And I was worrying about the crocs!

My home for the recent Cairns residency was spacious, well set up, and on the whole very comfortable!

 Some of you might have seen these images...

It was a 5 min walk to the Botanic Gardens and Tanks Art Centre... 2 mins on the bike I hired. I nested and soon got into the swing of being in the tropics, more or less... for 4 long, busy weeks!

entrance path to Gardens

I arrived home last Thursday at 11am and went straight to bed.... for 5 days. Well ... in between I went to the doctor twice.

Why?

Well... it was this little fellow...

modified from: Kettle, D.S. (1995). Medical and Veterinary Entomology. CAB International. Wallingford

I've just googled sand flies, or midges as they are better known, to find an image and this info. I could not even see the little things they are so tiny!

"Biting midges are responsible for acute discomfort, irritation and severe local reactions. Itching may commence immediately after the bite, but often not for some hours later, and most individuals are unaware of being bitten at the time. Biting midges have their greatest impact on people arriving to an area or tourists. Local residents seem to build up some immunity to the biting. In some sensitive people, midges can produce persistent reactions that blister and weep serum from the site of each bite and these reactions may last for several days to weeks."

Well, they sure did sucker on my legs! Must have been a lovely fresh tasty tourist... I had an allergic reaction like I've never had before...but discovered this to be not so uncommon! So many commiserated with me I soon learned how others had fared with these tiny midges. Everyone in fact had a story... their friend or daughter etc... so it became clear that although newbies generally come off worse for wear some people have a perrennial allergic reaction that makes them very wary indeed!

And there I was riding my bike each day over Saltwater creek past the mangroves thinking I might run into a crocodile. 

Who'd have thought this minimal creature could wreak havoc! I was bitten a number of times during my stay...so that by the time my exhibition went up my legs were looking a little savaged close to the ankles. You know how non-stop and all-consuming Art-show preparations are... I'd managed not to look too closely in my haste yo get things ready that it was only a day after the opening that a lovely visitor to the gallery took one look and said..."oh you are from out of town! Get thee to the doctor now!"

   
Bless my visitor from Kuranda! Her tales were effective as was her care!

That aside... it was a brilliant month and I have many blissful and enriching memories...  the reason I am telling you this is so you'll understand why I ran out of blogging mojo. The only online place I have been turning up has been my Homage to the Seed facebook page because its the easiest site to manage when you are bedridden, legs up to enable blood to get to infected lower legs... and falling asleep every five mins!

Right now I am sitting beside the Brisbane River at the park in New Farm, gazing out on the Jacaranda blossoms falling off the trees in the breeze and making the most of the free wifi that Council has wired up near the Rotunda.

Image found here

On my left one can see the river and the occasional City-cat passing by... these catamarans are the my fav form of public transport in this city. Walkers and joggers pass by as well, but its peaceful and pleasantly cool today.

Found here

A job awaits downloading photos and tying up many a loose-end from the month away. You can probably sense I am relishing this slow moment between commitments and activity. Always good to breathe out... guess I can thank the mighty midge for that!

When flying out of Cairns last week I had this strange sensation of wanting to hug the place - wrap my arms around the entire landscape and people there as I looked down over the views from the aircraft window. I was embraced in such a warm way during my stay and the time spent bike-riding meant I was a lot closer to the ground and saw more than I otherwise might have. My trip to the Daintree, a World Heritage National Park in the most stunning Wet Tropics Rainforest with indigenous friend Sheryl, a former park ranger there, was perhaps the highlight. 

I just felt so grateful ... no doubt where that impulse to offer loving arms came from! Below the plane lay the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet tropics Rainforest with all their rich biodiversity ..  and added to that are people of all different cultural backgrounds, many of whom I found to be deeply attached to this place, with great reverence for the natural world. 

So long to Cairns but I will be back... and of you ever get the chance grab it... you wont be sorry! Just watch out for the midges!

Opening on tomorrow evening!

It was a busy yet quite wonderful day today! More on that below.

Tomorrow, the Show I've been working towards for a time, esp for this past month ... will be opened by guest speaker, Scientist Rosemary Hill. I'm so looking forward to seeing some of the wonderful people Ive met here who'll be attending the evening opening... or perhaps popping in over the weekend when I will be at the Gallery before heading back to Brisbane next week.

Read more information here. Friday 12th October, from 6pm and 10 till 4pm on the weekend I'll be around

One thing I wanted to achieve before I left was to get up to Daintree National Park and see a new friend Sheryl who was a Park Ranger up there and is now an artist and involved in a wonderful Indigenous Art project at Mossman Gorge, in a truly beautiful part of the world.

Only arrived back home at 9pm and am looking at the long list of to-do's for tomorrow so there's no time to download photos now of the spectacular tour through the World Heritage listed Rainforest.

seed material from June trip to this region

Recent seed material gathered with the help of Gardens friends

Just looking through my photos realising how many I've yet to resize for blogging since I've been in Cairns. The fantasy of posting most days soon dawned on me. 

One feels so ambitious at the start of the residency... then  come delays and challenges and soon time seems to be flying.so there is an earnest attempt to pull off hoped for outcomes!

Hello to all..,

back soon with some great photos I promise!

S x

The weekend in Cairns

Ive had a most productive weekend in Cairns. Started with a trip to town Saturday for a slow start, breakfast and a wander, then shopping to stock up for the next week or so which will be very busy. 

This is a work on Linen I've been working on today. Approx 140 cm x 80 cm I worked on the large table out on the verandah all day... the edge is frayed and stitching in brown linen thread contans the fabric. I've used a clear gesso so it is archivally prepared and will be finished with a similar layer of clear glaze. It could be framed or simply mounted on the wall. I like how portable this kind of work is...highly suitable for working on the move!

I posted at the Studio blog about it and added other images so you can skip over there to see if time permits!

 Saturday morning...
     at the lagoon by the sea in Cairns. Its a free public pool and isn't fenced off, is surrounded by parkland and BBQ's and people enjoying this space! And it overlooks the Ocean. Love that there are places under cover where you can sit in the shade and loll about in the pool!

There's a Saturday market down at the shore. A wonderful person I spoke with was Helen, originally from papua New Guinea. This bag, called a billum, was very special. It deserved several photos just to show the amount of industry involved in a piece like this.

She has a stall at Rusty's, a wonderful fresh food market I have been to once a week. Saturdays are very lively at the market and surrounding street full of cafes.

I was in awe of the work in this billum... Helen shrugged off the work,,, but did admit to it taking months using a similar technique to that used in net-making for fishing in Papua New Guinea.

The pattern is also stunning and the dyes are from plants.

The price tag was $150... worth considerably more I am sure you will agree.

I was sorry not to be able to make that purchase I can tell you!

I have a very small billum given to me when I was about 20 ... it contains small shells and is one of the most precious things I own.

Breakfast today... Papaya, which I love, and Biodynamic yoghurt with a most unusual ingredient... Davidson's Plum, an indigenous fruit that is edible and known for its excellent nutritional qualities.

I also met farmers at the Tanks Market at the Botanic Gardens

 

on Sunday who grow Vanilla Beans and produce products for market.

So much around here to explore. I've got a lot of painting to do in the next week, now that I have settled in and found my stride...  but will hire a car to make a trip to Mossman Gorge to visit a lovely indigenous artist I met on my last trip.

Bye for now. Have a good week wont you!

In the studio

Basically experimenting with Lino at the moment ...

I just added a post at the Studio blog with lots of images. Trying to work in a painterly way means breaking with the rules!

So far i am concentrating on cutting seed capsule cross sections which I may then use in paintings... so working on the forms to find ones which might translate best into the way I'd like to use them!

Rushing to the next meeting.

Ciao,

Sophie

A visit to Djumbunji Press

Last week Chris Stannard, Curator at Tanks Art Centre at the Botanic Gardens here in Cairns, suggested a visit to Djumbunji Press. Set up by Kick Arts in 2009. 

image found here

About Kick Arts:

KickArts Contemporary Arts is the leading contemporary visual arts organisation in regional Queensland and the most innovative in the state. Based in Cairns with a demographic encompassing Far North Queensland and extending into the remote and regional communities of Cape York and Zenadh Kes (Torres Strait), KickArts is dedicated to facilitating and promoting the contemporary arts and extending the experience and cultural life of northern Australians and more than 2 million annual visitors who come to Cairns.

This lead to a conversation with Elizabeth Hunter   Senior Printmaker, at Djumbunji Press .

I was very taken with her fine etching of wildflowers of Cape York, from drawings on trips north to work with various indigenous communities.

Earlier this year Elizabeth led a study tour to Florence revisiting the institution SACI where she taught in the 90's. 

Join Djumbunji  Press Senior Printmaker and Vice President of Inkmasters ELIZABETH HUNTER on a four-week tour of Italy, studying at Studion Art Centres International (SACI) situated in the heart of the historic city of Florence. SACI is housed in the Palazzo dei Cartelloni, a Baroque building in the city cente, a few steps away from  Michelangelo's Medici Chapel, the Laurentian Library and the bustle of the Mercato Centrale.  

SACI is one of the leading overseas institutions in the area of studio art, art history, art conservation, and design. Elizabeth taught printmaking at SACI from 1992-1999, and is keen to take artists to experience one of the worlds richest art , historic and cultural, living cities.

The summer term is 28 Jun-28 Jul. Visit www.saci-florence.edu or contact Elizabeth at Djumbunji Press 

Approaching Elizabeth whose work frequently involves collaborations with talented printmakers visiting Cairns, a program for indigenous artists undertaking year long residencies at the Press and in a variety of other contexts was humbling. She considered what I am doing and I returned next day to work on Lino on simple pieces I could take home and print.

Senior Printmaker Elizabeth Hunter helping a participant print a Collograph - Image here

About Djumbunji Press:   Djumbunji Press opened in March 2009, providing major cultural infrastructure for Cairns and Far North Queensland. With extensive printmaking facilities and experienced staff, Djumbunji Press offers artists across North Queensland the opportunity to develop their skills in printmaking to create new works of art.  The air-conditioned studio is set in a spacious open area on Greenslopes Street in the cultural precinct of North Cairns, opposite Centenary Lakes and the Cairns Botanical Gardens. Djumbjunji Press activities include: workshops from beginners to master classes in the studio and in remote communities; an open access studio for artists to print their own work; custom printing for artists who do not want to print their own work; and an Artist In Residence program.   KickArts Contemporary Arts commissions and publishes new fine art prints and professionally distributes these to commercial galleries, collectors, public institutions and online. KickArts also curates printmaking exhibitions for touring nationally and internationally.

Whilst there I conversed with last years resident artist Brian Robinson, whose recent exhibition Men and Gods also saw a stunning publication produced for the show.

Via here

Add caption

It was fascinating to discover that he was the artist behind a large artwork that's hanging in the residence where I am staying. I've wondered about the person behind this art work and was therefore very pleased for the chance to hear a little of his story. In fact this image (found here) shows the art work which is now at the house to the right of the artist.

It was slightly incongruous... sitting working on small line cuts in the company of Brian and Elizabeth... both exquisite printmakers indeed.

Where did I start?

Of course with a motif of that is central in my work...and most at home here in Cairns where I have already gathered Black Bean seed pods.

On the weekend I printed at home with these two lino-cuts and am planning to cut several small squares featuring cross-sections of seed capsules and then composing some mixed media works with them as starting points.

A small collection from last thursday.

Time to go... much work to be done around here.

    Wishing you all a good week!

          Sophie

Things

I've had a wonderful day at the Botanic Gardens here in Cairns. Yesterday I spoke at a meeting of the gardeners and let them know I am on the look out for Rainforest fruits, pods, seed capsules and such and today at lunchtime I walked over to the staff precinct and collected what had been gleaned this morning. I was shown the propagating nurseries where I snapped away on the camera and will download later.

Visit the Homage blog to see photos later!

I have cut and past an excerpt below from Things magazine from the V & A Museum people. When I was an avid blogger (shame to admit other things waylay me these days more than I'd like... making my blogs less busy than they once were!) I came across Things Magazine and found more than enough to satisfy my love of the eclectic.


From Maps of Relief at things Magazine:

Relief maps of the Western Front at the Australian War Memorial. Related, 3D relief maps made at The Cutting Room, who have an impressive portfolio ofprojects / Seed Capsules, a tumblr by Sophie Munns / Why I secretly recorded my life / architectural photographer Grant Smith blogs about photographic freedom and other things / art by Anu Tuominen / ‘Someday All the Adults Will Die‘: Punk Graphics 1971 – 1984, an exhibition at the Hayward Gallery / illustration by Kate Fenley / Stupefaction, a music blog / the vinyl vs CDs vs mp3s vs cassettes debate rumbles on.

Relief maps of the Western Front at the Australian War Memorial.

Speaking of Maps....

From Cartophile

I like Maps... so if you visit the Pinterest Board from my site you can see what I've pinned under 'Navigating'. 

Click here

Time to sign off now...
Have a lovely weekend all!
xS

Day Two: Cairns Residency!

Its wonderful weather in Cairns this week... 

I've decided to post at the Homage to the Seed blog on this residency which commenced with a early morning arrival at Cairns Airport yesterday  .... at 1am!  

Here are a few images (taken in June on the quick trip to see where I would spend this month!.) 

I will be getting abut on foot, bike and bus this month! The residency is next to the Botanic Gardens... so the perfect set up!

Out the back....

The downstairs studio which I can spread out in!

I'm going now to gather seeds and pods in the garden.. so be sure to visit the homage to the seed blog over the next month and I will pop in here when I can! 

Cheerio,

S x