The Glass Garden

Here you go, for my interstate and international lovelies who couldn't make it, some pics of the glass garden.

But if you are in town, there's still time! Show runs until the 5th of September.

Was a great opening night, stacks of people. Family, friends and free booze lovers.

What's that you spy? Some little red dots? Little red dots = sales! Sweet, sweet sales! Momma needs a brand new pair of everything!

buck up tiger

Its official.

I had exhibition come down.

But its ok im nearly through it now. It takes alot of energy to be an artist I think and really commit to it. Takes up a lot of head space, but mostly I feel like it's energy. You gotta be on it in so many ways and there is no one else thats gonna do it for you. You gots to hustle the work, you gots to design the work, you gots to make the work, you gots to pay the rent yo. So I guess its not a surprise that sometimes (and I think its when you stop or slow down that this happens) the dread sets in....

oh the negativity that the dred brings with it! oh, i have so much debt! oh, my body hurts! oh, i have no clams! oh, why am i doing this, why didnt i choose some officey job that pays a decent wage?

why? I'll tell ya why.

Because I freakin' L.O.V.E it.

thats why.

It's the truth. (why else would anyone work in a billion degree heat?) and sometimes the wheels fall off and sometimes you lose your way, but you know what its just like handsel and gretel. just leave yourself a little trail (i prefer to use musk sticks) and you will always find your way back. sketches, photos, friends, these all help. because even though you are the one who's gotta get it all done there is always someone there who can help, or at least make you a cup of tea. so buck up tiger, life, she aint so bad.

well thats what im tryin to tell myself anyway........

i feel a new list coming on....

ode to the business duck

Konichiwa friends! meet "the business duck". Well thats what me and the b-train called him. He's the guy you see at train stations telling you how much you should pay. What are we going to do? Don't worry the business duck will tell us what to do! Public transport, by the way, is awesome in Japan. What you do is just but the cheapest ticket possible, even if you don't know where you are going, then when you get off, look for the business duck, stick your ticket is and he 'adjusts' the fare, telling you how much more you need to pay. I love him. (I don't really know what he's about but I'm sure it's something like that.)

At the moment I am battling some sort of flu. Great. But apart from that I am doing well on my quest to 'think, breathe (when possible through clogged snout) and eat japanese' in the hopes of creating a successful grant/residency application. I have dug up my Murakami books to read and am drinking tea from my favourite mug with pictures of sushi on it (does that even count or was it too lame to mention?) and I am hoping to drag my snotty self down the street to grab some miso for lunch. Miso heals all. It's true. Alright, here we go, round what feels like 86, of re-writing application. wish me luck. (i need it)

konichiwa

I dream of Japan.

Three years ago me and the b-train went ditched the Winter for a balmy, sometimes humid Japanese summer.

It was amazing.

And consequently I think of Japan everyday. Especially when its cold and rainy because I just think in Japan its beautiful and warm. If I think about it real hard I can almost feel it. I even remember the smells. slightly obsessed, no? I think of riding bikes through the streets, visiting temples, eating delicious, delicious snacks, browsing through amazing fabrics catching crazy trains through the crowded underground...

So now I am trying my darndest to get back there. For someone with very little income but big dreams and different skills, applying for a Japanese residency in 2011. I would like to spend 2-3 months living, breathing, eating Japan. I want to explore the honoured tradition of Ikebana in the hopes of designing an Ikebana specific range of vessels which will then be used for Australian flora.

Sounds neat right?

Well to get me in the mood, that samurai state of mind, I figured I would start posting some of my favourite japan photos, because lets face it, they pretty much havent seen the light of day and I think they should get out there.. By now you can probably sense my procrastination a mile away.. but lets hope this helps. Writing applications for residencies and grants takes up so much of my head space. I want to be as accurate as possible, I want to give it my all, but this time i am having a really hard time starting.

Maybe it's because this time I want it so much?

So lets do it.

Lets get it on.

Japan style.

flip yea.

One more sleep

Can you believe it?

Can you believe that I started this blog in what, April, talking about my exhibition, trying to nut things out, stalling and procrastinating with dot points..

(. i

. still

. dig

. dot points..)

and now here we are, on the eve of the opening night. Big sigh of relief followed by bundle of nerves residing in stomach. Will people like the work? Will I make any sales? Will I spill wine on my dress? Hard to say really isn't it?

One thing I do know is that I am actually kind of proud of the work I have produced. I thinkthe show comes together really nicely and is cohesive in it's flow. Even though the show hasn't opened yet I found myself talking about having another show for next year! Woah, woah now lets just get over this show, maybe have ourselves a breather? Don't think I'm so good at stopping, even when i am holding my eyes open with match sticks.. Gotta strike while the iron is hot and all that crap.

Speaking of crap.. had my little face in the Adelaide Magazine today. Boy do I look angry! Especially so. Why couldn't they have chosen the smiley one? I AM A SERIOUS ARTIST! BUY MY ANGRY WORK! Thats what it screams to me.. guess it's better than multiple chins showing

All publicity is good publicity, right?...

Right?

Will take some shots of the work installed and put them up for you to peek at.

Only one sleep to go.

Gulp.

its the final countdown....

Ok, so not long to go now... 4 sleeps in fact. So for anyone who has been living under a rock (i look like i have been living under a rock at the moment..) my very first solo show opens THIS FRIDAY!!

July 30

JamFactory

6-8pm

Come one, come all

"The Glass Garden"

I am organised, I am calm, I am ready.

Bam.

Maybe not ready, I look like hell, but we will get there. Delivered all my work to One Small Room for the show that opens on Thursday night and am setting up for my solo tomorrow. So I guess I'll see you there?

come on down

here it it is lovelies! get out your diary and mark it down. use a highlighter if you like, anything to get you there!! thursday night, at "One Small Room" in Croydon. Lookin forward to it, can't wait,..... will this week never end? (longest week ever)

Lettuce, entertain you..

I. Have.......READERS!!!! (who aren't my mum. love you moomah)

Got into the studio super early to work on my attachments for the show (in 15 days, thanks for asking, but not like i am counting or anything...) and feelin a little wah, bad morning, don't ask.. so i though i would open up my little blog to find...COMMENTS!! Sweet, sweet comments. Victory is mine.

Yesssss.

So thank you, whoever you are, you totally made my day. Got a sweet little note from Lucy over at ..ahem, THE Design Files.

www.thedesignfiles.net

(if you haven't checked it out, ditch this and get over there now, well, maybe after this)

And you made me squeal out loud with delight! (don't worry it's just me in the studio today..)

so much thanks, feelin the love today thats fo' sure.

Ps. how good is this name for my lamps; "Lettuce set the mood".

Bahahahahaha!

the real macaw..

check.

these.

puppies.

out.

flip yeah.

irony sux

From such a great time (just reading that last post makes me want to hurl), to now one dark little black cloud. hmmpf. I GUESS NOBODY REALLY BLOGS THE BAD THINGs hahahaha! those capitals were a mistake.. wah. i just feel like wah. i really dislike my part time job, im sick of thinking about money and lack there of, and am missing some friends i guess, and the big guy, melbourne, lets not forget him, he's always in there somewhere. Maybe its the weather, maybe its the mid year funk, hard to say really. my life feels real messy.

and i have bad circulation.

But back to my 'nobody really blogs the bad things' because they don't want to seem like an asshole. But sometimes its not being an asshole, more like a down and out jerk? but i guess nobody wants to hear about why you hate your job or people who are giving you a hard time. its boring.

This on the other hand is not boring. I think its kinda cool. My exhibition is in a coupla weeks and things are taking shape. Now its just all those stressful niggly things like, price lists, compositions and final pottings. Took a few snaps and was pleasantly surprised at the quality. Am getting the real deal tomorrow, forkin out the big bucks. Goodbye hard earned dollars, hello to the moths which will now inhabit my wallet. Lets hope its worth it, fingers crossed.

Well, im going to lie on the couch maybe eat some soup and watch up and listen to the rain. I guess it could be worse...

Great Scott!

Let me firstly say that I am having a GREAT time. Just in general, you know? I don't want to come off all hippy like saying, I love life and what not, but I am just having a great time at the moment. I am super busy and sometimes I don't like scrubbing floors at my paytherentjob, but all in all I am happy as a little bird with a big chip at the mo. Here's why (you know how i like dot points...)

. have awesome, super cute, loving partner, cooks dinner when i am cranky..

. got not one but 2 shows coming up

. (one of those a solo!!!)

. making some great progress with my work and its development, evertime i think i am finished, it just goes really well, i learn something new and i want to make more, more, more!

. had my pretty picture taken with my bonsai's for an adelaide living magazine for sala week

. entered a coupla comps to win some cold, hard cash (for art purposes naturally)

. got 4 days straight coming up in the hot shop

. today i get to catch up and eat delicious pierogi's with my friend dark cloud blue sky, who i haven't seen in a long time. mmmmm.....

. booked flights and accommodation to go see my old school bestie get married in September

. get to hang out with my weiner sister and watch a trashy movie..you know the one, something about surly vampires...

whats not to love?

hope you are havin a great time too.

blog envy

I am so in awe of other blogs, I feel like the dud. I am mildly addicted to reading Pip at "Meet Me at Mikes" and from her lovely read she has links to like a bazillion more. All of them much more fancier than mine. Thats ok, maybe I'm not a blogger, maybe I'm a reader. Which makes me ask; is anyone out there reading this?.. Maybe you have to approach it like some Jedi mind trick, you have readers if you believe you have readers. Or maybe you have readers when you don't think about readers? Pffft. whatever.

Lets see, what else am I mildly addicted/obsessed with and to?

- masterchef, i just can't help myself

- macaroons, those beautiful bright ones. im going to make design some fancy glass platters to serve them...mmmmm

- talking about buying myself new work clothes (but never doing it)

- melbourne, melbourne, melbourne....sigh.

- thinking about my exhibition...

- trying to be all cool and nonchalant about my birthday being next friday

Oh, and by the way I ate dinner at 5:30 like a senior citizen, whats with that?

Cray fish and cannnballs

I have been a busy bee lately. Had a few wins the big one being an Artstart grant from Australia council. Yup, gots me a real lap top now, it's beautiful, thank you for asking. Like a big, white gleeming tooth.

Made some real progress with my exhibition work, been making some great hot worked cacti. Just need to scale them up and have them not fall on the floor and smash when I try to get them in the annealer.. that woould be good.

Check out that hot worked succulent..

neat huh? Had one amazing failure, ran out of my usual plaster for potting them and tried plaster of paris....BIG mistake. Set super quick, couldnt even jam anything in, then cracked the pot! Expanded too much I think was a very impressive failure though....

Anyways, my moms is here to pat my hungover head and make me better x

Gentlemen, start your engines....

I'm back baby! I gots my inspiration, I gots my skills, I'm a ready toooooooooo rummmmble!! Sometimes all it takes is a day off, hangin in the garden, cooking a risotto and before you know it you are sitting down at the kitchen table making cardboard cactus diorammas!

I now have a firm grasp on what I will make for the show and it goes a little somethin, like this:

- cacti with moustaches

- straight cacti, clusters and tall ones

- succulent lamps x3

- straight succulents x5

- bonsai for the back wall

- milkies?

- shirley in greens?

- edamame dishes

- succulent terraniums

there, lets see how that pans out...

Today i made my first hot worked succulent! I am hoping it is as awesome as I thought it was today, when i pull it out of the big oven in the cold, harsh light of day... fingers crossed...eep! Now i know how to do it and what to do to improve them.

Yessssssssssss.

Victory is mine.

Meh

Motivation is at an all time......loooooow. Got the ideas, pretty sure I got the know how, just don't seem to have the get up and go. Maybe I have party come down? Bah, another excuse. Lets list some dot points shall we? (This will either be the fire cracker I need, or just another damn list. Sigh.) Ok. Here we go. Things I know.....

1. I have 2 exhibitions drawing closer, one of those is a solo.

2. We are talking July 30th and August.

3. I have an order for my production which should have been finished for April...

4. I don't spend enough time in my studio.

5. I am participating in the Katherine Grey workshop.

Well, nope, still feel the same. Ok, how bout this one, what do I need to do?

1. Get a freakin calendar, write a timeline.

2. Finish order.

3. Hang Shirley.

Thats enough, I think all I really have to do is make a timeline. Thanks for helpin.

The Glass Garden

So by now you might have guessed what my theme is for my exhibition...the garden. Well it's pretty loose by still green and leafy all the same. I made some catcus that i just laughed my ass off while i was making them so I figured, how can that be bad? I gots to make more!! So lately i have been photographing like a demon, for any small scrap of inspiration. Hence the trip to hillside herbs to purchase "research" succulents. I need them for their shapes dammnit!! And they are gorgeous, how can I refuse?

Shirley

Meet Shirley, a lovable lass who enjoys a laugh or two. Shirley's are my hanging pieces I make which are constructed of numerous blown pieces which are then fitted together to form the whole. Shirley's are a lot of fun to make and I think there is a lot of scope to experiment with them. So far I have made five. The fifth is for a Cibo exhibition I will be apart of in late April so I will post some installation pics up as they happen.

For me, when I make them hot, they encompass what glass blowing is about. You are really letting the glass do what it wants to do. You are working with the glass, not against it. The assembly of a Shirley is entirely another challenge. I like seeing these random shapes fit together and begin to make a unified piece. Hidden pathways start to emerge through line and it is alway exciting to see a shirley grow.

I am looking forward to making a red one, move away from the pastels and see what happens...

The new kids on the block

So these are my new additions to the fam. I am really interested in these dusty colours they have going on. Am hoping I can translate them to glass. So far I have just experimented with some basic transparent greens, so looks like a new colour order from Gaffer. "Hello? Gaffer Glass? Yes, I'd like some succulent colours please" Am wondering if I should try sand blasting some to get that nice chalky kinda look...
Finally I have found a genuine excuse for my succulent spendings... research mwhahaaha! sweet, sweet research..

Hello

Hi there. I feel like there should be cake. Seems like a big event.. My very first blog entry. I am inspired by all those beautiful blogs out there and want to do the same for others. I'm a glassy and trying to wade through all my ideas for my first solo show coming up at the end of July..... lets hope this helps... please?