Time to get organised

I dont know about you,  but I seem to have lots of unfinished projects floating around in the craft courner in the lounge room. As I look around I can see many things in a half finished state: recycled plastic bags crocheted into baskets, knitted twine objects for ceramic experiments (another post will be dedicated to this) two lots of wool waiting to be unravelled and knitted into another project.

Baskets made from recycled plastic bags

All these half finished projects are lying around as a visual reminder to finish them. Im getting sick of the clutter so I have decided that rather than work on them all at once, I will finish one and then move onto the next with the hope of cleaning up the craft corner.... or at least getting it under control!

Knitted twine objects

So Im currently working on a pink brown wool that has been knitted about four times because I havent found the right pattern for the wool. Its gorgeous but because its varigated, knits up with ugly 'tiger stripes'. I have finally found the perfect pattern, which I am kinda making up as I go along (with the aid of some of Mum's fabulous 1980's knitting patterns as reference). 

Its garter stitch and I have introduced a dark brown solid colour which lessens the varigated stripe effect. Knitted on the round the yoke shows of the variation of the colour without being too much.

Unravelling 

Theres also an ever growing pile of books to read, and magazines for inspiration which contains things like Vogue Living, Craft International (fabulous mag from the UK), ceramic books – mostly about glazes at the moment, and for art theory I've been meaning to read the complete works of Oscar Wilde and Le Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory and Dante's Devine Comedy...

Thank goodness for these long dark winter evenings – they're perfect for sitting in front of the gas fire and reading or knitting, under the pretext of getting organised x

Still Life captured by Instgram

Well I have succumbed to the Instagram craze....

I couldnt resist!

So this morning I thought I would capture some things that make me happy at home

Kochira sun baking

Ceramic made by moi, with cockatoo feather

I love this lamp, collected in my travels through Turkey

Mantlepiece

Spinning wheel given to me by my Aunt.
Its almost the perfect weather to start practicing...
all I need is an open fire

Splashes of colour
Green plastic bags with pink wool =
two different projects

Love love love this mirror
and the old kitchen sink
with mis-matching taps
and a gurgling drain

cute cute cute!
I love this chair so much.
It has a twin
and they feature in my prints and ceramics
I love my pink anodised teapot
and its special cosy by Jenny

How much fun! Different boarders, unfocused edges, and hues within the images.

For those who already know Instagram, Im loving the 1977 setting, but I already have so many real photos like that (yes, I feature in a few) Im not sure Im ready to go there so soon :)

Kx

Non Toxic Etching

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of participating in a non-toxic, environmentally friendly etching class run by printmaking sisters Annie Day and Robyn Erza.

Set in the beautiful grounds of the Bowral District Art Society a group of us learnt how to create etchings over a weekend using aluminium plate and products available from the local hardware store (water based bitumen used for sealing roofs as the resist, and a copper sulphate solution to etch the aluminium plates)

Bowral District Art Society workshop behind the gallery

Transfering image from sketchbook to aluminium plate

Along with the large presses available in the workshop, Annie and Robyn brought along their own mini-presses (in the foreground below). A fabulous idea and I now aspire to have a mini-press in my studio too!

Creating images on the plate was simple, using an etching needle to draw the lines, and a brush to apply the bitumen. Annie and Robyn supplied VCA (Vegetable Cleaning Agent) which is a safer alternative to turps.

Aluminium plate with bitumen resist (dark areas)

The plate in copper sulphate solution etching bath

Continuing to explore imagery from my cottage I created the following images: 

The Lounge Room 8 x 10 cm

Mantle Piece 8 x 10 cm

The Kitchen Chair 8 x 10 cm

The Kitchen 10 x 13 cm

I had such a lovely time, and the results were fantastic. Best of all they were non toxic, environmentally friendly and you could continue to create the plates from home or your own studio. 

I look forward to creating some more images which will be exhibited later this year at M16 in Canberra in a joint exhibition with photographer Jocelyn Rosen (exhibition will run from 13 - 31 September 2012).

A big thank you to Annie and Robyn for such a wonderfully creative weekend x

Design of the times article

I had the pleasure of chatting to Philip O'Brien from the Canberra Times last week about winning the Legacy of Good Design Memorabilia competition to design products for Canberra's centenary next year.

The result is the article which appeared in last Friday's paper.

Click on the image for a readable version

Thank you Phil for such a lovely article.

Teaching Screen printing at Megalo

I love screen printing so much that I also teach screen printing on fabric at Megalo Print Studio and Gallery in Canberra.

I have just finished teaching a 6 week Thursday evening class.  

In the class we covered:

• creating designs using paper stencils and photo emulsion (light sensitive); 
• learn registration marks to create multi-colour prints;  
• experimenting printing onto different background fabrics; 
• and in our last lessons we also explored how to put your design into repeat.

Below are some images of the beautiful designs created in the class.

Marcelle working out paper stencil

Linda experimenting with colour and overlay patterns
 using a photo emulsed design

Jen's delicate hand drawn tree printed on tea towels

Dianna printing 2 colour paper stencil pattern 

Rachel's 2 colour photo emulsion stencil

Close up of Rachel's Escape design. 

Seona's 2 colour paper stencil print

Seona's 3 colour print onto patterned fabric

Marcelle embarking on a repeat print design using 3 colours

Marcelle adding the second colour

PS Marcelle has just sent me a picture of her finished Birds and Hearts fabric. Here is is below

Fabric and image by Marcelle

Vignette Exhibition: Prints on Paper

As promised, here are the images of my screen printed drawings that also featured in the Vignette exhibition at the BSG Gallery in Melbourne.

Bathroom Hall. Screen print on paper. Print size 30 x 23 cm

Bathroom. Screen print on paper. Print size 23 x 30 cm

Kochira Says. Screen print on paper. Print size 23 x 30 cm

Hallway. Screen print on paper. Print size 30 x 23 cm

Chest of Drawers. Screen print on paper. Print size 23 x 30 cm

Kitchen Cupboard. Screen print on paper. Print size 30 x 23 cm 

Kitchen Sink. Screen print on paper. Print size 23 x 30 cm

Kitchen Window. Screen print on paper. Print size 23 x 30 cm

Fireplace. Screen print on paper. Print size 23 x 30 cm

Loungeroom. Screen print on paper. Print size 30 x 23 cm.

Vignette Exhibition at BSG Gallery, Melbourne

 My sojourn to Melbourne last week for my exhibition was delightful!

Setting up the show went smoothly with the assistance of my fabulous friend Nicole. The exhibition was a selection of ceramics, prints on paper and two screen printed fabrics.

The theme for my exhibition was:

vi·gnette  [vin-yet] noun, verb, -gnet·ted, -gnet·ting.

noun

1. an engraving, drawing, photograph, or the like that is shaded off gradually at the edges so as to leave no definite line at the border.

2. any small, pleasing picture or view.

3. a small, graceful literary sketch.

Surface design and printmaking techniques explore images from my sketchbook diaries that document daily life in my cottage and studio, capturing the banal and everyday which are often moments of fleeting beauty.

I am interested in capturing these domestic scenes as a way of recording my life. I have captured these moments throughout my adult life in a series of sketchbooks and diaries.  As I move house and memories fade, my sketches vividly bring to life my sense of place and where I was 'at' at that particular point in time. The sketches often are more poignant than a photo as each line is carefully observed, distilling the essence of the scene before me. 

'Kochira Says' print on paper

Thankfully my artwork suited the space perfectly. Brunswick Street Gallery (or BSG for short) has 10 individual exhibition spaces. The gallery was humming on Friday as the artists and their friends hung the artwork. The opening was fabulous, a delightfully warm evening and everyone was in good spirits (I was having so much fun I forgot to take photos of this!). Best of all I got to catch up with all my Melbourne friends :)

I did however, manage to find time to get my ceramics photographed professionally by Art Atelier before I went down to Melbourne.

Bathroom series. Hand drawn and painted on porcelain.

Bedroom series. Hand drawn and painted on porcelain.

Kitchen series. Hand drawn and painted on porcelain. 

Lounge Room series. Hand drawn and painted on porcelain. 

Ill post some detailed images of my prints next week.... till then, I hope you all have an enjoyable Easter long weekend x