So I wanted to make a nest...

 Whilst I describe myself as a maker with words, whenever I am asked for a bio or for my inspirations I nearly always include words to the effect 

"As respite from difficult matters, I turn to the natural world and its wonder".

And this can be found in my love of birds and feathers and nests. I photograph them, write words about them, print them, and attempt to make them.

And so in my mind, I have been pondering how to make a nest out of silver wire. Luckily Barry and I had the chance to visit with Lindsey Gallacher once again, who spent time with us answering our questions, helping resolve how would I? Can I? What if I? and it was SUCH a useful and helpful and wonderful day.

She started by saying that as students, they often started the design process with watercolour paper, working out if a thing might hold or take shape, so off I went.

OK, but then I thought I would need to do an under/over; over/under type of thing with each piece.

And the next question was could I add another layer onto that layer?

I could tell this was going to get quite tricky!

My next question was, surely nests are curved, so could I curve the wire?

And still do the under/over; over/under thing?

About now I was looking for a dob of glue to hold things together, but then just decided to get on and try it with silver and solder.

The first one, followed by the second one.

And the final result - including with shadows.

And then to wondering if it might be a pendant...

The absolute childlike delight I took in the making of this was just marvellous! Part of it was watching an idea take form, almost unfurl, before my very eyes; and the second part was somehow feeling I had a small sort of kinship with birds as I too, had made a nest.

There is maybe more to do - perhaps another smaller section to complete the bottom. Or maybe a solid piece? There is the pondering too about could an egg work? What sort of egg? How could I attach such a thing?

But for now there is simply  deep satisfaction and contentment with having made a nest...

Thursday Thoughts...

“I like things that are labour intensive. You make a little thing and another little thing and eventually see a possibility” 

 Kiki Smith

I like the approach that is implied in here. That you can start small, and just keep adding a bit here or a bit there; or another one of those and something emerges.

Not everything starts out as a grand gesture or statement. Not everyone dreams big and makes bold. But oftentimes it's the small things that come together to make something rich and powerful.

I am less sure of the direct connection between labour intensity and making lots of small things; I think a large painting or mural is also labour intensive. Perhaps they are also made of lots of little elements and small parts that in the end come together to produce the large things. The difference in my head is that they start out with a big thought or plan, rather than incrementally creating something.

I enjoy coming across artists firstly by their quotes, which I resonate with or find intriguing, and then following up to find out who they are what they do. Her work is full of small moments...

Memorial to Birds Having Flown 2015.

Love this piece and it gives me great joy to visit the bathroom at a friend's home and come upon it!

Commissions underway and a couple of locals

 After our wee Pop Up Art Show I was asked to do a few jewellery commissions. Given I now have a small kit and set up here I was happy to go ahead and do them.  It is a bit trickier working my way through a few things, but mostly things go well. Or at least when I stumble and stutter I ask B for guidance and assistance!

One of the most important bits of gear I need is a pair of curved pliers. And look at these beauties! I couldn't buy plain or boring ones, these were all I could find, and wow they are beautiful and work brilliantly. And they make me smile whenever I pick them up.

I have completed one commission and it looks lovely - a combination of shiny, oxidised and textured.

I have another two large pendants and a pair of earrings to complete, and as of yesterday another pair of earrings if I can find the time! So today it was head down and bum up so to speak out in the workshop shed. B ably assisted by sawing all the wire I had cut with pliers to get the beautiful flat surface you need to solder.

Sorted into wire size and length.

And then the shaping and soldering began.

I then ground and shaped the solder joins to make them smooth and flat. And now there is flattening, oxidising and polishing to do, as well as making them up into the jewellery. Fingers are crossed for having them all done by the weekend.

And then to the locals...

This morning this solo sheep was sentinel on the hillside at the entrance to the village.

And yesterday, we came across these coos - all so relaxed and just hanging about.

Once again, a coo-let!

We drove by slowly and then turned around to drive back and this view made us both laugh as we came around the bend.

We feel so lucky to live nearby where the coos roam...

Good news and a trip to Orkney

A week or so ago I had the pleasure of asking my Dad to post off my book "Red Card" to Artspace Mackay as it has been selected as a finalist in The Libris Awards - Australia's premier artists' book prize.

It is an honour to have your books selected for this show, and when I look at the catalogue I am impressed by so many of the books that will be there.

The show opens, and the winners are announced, not long after we return o Australia so we won't be getting on a plane and heading north for it which is a bit of a shame, but we will watch with interest from afar!

Red offers the segue to the few days we had in Orkney through the week. We love visiting the islands and get a real fix of art when we are there and because we are here in Summer time, we also got to see places that have often been closed on previous visits.

But also, the flowers are out and how good is this red poppy? It was the size of a bread and butter plate and was bursting with its vibrant gloriousness.

Apart from art we had many a good coffee, cake and meal... and managed to do our Biblio twice!

And we wandered and wandered the streets and lanes and closes and wynds and piers of Stromness...

As ever, we really enjoyed our visit and are already planning for when we next return to the cottage, to pop over and do some new and different things.

Thursday Thoughts...

“Books can not be killed by fire. People die, but books never die. No man and no force can abolish memory... In this war, we know, books are weapons. And it is a part of your dedication always to make them weapons for man's freedom.” 

 Franklin D. Roosevelt

Well, there is a lot to say about this, who said it, why they said it and how different things are in some places today. Perhaps not burning books per se, but banning them.

But back to the sentiments I think the then President was reflecting upon. He clearly knew the power of books and of the written word. Of how impactful they can be; and how they can become embedded in memory and in oral traditions and oral histories even if they are destroyed.

Books are powerful, and yes they can be weapons because they can ignite imagination and courage. And yes, they should be used in pursuit of man's (people's) freedom, not as weapons of division and hatred.

Simply put, I agree with pretty much everything he is saying here.

 

Timbers burning, not books.

A rainbow in a garden

 Last week we wandered over to Tongue and to Cereal Bakery once more, and on the way home we stopped off at Eddie's Garden. Somebody had mentioned to us there was a walled garden nearby; and we had driven past it a few times and I had spied signs; but this time we stopped and double checked that yes you're just allowed to wander in by yourself, and so we did!

It was a beautiful and welcoming garden full of colour and scent and the buzzing of many bees.

There was so much to look at and enjoy, but after a while I decided I would focus my meanderings a bit and look to see if I could find a rainbow. And I did.

We had such a lovely wander, the sun was shining and there was just so much to delight the senses. Clearly it was also a really good time of year to visit when everything was opening and buzzing and being beautiful.

On the way home we also stopped at a friend's place and I loved these dark grey/black 'cones' on her tree.

I know there's no black and no white in a rainbow, but I feel like these two sort of book-end a rainbow!

Of markets and making

 We spent yesterday at the Watten Craft Market and enjoyed ourselves as well as having a successful day.

After the Pop Up we thought we could take along some things that hadn't sold, but also make some more things - like cards!

So my making this week has been mostly cards, but also some jewellery commissions.

I decided to make more of the flowers they have always been popular; and some sort of abstracted photographic ones that might suit blokes a bit better?

I am the world's worst at retail, and understanding what might sell, so who knows!?!? I made 4 of these and none of them sold, but I still think they are OK.

I sold a few of the flowers too, with a bit of interest in the hand stitched ones made using scraps, so I think the stitched detail made a difference for folk.

And then to the jewellery making. I sold a few pairs of earrings at the Market and a pendant so that was good. I don't have many pieces left which is also nice! I received a couple of commissions out of the Pop Up, so have to get down and get making, which I have done.

I need to make 6 small pebble forms, so here I made 7 just in case...

In high contrast, I also need to make a large pendant and a pair of large earrings. This means another 7 pebble forms, and here they are after soldering. I like the dappled light in the shed!

This is where I got to by Friday - pickled, polished and shiny!

And because art is life and life is art...

As I left a coffee shop the other day I noticed this wee scrap in the gravel. I picked it up and brought it home.

And then it became a wee bit of temporary art on a timber block in our window sill...