negative space

This post is long over due!  While in the flurry of all my activities in the last few months although all so very exciting, the down side was it left me very little quality time for blogging.  The things I really wanted to blog about just had to be put aside - filed for a later date...

In the process of making artworks for my recent solo show and working with words gave me an opportunity to explore a few new techniques - Waterjet Cutting and negative space.   After doing the ring around I found Steve Powell at Caloundra Waterjet Cutting.  Steve was extremely helpful, we discussed my idea of creating a negative space with two chosen words (from my list) one on each of two vintage kitchen utensils.  Steve proceeded to show me samples in his office/showroom and explained how it was do'able - woohoo, to easy!

Some photgraphs of samples showcased in the display room...

This steel by memory was over one inch thick!

When I rocked up Steve was working on a project, I was so intrigued Steve showed me around his workshop and explained how the waterjet machine operated.

Amazing and inspiring!  This steel is a lot thicker than it looks, and it was cutting it like butter.

More samples cut in different materials - top 'cog' and 'bicycle' below both in marble, showcasing the extremes which are achievable.   The Cog is chunky, about one inch thick (perhaps a little thicker) and around 4 to 5 inches high whereas the bicycle is approx. 3 to 4 inches high and very delicate.

A Kokopelli mobile - very delicate and each section moves.  Steve has an keen interest in Kinetics and an artistic flair with his work (see in his gallery ) I knew I had found the right man for the job!

And the results - my vintage kitchen utensils (apologies for the poor quality image tis the only photo I have of them at this stage), to complete the works each utensil was mounted on a separate rectangle piece of 10mm (approx.) thick white plexiglass.

Post Festival

Well I can certainly say that this year had to be the biggest Medieval Festival on record! We had a few odd showers of rain, not enough to dampen the mood of the crowds, if anything it added an ambience to the day.

I didn't really have chance to get away from my stall for long to take alot of photographs however I managed to get in a few around me in the market place....

Hand carved wooden Chess Set in the Viking encampment.

Me and my medieval pottery stall.

Fair ladies stop by,

Furs and more furs, Jack the Medieval Furrier's stall.

Ladies Felting demonstrations.

Flaming Gargoyle Pottery by Alexander de Vos.

The Hurdy Gurdy girls delight us with their tunes.

Paul Dolphin (aca Rowan) and Lesley Porter (aca Fern), the Wandering Welsh Weavers of the 12th Century stop by for a chat.

And lookie here, a familar face in the crowd, good buddy Jo Murray stops for a chin wag and photo.  A must see more awesome medieval photographs taken by Jo on her blog

And fellow friend Vicki calls in to say hi.

As always, its a trill to be involved in such an exciting, action packed, successful event - the Abbey Musuem's Medieval Festival is going from strength to strength each and every year!

all set up!

Only one more sleep to go! The Abbey Medieval Festival kicks off tomorrow and is renowned for being the biggest and most authentic medieval event in Australia!  To create such an authentic ambience setting up camp has become a huge affair, so many tents and things are needed Friday has become 'bump in' day for most of the marketeer stalls while the re-enactment camps start to set-up earlier in the week.  I managed to take in a few photographs before my battery died in the camera, luckily it died today and not tomorrow, how disappointing that would have been with all the activities happening!



A bit of a zephr blowing today.

Loads of tents going up!

Nice looking campsite.

Gypsy Wagon.

Horn drinking cups.

Colourful balls handmade with string.

Puppet hanging in the gypsy encampment.

The camera's on charge - I hope to take more photographs over the weekend...

Kids Medieval Fun Day

Yesterday was the kiddies chance to enjoy a medieval experience! A week full of medieval festivities are hosted by the Abbey Musuem in the lead up to the Abbey Medieval Festival - one of them being the Kids Medieval Fun Day a feast of medieval activites all day.  The kids literally poured through the gates at 9am and by 9.15am the Camel Ride line up was massive! 

Sir Gabriel ready for battle (photograph with permission by Mum & Dad)

To my delight the Medival Pottery was the first workshop fully booked out!  My tent all ready to go... four sessions, in four hours, 20 participants in each session, the calm before the storm (just before the gates were to open) and the other tents in the distance spread far and wide.

Above, in the background coil pots line up and two young Fair Maidens busy building their pots, and below a young Squire boasts his masterpiece!  Certainly a 'fun day' was had by all. 

Now wind back the clocks - 600AD to 1600AD ...next on the agenda is the adult's turn for some medieval fun!  This coming weekend Sat 7th & 8th July, 2012 a bustling Abbeystowe comes alive for an authentic medieval experience!

closing ceremony

This morning I installed 90 plus metres of press dried, pink painted, heart shaped leaves for Treeline's closing ceremony.  

The last few weeks, I've been collecting, cutting, painting, drying and pressing 700 Macaranga leaves and the last few days I've been stringing them onto 76 x 1.2mtr lengths (in my spare time and inbetween my recent solo exhibition!) I had hoped to do a few posts in the lead up to the event, unfortunately, I literally ran out time and puff - clearly being over 40 is starting to catch up on me!

Of course, installing over ninety metres resulted in a lot of photos...

Looking fresh for an early start to the day.

Cascading down and over the rocks. (top & below)

Distancing into the courtyard beyond.

Help arrives! Jo Burnett drops in with Lucy and Charlie to lend a hand, only 60 or so metres to go!

...and through the Viola.

..then outside near the entrance - all hands on deck!  Charlie placing rocks inbetween the string to weight them down, in the distance; Jo and Lucy sorting the leaves for me.

around the bend,

..and down the drive - with a few strands left over I took them back up and around the corner creating a colourful display.

A few shots behind the scenes in prep'ing the leaves...

 About four full wheel barrow loads yielded the 700 leaves.

Each leaf had to be shaped,

stored ready for painting.

And painted with a spray gun.  To hard to resist - a little squirt on each boot :-)

The negative space looked pretty kool!