End of term 1

It's been a very short term one, with term 2 looming as a long 11 weeks. What have I been doing? My sculpture major is being worked on partly with intent, I know the first thing I want to do, but there's a certain black hole for the next piece. I want three works for the end of year. This is not set in concrete, just an aim.

What have I been doing....crocheting video tape!

Here is the initial inspiration, based on the wonderful nests of the very appropriate weaver birds.

They've become more organically shaped, with me working to see what would happen. There wasn't much of a plan, just an overall shape. This is what happened:

Certainly looks weird in the photo! I'm intending a number of large and small ones, some with different materials included. Right now I'm just hoping it works!

End of my first year of DVA

Well, it's all over, bar the shouting. Yesterday, I finished my last print for printmaking. I still have to get the entire folio together.

Every Monday, there's Life drawing in the morning and Printmaking in the afternoon. Life Drawing with Peter, has been such a privilege, to have models come in and pose for two hours.....not straight, they do have rests, the longest stretch being for 20 minutes....you hold a pose for 20 minutes! I have a great deal of respect for the models, they were so generous and fabulous to draw.

Then after lunch we fronted up to Jo and her wonderful printmaking class. I have enjoyed learning about the different print methods she showed us. She has created a wonderful blog for students, hasn't been active as she's been on holiday, but has great links. Should be good to read next year.

I did really like lino cut with the direct and very textural method of carving out your image, but I did also enjoy aquatint, where resin is applied over a line etching then covered up gradually to create tone.

I don't think I'm a real printmaker though.....editioning just doesn't suit my style. I just want to change the print every time!

My last print was this one-off aquatint, in red!

Now, I have to label and name all my prints.

Review week

My blogging life has slowed to a trickle, changes in routines and competition for computer time (I compete with THREE males for access) have been responsible for this situation. With Review week over and a two and a half week break before I start my next semester studies, I'm hoping to re-organise (read tidy-up/clean-up) to enable more regular blogging.

As I mentioned, this week is Review week. We each bring in our folio of work and talk to a group of four teachers, two of mine and two of the other wonderful teachers, and they 'review' the work and talk over with you, the first six months. There is no 'mark' as such, but you do need to have done work.

My main problem was the amount of work I hadn't finished. I seem to be working, but not finishing. I was concerned, however, none of the teachers were. They liked what I was doing and saw the amount of work I had put into what had been done so far. It was a lovely session and very affirming. I've been feeling good for a little while now about what I'm doing, yes successful markets and positive teachers does wonders for the self esteem.

So I thought I'd show you some of my work.

I have three subjects where folio work is important: drawing, sculpture and painting, each has a wonderful teacher and in the case of painting, two teachers. They are all amazing artists in their own right and we all feel very privileged.

Drawing has provided real solid progress. I hadn't expected this, as I've done drawing over the years and approached it from the practice point of view, I hadn't really expected to learn so much so early. I've included the last picture for the semester and it represents alot. It's in colour, something I've always had difficulty working with. I was happy with the result at the end of the class, and I was shown and understood how I could have improved it further. Such alot!

Sculpture was really what I started this course for. I wanted to understand the process and learn techniques that would be useful. We had to do, in the end four sculptures: a cardboard mockup, which we would translate into a wooden structure, a found object sculpture and we also carved into polystyrene.

None of these were finished. However, I am very pleased at their progress and they will be completed both over the next two weeks and early in next semester. Saving time at home to do work is going to be important for this subject.

My found objects, eventually, all came out of the workshop, those odd knitting needles, empty cotton spools, that for some reason I'd kept?, and all those swatches that I've done over the years provided a wealth of colour. See, all you doubting Thomas' swatching is useful!

I'm calling the piece 'Landscape'.

My polystyrene wall piece is from the drawing I did as a result of my visit to the Yayoi Kasuma exhibition in Sydney. This has been such fun carving into polystyrene and the piece I felt that I knew where I was going. Further sanding and painting is required.

Photographing the work has also provided a really good idea about the finish. I want to paint it show varying tones of grey to highlight the height changes. With the sun on the work, it really shows the possibilities. It has no name, yet. (Suggestions welcome)

The last work is my painting. I have struggled with painting. This is the first time I've used oils and my first canvas. To say I was happy is almost an understatement. I called it 'Thursday Afternoon' (thanks to Aileen and Dina - I'm not really good at names) as it is the view out of the 6th floor window. It was my 'landscape' for the first year exhibition and drew lovely comments from many.

These pieces represent a major leap for me, To be able to show them and to think they represent the first six months of four years means alot.

All the inspiration I can give is for everyone to follow their dream whatever the challenges and barriers, it can be an amazing journey.

News flash

Just a few items of information, just to keep you all up to date!

1. I had a wonderful day at Craft Hatch, successful on many levels, including selling three hats......I hadn't sold a hat for sooo long.
2. Nothing was finished for sale, so no pictures. I thought it was a good week and was surprised on Sunday, alot must have been started?
3. The first year students of the DVA have an exhibition called 'Landscape' on at the moment. It's at the Pigment Gallery on the 2nd floor of the renowned Nicholas building on Swanston st. (corner of Flinders Lane). I have a painting in it. The opening was yesterday and it's a wonderful showcase of all our work, and it's good!
4. Buttonmania is on the same floor and their sale is on! I'm going down there today, as it only lasts till Saturday. Definitely don't want to miss this one.