The neighbourhood

I thought I'd like to tell you about the neighbourhood, starting with my artist neighbour, Taka, who shares the Yarra Sculpture Gallery with me. He is Takahiko Sugawara and is working with very simple materials and building the most etherial work.

The skyline is also dominated by the Public Housing highrise over the road. It does make some interesting contrasts with the older housing surrounding it.

First week roundup

Well it's been an interesting first week of my artists' residency at the Yarra Sculpture Gallery, and I think I've learnt a few things:

Firstly, I like this! Going into your studio and working each day is a real luxury. Perhaps a little unsustainable in the very long term, already jobs are being put off till 'after June!'

Secondly, you get faster and faster at crocheting! Videotape is not the most forgiving medium to crochet with, it's sticky and awkward. I am glad I chose a larger crochet hook than I've worked with before.

Thirdly, you get time to think about other projects, problems are thought through and hopefully solved.

Fourthly, I do miss being at home when the boys get home. Not that much is said, or great problems solved, or they need me to, I just miss it.

And lastly, there is alot of bits and pieces in a videotape, many of which don't seem to be able to be used for anything else! I am playing with some of the bits and pieces, but even so glad they aren't used anymore.

So, on to week 2!

Abode

Abode was the theme for my work last year and relates to the structure we live in, not really referencing the idea of home, which is not necessarily a physical place. As I look back over the last twenty years and the journey that started with the Cerificate of Art in Studio Textiles at the Melbourne College of Textiles it's interesting that the theme crops up in a variety of work. (By the way neither the course or college existed when I finished the course and now the course also doesn't exist in any form..all a bit sad, really)

I've been pondering this, and have come to no conclusions. I've never been particularly attached to a house, even my parents' home which I grew up in and where my parents still are. 'Home is where the heart is' really rings true for me. My parents, husband, children, sisters, wherever they are, are the places in my heart. So this preoccupation with the physical reality of the home is interesting.

I'm now aware of it, so it comes into my drawing:

And what I'm working on:

Catching up!

I've spent this week trying to catch up with all the 'other' work that I had, so I can be the artist for the month. One of the last jobs is a set of hats for a friend. She bought one, black with buttons that she's ordered four more, in the colours of her choice.

As you can see they're a fairly simple hat, it's the embellishments that make it a little different. I've had fun playing around, so much so, I might just make some for the stall.

Oh, and if you say there's only three, she already has one, it is Winter!

The first day of work

I am intending to treat my month of Residency at the Yarra Sculpture Gallery as a full-time 'job', the first I've had in over 20 years! The family have been told, though already failing as no-one is taking ownership of the growing mountain of dishes! To that end, yesterday was my first big day! It did involve getting there late and a lunch with my husband, but nobodies perfect.


I did do some sampling. I have to try and work bigger than usual so brought in some big crochet hooks to work with and tried using the tape doubled.

I finally settled on which crochet hook felt and looked best. Unfortunately, not the biggest one, but big enough. I've already started on a rough circle for the bottom of my first 'nest'. It needs to be about the size I need to sit cross-legged on and is about the size of a seat....getting there.

I did my first drawing, it is tiny, but it is a nest! And I settled in a bit more.

Yarra Sculpture Gallery - Winter Residency

I was going to get all serious and talk about opportunity and risk, but....I'm just so excited....I am going to be a full-time artist for the month of June!

To explain...the Contemporary Sculptors Association runs residencies over the Summer months and Winter months at the Yarra Sculpture Gallery, in Collingwood. They've offered them again this Winter, the first being for June, and I'm one of the artists! You can see the previous residencies and see how much work they've done. Basically, you get 24 hour access to your studio/gallery space for the month. There is an open studio weekend and that's about it really. As I said, I get to be an artist for the month.

Here's my space:

 The aim of my project is to develop my High Rise works to life size. That's why I want the big space. I have no idea how much work I'm going to be able to get done in the time, but looking at the previous artists work, it seems quite alot.

I hope to get some drawing done, further explorations of ideas and materials and I hope to blog, more consistantly, about the whole experience.

And, here is my studio, ready to go!

Plastic spinning

As I look forward to Experimental Spinning on Saturday, I realise I haven't even said anything about last month, and, we had such alot of FUN!

It was a plastic month. I've spun with plastic before and got some great results.

This time I had an ulterior motive as I wanted to have a go at combining some stashed acrylic yarn. Yes, I'm the person who everyone gives it to, and, I just can't say no.....

Even to pink!....

What I wanted to do was spin plastic around the acrylic and see if the colour would show through but be a bit more subdued. The result is not too bad...

Now, I hear you all ask, what are you going to do with it? Well may you ask...but I want to make some more nests....

Anyway, there were some amazing yarns created, combining yarns and plastic. We did discuss what you might do with these yarns and thought that things like little bags, you know, for phones and other young stuff! might be fun. I am looking forward to seeing what the others come up with.