Back in the studio

Sigh. Could you hear that happy and contented sigh across the miles? I've managed to spend a few hours here and there over the weekend in the studio and it's wonderful to have that feeling wash over me again...of pure contentment and happiness as I potter and explore and try this and that; and take little steps towards something.

COMA (the Collaboration of Maleny Artists) is holding its next exhibition at Rosetta Books (a fabulous independent book shop in Maleny). The theme is "between the lines..." and the works need to be linked to or inspired by a book.  A couple of the nice unifying things about COMA exhibitions are that we a) have a theme (and I know not everybody likes having a group theme but for me it helps hold the story of the exhibition together when there's such a diverse and disparate group at play), and b) we all have to work at or on the same size.  A group exhibition with say 60 pieces all the same size looks quite stunning!

This time we are working with a 15cm x 15cm ( 6 x 6 inches) canvas or for 3-D pieces, within that same size cube.

I chose one of my favourite books "The Orchard" by Drusilla Modjeska. It's one of those books I read when I was about 30 and have kept with me, dipping back into it and using one quote time and time again.

To be gentle on myself as I rediscover the fun, joy and pleasure of creating, I went with something I like doing - burning holes with incense sticks and then played a bit with wax to bring it together.

The days are getting shorter and the lighting getting worse so apologies for the shadows here and there.

This is the white page with words burnt, sitting on the white canvas.

This is the same page, with a used, waxed teabag laid underneath the page...looking much warmer and welcoming.

By now I was a bit worried about the fragility of the page sitting on top of the canvas and felt it needed some sort of protection.

So I waxed some rice paper to make it a bit translucent and to act as a cover for the fragile burnt edges.

So, now it felt nicely protected, but it had taken the edge of the piece making it seem blurry and covered; rather than an integrated piece. So I popped some melted wax over the top and fused the rice paper to the page and teabag and canvas underneath. Protection, integration and still little pockets of mystery. Pretty much what I needed, so I stopped.

This is the quote that speaks to me often...

"And I say there are times when others can see the shape of our lives more clearly than we can ourselves, and then the great act of friendship is to turn us around so that we stand to face that way'.

Apologies to the folk who tried to leave comments whilst Blogger was misbehaving - I received them and can't post them; but enjoyed them all - thank you!