Snap happy

With the closing of the big project (Material World as previously discussed) and things quietish on the wedding front, I have been doing nothing much more than walking, collecting, looking, and snap, snap snapping pics as I have finally become a convert of instagram. 

I have stopped carrying my camera around with me every day. I have started snapping at every tiny little detail of awesomeness I stumble across. As well as the fairly ordinary. I have read up on how to improve your mobile phone photography. I have joined someone elses' photo a day challenge, which is really no challenge at all as I take rather a lot more than one a day.

As you'd notice from some of the pictures, I have been stealing a few moments to work on small (read: achievable) projects - a new scarf for winter, some multi purpose pom poms, and knotted jute pot hangers. All will become crystal clear when they are used for future projects - rePIN and The Great Gallery Garden.

Also as evidenced in the pictures, we stole away from Canberra (to Lake Crackenback in the Snowy Mountains) to enjoy some of the beautiful autumn sun...I am relying on those golden, kodachrome coloured memories to sustain me through the grey which is just around the corner!

Enjoy the last autumn leaves...

XNarelle

the day after the night before...Material World from go to whoa

As previously mentioned, last night was the official (but casual!) opening of Material World, an exhibition that Martine Peters and I have been co-curating for a good few months now. Its full title was Material World - extraordinary environments made from ordinary things. Spectacular large scale art works, wonderful artists and a nice grass rootsy feel opening which ended with a candle lit gallery when we switched off the lights to observe Earth Hour. 

The artists were - 

Ampersand Duck

Tracey Deep

Mandy Gunn

Ruth Hingston

Ro Murray

Flossie Peitsch

Tony Steel

Fiona Veikkanen

 

This is pretty much a photo essay of the exhibition from go to whoa...

 

There was wine (thank you Casella Wines), there was cheese (Martine's cousin), there were candles (Malinda - Doobie Designs), chilled music (Tim's band) and we even got flowers, from the lovely Tracey Deep (gush...one of my floral design heroes)!

Here's how it unfolds...

 

 talk a bit...(Narelle and Tony)

 

 get up the ladder...down the ladder...repeat...(Caren aka Ampersand Duck)

 measure...(Tony, Martine and Tracey)

 prune to make room for art...(Ruth)

 

 document...(Tony)

 

 detail shots: Tony Steel, 'Terra Firma', mud, sticks and grass, wire, twine.

 

 detail shot: Ro Murray, Blue Gold II, poly water pipe, cable ties.

 

 gallery view 1

 gallery view 2

 

Mandy Gunn, Scroll, woven recycled paper, thread. 

 

 detail shot: as above.

 Tracey Deep, Eucalyptus. Eucalyptus branches.

Fiona Veikkanen, Sag Bag, reclaimed leather, foam, plastics, metal and rope.

 

 detail shot: as above

 detail shots: Flossie Peitsch, 'G' is for Gallery, found plastic letters

 Ampersand Duck, Shelf Life, altered vintage books.

 detail shot: as above

 

 Ruth Hingston, Cold Wash, Line Dry. Reclaimed packing and plastics.

invite a crowd....

 

switch off lights...

 

survey the damage!

What fun!

XNP

P.S Here's what I wrote in the intro of the mini catalogue...in case you have a longer attention span than just pictures...

"Developing Material World has been an engaging learning curve and an absolute pleasure.

When confronted with the prosaic and pristine physicality of the gallery space, each artist responded with their own highly sensory creation. Presented with the premise of environmental awareness and the challenge to work sustainably, the artists have seized the opportunity to remind us of the responsible use of energy and technology, the need to recycle, reuse, reforest and above all, to respect.

Tactile and curious, obscure and fanciful - these constructed environments are at once comfortable and peculiar. The use of familiar, found and repurposed materials draws us into their tableaux so that we, the audience become part of their ponderings. We do this by wandering through and around the installations, by casting our gaze upwards to the unattainable, by passing under the washing line and by participating in a virtual, collective commentary. 

We hope you enjoy exploring these extraordinary environments made from ordinary things."

bits and pieces of yellow

Sometimes I seem to suffer from colour blocks - not sure if that term adequately describes it, a sort of pre-occupation with a particular colour where I start to notice it everywhere, use it and wear it...it is happening to me now with yellow...which I am finding a bit strange as a few weeks ago, I didn't really love yellow. There you have it...

 working outside on a table while yellow leaves fell from the tree may have acutally been the start...

 

here are some recent paste-ups in Civic, mostly by byrd I think. My first thought..."that wall is the same colour as my badge"

 

bits and pieces of yellow...badge (from recycled book cover) by Ampersand Duck, and retro plastic beads. I nearly bought yellow tights today but I restrained myself...I am thinking instead of a way to upcycle a bright golden yellow knitted woollen jumper given to one of my grandparents when it was their golden wedding anniversary.

even Lake Jindabyne had a sunny yellow glint to it when we stopped in on the way back from a wedding delivery.

This was the inspiration...a delivery of big bundles of lichen covered branches, the type you see in the bush around the Snowy Mountains

 that was the result...

Next post: Material World...the day after

XNarelle

Blown away by Bob and art

Yesterday I attended a lecture at the School of Art  ArtForum, ( as a ring-in) by Senator Bob Brown, on Environment and Art. 

Wow.

If you ever get the chance to hear him speak take it - rather than being preachy, overly political and doom and gloom, it was inspiring, gentle and encouraging. Positive. The overall message was to stop, look around, appreciate the amazing things on the planet everyday, to respond to them creatively and to turn that love and appreciation into respect and therefore, logically into conservation.

I have a few environmental heroes, but I think Senator Brown has just usurped them all for the moment. I was speechless, and so not too many more words on this blog post!

However...I managed to take his advice and get out into the world to see some amazing things - not the Tasmanian Wilderness unfortunately, but the Petite Public Art tucked in and hidden around Civic as part of the YOU ARE HERE festival.

 http://youareherecanberra.com.au/program/

 funky funghi by Jonathan Webster

 trademark crystals by Al Munro

 cheeky snails by Fiona and Adam Veikkanen

 something to give flight to your dreams, by Jacqueline Bradley

 It was great. I missed some stuff as I my parking meter was a-ticking but it was well worth the wander. You should check it out. Then head to the wilderness.

XNarelle