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

new studio!

Aaaah, smell the potential, feel the sunshine, look at the shiny new floor! Welcome to my new Daylesford Studio of Happy! And by 'my' deep down I really mean 'ours' but I am being overexcited and greedy. Kent can have that corner over there somewhere. We have a super lushy view out onto our huge grassy garden, with rosmary planted over to the left, and bamboo over to the right (you can't see these in the photo though). There is also a stripey outdoor blind, just like in a story book, that is all awesome. Can't wait to get my desk in there and start making shit! Woot!'

are you a man? or are you a mouse?

It sure feels good to be composing again! I love it when components of the craziness that is the contents of my (makeshift) desk, come together in a happy (or bizarre) harmony. I swear those chicken legs were made for that woman. No comment on the lasers.


See? I am amazed that anything comes out of these piles upon piles. The other night I had a dream where I opened a store where I sold collage material by weight. What an omen - a divine one at that.

x

what I do on rainy days

Apart from mooching, drinking giant cups of coffee and regular sized cups of tea, cleaning, and eating, I sometimes do some art stuff. On Sunday I bought a pile of old photos from the market, and have slowly been sifting through and Disecting them bit by bit. So far it seems to be a pretty pink project ...


Yeah, yeah, I am still working on the photography part of this! Please understand that in my flat I currently have nowhere to hang anything! We have two precarious nails in one wall (see last pic!) reserved for extra awesome finished work.


A view of my studio (which is really the kitchen)



And the awesome string gallery. I've been working on some paper flags out of my bird-book offcuts, that will (hopefully) eventually make it outside. For now, they go in the string gallery. Until tomorrow! (Do you like how I wrote tomorrow, as if I will have something to post? I actually don't have anything to post, but I am hoping that by writing it, I will have to make it come true.)

x

desk-plosions!

my studio is OUT OF CONTROL. I can barely find space to work with all the imploding books.

work in progress

it's all been a bit crazy lately, as you can probably tell by my desk... hopefully some more work soon though! until then, xx for now!