Urban Paradise

One of the very best equal and opposite parts, of the trauma of finding out that one of our children has Leukaemia,  has been the fibre arting that's come out of me, through my personal process of making as meditation and therapy.  Along with so many other things and people of course, but this bit has been my favourite part of the physical and metaphysical ramifications of Newtons Third Law.  I've made a hand spun, three dimensional, three circuit Labyrinth hung from two juxtaposed 7 pointed stars.......

The Metamorphostick......

 
The Spiderweb Spiral Shower......

And the Willy Pilly.  Inspired while watching a documentary about the Bespoke movement in Australia, where a woman at a market was making 'cunt cushions', and had just sold them all to a busload of lesbians.   When asked about why she made them, she mentioned something like "Well you couldn't make cushions out of PENISES!" with a look of disdain and distaste on her face.  And in my head I was like, 'Game ON!', and a few months later the idea came together while talking to a beloved friend at West End Markets.  It's my love letter to the cock, most especially the one belonging to the love and lust of my life, Currawong.  This is it in the process of becoming.....

 Now in all my 16 years of self taught fibre crafting and traveling and arting, I've had some rather negative experiences (interspersed with great ones) with other artists and galleries and the art scene in general.  Which have led to extraordinary epiphanies as the equal and opposite to them, but have left me tending to create my own scene, rather than jump into any established one, and hang out at markets instead.  

Until the other month, when we were parking near our hospital, and noticed that the building I'd driven past multiple times dreaming about what a groovy art gallery it would make, had indeed become an art gallery.   Called Urban Paradise.

 We decided to go and have a look, and were welcomed and given cups of tea by the delightful Fred Berjot, director of the 'not for profit, artists run initiative serving the "outsider artists"'.  A warmer welcome I'd not had into any gallery.  And a better description of this Friesian anarchist I couldn't even hope for.

I got the paperwork to join the community, and on driving past at a later date, I realised what a perfect place the gallery inhabited, as it's just around the corner from Lady Cilento Children's Hospital, where we spend so much time, and where most of the people we know in Brisbane hang out.  So we went back the other day and I joined.

I'd been thinking I was joining to set a date for my first solo exhibition, to give me a deadline to work towards, which happens to be the best way for me to work.  Up to and around a deadline or theme, and off I go.  But I hadn't expected that part of the commitment was going to be sitting the gallery a day a week, and bringing in some art to hang as well.  

I had more ideas in my head than I'd actually created, so I went into a bit of a flurry of arting.  Incidentally, every time I say the word 'arting', I think of it as with a silent (Fffff)arting, as inspired by Matthew Silver and his love farts, and if you don't know who Matthew Silver is, he's definitely worth investigating.....

After fits and starts of work happening in my studio, I took myself down and started whittling a stick, and then sanding it and making another wearable and wallable artwork.   This time with crochet tubes over twigs and then wrapped, and a hanging fringe like a lash to an eye in the middle with beads.  

I'd also been making jellyfish as a move towards an exhibition too, and finished the Willy Pilly, so I brought them along, with a suitcase full of pusses and creatures as well for show and tell, and a spinning wheel and some fleece just in case.

And was totally caught by surprise by the amazing buzz, intriguing artists, and community feel of the whole place.  Folk dropping in and out all the time, attracted for the vibe, and artists who are renting studios painting in the sun.  

Dived in almost instantly to deep metaphysical conversations about the nature of the universe, and met a whole bunch of delightfully quirky and unique folk, ready to talk about everything.  The Little Big Mob boy pack led by dad came to visit a few times, and all were absorbed into deep talk and laughing. 

And then before I knew it this happened.....

 I was taken a bit by surprise and on the hop, as my show and tell creations that are part of the family, and a bit worn by travel, were embraced as art!  A few things went up that aren't for sale, and I'm fired and inspired to replace those with 'real' artworks, that I've been dreaming of lately, and am prepared to let go of.

Can't wait to go back. Urban Paradise is at 52 - 64 Annerley Road. I'll be there every Thursday for the forseeable future if you want to come and tell yarns, or learn to make rope.....

An Exhibition of Small Things.....

I've had a really bittersweet journey with Art Galleries and Exhibitions.  

The first group exhibition I ever took part in, was a few hand drawn pictures from my journals that I quickly framed, to hang in the Internet Cafe/Desktop Publishing/Art As Play Workshops/Art Gallery, that was my first ever endeavour into the world of small businesses.  It was a joint business, between me doing the internet and computer bit,  and a fairly outspoken and well loved local lesbian who did the art bit.  We called it the Centre of Innovative Arts, or the CIA, and the sign I had was a triangle with an eye over the top in a circle.  I drew it myself.  And then designed it on my early desktop publishing programs.   

Incidentally well before illuminati conspiracies had really started to take hold.  

But that was when I was 26, and mostly still wishing I could come anywhere close to calling myself an artist.  I hadn't discovered spinning yet, or maybe spinning hadn't yet discovered me.  

Since that tactile and meditative magic has entered my life though, I've had the opportunity to be involved in quite a few exhibitions and group creative ventures, and it's gone from the sublime to the total rejection on a steady ski jump of a ride.  Overall I'd have to say I've truly enjoyed it.  Good bits and bad bits.  Shadows and all.  

But for the purposes of this post, I'll stick to the pleasant side.

I was part of a wearable art exhibition in Willunga....

Some dresses on the wall

A big blanket I sold for half cash and half massage....

My mum and a little Lilly near Ursula and a wrap

The Beanie Festival in Alice Springs.....

Jess and I strutting our stuff

Beanie Central, where many beanies existed

Currawong looking rather splendid

Part of the Fringe in Macclesfield, and incredibly lucky to hang my own work in the entry hall that I shared with the magnificent fibre artist Sandy Soul, to benefit from her many years of experience and expertise in the process.  We had such a ball together!

A crocheted face with my hat "We're all Sheep, except me, I'm a Ram!"

Blankets, Ursula, and a Tail

A whole bunch of wearable art and sculptures.  Had so much fun creating this scene

My first spinning wheel under the Bat Wings, and the big wooly roof installation

I created my own studio/gallery in Peterborough, around the time that we were birthing Spiral-Moon.  I think I may have been a little ahead of my time in that particular country town though....

Lots of wearable art and pumpkins that we grew in the backyard.
And a Currawong taking a picture in the mirror

The main studio gallery part of our house/gallery

With spinning wheels and wool bags and an old treadle sewing machine

Two of my custom made stands for wearable artworks

Me and Fuzznut in the studio, with Currawongs drums in the background

A hanging piece that I've used many times in many ways

The Scarf Festival in Melbourne.....

Me holding a little Spiral-Moon, standing next to one of my scarves

'The Weeping Camel', that the editor of Yarn magazine
made them create a special category for, so I could get a special mention

Our family looking quite small!  We thought it was big at the time

I was part of two amazing events called Tribal Fibres as part of the Fringe in Hahndorf, in which Tribal Bellydancers danced to Currawong and other musicians playing improvised music, and wearing my handspun creations along with the wearable art of others.  I decked out the stage for both Tribal Fibres events, and had an absolute ball.

Stunning photo of an incredible dancer called Acushla

My two favourite outfits of this event

Sleeves and a hip belt

My monster spider web and a lot of drapes

The boys doing their incredible thing

Currawong's always liked drumming out of the box

My work on display around the edges

All these outfits were worn on stage

The incredible wool cave that I made....

That a bellydancer erupted out of!

Two spider web skirts, that looked amazing moving

Like this......whirling dervishes

The whole stage, with me and my Fibre Fairy Godmother on stage at either end

I was part of an exhibition at Red Poles in Willunga called 'Unravelled'.  We were instructed to get a jumper, pull it apart, and then make a tea cosy out of it, hence the name.  

Ermintrudes Tree Cosy looking sharp

Sleeves, woolbags, hats on custom made stands, and a crocheted teddy bear

Believe it or not, those wool bags were the most expensive
piece of art that I've ever sold!!

But the most professionally hung, and I think best looking display of my work that I've seen to date, is happening right now!  At The Channon Art Gallery.  And will continue for another 2 weeks or so. Curated by the incredible Jeni Allenby, who I'm fortunate enough to have in my life.  We've connected over the last couple of years, slowly bumping into each other at our Nimbin Market, the Weave and Mend Festival in Nimbin, and the Fibre Festivals at Blue Knob Farmers Market.  And I was a bit thrilled to find that my new friend also happened to have been the curator of the Australian National Gallery in Canberra, in the Fibre and Textiles section no less!

My journey through the 'art' world may have been a bit hit and miss, but to have the attention and interest of such an illustrious person as Jeni has been a serious highlight in my career to date.  I told her about some of my more unfortunate experiences along the way, in particular how devastated I was at the way my main hats at the Beanie Festival in Alice Springs had been displayed, and she gave me such a gorgeous reaction that she set me on the path to healing the disappointment.  

She paid especial and empathetic attention to hanging my work, and creating a 3D effect with the gloves and hat rather than a flat one.  It was so wonderful to see my work look so good :)  And for it to be in such gorgeous and illustrious company.

The exhibition is called Small Things.

Currawong came along with me to the opening, and we had a blast!  Met lots of other funky artists, like the woman who made the bags and fibre baskets above, drank lots of wine (at least I did), ate delightful small nibbles, in keeping with the theme of the exhibition, and decided that I'd thoroughly enjoy doing more of this in my future!!

If you're keen to check out this exhibition, take yourself to the Facebook page of The Channon Gallery and have a look see :)