finding my place...

"Journey, Places, Marks & Traces" exhibition opening night for fellow artists Fiona Dempster and Barry Smith.

I am a true admirer of both Barry and Fiona's artworks and when they come together as one exhibit it is a treat to not only the eyes but to the senses as well. It was a really hard decision to choose which piece to add to my growing art collection! Among the many... one particular piece of artwork 'was calling on me' by it's quiet presence, beauty and rusty exterior. Then seeing it's title and the first words that appear on the first page "finding my place" Oh, How so appropriate for me right now, a must have!!!

Finding my place" (close-up), Noela Mills taking the happy snaps.

Helen, Fiona Dempster, Mark Fowles-Prince and Tanya.

Barry Smith discusses his works with Studio 4 Gallery Director Jennifer Stiller.

mini me...

It was inevitable; with three 'dancer' barbed-wire discards left over and mesh appropriate size to accomodate another Spirit Dance was born...

"Spirit Dance 2 the trio"

H 13cm x W 12cm x D 2cm

Feel good Friday!

Last month I entered Altered Alchemy 200th post giveaway and was one of the lucky winners and today to my supprise it was awaiting me in my post box, and so beautifully gifted wrapped.

Gorgeous handmade earrings, thanks Luthien! I will treasure them always...

The big 4 0

I ment to post this assemblage last week but in the rush of it all of being out all day, running late, and then getting ready for the (Mark's) 40th celebrations I forgot to photograph it! Luckily Mark was kind enough to arrange a photo shoot with me to document it.

"The Big 4 0"

Can you see the numbers 4 & 0 in it?

The Squeeze

This assemblage I believe came about from my feelings on the economic suituation Queensland is finding itself in right now from all the natural disasters we have just endured since the beginning of 2011.

It's a little hard for me to explain this piece, as it's more of a feeling rather than an explaination...

...and sometimes, somethings are best left unsaid.

It's title "The Squeeze"

Radiant Love

When I make an assemblage I tend to 'live' with it for a day or so, allowing thoughts to come and go, with not being to attached to the dialogue. At first I had thought 'wheel of life' for the title but it came from my left side brain, it sounded ok but still seemed to feel incomplete.

Not being particularly bothered by it, I continued on my merry way assembling... and once the piece came together with the bones in place, looking over at it while making lunch - Radiant Love came to me. It seemed so fitting as the piece has an air of radiance about it.

Almost finished just a few minor touches... I love the fact that the wheel can be turned with the handle, I wish we had sound on blogs because it makes the best sound whilst turning...

A closer shot...

And a side view, showing the spacer and handle...

I just had to share this photo with you, check out those welds!!!

I reckon I'm getting the hang of welding now...

In the making...

This piece has progressively been coming along over the last couple of weeks and yesterday was making day - Far out, I hope the neighbours are still all good... 'cus it was getting preety roudy with all the banging and machinery humming away!

The bones in the image below are made in stoneware clay fired to 1300* in a reduced atmosphere. These bones are going to be set into and around the outside of a steel wheel to protrude outward. The wheel is still on it's shaft and will retain movement, I have set aside an old wooden handle and bolt to weld to the wheel facing outward (verticle) for the action of spinning around.

The steel wheel welded into place, the backing disk seen is a plow disk and set with a spacer in between the two. You can see closely on the wheel the holes drilled for the bones to be set into.

Being a wall piece I had to consider methods for hanging as well as for strength, being steel it has some weight to it. A lucky find amongst my bits was a round rim perfect size and depth. Clamped down ready for welding, two holes were drilled first for the hanging.

The final touches were done today with the handle welded on and the bones set in place, all is looking good....

featured artworks

Those that are familar with my blogging will know that I am somewhat behind the eight ball with this post, but nevertheless I really felt it necessary for the simple reason to acknowledge and thank them for all their support with my work.

The last couple of weeks or so, my assemblages have featured in other blogs sites amongst other very talented artists and it is by chance that I have seen or been contacted via friends to notify me of them. (I do get so caught up in my creative process that I am unable to find headspace to keep up with it all!)

Featured...

Firstly, the above image 'Untitled' featured on fellow Sculptor Barry Smith's blog Rustnstuff for featuring on Tumblr

Secondly, 'All Things Lead to One' and 'House of the Holy : Enlightened Ones' features on Paperponderings friend and owner Fiona Dempster.

Then to my delight 'Safe House' features (with many other very talented artists, I might add) on Art Propelled post 'TOWER, TOWERS, TOWERING'

Spirit Dance

Another piece that was birthed upon distraction! 'Spirit Dance' is it's name, and came creating a whirlwind and translike state within me, as my hands assembled with a sense of total fun, frivolous in nature and with multiple swift movements. Perhaps it's the nature I am adopting with my new found cyber behaviour, of back and forth, one site to another. Who really knows, but do I really care? No! I love it....my mind was off in the ether!

"Spirit Dance"

Hardwood, Rusted; screws, barbed wire and mesh


"Spirit Dance" - Detail

a little different

It's amazing what some new finds can do, to stir the pot of inspiration! These three are from my latest finds from the recycling yard I stumbled upon last week. The second set of stump caps (ant caps) I have come across that were only a set of three, twice in a space of a couple of months.

Already transformed into assembled mini landscape scenes (within the diameter of the cap), almost finished apart from a few additions. This morning it only dawned on me that they are representational of parts of my life. This first image represents my current life; living in the country with starry nights above (although I the stars are yet to be added). City Lights are my foundations; my childhood days of living and growing up in the city still very relevant in my world as I live it and the third Sailing the Seas; sailing this grand sea of life.

'Starry Nights' detail

'Starry Nights'

' City Lights'

'Sailng the Seas'

ABC Recycling World

The other day I stumbled upon this recycling yard, in the most unlikely place but extremely accessable when on my deliveries. It's suituated on the Bribie Road on the left hand side right next to the service station. And ofcourse I just had to do a U-turn when I realised what I had just past....

Age old house stumps, nicely weathered - probably over 100 years old!

Bins full of copper (I know who will like the look of this - B)

Lengths of timber...

These are my finds - small sheets of lead so soft I can bend with my fingers (with gloves of course!), three groovy stump caps, rusty saw blades, bit of weathered mesh strips, bits & bobs...
Most inspiring, I've already got a few things on the go.

Kiln opening

This weekend I had two kilns going on the same day, my large gas and tiny electric. Firing in the large kiln my unearthed ceramics and the electric kiln a small commission and Lotus wares.

Large gas kiln - fired to 1200* unearthed ceramics

I was on excitement overload upon opening both kilns to see that it was a 100% strike rate. A kiln opening for me, can present itself like a smorgasbord full of emotion, waiting in anticipation to see if all is ok.

Top shelf - Four large Pitchers - wheel coil thrown, wheel thrown parts & spouts, assembled and handcarved. Each Pitcher can take up to 4-5 hours just to handcarve depending on design.

Bottom shelf - an assortment wheel thrown and turned, handcarved bowls.
Each bowl pictured can take up to three hours just to handcarve depending on the design.

If you would like to view the finished works visit my website

Exhibition gets a mention...

It's just been brought to my attention, my current exhibit at Studio 4 Gallery 'Deconstruction : Reconstruction ...a journey of intensity' is noted in the on-line Australian Art Collector's - What's On segment with the image of my assemble piece 'House of the Holy : Enlightened Ones', (which I suspect would be a delight for the new owners of the piece).

'House of the Holy : Enlightened Ones' - Clay and Steel

Delivery day...

Works - photographed, packaged and ready to deliver to Abbey Museum tomorrow. Just in the nick of time really, as of Monday 17 Jan through to Saturday 22nd the Abbey Musuem is hosting an Egyptian Family Fun Week - full of fun activities; building Pyramids, digging for Artifacts, Mummifications, Heiroglyphics the list goes on...

Ofcourse, these pieces are for the 'digging for artifacts'

Here (above L>R) a group of wares; Jar with a lid, four Beakers with Heiroglyphics. The larger two Beakers contain Cartouche (royal names) of Ramses II.

Cartouche 1 - (royal names) of Ramses II - 1279 to 1213 BC

Four plates; (two above & two below) designs taken from the Egyptian period.

The plate above right is known as the 'Fish Bowl' - New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, about 1450 B.C (ofcourse this one is a reproduction for the dig!), the original piece is housed in the Egyptian Museum, Berlin.

ALaW 2010 - Alphabet two

I had two spare tiles left over, spares for 'just incase'. When working with clay it pays to make more than is needed, incase you make a mistake, drop or break one unintentionally. I must say it is not an easy task to reproduce another identical tile, the same thickness several months later.

A bit of fun, not sure if I'll use them or not.... could be useful for the final layout.

One more photo to share with you. I particularly like the result of staining the clay made on the plyboard I had them stored on, six months of aging...

ALaW - XYZ

XYZ Techniques....

X - Inlay - with red porcelain slip

Y - Freehand marking - with red porcelain slip inlay

Z - Carving

The image is a tad small to see the detail, you can enlarge it by clicking on the image.

AlaW techniques for XYZ

It was like fast and furious to get all these letters finished today and posted! Seeing the third alphabet for ALaW 2011 starts this Monday. So, simple and sweet to wrap things up.

I chose to use my most favourite piece in this alphabet to finish the last two letters using that technique with clay inlay. It happens to be 'P' -dots created by the pointy end of a stick, well, a pencil really.

X - Inlay with red porcelain slip

Transfered the letter lightly onto the clay tile using the transfer paper, then X marks the spot, dots with the pencil. Filled with red porcelain slip, left to dry a little....

...and once touch dry - fast tracking here (it is usually left to dry then sanded) I've used a turning tool to scrap back the slip to reveal the red porcelain slip clay inlay. I will sand when dry to sharpen up the final result.

Y - Freehand marking with red porcelain slip inlay
All my letters to date have been previously marked onto the clay via transfering paper, this time I've loosened up and drawn the letter Y and border freehand with a pencil deeply imprinting the clay tile. The dots are undertaken the same method as with X; clay slip inlay.

All cleaned up looking like a pink polka dot dress! Although once fired the slip will turn red.

Last but not least Z.... I decided to end my alphabet using the same technique that I started the alphabet with, (with the letter 'A') by method of Carving.

Z - Carving

YAY! All done, now all I have to do is -bisque fire them - glaze them - and fire them to 1300*

Stay posted to see the final result....

ALaW - UVW

UVW Techniques...

U - Woodcut Print - with black underglaze

V - Negative Print - with red porcelain slip

W - Negative carving - with black underglaze (Reverse to V)

ALaW techniques for UVW

My last letters for ALaW 2010, somewhat overdue! 5 weeks to be exact, but who's counting...

U - Woodcut Print with underglaze

I've been at this one to conquer for sometime now, with each attempt amounting to dissapointment. And you could say that it was U that held up progress (plus xmas, new year etc...) to completing my ALaW in time. Not wanting it to get the better of me, I left it until I had optimine time to devote 100% head space to retry.

My adjustments I needed to re-address were (and many);

• The initial carving needed to be deeper, so off to buy real (sharp) woodcut tools!
• Always remember to carve your letter backwards, just as well the first attempt was a fizzer (and on a test tile).
• Re-adjust the thinking to clay and not paper as in the workshop, of course Kim...this should have been your first thought, huh.
• Using black underglaze (not ink) resulted in different tackiness, well no tackiness at all actually. Hence the printing ink roller was not suitable, out with the sponge roller, a test run, and wolla, yay, as easy as that!

The techniques for the next two letters are taken from this idea of the woodcut print process, minus or adding some steps to suit the clay.

V - Negative Print with red porcelain slip

Instead of carving into wood I've carved deeply and directly into the clay with a carving tool. Then with a sponge roller loaded with red porcleain slip, I've rolled over the clay tile to print a negative letter V. Being careful not to get any slip into the carved letter, as in the ink printing method.

W - Negative carving with black underglaze

Reverse to V - Instead of carving the letter first I carved it last. Using the sponge roller again, this time loaded with black underglaze I've rolled over the whole tile completely covering it with black. When touch dry I've transfered the letter W into the clay tile (gently) to make an imprint, then carved the letter and border.