Samoyed and new toys!

Eventually you have to get on with things. I've finally managed to catch up with the lovely Samoyed owner W and discussed progress on the spinning and weaving of a blanket from her lovely Samoyed fur. Many things had to align for us to finally have an excited and exciting discussion. We're both passionate about this project, I for the challenge it will be and for W, the promise of a wonderful reminder of a friend.

Here is the bags of fur that I now have to spin!

It also means that I do feel the pressure and was highly delighted when I showed her the small spun samples and the little bit of weaving that I had done. The weaving was done on a weave-it loom, which is only a square with nails and gives a fairly rough approximation of the final product. Fortunately, her immediate response was positive!

In testing out the spinning I used my small wool combs and loved the result so much that I determined to buy the much bigger English combs when I went to the Australian Sheep and Wool show in Bendigo in July. I've been playing with these monsters ever since, and just love the speed of preparation and the resulting ease of spinning. It is these that I will use to prepare the Samoyed for spinning.

Now I'm off to spin up some the wonderful wool top from Andyle to make into lovely natural coloured neckwarmers. I've just realised that without really thinking, I've been doing the right thing. In the middle of winter, when I can't really get any dyeing done as there's nowhere to dry and the boys don't really appreciate having their bathroom taken over by slow drying skeins, I spin natural wool tops that I get at the sheep show. It makes so much sense. Now, I have to make a special big effort over the summer to do alot of dyeing!

Last day of my Winter Residency

And the sun comes out! It's all finished, we've cleaned up and prettied ourselves up and ready to share our work during the Open Studio happening this weekend.

It's been an interesting month and I feel quite pleased that I nearly managed to do all the work I set out to do. I didn't quite do enough drawing, but I did complete two BIG works, now called Cavern and Tower. Crocheting video tape is not easy and I was worried about my hands getting tired or sore, but all is well.

The only two things I would make sure that I do if/when I do another residency is:

1. as much as possible, check out the surrounding area. I wanted to interact with my little bit of Abbotsford, but really needed to do a few good walks to see if I could find good places to sketch, any businesses where I might find materials and anything else of interest.

2. take the weather into account. I know it's Winter, but didn't really plan for the reality that I wasn't going to sit in the sunshine and sketch.

Minor issues really, so it's been FUN!

Hope to see you at the Open Studio.

On the nature of inspiration

Artists are often asked about their source of inspiration, often, the response is to make a detailed, wordy and esoteric artists' statement or else something along the lines of  'the world around me' (a response I tend to favour!) Neither go to the heart of what can explain the source of an artists' inspiration.

I often think it's a collecting thing. We collect ideas, words, pictures, swatches, anything and everything. There's nothing so dangerous as an artist with scissors! But it's also drawing, writing, generally recording something that you like. As we collect they link. They link our personality, our current interest, the idea that's been sitting at the back of our mind.

We go look at other artists': friends we admire, great artists that appear at our galleries...don't forget Monet at the NGV....but it's not to copy them, it's to take on more information. Colour, technique, subject and what we dislike, all come together.....eventually.

As I'm coming to the end of my month of being an artist in residence at the Yarra Sculpture Gallery I've been thinking about the artists that might be called influences, except I don't quite think of them as influences, more as supports. Often the renowned artists give us permission to do the outrageous, because they are more so. They allow us to use materials or work in a way that is odd, because they do. So, to that I give you:

Fiona Hall, she's currently showing at the Heidi Museum of Art and is well worth seeing. She often works with textiles in a very political way. I've known about her and seen pictures of her work, but this is the first time I've seen it in the flesh! It is quite overwhelming and I must admit to not feeling very comfortable with the exhibition. This may be what she wants as there are some very strong messages. It's good to be challenged.

You can see why I like her work!

Another artist who always crops up is Andy Goldsworthy, Melbourne currently has two on Herring Island, where, during the summer you can catch a ferry onto this man made island in the middle of the Yarra in the heart of the city. There's also a gallery there!

His work is often ephemeral, allowing the work to disintegrate or change due to the forces of nature.

I've obviously picked out works that directly relate to my own current interest in the building of nests. I don't want to copy, just that other artists think nests are important too!

Taking Shape

The second week was an example of concentrated effort, no thanks to the weather. It's been rainy and cold and I haven't managed to do much/any drawing of my local neighbourhood. I'm glad I set myself a target of having the first work in its final form by the end of the second week. There are still bits to add on, but I feel I've achieved something. It is also the halfway mark and the emphasis will change as we head towards the open studio weekend.

There is alot to be resolved in something this big. It still seems to need more and also how to get it to hang right. It does sort of look like a big black blob! Would you want to live there?!

I'm being sustained (food and coffee) by the guys at the Bomb Cafe in Johnston street. It's nice to get out have a bit of a walk and grab a warming lunch.

Emerging shapes

Working on a large scale and the attending problems was one of the aims of my artists' residency at the Yarra Sculpture gallery. As my shape gets bigger, I have had to rig it up just to make it easier to handle. It also gives an idea of how it is going.

This week has been a bit tiring as it has been all about getting to the end of the first shape. At its largest part, it took half an hour to do one row. Today, I should be going in and getting close to finishing the basic shape. The major issue that seems to be emerging is how to get it to keep the shape and how much is needed to be added on, but that's for the ongoing weeks.

I've started my second shape and am glad I had a bit of a go. Hopefully some good photos today!

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!