Sweet Studio

Welcome to Lobe! This is my mentor, Ruth Allen's studio. I went over at Easter to check it out and man, oh man, it is G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S. Ruth and her partner have done so much work to create this amazing workshop that it kind of blows my mind if I start thinking too hard about it all.
So, Lobe is set in deep Coburg. Actually kinda Coburg-industrial town. There is all sorts of interesting stuff going on in their street, not to mention an awesome fish monger across the street. So to combat the loud street, ruth has created a little green oasis in their front yard.

This is one of ruth's large wall installations. How nice to have a big, beautiful white wall to do test runs on.
This is the inside.

This is the beginnings of a bigger glory hole.

These are Ruth's production. She cuts up beer bottles, picks them up hot, then makes them into beer glasses. Talk about your recycling! It's also fun to get the stock up...

This is the baby gloryhole! Great for making beer glasses.

Such a beautiful and inspiring studio. I really like hanging out there and can't wait to go back.

Same same but different.

So I'm thinking I would like to enter the Waterhouse prize this year. The Waterhouse is Australia's richest prize for natural history art. It's a great opportunity to get your work out there, in with a mixed bag of other artists. I heard they are kind of 'conservative' in their choices, but hey, this is the work I make! You either like it or you don't. I like it, maybe you do too? Or maybe you think it is the most hideous thing you have seen this year (I hope not).

Anyways, I was wondering which image I should submit. Close up or further away? What do you think? Can you help me out? I would love to hear your thoughts. (I am very indecisive and need all the help I can get...)

Change on the horizon

Exciting times are on the way. Yes sir, I can feel it. Life has been a little rocky lately, to say the least... and lets face it, I am not out of the woods yet. Facing the cold harsh face of unemployment, which seems to funnily enough to have its head firmly attached to the neck of "pay the rent", which you will see travels on to the shoulders of "what will I eat", and only to firmly plonk itself onto the belly of "depression"....(that was a little dramatic, forgive me) anyway, where was I? Oh yes, the no job thing! My last day of work will be next Saturday. I am sad, fearful and relieved all at the same time. I actually really like my job and think that I am quite good at it. I really enjoy being able to recommend books for customers and try to find ones which suit their tastes. I got to meet some great people and I got to deal with some real jerks. I really liked all the team of staff and had some great managers to work for. I am sad to not be apart of that team anymore.

However there are small flashing beacons far off on the horizon that I can just make out. One is an intriguing interview I have tomorrow with the Central School of Art. A lovely lady asked if I had a job to go to, then proceeded to hand me her friends card (who just happens to be the managing director) and told me they were looking for like minded people. Fast forward two weeks later and I have an appointment to meet with them to discuss a position that may be coming available. I have no idea what this may be and I am very intrigued indeed..... Curioser and curioser....

Perhaps the most exciting blinky light on the horizon, is that as soon as I finish at Borders I will walk right into a two week residency at the Jam. I am very excited and grateful for this opportunity. Originally I was going to run a week long design project but due to a few changes in the program and the current associates needs, the idea of a two week residency was offered to me and I am very excited! This is exactly the opportunity I need to get me out of the post Japan slump I have been feeling. A two week period to work with the associates and prototype new designs for my own works. It's almost too good to be true!

But do you know the best thing that happened to me today? I was on my break, sipping a coffee on a bench in the mall when I met a lovely older gentleman who was vision impaired. He asked for the time and we just started chatting from there. He was telling me how he had imacular degeneration in his eyes and couldnt really see detail. He wanted to buy a watch but thought what was the point and just decided he would just ask people instead. He told me that it was better for him to get out and about rather than sit at home and feel sorry for himself. He catches the tram by himself and is very independent. He also bought a new electric shaver that he seemed quite chuffed with. He also told me to get my eyes checked as early prevention is the way to go (this condition actually runs in our family so I took it as a friendly reminder from lady universe to make that appointment). Anyways, he was just a lovely man and I kind of wish I could have chatted to him a little longer. I will look out for him next time. Sometimes a lovely stranger can just lift my day. Just last week I met a woman on the bus. I think I really like to talk to strangers and might try it more often.

Well wish me luck for tomorrow, I will be looking my best (I'm off to pluck my brows do you think they will notice?..)

Also I forgot to tell you, I went to Melbourne over Easter and got to visit my mentor Ruth Allen I will tell you all about that next time my little birds.

Autumn I heart you, please stay a little longer.

Dear Autumn, I love you. I love you so much, I wish it was Autumn all year round. If I were a billionaire (or oil tycoon, its like chose your own adventure, which ever one works best for you,) I would travel the world, blowing glass and chasing Autumn. I would live in Autumn all year round. Seasonably mild. Yes sir. Best type of weather for blowing glass, sipping wine and watching the leaves turn. Also good for cooking extravaganzas in the kitchen, dressing in layers and makes pale skin look awesome. Its win, win.... for me, anyways.

I mean look at this, grey skies, golden leaves, whats not to love. Today we took a drive up to Mt. Lofty Botanic gardens. Sure, we got lost along the way, maybe we got there at 4 o'clock and the park shuts at 5, but hey, we saw some colours!

I kind of wanted to go to check it out because in a couple of weeks, I will be taking the associates for a design project. I thought it would be nice to get them out of the studio and get them thinking on a different level. For me personally, I take a lot from nature (sorry mother nature, I'm like the bandit who steals all your good ideas and passes them off as my own) and I was hoping they might find some inspiration too.

Its hard work being an associate and the time for reflection or fresh inspiration can be rare. Its real easy to get bogged down in technique and trying to perfect that elusive perfect tumbler, so to speak. It's easy to forget that glass can be beautiful and fluid, craving movement and spontaneous action. It's not all goblet making and skittles, so to speak.

I gots a lot of work to do. I gots alot of decisions to make. It's crunch time, so to speak.

Anyways, I love you Autumn. You are my favourite. Summer is for jerks in bikinis. I am a pale skinned giant who likes layers, changing leaves and Autumn months.

lightbulb....

So the string garden.....

"Curioser and curioser," said Alice as she tumbled down the rabbit hole...

Seems these delightful little chaps are also known as "Kokedama" or more affectionately known as; "The poor mans Bonsai". Well, well, well, what a co-winkydink, as my sister would say. Japanese related and I didn't even know it. I feel like there is potential here for new research material!! I am a part of a group show which is entirely garden related, later this year and have been wondering which direction to take, maybe this is a good start?

So quite often these little guys are covered in moss, and moss to the Japanese is considered quite beautiful. Moss even appears in ancient poetry and even in the national anthem of Japan (so I'm told..) meaning that Kokedama can now be regarded as a part of Japan that fuses tradition and modernity.

They are the ultimate in sustainable living and for the space conscious. Low maintenance, beauty in the everyday. Sounds like my kind of thing... its nature that can be held in your palm. Ever precious, yet surprisingly sturdy and resilient. Much like Japan itself in this difficult time?

Ladies and gentleman, I think I have found my beginning.

String Gardens

These by far were the most amazing thing I saw at the flower show. I had spied them before, trawling through the internet, but nothing beats seeing them in the flesh. They were just beautiful. All these hanging creations made for quite a striking installation. They are called string gardens. You can find some more here if you were interested. I can't figure out if these are grown over quite a period of time of just literally strung together. Maybe I should try and make some? How do I keep all the dirt together? (With the string you idiot) This idea will probably go in the pile with my vertical garden idea....I don't think i am much of the gardener type, shame because i really am in love with the idea of it. (Just spent the morning trawling through the Daylesford Organics blog man that is one amazing family. I think i might want to be them. This awesome rag tag bunch of super talented, both crafty and green thumb, up and moved to the country to start an organic farm 10 years ago (with an 8 month old baby) to start their new life. The mamma has her own blog Foxs Lane which is equally awesome.) I can keep succulents alive.....sometimes...does that count? I have a Brendan too, he likes gardening, does that count? Surely with these qualifications a move to the country to become organic farmers with lots of puppies is the obvious thing to do? Because lets face it, at the moment not much else is working out for me. How bad could a total upheaval be?

Im finding it hard to beep my head above water at the moment. Have suffered some setbacks and am worried I might go the way of Alice and drown in a sea of my own tears. I just thought this year was going to be amazing. In reality its turning out to be quite the opposite. How do i find the path again? What is lady universe trying to tell me?

I feel lost at sea.

Who would have thought there were florists in limbo?

While we were in 'limbo' in Melbourne, we were lucky enough to be there the same time as the Melbourne International Flower Show. There were some amazing arrangements, some were clearly over the top (florists gettin a little too excited) but here are a couple of images of some impressive arrangements while I sift through the masses...