Friday, June 25, 2010

New Projects In Progress

At long last, I've completely painted up all the Dolly Pegs!  Yep, that's that particular project complete!  This afternoon, I sprayed them with varnish as they sat connected to an old glass coffee percolator container and then as each one came to the end of drying, I hung them on the line to dry faster in the breeze.  It's always the inside pieces that don't dry all that well when they're positioned like this.  By the time all of them were almost ready to come inside, there were only about eight that had to be put back onto the edge of the pot to finish up inside.

Smelly work... really smelly work considering I'm working with aerosol varnish and I have to be outside for this part.  But the end product is absolutely worthwhile!

My next project is to do with painting again and collage.  I'll be back into finishing my uncompleted works and doing collage work; just like before.  However, I'll also be painting a Traffic Signaling Box down the road from me.  First, though, I'll have to get my design into the people at Clayfield before next week is up.  I'll express post it and it'll be okay.  I hope I get the job; even though it's on a volunteer basis, I know it'll be fun.
The one thing I'll have to do is let the people know who have the TSB right outside their house what I'll be doing there in case they think I'm some creepy person sussing out their house for the next week or so.  Once I know I've got permission to paint the box, I'll let them know what I'm up to.  I'm really excited about this project because it'll mean my art is out in public and I'll be able to do more of them around Logan City if I want to (seeing not many Logan artists want to do them). 
Well... now, I've updated my arty things with you guys, I'll keep you uptodate with photos too soon in the coming weeks.  Take care and until my next post, keep knitting and keep creating.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Adding Colour to the Clothes Line

To some, pegs are pegs; they are used to hang out
the laundry, made of plastic and go brittle after a year or so of use.
For me, my pegs are Dolly Pegs bought from the hardware store; they are durable and very much a part of my artworks as they are a part of my laundry.  However, when I moved into my unit, I found that I didn't have the most honest of neighbours.  I found that some of my plastic pegs were going missing and my clothes were on ground - my clean clothes that I had just washed and hung out. 
So, this is when I brought the Dolly Pegs out and painted them up, varnished them and used them.  They added colour and pizazz to my daily use of the clothes line.  And they caused me to catch out my neighbours as thieves of clothes pegs.  Now, this may seem petty; but when the said neighbours had a container overflowing with my plastic pegs (as well as theirs), I had a right to take back my nicely painted wooden ones.  Don't they look just lovely? 

They have lasted around six years and I've begun painting up another lot of them to add to the growing number I have with new designs.  I had dedicated some to my favourite footy team, one to my budgie and others to my country and favourite colours.  It's a fun way to not only pass the time but to also make hanging out the laundry fun.  The best thing is:  on a really windy day, my laundry will stay on the line.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Ron Mueck Exhibition an Absolute Must!

Yesterday, I bussed it into Brisbane City to visit the GoMA and see Ron Mueck's current exhibition of his lifelike figures of people and animals.  At $10 for Concession card holders, I could hardly pass this one up.  So, I arrived armed with my camera and was asked to keep the flash switched off and encouraged to take as many as I wanted.  I told the people that I was a blogger and that I'd have the photos on the net by the time this weekend was over.
However, the quality was absolutely brilliant.  I had seen the interviews on the art shows on the ABC and seen the photos they had shown on tv.  However, seeing his work up close and personal is the only way to experience it.
Do take the time out here in Brisbane, QLD to go and see it.  I have found it the most wonderful and display of sculpture in a long time.  Some of it is very
touching; like the baby.  While other parts are funny, like the turkey all bled out, plucked and ready to be roasted; strung up by its menacing-looking feet with its rather pathetic wings hanging out at its sides.  This display of art will touch anyone who goes to see it in many ways.  Each piece has its own
personality and will keep you thinking about what he will do next.  As for me, I loved the woman in the bed who was sitting there looking like she was thinking of something while looking of into the distance.  The one that really touched a sensitive nerve in me was the old lady who was wrapped up in
bed with just her poor, wrinkled face showing.  She appeared to be waiting for something; almost hoping to die sooner rather than later.

So, if you have a spare few hours on your hands, do take the time to venture into the Gallery of Modern Art here in Brisbane and pay the $12 for adults and $10 for Concession, and see Ron Mueck.  It is well worth it.