Bookings NOW open at this table...

I have spent nights lying in bed over the years yearning about the cafe I would open. I practiced on everyone I knew...especially in my Melbourne years where quality food was both abundant and affordable through brilliant markets.

Instead ... now I have tables pushed together in my studio, waiting for any of you who can come and join workshops, or events, or just share a coffee.

TWO SPACES LEFT THIS SUNDAY.... PLUS MONDAY'S 5 WEEK COURSE HAS ONE SEAT STILL AVAILABLE.

SO of course I cooked my class a delicious soup last sunday .... the recipe found through a heavenly blogger at My New Roots hanging out in Denmark these days. Maybe I'll be too busy to make the recipes of my dreams but I will always search out good artisan bread and have delicious fresh things on hand for my Homage to the seed workshops.

Go over to the post I just wrote for a longer story.... and see what friend Marilena brought me for a belated birthday visit... might have to make one of her recipes and try out one of her spice mixes on a recipe for the class this sunday. Another friend Karen popped in the previous week with treats that I forgot to photograph... spoilt I was!

Because Wendy, who's hand this is below, saw my Dorothy Caldwell Post about the May workshop I attended she asked to make  a book in the afternoon at Sunday's workshop. Whilst others keep painting and printing and testing ideas Wendy prepared the large watercolour paper  for the book she made to take home and work on. SHe is currently studying art and has been pursing all kinds of thingS in that context... so it is sure to be used!

As a lover of artists books I was totally up for this afternoon extension. Workshopers are asked to bring visual diaries to work in anyway! I like to promote ongoing work for everyone...not just those who are dedicated already...and a visual journal is therefore crucial!

More images soon.. have been so busy painting...but not taking shots!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Mark-making at Bunya

When I was told about a 4 day workshop at Bunya last year I had not heard of the visiting Canadian artist who would be leading this workshop. I picked up the message from the host that it was a not-to-be-missed event and gladly paid a deposit then preceded to get distracted with things till the call out came this year and I found online links. 

Nothing however could have prepared me for the 4 days of teaching I have just experienced at the home and garden of gracious host Roz who brought the wonderful Dorothy Caldwell to Brisbane to present her 'Human Marks' workshop.

I've assembled the following photos as a snapshot of the 4 days... but I will post more at the studio blog soon as I wish to link to Dorothy's work and also her friend from South Australia, India Flint, who was here as well and will be doing a workshop this week at Bunya plus a book talk at the Brisbane City Library on Friday evening at 5.30pm and a showing of her work next day at Bunya.

The first day was filled with lively mark-making processes...  some centred around the garden.

I was delighted to meet with various one's Ive met online or in person before as well as a number of new faces. The large works above were done in the garden with brushes on long sticks... free gestural works.

The one just above was by Tracy whom I took awhile to realise was a blogger I had been on contact with at Soewn Earth. I'd only known her as T from Tasmania...and this person at the workshop was Tracey from Western Australia... so I was seriously surprised to recognise her as T, find she had moved to WA and that of course I was already familiar with her wonderful work!

Dorothy Caldwell

I used this leaf for one of my tasks... loved the unusual shape.

Stitching was a big feature of the workshop and one I loved given it is all too rare I get to use a 

needle and thread these days despite having grown up surrounded by fabrics and threads.

making pages... 

tables full of book making materials

afternoon on the third day... a quiet but contented lot!

the first book I put together

last day... pages ready for the next book. This is a collection of pages from a number of the group.

Dorothy gave us presentations each day on the elements that 

make up her practice and the inspirations for our tasks.

Work above by the inspiring Imbi Davidson whom I've written about before... it was great to catch up again... above is her process for assembling her book. I'll be sure to post on her upcoming exhibition in a couple of months time.

I sat next to the inspiring Sandra... lover of all things textile, flamboyant, quirky etc good conversations flowed. Will be linking when S gets her blog up...! Note green sequins in her hand... looking forward to seeing much more from this talented woman!

Small books that were our first effort

so much inspiration from Dorothy and everyone in the group... 

14 people in all!

Kellie was so inspired by India's class some years back that she is now 

studying full time... this was her table above ...so much good stuff going on!

below: pages from books...

The last 6 images are from Imbi's book... I wrote this 

post here on a painterly session with Imbi last year!

Dorothy Caldwell at the end of the 4 day workshop.

Shall pop back in with more links as promised...

If ever you get the opportunity for a workshop with Dorothy its an utterly unique opportunity for engaging in multi-dimensional thinking... I really loved that there was such depth in her approach...  incredibly warm, human and encouraging yet stretching nevertheless to consider many fresh ways of working. 

Her capacity to offer input was so subtle and yet significant... much to think on indeed. I am sure many who also attended have been musing today on what came form this hugely enriching 4 days. I'm also extremely grateful to Roz and family for the gift of excellent hospitality and organisation.... and I;m ever so glad to take away many rich memories and conversations to cherish!

Now back to painting Dna images for a few days... the fascinating thing was that I worked so much in black and white at the workshop... not unlike the graphic work of the previous week!

Hope your week is wonderful... deadline here so its a busy time for sure! If I am not managing to visit you will know that I am madly painting for the 18th of May!

Sound advice from Myrtle St Studio

Jay Dee Dearness runs Myrtle St Studio at the Grange in Brisbane which concentrates on the production and exhibition of

• Printmaking/Graphic Art/Illustration/Drawing/Textile Art
• Photography
• Book Arts/Limited Editions/Small Fine Press/Artist Books/Zines
• Paper and Fibre Sculpture/Installations

Jay Dee has posted some great advice for anyone dealing with water damage of valuable paper items. Click on sub-heading Flood tips below to go straight her post.

Flood tips for Queensland Artists, Collectors and General Public

JANUARY 13, 2011

Some of the most important possessions in a home are paper-based – photographs, historical documents, certificates, artworks and the list goes on.  Some of these items may not have been digitized and may be irreplaceable.  If you are someone who is possibly going to be salvaging a flood devastated home in the coming weeks, I’ve quickly put together some information which may be of assistance.

You can read an earlier post I did on Myrtle St Studio here....from December.

The images below are from one of my favourite places in Brisbane...the Qld State library which I posted on here. This wonderful reading room looks straight over a very peaceful looking river.  Jay Dee mentioned in her post about flooding at the State Library. As a much loved public building always filled with international students, families, old and young, many will be keen to know their library is OK.

Call out to artists:

ATTENTION brisbane-based ARTISTS

Thank you for your spirited offer to volunteer your skills. There have been a number of generous offers to entertain the people accessing the evacuation centres over the past few days. Please be aware that the evacuation centres are run by The Red Cross and a number of other not-for-profit, non government organisations who are coordinating a diverse range of logistics and issues.

In order to prevent additional stress to those accessing and running this centre Brisbane City Council’s Creative Communities team are creating a schedule of creative programs to ensure there is an even balance of activities. We already have a number of acts and workshops scheduled but we are taking a list of artists who could volunteer for the next week – whether in an evac. centre or at other similar events/centres for those affected by the floods. 

If you are still keen to assist us in the coming weeks over the clean up period we would love to have your details so we can contact you if you are required. Please complete the below form and return to  HYPERLINK " mailto :  scotia.monkivitch@brisbane.qld.gov.au" 

This was one of several call outs that came by email last night from various community sectors. Lots of community initiative is coming from everywhere. I was told 8,000 people turned up at Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens this morning ready to volunteer. Buses were on site to ferry people to flood recovery areas needing help... there was a bus shortage!!! This morning's Australian newspaper carried a one page letter asking people to think down the track... to consider buying from Queensland businesses 

and coming here as a tourist. The same newspaper ran stories on the Brazil situation with deluges and landslides -many killed and vast numbers homeless. Sri Lanka has over a million homeless from floods. The question in Sri Lanka is where will the money come from to rebuild. Sobering and important question. Every loss here is honoured. They are not anonymous losses ... nor should they be. We live in a large continent with a small population ... Sri Lanka is a small place with a huge population. How are losses tracked and people sustained with those odds?

whimsy...

some recent finds whilst out and about trawling..... first up Anja Mulder - at flickr

below: from Anna Pugh

below: from Feizuo in Bejing , China

visit Flickr 

Seeds are utilised here by Kristina Johlige in her work...see more at her wonderful blog: smultronsplats

below: eavesdropping

below: from the blog of a friend of Kristina Johlige comes this photo.  Ieva's blog is called "dinge die ich mag" or 'things that I like'. Have a look also at this lovely blog... the 2 very talented artists have collborated for the photo below this interior....the hat was made als by Kristina. 

 from Sophie at The Fabulous Garlands whom I've posted on last year.

All of the images here came from links first discovered visiting the wonderful weblog: The Art Room Plant by Hazel Terry based in Edinburgh. Maybe whimsy is not the word that best describes each one of these images here...but it certainly describes my mood when trawling this evening!

I allowed whimsy to be my guide... after all the focus needed of late it is a sensational feeling to be free to float for a few days...to let things take me away from general preoccupations. I found so much in a short space of time I felt keen to share...this is just for starters!

Good night ...i'm off to bed... early for once!