Studio news…almost Winter…

Art portfolio- my work

The days are getting shorter and the nights longer…winter is in the air, and since I’ve just finished reading the book: The Stone Gods by Jeanette Winterson, I thought I’ll share this quote with you:

“There was a world formed out of Nothing, and from the Nothing grew a tree, and in the tree sat a bird, and in the bird’s mouth was a worm, and the worm that had lain in the earth knew all the secrets of life and said, “There is a world, forming out of Nothing, and out of Nothing will come a tree, and in the tree will sit a bird, and under the tree there walks a man, and that man will learn the language of birds, and find that the buried treasure is really there.  And when he has dug it up, he will spend the jewels and the gold, and last of all he will find a bag of seeds and when he plants them they will grow into a forest whose leaves are a canopy of stars.  And one day he will climb the tree, and put his hand out to a star, and the star will be his home.”‘

‘Forever?’

‘Until the leaves fall.’

‘And then?’

“And then it will be winter.”

pg 109 The Stone Gods by Jeanette winterson

*Besides reading I am working on 4 different embroideries at the moment…3 Giant ones (can’t wait to share it with you) and a smaller one….but more info at a later stage.

*I’ve started reading “Wilt” by Tom Sharpe…and find myself laughing out loud, which is a good thing, because I’ve had the blues on and off….

* Cutting and cleaning some inner tubes… and I’ve started to experiment with a sewing machine to prepare my rubber canvasses…Initially I didnt want to use machine stitching anywhere in my work, but if it turns out well I’ll tell you more about the why I started to do this.  The embroidery part will only be done by hand!.

*I am in the process of preparing for two different Art Fairs…but again it’s too soon to tell you more.

*Trying to organize ADSL uncapped internet for our home/studio, and oh dear, what a process…I’m not even going to start trying to explain!

*Working on some ideas in notebook/sketchbook.

*I’ve tried yoga last week, next is pilates, karate, badminton, squash…I would like to try everything at least once and then decide…since I am mostly in front of needle and thread, or the computer, I realized I have to do some sort of activity besides jumping trampoline or riding bike with the kids….

On that note I’ll share this image with you….

 

from the ongoing "young wife' series

from the ongoing “young wife’ series

 

“What is essential….”

Art portfolio- my work, Studio news/blog
What is essential is invisible to the eye(s) 2015 thread, rubber, batting and wood

What is essential is invisible to the eye(s) 2015 thread, rubber, batting and wood

The title of this work was inspired by a quote from the book: The little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery).

This is currently part of another group exhibition- also at the KKNK (Klein Karoo National Arts Festival) in Oudtshoorn.  It’s called: “Kunstenaar as Outeur/Artist as Author) curated by Corlie de Kock.  Only running until the 11th of April 2015.

What is this exhibition about? The curator wrote the following: (…apologies- it is only in Afrikaans 😉

Die kunstenaar as outeur: ‘n Essensialistiese beskouing van kontemporêre Suid-Afrikaanse kuns
Die uitstalling fokus op die verpersoonliking van kuns en die essensiële eienskappe van die skeppende kunstenaar wat
in kunswerke uitgebeeld word. Kunstenaars het deur alle eeue heen selfportrette geskep omdat hulle in die visuele
kuns ‘n manier gevind het om die self te definiëer. Dit het neergekom op sowel ‘n soeke na as ‘n uitdrukking van
identiteit. Vir hierdie uitstalling word kunswerke gekies na aanleiding van die aard van die essensies wat die kunstenaar
in die kunswerk ondersoek: geslag, identiteit, ‘n bepaalde gesture, voorwerpe van persoonlike betekenis, die self as
performance.

Putting the pieces back together again

Art portfolio- my work
"Putting the pieces back together again." Cotton thread, rubber, batting and wood

“Putting the pieces back together again.” Cotton thread, rubber, batting and wood (photo Alex Hamilton)

 “Stories come form a part of you that only gets visited rarely – sometimes never at all.  I think most people spend so much time trying to convince themselves that their lives are stories that the actual story-creating part of their brains (or hearts?) hardens and dies. People forget that there are other ways of ordering the world.” p169 Generation A by Douglas Coupland

Safe

Art portfolio- my work
"Safe" Cotton thread, rubber, batting and wood

“Safe” Cotton thread, rubber, batting and wood

Sometimes it’s ‘safe’ not to say anything.

or

Sometimes I wish I could lock up my words to keep the ‘safe’…

Anyway so I’ve tried to make some time for reading because a new Douglas Coupland book has found it’s way to my bedside table!

So I will say goodnight with a quote from the book: “Generation A”:

“Terrorize, threaten and insult your own useless generation.  Suddenly you’ve become a novel idea and you’ve got people wanting to join in.  You’ve gained credibility form nothing.  You’re the talk of the town.  Develop this as a story you can sell.” -Malcolm McLaren

On my bedside table…

Art portfolio- my work
"The Irresistible Fairy Tale" by Jack Zipes

“The Irresistible Fairy Tale” by Jack Zipes

Even though I am only on page 38, I can highly recommend this book, especially if you are interested in the history of Fairy Tales, folklore, myths or any other stories….

“Fairy tales were not created or intended for children.  Yet they resonate with them, and children recall them as they grow to confront the injustices and contradictions of so-called real worlds.  We cannot explain why the origins of the fairy tale are so inexplicable and elusive.  But we can elucidate why they continue to be irresistible and breathe memetically through us, offering hope that we can change ourselves while changing the world.”  page 20