PAGES, MEMES & OLD BOOKS

A little while back, I took part in 2 "Meme's", by commenting on participating blogs.
Well, look what came in the mail this week...


...the most precious work of art created by Jeane from "ART IT"...


and here it is...I love it!

Check out Jeane's blog, that's if you haven't already done so...it's great and she is brilliant at describing her process's as well as showing the steps to getting there...



I have been spending a bit of time in my studio...printing collagraphs and making pages for my book.


The above image is a collage of vintage papers.


I have been experimenting by printing directly onto vintage papers...the above image shows a collagraph print.


Here's another print using warm red and sepia inks...

Still find myself being drawn to muted colour palettes...still working on "quiet" type pieces.
The old papers have been wonderful to work with. They feel nice, and smell nice too...


I found this dear little book in an Op Shop the other day...it's falling to bits. Printed in the late 1800s.

" My Bag "

I had been feeling like not much has been happening over my side of the fence lately...until I sat myself down to write this post. And I'm glad I did, because it made me realise that in the last few weeks, I have actually been doing "stuff"...


I have been working on a new artist book...It's titled 'MY BAG', this is the front cover.
The pages are yet to be conceived, but I have just started working on a series of 7 small copperplate etchings, that once printed will hopefully be included in the pages of this book.
"My Bag" is a little delve into the "inner" for me (again). Although I am hoping this book will have a "lightness" to it!


I received a wonderful surprise of Japanese ephemera from Jason...Jason has been collecting these great papers for me, thanks Jase...Hm mm another book maybe! definitely some collage's!


I visited Bridget at her etsy store Bridbird, and look what I found...beautiful artist books. Bridget thoughtfully sent me a third very gorgeous little surprise titled "common myna"...These are just so special.

I finally joined the Victorian Papermakers, so glad I did. I was sent a great introduction package of newsletters, resource lists and a heap of other valuable information.



My "Daily Pictures" collaboration with Janette has been ticking over on a daily basis, We have been introducing weekly themes like erosion, yellow and at the moment colour!

Spent the day in El's print studio where I had a disastrous time with the soft ground I was using on my copper plates. The ground started to lift, whilst the plates were still in acid. The acid seemed a bit strange too!!! after proofing and seeing the dismal results...I have decided to start again! using the back of the plates. I am using a different soft ground this time...and this one seems to look a little suspect too!!!

I'm feeling a bit better writing this, because I am realizing, that my art practise is still simmering along...sometimes it's good to write things down. Making this list has really made me see that I am still creating. It's just that I haven't really felt like I have been doing much at all.

Today is a day in the studio for me...working on the pages...and fingers crossed, having a bit of luck with these new etching plates.

***Update***
I bound these pages using the "Coptic Binding" method...using a waxed linen thread.
I have been struggling with this technique for ages, it was starting to bug me.
Especially because my "Quiet Book" was screaming...I mean whispering "Jo, please bind me now, it's time"

Today, I found a great website with easy (well easier) to read instructions...



And look I did it!!!

New Horizons...

My art group got together today for the first time since the exhibition ended, and it was so well needed.
Time to talk about where to from here.
We have come up with some interesting new concepts, including the making of a book and the challenge of a "5 Letter Word"...another exhibition on the horizon!!!...well, we will see.
But for the moment we are back doing what we love to do.
I must admit, there was a very happy and light feeling in the air on Monday, like a load had been lifted.
I don't think I have seen the girls laugh so much in ages! You know that truly relaxed laugh.
We threw together this quick challenge of "Box" a couple of weeks ago...the following images are of what we came up with...


Janette made 3 amazing textile boxes...this is just one. She has posted the others on her blog for you to see.



Trish, our Goddess of Rusted Metal, created this amazing rusted wire dress with hand cut metal flowers...that caged a hanging copper mesh box!!! You can see it if you look carefully into the dress.


Here are my 3 Collage boxes, since posting on them last, I decided to melt wax onto them, the wax gave them a lustrous glow and depth.


Caroline, she is brilliant at doing stuff! We just loved her "Box" of wonder. twigs, wire, old weathered wood, text, wax, and found object including a cicada skin...


Cathie, well Cathie is known for her "series making", this is just one of many amazing boxes she made from scratch.
It's a collagraph printed "Beach House" that is wrapped in thread.

Here's to new horizons!

Post Exhibition....

Today was the last day of our exhibition...I arrived at the gallery quite early...feeling excited and a bit sad that it was all coming to an end.
How does one gage an exhibition to be a success? sales? feedback? comments in the visitors book?
Well, it has to be all of the above...
The experience was amazing...really amazing.
I was lucky enough to meet some of the people who had bought some of my pieces.
How special for me to hear what they had to say about my art.
I was also lucky enough to meet some students, who visited my home last year for an open studio day. The feedback was overwhelming.
I just love doing this...making art and connecting with people.

And for all of you that asked...below are a few of the 17 artworks that I exhibited.
All my pieces were framed and under glass, so sorry for the poor image quality.


FISH...Collagraph


BOOK...Assemblage and Collage


PEAR...Collagraph, Chine Colle


GOWN...Monoprints and me


KISS...Acrylic, Stitch and Wax


NUDE...Collagraph

B O X

Quiet


Still


Worn


Shy


Verge


Serene


Saved


Now that my art groups journey with the "4 Letter Word" theme has come to it's wonderful natural end...my group The Very Stuff are getting together next Monday, to think about starting our next journey together. In the interim, the word B O X arose...and the images here are my response to it.
So next Monday I will arrive with my 3 BOXES all constructed out of mat board, and collaged with vintage papers, old prints, torn etchings, silk thread, dyed muslin and bits of old book bindings.
Elements that have a poetry to them...well in my eyes anyway...bits of stuff, that have a forgotten history.
Discarded bits, that really should have disappeared by now, but have instead been saved, and now glued to a side of a box, for art's sake...

"she sells sea shells by the seashore"

Paper Trail...

Blessed with rain again today...this is Brunswick St, Fitzroy


I spent the day visiting Fitzroy and Collingwood today, for 3 reasons.

1. To visit the 69 Smith St Gallery to see an exhibition titled "Nesting" by Gail Stiffe & Zoe Culbertson.
Gail is a fellow blogger...her site is wonderful, go have a look.
I had been wanting to meet Gail for quite some time and this was the perfect opportunity. She is one very creative artist. Her work is simple beautiful.
The show is on from 4 March to 22 March...

2. My second reason was to shop! Shop for paper...My paper drawers were looking quite empty...the 1/2 price paper sale that I love to take advantage of, is still 5 months away, and the bottom line is... I need paper!!!
I bought Khadi jute/straw, Ex light Kozo, Unryu Arame H/Wh,
Mulberry Tissue, Khadi -Transluscent and a full sheet of Somerset 300gsm soft white.
All beautiful papers.
I use the lighter papers as Chine-collé in my print making, as well as in collage.



My shop of preference is Neil Wallace.
There is a great range of product and excellent prices.


This paper shop is a wonder too.

3. Reason number 3 is about food!
The little cafe is called Melissa Cake Shop
They do the best Greek pita around, absolutely homemade and take it from me, authentic, just like my mum used to make. I bought some baklava to take home for (me) the family.

While I was in Smith st, I just had to pop into Port Jackson Press. There was an amazing etching in the front window by Craig Ruddy. That wooed me in...not that I need to be wooed into the Port Jackson Press. It's a beautiful place to visit.


Craig Ruddy's etching is 60 x 70 cm in size. Just sensational...

"Special Stuff"

I wanted something special to wear on the night of our exhibition opening, so I commissioned Ro Bruhn to make me one of her amazing neck pieces...
This is a detail of the most beautiful necklace Ro made, how thoughtful Ro was to add a number "4" and text "letter word" so creatively, perfect surprise for me...it was a thrill to wear something created by this very talented and truly lovely artist.


I arrived home the other day to find a special envelope addressed to me...
...an exciting commitment fulfilled by
another talented artist Leslie Avon Miller.



I participated in a MEME, which means I need to in turn, fulfill a commitment too....and will.
Leslie sent two of her very special 2"x2" collages...such joy in these two pieces.
Thanks Leslie...I just love them.

Reflection...

I haven't really stopped to reflect on any of the weeks events until today...with the lead-up to the opening, the actual night and the few days since, I have been non stop.

Still buzzing from it all, and so thrilled to have been involved in creating a little bit of happiness, with all the sadness we are all still going through.

Manningham Gallery had scheduled our group to do some "artist talks" and demonstrations.
I demonstrated "printmaking", Janette "book making", Caroline "jewellery", Cathie "felting" and Trish who was only there for the first demo "cord making"
I had the problem of my main tool for printmaking weighing 150kg.
So, I opted to demonstrate some simple monotype techniques.
We were all confined by the fact our "tools of the trade" are either too large, too dangerous or too messy for a gallery demo...so we did what we could manage. (although I still managed to get ink everywhere...I just can't seem to stay clean when I work)


My table set up for the demo.

Our Thursday morning scheduled group were a fabulous group of Manningham residents.
It was really wonderful meeting them all. They were so enthusiastic about what we were doing.
One very sweet woman shed some happy tears, over Janettes amazing handmade artists books!!!
Jan being Jan gave her one to take home and to hopefully motivate her in some creative way.


A selection of Janette's and my artists books.

Our Saturday afternoon 'demo" was go, go, go...Loads of enthusiasm and a truly wonderful group too. Hi to any of you reading this.
I was quite overwhelmed with people asking for the possibility for me to run some classes in collagraph print making.
I will definitely put something together and let people know as soon as I do...so watch this space. Any classes I organize, will be posted here on my blog, in the future.

So where do I go from here...well for now, straight back to my comfy couch for some serious DVD watching.
But looking forward to just getting on with my art making...I have some new projects in mind and need to finish some already going! It gladly never ends...