- a level that is seemingly relative to contemporary culture.

Moreover this relativity is incurred by the fact that, on a daily basis, at least those of us residing in urban environments communicate and interact with technology much more regularly than we do with nature.

Finch attempts to recreate his fluid perceptions of the world in which we co-exist, a modern world that enables our day to day experiences to be wrought with comprehensive and advancing technologies, including that of communication.

In Finch’s work we see not only, something that we probably wouldn’t have had the time or interest to bother noticing- a trace of the sublime present within the mediocrity of the everyday, but it is his selection of materials and scientific methods that pose, to an extent, an almost humorous parody of the now ‘normal’ complications and complexities inherent to our continuously technologically evolving modernity – complexities that are here regarded as removing us even further from the truth and therefore, even further from ourselves.

Text based cross stitch

2010-06-08T02:08:00.000-07:00

These are the first two of my 2010 text based cross stitch - my fleeting venture into abstract automated stitchings has landed me right back at the start! - I'm considering colours, as I've been working (on a smaller scale) in black and white for the past year.. plus I'm kind of sick of finding absolutely heartbreaking stains or marks on cream coloured aida cloth that I've spent the bigger half of a week delicately handling with freshly washed hands!

To be Read

2010-06-06T23:03:00.000-07:00

Currently ordered and awaiting these two books, I've recently read Emin's Strangeland, Miranda July's Noone Belongs Here More Than You (thanks my lovely classmate Ellyce for the loan of the latter), I'm slowly going through a collection of essays entitled House Rachel Whiteread *sigh*, struggling through the interesting dryness that is Chadwicks' Women, Art and Society and sneakily Helen Simonson's Major Pettigrew's Last Stand! Hence, why I was just slightly offended when our lecturer's commented on our lack of reading/adaption of the universities "great" resources.
Point being, I've really been struggling to find relevant and contemporary examples of female textile art books, I've borrowed a few on Miriam Schapiro and Judy Chicago -and I KNOW that their work was pivotal to today's and I probably shouldn't bother reading anything else until I have read about them, but I just find the imagery so dated and therefore, not very inclusive, that's why I'm hoping that the two pictured will be sufficient - please let me know if you have any other appropriate examples!!

Alejandro Almanza Pereda

2010-06-06T22:28:00.000-07:00

"Alejandro Almanza Pereda is one of those artists who finds
and assembles objects of common use and consumption,
consequently using their potential to overcome their idiosyncratic
nature. Almanza’s work displays a set of interacting objects
forming an improbable balance system. In his universe,
no definition or connotation is taken for granted. He plays with
the moment before disaster, that time of illusory balance that
reminds us of the vulnerability of things. An eternal second
doomed by a sense of fragility and perception creating surreal
compositions with a touch of ordinary life." - text from here.

Anna

2010-06-06T22:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I braved Melbourne's winter morning chill/church (yep that's right) so that I could not only spend the morning with my gorgeous friend Anna (who this weekend not only took my sake virginity but also my Sunday morning service virginity) but more importantly to see her dance during the morning service.
The church which is called City on a Hill holds sunday services at both the Hoyts cinema in Melbourne Central and the James Squire Brewhouse in the docklands, it's a rather young and trendy one .. Anna's performance was a contemporary dance piece to Gotye's Hearts A Mess, and was a lovely insight into the many different facets of this amazing girl, whilst also being a poignant and modern perspective on the particular subject matter of the mornings service!

Gilding trials

2010-06-06T22:12:00.001-07:00

I've recently embarked on trialling dutch gold gilding on sea shells (as I figured they're mostly calcium and would be similar to bone), they're not going so well at this stage - these ones particularly look like foil wrapped chocolates - so I'm looking into getting the skull cast, probably in bronze instead, it would be more permanent and less delicate this way also!

Chandeliers

2010-06-06T22:10:00.000-07:00

Um me.
Alejandro Almanza Pereda (see previous post) 's For Your Own Safety 2008

Studio Glithero - Sarah van Gameren and Tim Simpson's The Big Dipper 2007. Self producing literal candelabra!

Scanned from Bill Henson's Mnemosyne p269 (there was a more solemn and appropriate example, but I was a little apprehensive to post the image)

Terence Koh's These Decades That We Never Sleep - Black Light" 2008.

My pitiful and fleeting response to the idea of a chandelier seems to be one drawn from a rather large pool of contemporary consciousness, everywhere I've looked over the past two years there's been seemingly continuous references to this bourgeouis status symbol.
Interestingly enough, an object is all it is, but an object that stands for opulence, wealth and pure excess, the idea of appropriating and responding to status symbols was one that I was first made aware of during my brief study of Silversmithing/Metal Art at Monash University.
One of the first assignments that we were given was to respond to the news that a wealthy Asian business man had literally bought Melbourne's sewers, and numerous other rice consuming cities' in order to filter out the finite amount of gold, which is apparently in rice?! The concept was to attempt to decipher how such a task would redefine our perception of precious metals, it's an idea that stayed with me for quite some time (even though I didn't continue with the course), I believe that the continual parodies of chandeliers may also be of a similar reference point.
The juxtaposition of wealth/beauty and seemingly impoverished children in Henson's series is probably the most forceful of these ideas, hopefully this realization will help to improve my own response....

Nick Cave

2010-06-03T00:44:00.000-07:00

Nick Cave is an artist, performer and Director of the Chicago Art Institute's fashion program. Pictured are some of his soundsuits - wearable mixed media sculptures that incorporate various materials, fibres and ephemera in order to create human slips that not only connote various contemporary ideas but more obviously - create sounds unique to each garment and their activation/wearer's movement.

Apparently Cave came upon this idea sitting in a park, following the Rodney King controversy, contemplating his position within society as an African American man, artist, performer and human being. Here the artist discovered the humble twig as an inspriational device, one that he adapted through cutting and drilling and sewing together. He felt a relativity to this discarded yet indeed important natural element which lead to the birth of the first soundsuit- an object that allowed the artist to perform behind an elaborate veil.

I find Cave's meticulous use of ephemera/found object and textiles to be utterly inspiring, the textures, hues and scale are rather overwhelming and incredibly fantastical, reminiscing childhood daydreams and nightmares alike. Here the artist amalgamates ideas associated with textile production and handcrafts, whilst assimilating the modern preoccupation with the inclusion of found object to facilitate a dialogue pertaining to rather adult subjects, shadowed by childlike naivety and awe therefore I believe making the message even more poignant.

Old Stitchings New

2010-06-01T03:15:00.000-07:00

Over 2009 I completed two series of text based cross stitch, the first being pretty cliched using small segments of song lyrics and tacky tiny image patterns, in order to allude to darker connotations. Then in the second semester I decided (with the encouragement of a lecturer) to embark on divulging segments of my prose and poetry into cross stitch format - these resulted in simple, small scale, black text, direct yet ambiguous pieces.

This year, I'm extending the idea even further, by working on rather large scale stitchings which portray rather short and once again ambiguous sentences, kind of including the idea of automation, with previously created prose as a starting point!

Carpeted

2010-06-01T03:12:00.000-07:00

The fact that I cannot seem to disassociate my automated tapestrys with bad medical reception room carpet has potentially harboured my completetion of this small work, and possibly deterred me from continuing in tapestry at all... I might just need to find a new palette...

Teeny Scarecrows

2010-06-01T02:12:00.001-07:00

To be Young and Spritely Again

2010-06-01T01:41:00.000-07:00

This afternoon going through various folios for years and years worth of stitchings/trying to find one particular article (why don't I have a filing system yet?!) I came across some photographs of my VCE art work. Kind of cute, and so extremely superficial, but I think it's interesting to note that it was the largest scale piece I 've ever worked on, and I assume, will ever work on. It's nice to realize the way things have changed.

Bits and Bobs

2010-05-23T01:34:00.000-07:00

From my studio... things are feeling very stalled at the moment, waiting for mid year assesments to be over so I can start properly producing the year's works (where as these are just bits and pieces and works in progress.) It's a very anxious time of year, not just because of assessments, exams etc. but more so that it is so obviously the calm before the storm.

There is some comfort in the fact that I'm fairly sure most of my studying friends feel the same way right about now, but that's not really enough to make me sleep at night!!! The phrase "it'll all be over soon" is less comforting and more stressful as the main residual thought in my mind is that this year is it, and it's my first big chance to prove myself, as my self.

At least the ensuing winter and icy dark nights seem to be on my side, I think I just need a cuddle with Dixie to reenergize me for the semester ahead!

Pictures from Bois

2010-05-23T01:11:00.001-07:00

Here are some of the images from the Forest Collective and Exaudi Youth Choir show last night, although I did borrow a dslr from uni specifically, either I'm useless or it was a pretty remarkably bad quality one! Most of the images were rather awful, so please excuse bluriness!

Ceiling Rose Update

2010-05-23T01:06:00.000-07:00

Sick of seeing images of these bouquets?! Well, lucky for you I've recently taken some proper photos of them! Still collecting, and just reconsidering where and how these will be installed...

Deon Robertson

2010-05-23T01:00:00.000-07:00

Studio and works in progress/ I've been lucky enough to share a studio space with Deon for the last two years, where as his work last year was based heavily in large scale textural abstract paintings and animal bone sculpture and figurines, this year he's moving into new territory including edgy and dimly lit video works, that portray seemingly malevolent and foreboding images, featuring decaying small mammal protagonists and desperate insects shocks with it's inherent darkness and fast shot reversals whislt the accompanied music often subdues and enables viewers to consider Deon's connotations.

Baked.

2010-05-21T00:48:00.001-07:00

Pistachio and 70% cocoa organic chocolate & sour cherry and coconut mini cupcakes.

Quilted.

2010-05-21T00:45:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd plug mum's quilting skills again ... it's about time for another I think, considering the weather, maybe dark violets and crimson mmmm

Get with the times!

2010-05-20T06:27:00.000-07:00

My lecturer referred to my camera as a "big old school one" today, sad face, she's not old school she's inherited and has had not only all of my inspiration run through her but also my Dad's!
Anyway, considering deadlines for certain assignments I figured I would have to use a digital camera this weekend in order to have shots of this Saturday's performance in a powerpoint on Monday... I borrowed one from uni... not going so well so far.

HOLY SH*T!!!!!!!!!!

2010-05-17T04:03:00.000-07:00

I'm terribly sorry but there is no other way to respond to these, Jamie Vasta's "paintings"
(seeing as it's the second thing I've repostted- just could not resist, probably should mention..)

New Crush

2010-05-16T03:09:00.000-07:00

Daniel Kornrumpf.

Nan Goldin

2010-05-15T23:25:00.000-07:00

Nan Goldin (b. 1953, Washington, DC) could be regarded as vaildating the photo diary style prominent within contemporary art discourse, the artist who works in photography, film and slideshows focusses on portraiture.

The indicative intimacy of her oeuvre is acheived through her artistic approach of creating works associated asher own personal visual journal, be representing her surroundings she is empathetically depicting moments that have been influential to the evolution and definition of her sense of self. Therefore, the subtle emphasis of Goldin's work lies in a linear narrative alluding to the artist's sense of self, and it is through the seamless intergration of images of her self into this dialogue that the viewer is reminded of the disjointed protagonist.

Goldin's indicitative aspect of reflection attempts to deconstruct the physical and emotional barrier that she has lived her life through and used to define her existence, her lens, her mirror and the mirror of her subjects which in turn are elements of her self.

Within this jaundiced image Nan and Brian in Bed NYC 1983, the artist portrays her self as the passive female, reclining and tucked into her self, she gazes directly at the male central figure, who is highlighted by a warm golden ephemereal light, who exahles his cigarette smoke utterly disregarding the almost desperately affectionate gaze of his companion.

The warm lighting offers an initial intimacy that signifies the reflection of the ring that dresses the females wedding finger, a symbol presented here as if to solidify the females devotion to the irreverant male.

It is here that the woman confesses to losing her struggle with the accquistion of autonomy within intimacy an endeavour that the artist will later convey whilst surrendering the physical manifestations of the emotional pain she has carried, within for example the work entitled Nan, One Month After Being Battered NYC 1984.

Tracey Emin

2010-05-15T22:52:00.000-07:00

Emin's modern assertion of self-portraiture circumvents traditional notions of representation whilst serves to render an oeuvre that interrogates the distinctions between life and art, therefore her produced work burgeons directly from the construct of her internal architecture.

By deploying her self and her life as subject matter she simultaneously rejects preconceived notions that facilitate the linking of the feminine with passivity, although Emin's confessional art may be delineated as narcissistic, even solipsistic it is argued that it is precisely the act of disclosing fragments of oneself that enable an individual's positioning within contemporary society.

Emin (b.London 1963) is a British artist whose work forcefully portrays personal anecdotes through a patchwork of mediums, with the employment of channels such as hand scrawled neon lights she conveys messages alluding to her own traumatic female experiences and not only the role of women but also the treatment of women within society at large.

In My Bed 1999, Emin deploys the detritus of a young woman's quotidian life into the realm of contemporary art, depicting a frozen moment in time, the artist conveys the physical exploitation of her literal lifestyle whilst providing renlentless self-disclosure. Yet, it is the juxtaposition of such absolutely intimate subject matter with a direct lack of explanation that facilitates observer's intrigue.

It is within the public chronicling of her existence, one which is displayed with such immediacy and humility that produces inevitable relative authenticity. Although after reading her autobiography Strangeland I did approach Emin's work with an inherent nauseasnous it is hard to deny that her work provides an endless topic for discussion.

Forest on Youtube!

2010-05-12T01:11:00.000-07:00

As I cannot work out how to post a youtube video (because I'm mildy computer illiterate) I'll just link you - especially check out the video entitled The Sound of Images this was an impromptu musical interpretation or divulgence as I'd prefer to put it of a series of my manipulated dry point etchings! As I was not actually there on this particular occasion I can't tell you who performed it but check out the video, the image quality is not too great but that is really not the point, the listening part is - embarrasingly enough these guys actually make me weep, in public, but I guess that's a good thing as I haven't been able to cry elsewhere of late!

Tim Woodward

2010-05-12T00:50:00.000-07:00

Last night a friend and I went and checked out the opening of an exibition at Mailbox 141, in consideration of the title and the fact that I'd never noticed this artist run space before should have triggered some sort of expectation, but no, I was completely pleasantly surprised by what we came across. A small lobby of people and well illuminated antique mailbox housing a series of intimately scaled figurines (as pictured - yep the picture makes it look kind of large huh?)
Anyway as the venue was kind of awkward we simply popped in and out, but it was great, loved the place, the works were insightful and relevant (as I'm using smashed car windows in my installation works this year, and both myself and Woodward have to an extent explored the idea of recreation post catastrophe. Check it out!

Cleanliness

2010-05-11T23:04:00.000-07:00

After much plucking, boiling and filing I'm about ready to start work on the skull pendant, but at this stage I'm actually rather indecisive as how to go about it, I'll be working on a series of test runs with different ideas on shells this week.

Self Portraiture

2010-05-11T22:59:00.000-07:00

I've also begun developing a series of self-potraits for my end of year portfolio, these are the best shots from the first three films, there is two more pre-conceived shots that will feature me, that I'm hoping to shoot at th beach near Wonthaggi, and apart from those the rest of the series will act as an autobiography without featuring myself within the composition.

Embroidery

2010-05-11T22:53:00.000-07:00

I've begun work on the conceptual basis for a large scale embroidery (large as in over 20cm squared) focussing on my writing and developing an eloquent avenue of self disclosure.

Lampshade

2010-05-11T22:51:00.000-07:00

This is just a little floral kinetic piece that I'm not willing to give up to the studio, it's quiet movements tend to draw my attention away from the pages and put me to sleep zzzzzzzzzz

Life Drawing

2010-05-11T22:48:00.000-07:00

Chandelier

2010-05-07T04:35:00.000-07:00

Celing Roses

2010-05-07T04:30:00.000-07:00

Still in the collecting stage, now that I'm not working spending $20 a pay of roses is a little out of my budget!

Under The Sea

2010-05-07T04:22:00.000-07:00

So my secondary wearable piece, the shell based neckpiece, ended up being a little chunky and ultimately a little tacky. Not to mention it being barely managable, the idea of someone having to model it without it falling into a thousand pieces was just too impossible, so I decided to make the move to take in into pieces, and suspend it.
Now before you begin to think that I'm a little obsessed with fishing twine, the idea of a series of kinetic installation works has always been my aim for a third of my overall 2010 portfolio, this conjecture just means that I've condensed my workload a little bit, making it all slightly more cohesive.
I'm still working on a wearable piece, but that will be presented in a kind of minature installation manner, and the idea of wearing it is simply that.

Faux Flora

2010-05-07T04:18:00.000-07:00

As soon as I finish the essay that I'm currently wading through, I'll be working on some ideas for set design for the upcoming Forest gig, the first of which being a sort of roof of faux flowers to create a kind of canopy for the artists to be immersed within, referencing the notion of "urban wood" that the gig is loosely based around.

Mother of Pearl

2010-05-07T02:54:00.000-07:00

Just an example of my general clumsiness - I'm currently brainstorming ways to include a series of test tubes that I've had sitting around for forever (please excuse the dodgy black corner featured in the next few shots, my poor little point and shoot has already started to die!)

And a ..

2010-05-04T22:58:00.000-07:00

Crumpet. Yep, not much going on around here.

Mother's Day

2010-05-04T22:57:00.001-07:00

Card.

Recent embroidery

2010-05-04T22:50:00.000-07:00

The top images are just a little embroidery using scraps from hemmed skirts and some quilting fabric leftover from making bookcovers, the idea I guess is a kind of automated quilting on an intimate scale, I'm not too sure where I'll be going with that one.
The below images are of a little segment of knitted baby wool that I've half hazardly embroidered, just thinking about different ways to acknowledge the significance of the struggle for autonomy within modern intimacy- a strong theme within my work, the idea of technology creating abbreviated ways of what used to be heartfelt, hand-written letters now evolved into abbreviated and disjointed text messages is kind of hilarous and very much sad.

Want.

2010-05-04T22:07:00.000-07:00

I do love my 90s floral uni backpack, it's really comfy and fits tonnes in it, but the idea of not having ot fish around in the dark bottom of it for a biro, or stressing about losing my phone is so not worth it's cute print, I need one of these babies, apparently, the canvas is really strong and they're quite cheap- I also like the idea that they are white canvas, and designed to age and pick up scuffs and little bits of pieces from your life. I'll get saving!

All I want

2010-05-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

A spatula,
A lifetime supply of miniature roses, and biros,
To not be so overwhelmingly concerned with the hopeless fragmentation of my self,
Grey wool, ribbed socks,
To not have to wear knickers marked 18-20,
For it to already be 2015,
A last name that doesn't match my mother's,
A paddington bear style coat that doesn't demand drycleaning bimonthly,
To take all of my attempts at humour back, far back,
For my dog to live with me,
And to have Lady back,
To avoid including myself in eavesdropped conversations,
The safety net of friends found in small country towns within the final stages of adolesence,
For my two best friends to stand beside me, in the same room, within the same state, simultaneously,
A solid and anything but fluent sexuality,
To know before I teach,
Willpower,
A conversation so real that it forces me to feel the need to rip myself out from within my own skin,
To stop obsessing over my weight,
Annabelle,
My apple tree,
The photographs that I've burnt,
To stop feeling so out of control,
An extensive collection of quartz,
Long and slender nail bends,
Forgiveness,
The ability to forget my self,
To love you, really,
The lack of insecurity that facilitates one's "loosening up",
A house of my own with at least two completely separate and segregated rooms,
A fan heater,
A desk lamp,
An umbrella,
To never be forced to explain why I'm buying chocolate-coated tiny teddies again,
To aboslutely never have to feel the redness of humiliation grace my cheeks once more,
To not have kransky fingers,
To be able to knit and crochet properly,
Chicken nuggets,
My dad, before we grew up,
To have the balls to cry on someone's shoulder, namely for reasons other than the lack of financial stability to afford stockings,
Hair,
But not ingrown,
To stop despising myself,
To know what the word procrustean means,
No more varicose veins,
To have confidence in my pronunciation of the word oeuvre,
To be as passionate and learned as he is,
Agedashi tofu,
And calm between my ears.

You'll have to excuse me.

2010-05-03T06:02:00.000-07:00

I just thought I should offer some form of explanation for the sporadic food posts and lack of any new works posted on here of late- no, I'm not slowly amending this blog into a badly photographed food one. I'm simply suffocating under a pile of huge books with glossy colour pages and huge chunks of lemon coloured journal articles, as I have a few major theory assignments due..

However, as soon as they are complete I'll be rushing to compile some sort of visual contribution to the upcoming Forest Collective show, Bois. Rushing to this (Ah I've been looking forward to this since my mother cut out and posted me the clipping from the age requesting daschunds- and shattered my dream with the realization that unless my dog is snuggling on my lap, or doing sausage rolls, she's far too badly behaved to take part) and many other shows that are part of the upcoming New Wave Festival, checking out as many shows, in general, as I possibly can and more importantly jumping right into gilding this teeny skull, taking a quick trip to my hometown for the development of a series of "self-portraits" consisting mostly of furniture and architecture and lastly, lining my birdcage with faux grass! See you soon! (Oh and still waiting to get my CRAFTS magazine in the post, will report back when I do!)

Love

2010-04-29T01:59:00.000-07:00

Snausage time!

Queen of procrastination!

2010-04-26T05:55:00.000-07:00

Procrastination leads to paper heart wall vase/ a growing obsession with the need to find a thrifted mohair jumper similar to this $350 Zimmermann one, although I'm hoping for cheaper...

Free form tapestry fin!

2010-04-26T05:49:00.000-07:00

The automatic tapestry on velour was finished mid last week, but I'm not totally happywith how it turned out, frankly, the reverse is more interesting!

Sigh

2010-04-24T23:54:00.001-07:00

As a blogger, (and a generally pretty boring person) I have to admit that I spend alot of time attempting to find other blogs that I love, and bump into other likeminded work online.. and unfortunately, apart from that of close friends, I rarely do- I can't stand fashion blogs that repost and regurgitate spreads from magazines, nothing gets up my goat more!
But today, I fell in love, truly with this 'little' baby - check it It's A Minature Life.

Play grass?

2010-04-22T03:51:00.000-07:00

Today, at the library I bumped into the latest of issue of CRAFTS magazine (yes, a craft magazine focussed on contemporary crafts, not tea cosies and beanies and crocheted flowers HOORAHHH!!) and the front cover looked spookily similar to Kate Keara Pelens work that I just blogged about - I only quickly glanced, but I got the impression that this wasn't actually her work.
As I was in a rush, and you're unable to borrow journals, and the website has the image so small that you can't in fact read the text, I'll have to wait patiently for my copy to arrive in the post and report back!
It's that old story I guess, the chicken and the egg routine?

....meanwhile back at headquarters I'm searching Melbourne for model grass!

Kate Keara Pelen

2010-04-20T23:30:00.000-07:00

Featured in the exhibition Beware Embroidery, Pelen's work consists of these stained and splattered, almost mouldy embroideries, and extremely diverse installations - including this FANTASTIC piece entitled Climb (2008) which presents quite an interesting approach to the employment of model grass, not to mention a reinterpretation of the notion of 'readymades' and evokes in me, the old country farmhouses of my chidlhood.

Louise Riley

2010-04-20T23:26:00.000-07:00

Large scale embroidered portraits on mattress canvases... need I say more?

New Lacework Tapestry

2010-04-20T23:23:00.000-07:00

I began this small scaled tapestry last night, and am fighting to have it close to half-done by tomorrow, the chosen hues look rather unslightly in focus, but if you squint, the scattered pastel pinks and beiges are actually quite beautiful.

Free form

2010-04-20T03:49:00.000-07:00

Berry pies!! I took it upon myself to cook a proper dinner for Karl tonight, including olive crusted lamb cutlets, with feta mash, roast tomatoes and beetroot, and these free form berry pies- both recipes from the Donna Hay Seasons book that Karl got me for Christmas, yum yum yum!

Beginnings

2010-04-19T03:59:00.000-07:00

The fact that I actually couldn't afford tapestry fabric, has proved beneficial- with my decision to begin on a tapestry- on velour, specifically the bottom of a skirt I took up, the textural juxtaposition is pretty luscious, and although I'm not really sure why I'm doing it or how it's going to turn out, it's still definately an enjoyable way to procrastinate!

One of My Very Own

2010-04-19T03:55:00.000-07:00

Bismuth crystal that is, thank-you Camberwell market, although the morning didn't prove too fruitful, I did get this little baby and an amazing, huge, industrial shelf (sharing with Karl) from our favourite stall holder!

Arts Ball!

2010-04-17T07:35:00.000-07:00

Karl is positively exhausted beside me from putting all of these separate bits and pieces together for me on Illustrator (must learn some sort of Photoshop/Illustrator skills!)- the heading is hand stitched onto stiff paper, and unfortunately the five or six drafts that I put together consisted of far too paler pastel shades for my scanner to pick up!

Stitching

2010-04-17T06:33:00.000-07:00

This is a recently finished cross stitch- one that I began in hopes to use for a Forest Collective flyer, but alas, it didn't really turn out the way I'd envisioned it would - that's what you get with automated stitching!!

Chain of Hearts

2010-04-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

Yes! I finally got a hanging indoor plant, and this one (found at Sassafras nursery) is one of those fancy chain ones, that apparently, were really popular in the 70s- if you put two of them side by side they grow together in a chain! Yay! And also, they have awesome tiny furry flowers!

Crabapple Carrot Cakes

2010-04-09T21:08:00.001-07:00

After borrowing my mum's copy of the Crabapple Cupcake Bakery Cookbook, I embarked on baking my first ever carrot cake(s), and a recipe that was meant to make 24 - a mixture which barely fitted in any of the largest bowls that I own, actually made around 40 - and it was at this point that I gave up and threw the rest out, as I had no idea how I was going to get rid of 40 cupcakes!!!
Anyway, it's a gorgeous book and these are some pretty scrumptious cakes, but beware - I'm very, very sure that the quantities published are far from correct!

Gifting

2010-04-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

There are so many birthdays in April, I'm struggling to keep up! Although, for the most part the innards of these gifts are of chocolate form, tweed wool as ribbon and dried flowers will always make up for it!

Knit

2010-04-02T18:38:00.000-07:00

Best winter knit ever! It's so big I can wear it as a dress and makes me look like an overindulged pavlova or something!

Fishy business

2010-04-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

The shell, swarovski crystal and chain neckpiece for my oh ten folio is growing!
Definately- although, I believe I will be needing far more of all of the aforementioned materials, then first thought! Oh well- a trip to my mum's on the coast this week, with Karl in tow, will provide for a week of small town opshopping, overeating and beachcombing - and hopefully a plethora of shells for my dremels consumption!

No vacancy

2010-04-02T18:29:00.000-07:00

I finally dragged myself (and gorgeous Hugh) to a life drawing class at No Vacancy gallery in QV - something Sharon's being trying to get me to for probably a month at least - and it was great!
Although, not what I'm used to, the vibe was so relaxed and everyone was so nice, you couldn't help but whip out at least one good sketch- see above!