whimsy thinking and carrot soup

Hello All!

You might be wondering (or not) where I've been the past week, and here I am to tell you. In between starting a new job as a PR assistant, having True Blood marathons on the couch (it's winter, give me a break!), inventing new soups with whatever's left in the fridge (today's soup is carrot, celery and lentil - I'll let you know how it goes), I have been THINKING.

What is this 'thinking' you speak of? Well, it is a vague and elusive temptress, that's for sure, very difficult to grasp. As you might already know, I spent the last 18 months specifically not exhibiting my work (a couple of shows slipped in the cracks accidentally, but it happens). Well, when I finished my honours degree in 2009, I was so mind-fucked that I wasn't sure I ever wanted to exhibit again ever ever. The system of financial support in Australia for art making is so shitty that I got cranky with the whole thing (which I create a whole new blog about). So I just kept my head down and got stuck into my version of bedroom art, and worked a 'meh' job, in an effort not to starve.

So in the last few months, now that I live in a bigger place with room for my desk (bless it's crusty old soul), and a little more time on my hands, I have started to think again. It's nice. I've been thinking about my work, and where it sits in context with this sphere of contemporary art practice in Australia. I still don't know - I told you I was thinking, not writing a Phd, ok? This led to some idle ideas of maybe trying to get some exhibitions after all. Maybe give myself a bit of a productivity kick in the bum.

So, maybe this is a good thing. Just from my 'thinking' I've been invited to be in a group show in August in Sydney, as part of the Design Festival (all will be revealed soon), a solo show in September (all will be revealed soon-ish) and an invitation for a project show at a prominent commercial gallery in Melbourne for 2012 (where THAT came from?) - details to come.

So all in all, I have decided that so far, perhaps thinking is actually rather productive. Who knew?

In the meantime, stay tuned for exhibition dates and sneak previews of works!

x

The other side

Ok, so I know what it looks like: I have a thing for fish. And cats. But it's not that I swear! Or is it? Hmmm. All I know is that there is a whole lotta colour and pattern going on here, and I like it.

Content aside. Not my fault that this cat is clearly a greedy mofo.

I really shouldn't have said anything - the more I write, the closer I become to being that crazy cat lady who sits in her room all day cutting out pictures of fish for her pretend paper cat to eat while singing folk music way too loud. 

Oh god, it has already happened. 

And some closeups for your sweet selves. Click on the images if you want to see even closer - this work is 76 x 100 cm on the crispiest fabriano tiepolo paper you ever saw (can you tell I went shopping this week?) - mmm, large!

Tomorrow? Maybe back to birds ...

x

golden afternoon

Who am I kidding? It's fricken freezing out here. I woke up this morning and the whole street was shrouded in thick mist - couldn't even see the house over the road - true story! It was pretty awesome actually. Mmm ... missssst. Still can't get past that tree out the back - so mesmerising to draw! This piece goes with that series I seem to be developing, which you can see here (if you like).

x

golden trees

and a very good day to you sir.

x

More schtuff.

I know I know - its all been a bit heavy on the 'here is some work that is now in a frame!!!!' lately, and not enough 'here is some NEW work, but I just can't help myself. There is something so luscious about a framed piece, like putting the finishing touches on it. And look: shiny.

Apologies for the crappy image - I will try harder next time!

x

Laying down the law

Hello all! Here are some pictures of my work hanging in the Media Arts Lawyers (check out their website - it's awesome!) offices in Melbourne. Cool no? The lovely Romani Benjamin hung them for me, and don't they just look super cute? It's nice to have work in an unconventional place as opposed to the white cube. Loving their wooden in-trays too. Mmm. Gotta get me some of those!

And hey, if you're thinking you need some kind of law-like legal services, especially if your in the music/entertainment biz, these guys can sort you out.

x

Aqualung

After months of cutting, here's a large scale work for your viewing pleasure, just finished! It is so strange, this work is approximately 75 x 55 cm (quite massive for me, compared with my usual 10 x 15 cm type works), but just doesn't feel big! Not enough fish? Maybe.

I brought these fish back from Berlin (and have been painstakingly cutting them out for the last 2 months), so it's nice to be able to use them at last! I made this work with a friend in mind, who was keen to have a 'kitty explosion' for a new album cover - so we'll see how he finds it!

x

Garden View

This morning I woke up with that feeling of nothing to do. I mean, don't get me wrong, there is heaps I could do, but I have nothing to do that needs to be done today. No jobs, no workplace to go to. It is most unsettling. I know I should then do the dishes, wash my linen, apply for grants and shows, do a yoga session ... but all I can seem to do is stare out the window.

There is this is the tree that sits in the 'no man's land' between my back yard and the next door neighbours. See, the neighbours own our house, and in an effort to create a sound barrier, fenced off about 3 x 10 metres of (our) yard. There is a gorgeous tree in the middle, with remnants of a tree house flaking away on it. For now I am just content drawing it, but come spring, I will definitely be climbing over that fence!

You know, if you want to see the images in more detail, you can give them a hearty click.

x

Cupcakes!

You may or may not know this about me, but I make cupcakes sometimes. And without wishing to toot my own horn too hard, they are pretty awesome. (Ok I totally toot my own horn.) Anyway, people are always asking me for the recipe, so HERE IT IS!!! My secret is revealed: these cupcakes are EASY!!!

This recipe requires NO sifting, NO egg separating, and NO other stupid stuff. Woot!
 

You can also make this one dairy free if you wish – just use nuttlex and soy milk (bonsoy is best for cooking) in place of butter and milk-milk (you know what I mean by milk-milk?). 

Only 5 ingredients! (yes that bluey white mountain is supposed to be self-raising flour, 

and the pinky white mountain is sugar.)

You will need:

120g softened butter

¾ cup caster sugar (regular white sugar is fine too)

1½ cups self-raising flour

½ cup of milk

2 eggs

Mini-muffin patty-pans and mini-muffin trays (if you have no muffin trays, don't fret - your cakes might come out a little flatter and less boing-y - they will still taste AWESOME.)

This recipe works just fine for regular sized cupcakes too – but they’re not as cute, and can become overwhelming to eat. (Isn’t it more fun to eat 5 little cakes than a few bigguns?)

What to do (here’s where it gets awesome):

1. Preheat your oven to 180˚C (I use a gas oven, you may need to adjust according to your oven’s power.)
2. Put all the ingredients in a bowl.
3. Beat said ingredients with electric beaters (wooden spoon, food processor –

    choose your weapon) until smooth and pale.

4. Put approx 1 teaspoon of mix into each patty-pan (if making mini size - if you are making regular size, a large desert spoon of mixture will do the trick) and bake for approx 20-30 minutes or until golden brown OR until a skewer comes out clean when poked in a cake.
5. Transfer onto a wire rack to cool. 

 

Just THROW it all in a bowl! It will make the cake mix happy!

(No, that isn't a vanilla bean in there, just a cartoon mouth.)

Do not add any ingredient that looks like the mouth in this picture, such as coffee beans, chocolates, sultanas. 

 Don't worry, the cake mix won't really get sad if you put the beaters in, this was just for dramatic effect.

Secret tips!!!

- I actually never really time my cakes! I know that is bad, but to be honest, they best way to tell is often through smell, and then by the way they look. If you are lying on the couch reading a magazine and you can smell some pretty sweet baking smells, then go and check out your cakes! If you have a terrible sense of smell, then please do not take this advice!

- If they look golden brown and slightly crispy, then they are probably ready! I always skewer one or two to make sure.

- Do NOT constantly open the oven to check on your cakes. They are FINE. If you are desparate to see what is happening, then perhaps look through the window of the oven door. I open the oven twice at most - if you open the oven too many times, cold air gets in and can KILL your cakes! Then you end up with these little rocks that are filled with raw cake mix in the centre (as I had a couple of weeks ago) and it is very sad. 

- Makes about 40 weenie cup cakes, or around 20 regular sized ones. I own one mini-muffin tray, and one regular sized one, so I bake a set of each - 24 minis to about 11 regular sized ones. They can cook together, but your mini cakes will take less time to cook, so be sure to keep an eye on them.

These cakes can be frozen for about month if you wish to ice them at a later date.

You wanna ice those suckers too? Ok! 

This cream cheese icing is really intended for carrot cakes. But it tastes soooooo good, I’ll pretty much slather it on anything. You can also just follow the ol’ classic icing sugar, butter and vanilla essence schtick, which works quite well too.

You will need:

Approx 30g softened butter

Approx 1 cup icing sugar

Approx 60g cream cheese or mascarpone

A few drops of vanilla essence or extract

What to do:

1. Combine (e.g. smooth and creamy). I usually use a bar mix, but a dessert spoon does a good job too.
2. If you manage to not eat the icing in situ, spread evenly over the cakes with a butter knife (it can be nice to try out some swirly motions with your knife) and if you're feeling feisty, why not decorate with some sprinkles, frosted flowers, smarties, etc. If you're feeling really wild, add a drop of food colouring to the the icing (not green - nobody wants to eat a green cupcake.)
   

 

These can be eaten straight away, refrigerated for about a week, or frozen for about 14 years. If icing isn’t your thing, these cakes taste amazing with cream and jam, or even on their own, fresh from the oven. Oooh yeah!

 

And then, YUMMY!!!

xx

city lights and foggy nights

Yes, that truly was the daggiest post title I could think of. But it is also true! There have been city lights! And foggy nights! You will see why!

 Vertigo from the 37th floor.

This week I trotted down to Melbourne to do some editing work and see the opening of Kent's show at the Sofitel hotel in Collins street (fancy shit! It's on until 30 July, so really there is no excuse to not see it if you're in Melbourne). The gracious folks at the Sofitel put us up for the night in a schmick-o suite (I KNOW) complete with a pillow menu, truffles and a bottle of champagne. WOWSERS. I couldn't believe my good fortune (apart from the sheer luck of being married to the artist and all). The opening was lovely, and Kent sold the last work to a good friend (so we get to visit it - yippee!) which was fantastic.

After swanning around drinking (far too much) champagne, catching up with friends we don't see enough, we crawled our sorry arses into the feathery goodness of bed. Note to self: when that intoxicated, trying to read Harry Potter in an attempt to sober up will not work.

We are now back home, and after a morning of blueberry pancakes and bacon with some friends, have spent the afternoon hanging art in our new home. I have always been far too scared to nail into a rental wall, but we decided to go 'fuck it. Our walls need art!' And oooh they look so fine! I am so stoked to finally have some pieces up, and it has also brought to our attention that we sadly STILL need to get some worked framed (by Amélie Scalercio, Michelle Neal, Tai Snaith and Romani Benjamin). However in the meantime, we have a few pieces of our own up, as well as some gorgeous work by Rachel Rose-Dillon, Tai Snaith, and Carl Scrase. Woo hoo!

Rachel's gorgeous plates that I managed to win in an art swap, for this and this.

They look even better now that they are not wrapped in paper and sitting in a bag. Thanks Rach!

Two works I made while in Berlin, I got framed in order to 'try' and sell them. 

A task I have sort of forgotton about for the time being. Oh well. 

To the left we have a collage by Carl, given to us as a wedding present (thanks Carlos!) centre work is by Tai (procured 

through another swap, you can see a close-up here), and up on the right is my blog banner!

And as you can plainly see, I managed to stay in my studio long enough this afternoon to make a mess, but not actually make any art. My hand got tired! One must be careful you know. Ok, I should probably stop procrastinating and go and finish what I started. Oh yes, and the reference to the foggy nights was regarding the misty evenings we have been having here in the hills. Delicious!

Now, back to the drawing board, so to speak.

x

tis the season to freeze yer ass off

Well there you have it - official evidence to show that yes indeed, it snowed last night. I know all you Northern Hemisphere folk will have a giggle at my expense - go ahead! I don't care! This counts as snow!!! So much so that when I finally dragged my sorry self out of bed this morning (Sooooo cold. Doona ... soooo warm.) I actually scampered outside in my pyjamas to check.

This is the house across the street from us. I feel a little bit bad - I seem to take a lot of photos of this house - it is a bit like Willy Wonka's factory. Nobody ever goes in. Nobody ever goes out. I think ghosts might live in there. But I haven't seen any. Yet.

Yep, Betty the Soob got quite an ice smattering. It's all in good fun though - it would be nice if we got enough to make a snowball or two though. I need to get myself one of those sleeping bag jackets, so that I don't completely freeze in the studio. At the moment it's hot water bottles and blankets.

And don't forget an abundance of hot chocolates too.

xx

getting my gouache on

Here's a little mock-up of an invite I made for a cards smackdown at my new abode. Seems quite appropriate really, seeing as it actually SNOWED today. I was most disturbed. And also very excited. I have never lived anywhere where it snowed before. Unfortunately the snowing experience was not nearly as pretty as my winter wonderland snowflakes. More like soggy petals. There was some exciting sleet and hail to go with it - sleet seems so British, don't you think? I thought it only ever sleeted in Britain. Is sleeted even a word? Anyway, it sleeted all over the shop today.

I have been completely addicted to gouache lately, which is quite nice. Don't you worry though, I have some collage-y goodness well in the works! In the meantime, here is another preview of my baking type paintings. It is rather silly. Can you tell that I don't drink melk, I mean milk (Freudian slip there?) ... hmmm. 

Man, I could go some melk right now. 

xx

cook-up

I thought I'd slip in a sneak-preview of what's coming ... this is one of my most favourite kitchen items EVER, or at least 1 of. It comes from a set of 4 measuring cups of gorgeous-geesey-goodness. These little fellas (or chickies ... what's a man goose look like anyway? And what is he called?) are original 1950s/60s cups, made from that indestructible plastic that just doesn't break (no matter how hard you seem to accidentally fling it onto a the lino.)

I bought these cups years ago from the chapel st bazaar (when it still was reasonably affordable) - before I even moved out of home. I may have a domesticity addiction. I'm not ashamed. 


If you do not own novelty measuring cups, then I strongly suggest you start scouring bazaars, markets and online to secure yourself some. Because what's the fun of baking if you don't have comical yet functional tools?

xx

Sunny country days

This weekend I had my folks come and visit my new home in Daylesford. In exchange for having them over for the night, they whisked us around town, exploring all kinds of delights. The day started with an amazing breakfast at Breakfast and Beer where I sampled some of the sweetest and fluffiest corn fritters I've ever had - this place reminded me of Birdman Eating in Fitzroy, in terms of delicious fresh food that's a little bit special, with a hint of that lovely crusty decor adopted by Borsch Vodka and Tears (i miss you guys!). This was followed by a stroll through the farmer's market (collecting home made chutneys and cookies along the way) with a stop off at the gorgeous Daylesford Makers Market, carrying some excellent brownies and gorgeous products to boot.

Oh and then we swanned over to Lark's (if you're into all things baking, tuppaware and polka dots, I strongly recommend this store - cute as a button!) garage sale, where I managed to pick up a knee high stack of girl's own annuals for FREE, which prompted this irresistible appropriation:

Weren't the fifties grand? I felt it was my duty to tribute Lark for their generosity (and what better way to do that then though a cute pink apron and a cupcake?) - thanks Lark! 

And speaking of cupcakes, stay tuned for my ultimate (and easy!) cupcake recipe that will be added shortly - it will knock your socks off. Or possibly make you fat. Either way, something exciting is bound to happen. 

x

bessie