Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Pecha Kucha ... 'the sound of conversation' in Brisbane tonight

Recently I received an email from Luke Pendergast from Riddel Architecture to see if I was interested in participating in this excellent event tonight. Consequently a yes led to losing some sleep whilst I worked on my 20 slides late last week... how to tell a story in 20 slides speaking for 20 seconds a slide. Well... i liked the minimal nature of this request... the creative challenge of finding maximum potency in a minimum timeframe.
Pecha Kucha Brisbane is an event where any designer, artist, architect, interactive media or alike, are given the soapbox to present their designs, thoughts and ideas.
Format: 20 slides, 20 seconds each, 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame.
Presentations are short, concise, interesting; a platform to inspire and a chance for you to be heard. An informal, licensed event to promote cross-disciplinary collaboration and connections. It will showcase a cross-section of the Brisbane design industry.
Founded by Klein Dytham Architects (KDA) in Tokyo in 2003, Pecha Kucha (Japanese for 'the sound of conversation') has tapped into a demand for a forum in which creative work can be easily and informally shown. It has spread internationally to over 170 cities.

architects - dulux study tour: london, barcelona and copenhagen
interactive architecture
architect + stonemason
visual artist
JACQUE PRIOR
visual designer
architect: a new festival hall
writer / director
public art
illustrator
website    map
20:20    Turbine Hall    Brisbane Powerhouse

Powerhouse
Brisbane Powerhouse


A few slides from tonight!


I wanted to talk about this period of 12 years following leaving home at 18 to study Art when I relocated and travelled a lot... sowed the seeds of what I'm doing now... (terrible pun I know!) so decided to include my useful map of where I've lived... how else to tell a story in 20 seconds?!



Skipping along to last year ... 20 seconds on the art work? I had to pull out a strong idea and tell of that...hence the cross-sections of seed capsules in the rainforest fruits... and the connection to ancient symbols which was a fantastic connection for me!



Why research on seeds in 20 seconds? click to enlarge if you want to read these!



The final image had to leave a strong message .. hope this will do the trick...
So if you're here in this city come along... I'm sure it will be a an interesting evening. There are 9 speakers lined up and with only 6 mins and 40 seconds... not too much time for us to send you to sleep!
...Reading Luke's profile (he is one of three organisers) made me appreciate it takes people with a deep interest in dialogue and the idea of the 'soapbox', as he puts it, to add something like this onto their extra curricular duties. Bravo to the team that put this together!

LUKE PENDERGAST
Architect
Growing up in the Gold Coast’s Hinterland, Luke gained a love for SEQ’s natural landscapes, fauna and climate. Following his first degree from University of Queensland, he studied German and Architecture in Cologne, Germany and worked in the office of Van den Valentyn Architektur. Valuable construction knowledge had been gained through working on construction sites as well as participating in aid work construction projects in PNG. Whilst completing his Bachelor of Architecture at UQ, Luke worked on environmentally sustainable residential projects under the guidance of Graham Davis, tutored timber technology subjects at UQ and his 2007 Thesis concerned Sustainable Public Transport. Luke completed a two year internship at the Department of Public Works Architectural Practice Academy and is now working at Riddel Architecture.
Luke’s interests lie in construction, connectivity, political discourse, design conversation and interdisciplinary collaboration. His fascination with the idea of the “soapbox” and strong belief in an individual’s right to a personal opinion generates his enthusiasm for organising Pecha Kucha Brisbane events.

note: 2 places left with this wonderful group on Saturday!




Monday, July 4, 2011

a peaceful day... slow time!


It was one of those Sundays, a little too rare, where the line up of old movies on TV was just perfect, the day chilly, quiet and all mine ... without a list of must-do's haunting me! So tired was I from a huge week that I kept falling asleep missing most of it! 

It was my birthday yesterday...  shared with friends in the afternoon and then a later meeting for dinner. Simple, relaxing and just lovely. One friend brought roses, another mimosa blossoms ... what we call wattle! Family baked a luscious orange almond cake served on a large fancy plate with pink camelia petals surrounding it and orange candles... so pretty.  Flowers... hand picked or not... they do bring delight. Small heartful offerings from family and friends still bring a smile. 

A usual I'm slow to download photos of late ... so imaginations instead please ... and here are some Seed Capsules Tumblr images... a good stand-by!

Jade Pegler via Epli


regardintemporel:

Consuelo Kanaga - Light Through Glass, n.d.
regardintemporelConsuelo Kanaga - Light Through Glass, n.d.

(via mothtales)
(via mothtales)



(via mothtales)
(via mothtales)
nb. I hope to find and read this book.. Patience Grey is a favourite of mine... I read this
book was huge in England and put med. food on the map before Elizabeth David.


mothtales:

Hand sewn wedding invitations by the brilliant Rifle!
mothtales:  Hand sewn wedding invitations by the brilliant Rifle!
interesting idea ...yes?

magicalnaturetour:

Crete ~ Chania by Atli Haroarson :)
magicalnaturetour:  Crete ~ Chania by Atli Haroarson :) 
Oh I did love this place on Crete!


mothtales:

inspiring art…
also via mothtales:



mothtales:

Brown paper has never looked so good!
mothtales:  Brown paper has never looked so good!
You must click on the photos of this little girl and seethe fantastic costumes made for this event. So charming.. and clever!

Speaking of charming....
    and whimsical in the extreme!

                Have you heard of a tiny pet cloud?


fuckyeahcarmen:

eclectroniclash:

I WANT A TINY PET CLOUD.

ME TOO!!!
I WANT A TINY PET CLOUD.

Curious idea... !

Anyway, better be off now...

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend... and those of you celebrating a national holiday... enjoy!

S x

Sunday, June 26, 2011

at home in Auckland New Zealand... via the Selby.


The other day this post at The Selby arrived in my email in-box.


I so enjoyed time spent in New Zealand that I look out keenly for stories like this one.

One artist + one musician + a beautiful harbour outlook + wonderful natural habitat + maori cultural heritage adds up to a wonderful series of Selby photos on these two creative people Tracey Tawhiao and Danny Haimoana.

I am posting just a few small veruson form the seris of excellent photos... hop across and click through the images... up large and fabulous! Do... you'll get to see what's so appealing and distinctive about this place.

I fist saw images of the artist and her home about 2 years ago at Inside outside magazine (I think!) I was smitten.... being Selby there is less gloss... less perfection... more honesty and the real poeple in their home. Loved the collection of 60 odd photos .. go see ... and if you jut haven't the time then I do hope this gives you an idea at least!

EDITED JULY 2013:  Sorry these photos are no longer available!



As for what's happening over here in my back yard, studio etc....  busy as anything ... a huge week ahead ... GREAT workshop at Percolator Gallery Saturday... wonderful people! Will have photos of activities from that very soon I hope!
Wishing you a good week ahead... must get to bed before the clock strikes 12 tonight!!


PS ... Im back with a little Update... just noticed that the lovely Katrina who attended the Saturday "Colours of Nature" Workshop has posted a story on her blog Katrina Recycled. Here's a small exercise from the class she did. Loved those colours and cant wait to see more that follows with some of these new threads!


Katrina Stirling - "untitled"



Thursday, June 23, 2011

news from the farm...


A note in my email in-tray this morning brought these photos with it.... from Nicki on her farm in the Darling Downs whose story has been on my blogs lately.  



See recent posts here and here. 


When I was staying there she said I probably wouldn't get to see the Koalas because of all the visitors staying! So I loved finding these photos in the email today!


" I will send more of my favourite farm pictures a few at a time... Koala in a tree only 4 years old. He gives me inspiration, below that is my favourite tree I will be chained to if the mines (mining company) come ..... the  last one is a tree skeleton at dusk recently."

She noted also that 3 front pages of today's newspapers were covering the story from the Downs re Mining: 
  

Hope you enjoy these photos from Nicki!



















Monday, June 20, 2011

Time for a story?

A week ago I was in this tunnel ... walking along with my friend Nicki when we got to the point where the noise of bats became most unsettling. Maybe you're a tough-nut and would have kept going all the way through this tunnel ... I know Nicki, formerly a vet, would not have been nearly so nearly so keen to turn around and go back as I was... she's a formidable person... read her story and the others who play their part in the tale here at the homage blog post just up.




We'd been visiting around the area near her farm on the Darling Downs ... people on the land are generally a tougher mob that those of us fond of our city comforts. When she and her husband received a notice that they might lose their farm to a Mining Company she did not lie down and give up ... in fact she was in the middle of working on a large exhibition about the town nearby that was dismantled so an Open Cut mine could take coal from where the people had lived and communed daily with each other for decade upon decade. 




This flowering gum - Ironbark: Eucalyptus sideroxylon- great hardwood, termite resistant- (Nicki's notes) was photographed in the town that is no more ... Acland. Well...not quite no more ... it has a resident still... that amazing story was written up in the Australian, the national newspaper - page 4 no less - on Saturday!

The weekend I went to the Downs was quite eventfuI I can tell you ...stories in every direction, stories that are going national... that are symbolic of other's stories from around the globe.
Its was so exciting to see the way the visual arts, in this case Textile art, could play a major role in communicating, on a number of levels, something very important in the lives of this community... and beyond. 

We are all touched by the most profound density and velocity of change in contemporary life and as artists we have much to contribute  and in so many varied ways - whether subtle or overt - the time is here for artistic interventions of all kinds. 


Before I dash off to get on with things a little reminder in case you're down the road... and interested ! There's been a great response to the workshop series Im starting up at Percolator Gallery in Paddington this weekend...a couple of places are left for this Saturday, 25th of June and July, 9th and July 23rd too! With more dates coming soon!



Click on website page for more information or email me here: sophiemunns @ iinet . net . au (without the gaps of course!)



close up of section of a new work - view at website


The other day I got around to posting new work at my website...  and added a post at my studio archives blog about all this. I was reflecting on the fact this free website provider has continued to develop what they offer and is surprisingly user friendly ... and best of all I discovered a much better slideshow facility the other day to upload work onto. Maybe its new or maybe I missed it before this.
A couple of years ago I felt like I would never get my head around creating a website ... then I saw Robyn of Art Propelled renown create an excellent one through weebly, so I wrote to her about it, then worked on one myself. It was a very basic start... but after last year's busy-ness I had time in January to rejig it... and then again recently and every time I do I find I am learning how to improve the way I use it!

I've been seriously impressed by some wonderful streamlined websites ive seen ... like blogger friend's website: Mary Zeran ... they can add so much to the viewing experiecne ... but you know...its almost impossible for me to do minimal... my first page of the website is spare ... relatively... but after that its just what it is!  I guess I could apologise to the International Style Council for Artist's Websites... but what is this whiff of homogeneity all about anyway ...I'm all for bio-cultural-diverisity! Bring it on!

Bye all... have a wonderful week where-ever you are ... go forth  and may you be fruitful!


Oh... and if you're into textiles and living in this region you must check out this week's big event here at the website for Textile Art Academy.

Friday, June 17, 2011

two things to share with you!

Bloggers...  for all of you ...artists, designers, makers, gardeners, carers, world-makers, thinkers ...
all of you who love the authentic... the precious... the gift of time plus hearts and minds put to good purposes...


Chloe proudly showing her drawing!

Firstly....
biocultural heritage diagram

This graphic is about protecting the interlinked systems of Biocultural heritage...
                 
                       What I hear you ask?

Well thats the whole thing... all of us...  every living thing on this planet.... every language, cultural tradition, blade of grass and more.

And no... life is always changing and we cant keep things still... but we do need to understand the links and act now to preserve a great deal of what is passing.


Revered Goddess via Ghost Colours tumblr


Secondly... I'll share this thought with you from indigenous people of Chile:

"The seeds are our mothers because they nurture us. Sometimes they become our babies, and they need our protection, care and warmth. In other moments they are our sisters, with whom we enjoy, sing and dance. That's how we are all family in our Andean world."


please visit the homage blog where you can read more on this and leave a comment today if you will....

Sophie x
    and a good weekend to you all!


Tuesday, June 14, 2011

what's cooking at your place?


Its winter here... OK... there's no snow. I admit our winter's are hardly worth a wimper ... but we still think about soups, keeping warm enough and avoiding runny noses and worse! What I dont like about winter is that I have to wear shoes!

I stayed at friends on the weekend up on the range (Great Dividing Range as its known - extending along the entire eastern side of Australia). My friends assured me it can get a lot colder up there than here... yet its only 2 hours west. It was wonderful sitting in front of their fire... and it seemed a million miles away forn the very green urban environment I wake up to each day.

I didn't get enough photos of their views... nor have I downloaded what I took... so stay tuned I hope for some decent pics from weekend!

muffin-cups-7042
image: Sabra Krock - I'm afraid I've never used
such fancy things as this  But I did like the photo
... it does spell out that baking is on the cards!
Plus I'm into blues and browns at the moment 
Why these photos you ask? Well... lots of home cooking where I was on the weekend... people who bake from scratch...  Thats always particularly nice in Winter. But thats a whole other story. 


muffins-7082
Sabra Krock


anyone got one of these?

Now this is more like something I would get around to cooking! I'm a fan of quinoa. of green food, particularly herbs. I found this at "a billion tastes and tunes" blog.... the recipe for Quinoa Tabouli was adapted from a Moosewood book... simple ingredients... looks good to me!


Quinoa Tabouli

1 cup raw quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried mint or 
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
4 scallions
5 garlic cloves
2 or 3 bunches fresh parsley 
3 or 4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and ground black pepper




I just noticed these images below at two posts at the same blog called "they draw and cook..." ... any of you draw and cook... I find the camera every now and then to record something but I must admit its been awhile since I drew something I've prepared for the table.




A Well-Salted Salad with a Little Vinegar and Good Olive Oil by Bozena Wojtaszek. This one is all textile and thread!   NOTE: Text and link from the blog!








Chickpea Dip by Sali Swindell.


Whilst posting this I thought of the wonderful Janis at Paintbox who delights us with her take on things around San Francisco where she hails from  ... and her drawings... like this one. Posted May 17...  its missing a title hence link to that actual post...   so just visit the blog and you'll find it and many other treasures! - May, 2011... 17th.



A sketchbook drawing inspired by Francesca's post on making tea
with fresh jasmine blossoms.
* Note from Janis


And I'll finish with this from the also clever and lovely  Sanne van Windon in the Netherlands whom I was delighted to see had a post at Bloesem on her wonderful work last week.



"Last week was about flowers and melon gazpacho, really nice on a summer evening". Sanne's text!



Sanne


Sanne


Images from the Bloesem blog story : Art in your home : Sanne van Windon






Sanne van Winden is a Dutch illustrator and pattern designer , who graduated at the Royal Academy of Art in the Hague at the fashion&textile design department. You can find her colorful portfolio right here, read her journal here and visit her etsy shop right here. I also love her designs over at Envelop
{in the image below, Bedcover  by Beddinghouse} Text from Bloesem!
7

well busy week... must run!

Ive just booked at seat at the local Slow Food evening "the History of the Pie" ... after the talk we apparently partake and the warning is... dont eat beforehand! I can't promise drawings... but I'll try and take photos!

Art and food do go together so well don't you think?

The Slow Food manifesto:  SLOW Food began when delegates from 15 countries gathered in France and endorsed this manifesto, written by founding member Folco Portinari, on 9 November 1989... Read more here.