Lost Aussie on the loose

Being Constructive

There are times when creating  digital or paper art just doesn't float my boat.  And today was one of them.  I really felt like "making" something.  All the fabric and sewing stuff is packed but after hitting upon some interesting links during my morning blog surf, the idea of a little "tool time" seemed very appealing. (Of course it could have been the primal urge to cut, hammer and tie something very tightly - after yet ANOTHER volley of emails and crossed communictions from the RE-Lo company.Ugh)
Anyway, inspired by some "impulse" or other, a funky beaded charm bracelet was born.  The finished piece is nice and chunky and quite jingly.

Monochromatic

This is my piece for the weekly challenge over at Inspire Me Thursday.  The theme is monochromatic which suits me just fine, playing with the textures and layers of an image can be just as powerful as working with colour.

Exquisite Vision

The title of tonight's digital composition - "Exquisite Vision".  The lovely ladies at the base of the piece have been somewhat artfully airbrushed in deferrence to my sons who often view the blog courtesty of their school server.

And..as promised, a pic of one of the walls in my studio that awaits packing attention.  Seven shelves on a 17' wall that in days to come will get the bubble wrap and scotch tape treatment.  I am almost embarassed to say that this represents barely a tenth of the rubber stamps that I own.  No mean feat considering that I bought my first stamp barely five years ago and that was the beginning of my foray into the artworld as I know it today....some journey!!

Tiny Dancer

This is another one of the smaller canvases that I was working on earlier this week.  They are a fun format and I will have to see about finding some more.

Behind the scenes I have been making a vague attempt at de-toxing cupboards.  All a fair excuse for NOT doing the major chore that faces me in the coming days - which is packing the studio - at least to a level acceptable to the movers.  I'll take some pics and post them tomorrow to give you an idea of what I mean.

Playin' A Little Hookie

In between another volley of paperwork from ALL the protagonists in the House Sale saga (blerk - don't ask) and hauling boxes down from the attic, DH and I managed a swansong trip to the Blue Mountains yesterday, and today we made a farewell trip down South Street - home of the dubious few 'junque' stores in Charlotte.

We erroneously believed that yesterday's sunshine would translate to the same weather a few hours further north, but were greeted instead by gray skies and snowflurries that left us feeling pretty chilly and skipping up and down the small town streets of Saluda and Black Mountain, rather than the leisurely strolling we had envisaged.  Nevertheless, we managed some nice browsing in a few antique book and junk stores.

Today the weather was not an issue - time more so - still, three stops netted some neat finds and despite being very restrained (given moving mode) I felt pleased with the different pieces of ephemera that came home with us, including a very funky wooden rack that came out of an old shoe factory and which will enjoy a re-lease on life in our new home.

While we were shopping at my favourite junk shop in Black Mountain I managed to pick up quite a few neat old photos.  The lady who checked me out was lamenting about the fact that some person's very cherished old family pictures should come to such a sad end, dissassembled and floating around in a dirty old basket....I was pleased to reassure her that my generous pickings from the stack of anonymous ancestors would render them anything but unloved...more likely that they would find their way towards rejuvenation as a rubber stamp design or a work of art...
Re-cycling at it's best!!

Illio Friday - Monster

I prefer my Monsters well contained...

Happy Illustration Friday!!

Art Frenzy

As is usual, (when most people would be packing up the studio and getting ready to move in two weeks), I have been making mountains of mess and being wildly productive.  Urged on to the tunes of a great new CD that arrived from Amazon, My Generation V2 and a Target special,James Blunt, I have been experimenting with paint, paper and much other schtuff!
I blame it all on CollageCat Mamma Carla, who beguiled me in her dulcet suthern tones the other day..."to go get some itty bitty canvases hunney..." - and so being the good obedient friend, off I went in search. Of course I get to the art supply store and find they only have a few 4x4 canvases in stock.  So I bought those and in order to not be written off the 'friends list' I bought some 5x5's for good measure as well.  (Turns out their prices are even cheaper than Dick Blick..quelle horreure!!)

Anyway, ALL the canvases I bought have been consumed.  I got a hairball at about 3:30pm this afternoon and decided that the 4x4's seemed small and lonely and spent the rest of the afternoon cutting up some chair rail - which just happened to by lying around in the garage (imagine that?) and made frames for a few of the pieces that seemed to need it.  The others are good to go without.

Below is one of the pieces, pics of the rest will wait for a camera day as they are not scan material.

If you are interested in purchasing this piece, please email me.

Seen in Cloth Paper Scissors

.....Happy dancing or what?  I tripped down to the mailbox today (yes, in the daylight this time) to find an advance copy of Cloth Paper Scissors  waiting for me.  Amongst all the other delightful contributions there is a fabulous feature on a wonderful round robin project that I participated in last year.  It was hosted by my friend Sylvia Luna and started with a blank 22" x 30" canvas which a rotation of 10 artists worked on.  A detailed write up of the project can be found in the CPS Summer 2006, Issue 7.  Above is a teensy peek at my finished canvas which can be seen in all it's glory in my home AND in brilliant colour on page 43. 
My thanks to all the other artists who contibuted to this very cherished piece.

The Luxury of Quiet

I think there is one more home raid (of the inspector kind) due on the house tomorrow.  It may or may not happen as winter seems to have crawled back into this spot on the planet and tonight it is pouring with rain and very very cold outside.  The cats have been peeking their heads around the back door all night and retreating in disgust at the chill wet wind that blows in.  I think they are hanging out to head up to bed - sneaky creatures that pepper the bedspread when they know that DH is not home!

I finally remembered to go and collect the mail at about 1:30am (sure to please the neighbours) and to my delight there was a package from my blog buddy Bridgette.  I have tried several times to gain one of her pieces on Ebay and was tickled pink to be the winning bidder this time.  It's a 4"x4" oil on canvas entitled "Winter Song" and is quite delightful. 

Ok...really really time for bed now - otherwise I will be operating on 'downuder time' all over again.
Ciao.

Techno Heaven

This weekend, inbetween real estate and taxes, my birthday present from DH finally made it out of the box.  My brand new smokin' hot Dell PC, complete with 20" monitor, several Gigs of RAM and a processor that is lightening fast....

Of course the idea was that I would give up my "other"  big monitor and box and just keep the one system going...but.....weellll....um..."honey...I kindof like them as a pair!!"  And anyway, two just makes multi-tasking soooo much easier!!

Now comes the task of setting the files and drivers up on the new one.  I've already installed some 1000 fonts, many gigs of graphic files and got my new version of PS-CS2 up and running like a fast train from Paris!!
Humming....I'm in heaven....
(nevermind that it will have to all go back in a box in three weeks time...) I'm living in the moment!