Home in so many ways...

 I hadn't realised how much work I am doing is relating to home. In fact it's all about home it seems.

The printsI am re-working into two books - you can see what the original print looked like.

The books are now edging closer - I have attached the print of the nest; and done some handwriting/calligraphy.

They both need stitching and a case sewn for them, but I am confident they will be ready in time for the Open Studio Sale next Saturday. Nothing like a deadline to get you moving!

As a nice intermission - how gorgeous are these flowers?

But back to home, and I keep on stitching these little homes. This grouping of four is looking at being in a square Perspex box.

This one I tried out for fun.

This pairing are also looking nice.

And I am thinking about this one as "Echoes of Home..."

And finally, I couldn't help myself. I printed a few of my beautiful plate "Home" onto some lovely Khadi paper. They will also be dry and ready to go at the Open Studio Sale next weekend.

The palette is unchanging, the imagery similar and there are many stories of home being told.

I honestly didn't know home was on my mind quite so much.

Thursday Thoughts...

“The path isn’t a straight line; it’s a spiral. You continually come back to things you thought you understood and see deeper truths.” 

Unknown

I am always a bit uncertain when I can't credit a quote, but figured with this one that is almost a universal saying, and that throughout history many folk have probably said these words or very close approximations of them.

Today I am pondering Art - yet clearly this one could also be about Life.

For Art, these words say to me that my making isn't a linear thing. I do not make, complete and move on. I haven't resolved something completely or finished with it.

It seems that I often circle back to things, renew things, go deeper, see another way to consider and create something.

Sometimes the further away from something I am, the more I realise there are other things to investigate, different angles or elements to explore.

Life as Art; Art as Life.

Gillian Frederick, Lacuna and the missing piece, 2022.

Finalising work

 we are having an Open Studio Sale on Saturday 19 November, and I am finalising some work for that.

Part of my recent commitment to re-working and re-using materials I have around me saw me make this lovely book. I really like how that worked out, and have decided to make some smaller, less ornate ones using a left over print I found in my drawers.

I cut the print into two and worked out the covers and fly leaf. I needed to add some elements and some calligraphy, but that's where things stopped.

With the Studio Sale looming I am encouraged to do the last yards and finish them.

Here I am playing with layout after having done a few prints on different papers to see if they will make the book better.

First up I printed my lovely nest image (titled 'home') from 2014 onto three different papers to see how they might interact with the existing print.

It is years since I have worked with this plate and it was lovely to re-discover it!

I also tested a feather plate from around the same time, again on the same three papers.

Whilst it is a nice enough print, I still like the nest best.

One of the joys of re-acquainting myself with this plate was I then grabbed some beautiful Khadi paper and did a trial print on that, and thought...oh now this might go somewhere!

There is still calligraphy to do, elements to add and the prints to attach somehow, but progress has been made.

Notions of home

 Home, home, home. The words mean so much, but what do they mean?  As ever, when moving between Scotland and Australia I wrestle with the notion of home, try to unpick it and understand it. On our return in May I played this way.

On return this time I have sat down to make more imagery of home.

First up I retrieved some of the papers  I used for my envelopes in Carried. Here's how some of the papers were made for that.

The papers are linked to both Scotland and here - rubbings taken from the Cottage's stone walls, and from a chair made by a friend here.

I started by working out what size these wee homes might be as I had a frame that had said to me - use me! They ended up quite wee - the body of each home is 5cm x 5cm and the roof is about 2.5cm high.

I failed to photograph the first step - trimming the papers to 1cm, 2cm and 3cm wide strips. They are much smaller strips than for the envelopes as I wanted the squares to have a contrast between papers showing.

I also failed to photograph the second step - randomly stitching the narrow strips together to make a small sheet, from which I cut the shapes.

I did however manage to photograph me stitching the shapes together.

And then of course there was lovely layering of the final four.

I am very happy with where these have landed. Now I just have to try and mount them so they are truly lovely.

Thursday Thoughts...

If we read books all the time we would be very unhealthy, as we would not get any fresh air, exercise, or contact with nature. Also we would not spend time with other people. There are a lot of plusses to reading - it's an interactive brain workout - but like everything else that's beneficial in moderation, overdoses can be dangerous. 

Margaret Atwood

I know it's true, but I do love to retreat with a book!

In trying to establish a case for reading all the time, I wonder if this was written when the only book form available was the hard copy. Perhaps these days you can in fact get fresh air, exercise and nature - listening to an audio book as you garden, jog, or go for a walk? 

If perhaps you read books, then arrange dinner parties to talk about them with friends/family does  reading books create social interactions?  My dad, Barry, myself and a good friend have created an informal book group. If there is a book one of us really thinks is good or meaty or worthy of dissecting and discussing we share it around and then arrange a book club dinner.

Always low key but with lots of time to talk and explore.

I probably do agree with her, but I also think books can create social interactions and for some folk, accompany them on outdoor activities.

 

Probably not great for your health, but most enjoyable!

Flowers wherever I go...

As we leave Scotland and return to Australia, one common feature seems to be flowers.

We arrived back into Maleny just after midnight this morning, managed about 6 hours sleep, and then began the day slowly and gently. As we were getting breakfast, I popped outside to cut some sage flowers I had noticed as we returned in the dark. Flowers make a place feel like home.

So here is a run down of the flowers of today, and of Scotland... once more in a random manner.

We stopped in at Perth on the way south to Glasgow. Beautiful parks and the fading of flowers.

The trip's first bunch of flowers from the cottage's garden - Crocosia Montbrecia. We have begun to plant out an entire slope with these magnificent and bold plants. It looks stunning.

The daily walk to the cove offers small gatherings - here a posy or two of weed flowers.

The best of gifts from a friend - fresh flowers from their garden.

The delicate highlights.

Remnant pansies from the plants we planted back in April. With peace.

Some stunning cornflowers. Basking in sunlight.

After a week or so, the cornflowers bleached themselves!

The last flower in our rockery - another gift from a friend.

One of the many thistles we found in Perth's sculpture gardens.

A photo as much of the bee as of the flower...

And today, trying to keep ourselves awake and upright we did a quick wander through the garden here (in between rain showers).

This lovely collection of lavenders with some of Dad's crucifix orchids.

Is now placed to reflect and connect to this painting by Minnie Pwerle. The brightness and boldness of them both.

I think there is a new game to play here - matching bouquets of flowers to artworks!

Fare thee well and haste ye back

 Today is the day we head back to Australia, all things being equal...

As we farewell the cottage once more, I have simply gathered here a bunch of my favourite 'landscape/outdoors' images from our time here. So many to choose from, no particular order, and apologies if I over did it!

Heading home...