Loving this, and the fact that today is the first day of summer.

Reading this, and being reminded that life presents us with so many opportunities for growth on a daily basis.

Ogling this (love the hopscotch on the floor), and this (that pink room with the tree in blossom) and dreaming of future houses and the possibilities for projects to make life more fun and interesting.

Delighting in this.  And planning to actually make some one day….

And looking forward to Christmas, shopping, beachcombing and happy!

This is the time of year when we spend so long thinking about the people around us.  Pondering gifts for those we exchange with, making plans to celebrate with friends and loved ones, building the excitement with children as christmas Approaches.

So much planning, and list-making and fun to be had and organised.  Which is normally a wonderful thing,  but does my head in a bit some days.

I loathe crowded shopping centres – and yet sometimes it’s the most efficient way to get a lot done – even with the slow moving flock of numbed consumers to contend with.  I run small scenes in my head – like reaching my arms above my head and growling loudly to shake up the people immediately in front.  Course I wouldn’t actually do it (or perhaps I would but havn’t yet).

And I feel the need to stir it up.  Do something random to try to shake the discombobulation that the frenzy brings.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending Dr Sketchy where there wasn’t much drawing done, but a revelation – pen to paper that I havn’t been having enough fun with my art lately – which has always been the point for me.  The fun.  No wonder I’ve been struggling to engage with the process.

So I’ll be working on stirring things up a bit around here and see what happens.  Playing more – which is the most important thing in keeping vital isn’t it.  Play.  There will be more of it.

I must confess, when I have a full head, the nicest distraction for me is sewing.  Sourcing fabric – whether it’s reclaimed or new off the roll – is delightful.  Planning a garment to fill a gap.  Pressing the seams (though I hate ironing ordinarily) becomes a sensory experience.

I do need some sleepwear, and have been making the kids pyjama pants for a few years now.  Havn’t done any for myself, but I will.  For myself, with our early summer I wanted a cotton slip.  So I took an old sheet (beautiful soft cotton) and this pattern, and within an afternoon I was done.  I will need to make some adjustments for the next one, but on the whole it’s a very comfortable fit and a quick sew.  Because it’s nightwear I did french seams, which are such a pleasure and so satisfying.

Now I need to go find some fabric to make another.  Sure beats what you find in the shops.

So I’m regretting cleaning the new baby.

Me and my ridiculous need to clean her and make her mine…  I scrubbed away 50 years of dirt and then realised the next day that it was the dirt that was the appealing thing.  Those bits of detritus around the edges of the viewfinder were very beautiful.  Like an old mirror that is starting to disintegrate.  My favourite shots on the flickr stream are the grimy ones…

I’ll be adding some dirt back again somehow – not quite sure how yet, but I will.

In the meantime though, here is part 2 of the Duaflex story.

To mask off the light around the viewfinder you will need to create a tunnel.  This is important because there is a certain amount of ambient light that reflects off the curved glass, and there is also the problem of your camera getting too close to the lense and taking a photo of the inside of the camera itself.  You need to experiment with how long a tunnel you will need for your camera to avoid both of these problems.

I have seen  fair few cardboard tunnels which look fantastic, but I wanted something that would be flexible and that I could fold and shove in a bag or drawer when I wasn’t using it so I made one from felt.

It has a strip of self-adhesive velcro to wrap around the camera and close it up tight.  My Duaflex has lots of pins, screws and protrusions so I took some tailors chalk and rubbed on the outside of the felt to find the shapes and then cut them slightly smaller with some pointy-ended scissors.  This helps the cover to fit and stay where it should without slipping.

There is still a slight problem of light coming in above the front lense, so I made wide elastic band to hold the tunnel flat and reduce the light further.

It works a treat and has the added ability of being able to be wrapped around your digital camera if there is any light sneaking in at the top.

Last night a friend and I wandered down Elwood beach and tried it out.

The only problem with the felt is that it gives off fibres, which to me is not a problem, especially as I’m regretting the cleaning idiocy….

So loving this new adventure, and looking forward to painting some of the results.  Wheee!

It is the nicest feeling to be inspired to tackle something unexpected and find a new diversion, which is not taxing and relies on serendipity and a steady hand.

Last week I  learned about ttv (through the viewfinder) photography via Jo’s blog.

The idea being that you get an old twin lense reflex camera, compose your photo with that, then take a photo with your digital camera of the viewfinder.

Here’s my new baby – a beautiful Kodak Duaflex:

This morning she was dismantled, thoroughly cleaned with methylated spirits to get rid of 50 years of dust and grime and she was ready for action.

The only problem with taking photos in this manner (apart from the obvious juggling of two devices) is the glare off the viewfinder.  As you’ll see from Jo’s blog and the link to her initial inspiration here the solution is a blacking out tunnel.  Mine was made with some black paper – not ideal and nearly not tall enough so light still got in.

There will be a better masking solution soon, but for now I’m excited and really enjoying just wandering around the house looking at corners with the viewfinder and looking forward to getting outdoors to take something like this.

Instructions bah!  How delicious to be using such an old beauty in a new way.

As a kid I used to watch Halloween specials from America with envy.  How awesome – to dress up in costume, go out at night and collect sweets on the way.

We don’t do that here – and apart from the occasional nervous neighbour standing at the gate with a child doing the door knocking, it passes us by with barely an acknowledgement.

This year there is a disco going on for school, and my kids are wild for it.  How exciting!  The chance to dress up and go crazy.  Can’t beat it.

So, on the request of Mr 8, I appliqued a t-shirt today.  Not too overboard, and able to be worn later (cause I’m pesky like that).

Stage 1: draw a skull & cross bones on a piece of fabric and baste to purchased t-shirt.

Stage 2: follow the lines of your drawing with the sewing machine.

Step 3: Once you have finished going over your drawing, take some fine-pointed scissors and carefully trim off the excess fabric being careful not to cut into the fabric of the t-shirt.

Step 4: Enjoy!

I am the bloody monitor, oil on linen, 2009

The Cerberus is a revolutionary design 1860’s ironclad monitor, currently a breakwater off Black Rock, Melbourne, Victoria.

Pivotal Gallery in conjunction with Friends of the Cerberus is having an exhibition as part of an ongoing campaign to save this nationally and internationally important piece of Maritime history and my work (above) is part of this.

It’s called “I am the bloody monitor” – which is a quote by Ned Kelly who was referring to the Cerberus.

I looked closely at the surface of the Cerberus from the closest vantage point, and from photographs I took and sourced online. Most of what we can see these days is rusted and obviously iron. Up near the top of the funnel are some vertical slits, which looked too like Kelly’s helmet to be ignored.

I was also drawn to the fact that the state of the Cerberus is in need of monitoring, and this most visible part is a reminder of that.

So it’s almost abstract at first view – actually a literal rendering of a part of the ship and symbolic as well.

You can see the other works on offer here.

See http://www.cerberus.com.au/ for additional information about Cerberus and Membership to Friends of the Cerberus.The exhibition opens tonight.

The reveal, oil on wood, 30cm x 30cm

Opening today Gallery 775’s small works group show.  I have 12 works in this, will be at the opening and can’t wait to see the works by the other artists involved.  All works are 30cm sq or under.

Link here.

The opening is from 2-4 at shop 1, 159 shoreham road, red hill.  Come say hi if you can make it.

Seagulls at Black Rock

In a holiday that has involved far more thinking than is comfortable and just about every emotion possible, a movie can prove an excellent distraction.

Yesterday the kids and I went to see UP! The new Pixar animation.  What a ride!

I must confess to being a Pixar junkie.  I don’t love all of their films, but they are always beautifully executed, great stories and with a twist or two to shake things up a bit.  This one was a ripper.  Exciting, visually sumptuous, heartwarming (and sad – there were more than a few tears shed) and with a satisfying ending that was warm without being sickly sweet.    Mr 8 was riveted.  Ms 4 was fairly scared in some parts and enraptured in others.  I was on the edge of  my seat through most of it with toes gripping the floor during the aerial scenes which were convincing enough to have my vertigo in full flight with heart racing.

In 3D I may have had heart failure, but if you’re not scared of heights go the 3D.  It must be amazing.

The faulty fandangle. – showing at ACMI now.

When summer starts cooling off, autumn sweeps through and the chill of winter descends I have a tendency to hide.  Even though I love winter and our climate is no hardship by any stretch of the imagination, I nest and keep my children indoors and cosy. So it’s always a thrill when the first burst of spring presents, the sun shines warmly and the chill goes out of the air.  Summer is not too far away and everything feels expansive and possible.

I confess, our last school holidays were tragic.  Indoors with the threat of swine flu – one child sick for week one, the other for week two and no activities to speak of.  Nothing.  appalling really…

So this holidays I’m making  up for it.  And at the invitation of another family of friends we ventured into the city to see wonders and marvels and enjoy the sunshine (and rain).

If you have not been to ACMI hop on a train now and go.  It is wonderful!  And free.  I really can’t believe I didn’t know that before…

First on the agenda was the cabinet of Anthony Lucas which contained The Faulty Fandangle.  Anthony is the creator of Oscar nominated The Mysterious explorations of Jasper Morello.  What a treat!.  Short film, beautifully done as always with a system of mechanised shadow puppets that flit by in front of the projected film adding to the experience in an intense way.  These puppets are extraordinary.  Fragile and strong, and amazingly crafted – it’s worth the trip to see this alone.

Another treat was a dark smoke-filled room – with long, projected and hollow shapes (an elongated C and a line). It was astonishing to see the long tube from the side and to be inside it as the shapes gradually changed and moved.  The swirling smoke was mesmerizing.  Photos don’t do it justice.  We stayed in there a long time.

And this marvel.  How I loved this, and if I could have one at home I’d do it!

Picture two screens – one behind one in front.  The one in front has a small camera which captures the shadow of what is in front and translates it  into monster form.  Negative spaces, when a completed circle is formed had an eye dot included, teeth and hair and fangs appeared.  Random monster and animal noises ran in response to movement.  It was amazing!

There was honestly so much to see.

Lunch here.

A walk across the bridge to Southgate, and a train ride home.

Adventure #1 completed.  How I love Melbourne.