Suburban Obsessions

Lately, I am obsessed with taking pictures like this. I snap them on my way to work, I snap them on my way home, I snap them at any opportunity possible. I just think they are beautiful. They are like the hidden gems of the suburbs. The majority of my Japanese trip photos were of the suburbs, I was obsessed with those too. At the time I thought, our burbs are nowhere near as interesting and beautiful as theirs, but maybe I'm wrong?

They seem so calm and peaceful and to me they are beautiful. I don't really know why I like them so much, maybe because we have been talking alot about buying our own house? Maybe I secretly dream one of these was mine? 

Had drinks at this amazing little off the laneway kinda thin, think its called the grub (?) Super cute, food looks good, they have an open plan kitchen where you can see EVERYTHING that goes on. (Bad news if you burn something...)

Then we headed into the city to go to a rad opening at Craft Vic. Its Lauren Simeoni and Mel Somethingerather (sorry) and they are the unnatural jewellers! I love their work its ridiculously cool. All mixed up beads, found materials, fake plants and fruit. I highly recommend getting ones behind down to see whats on offer. 

Weenie had a better time than her expression would suggest, I swear. It was fun to meet some new people (an instagram friend who I actually introduced my self as "hi. im little bird big chip, we are friends on instagram." Ugh, what a dork I am, sigh. We hatched a few plans for exhibitions over a few wines, always the best time to do it I feel. We're thinking, slides, we're thinking blooms, native flower bombing, slides of mrs ghandi taken by our nan, big projections, the possibility of cake, but, oh, I've said too much...

I had the most delicious apricot iced tea.

I ate lunch by myself at a cute cafe.

I bought too many flowers.

I delivered work to a new stockist.

I held my very first dinner party.

I pretended to be fancy.

We had:

Sushi

Gyoza

Karrage

Crazy Sticky Chinese Pork Belly Ribs

Asian Slaw

Steamed Greens

Rice

Custard Tarts

and

Vodka cocktails with raspberry soda, lime and mint

How good is the table cloth?

So thats about it for this week, and I have been hanging out quite a bit with this fury jerk:

Maybe I should have been an astronaut...

Some days I think things. Things like these....

Maybe I should have taken a different career path?
Maybe I should have been a graphic designer. I like drawing stuff and pretty colours and patterns.  I like Beci Orpin, she's rad. She seems to have an awesome life. But then I remember I'm not so good at computing....

Maybe I should have been a florist like my sister. Flowers are pretty, they smell good and they don't charge you $200 just to make a bunch. But then I remember I don't like the thorny bits....

Maybe I should have been a chef? I love cooking delicious things and lets face it, I like eating delicious things. But then I remembered I hate split shifts....

Maybe I should have been a cat wrangler. I love my Mont, he is the best but sometimes he can be a jerk and imagine that but multiplied by 50. But then I remembered I don't like cleaning litter trays...

Maybe I should have been a farmer and live on the land. Kate  is one awesome lady with a cute family to boot, living on the land, living her dream. Has lots of cute chooks, cooks delicious things, crafts all that kind of jazz. But then I remembered a green thumb I do not have, how would I ever manage a whole farm when I can't even keep a "potted colour" from Bunnings alive?....

A painter?
A hair dresser?
A seamstress?
An Olympic Sports Calendar Model?

But I guess at the end of the day its making things like this that I really love,

And things like this,

And I can't give up making things like this,

And I adore packaging them up to send them to people like this,

And I really like working with my hands, usually in environments like this,

So maybe I am where I should be.

And maybe I should just stop worrying about what everybody else is doing and just do my own thing?

I think feel a list coming on.....

Things of Late

Magnolies!

Ugggh, magnolias, they are so flippin' beautiful! I see them everywhere at the moment and I love it!. Next free day off I have I am just going to roam the back streets of my neighbourhood taking me some magnolia snaps. (As you may also notice, when I dress in a colour it just starts to spread....I can't help it! Yesterday was green and more that not its pink lately. It just takes on a life of its own, kind of like the blob I guess, but in a good way of course. Also maybe its due to the fact that black is my uniform at work?)

Today is going to be great.

Well, thats what I am telling myself and in my experience you gotta put it out there and you usually get it. (I had this conversation with a friend last night about how, you know I just put out these crazy plans and they seem to be almost too crazy not to work. Like Japan, Pilchuck, getting a grant, and then totally deadpan, she goes 'not to mention all the hard work and talent you put in'! Do you know I never thought of it like that before!! Hahahahha!)

But I did wake up early this morning and had a great idea about putting together a little questionaire for my fellow glassies out there. Asking about their style, interests, motivation, hopes and dreams, what type of cheese they prefer, you know all the hard hitting stuff. That with some images of themselves, their work and maybe their studio space. Then each week I will publish a different story on here and we get to learn about a new artist each week, how rad does that sound? Then, who knows, maybe I could publish my little book and that too would be a rad thing for the community. Bring us back together, give a little promo for us all, just see whats out there I guess. What do you think? Hit? Or Miss?

And then I fell back asleep and had this AWESOME dream where I had these two sheds out the back that were converted into artist studios and there was a fire and everyone was making this rad stuff and, and, and, anyways no one likes to hear about other peoples dreams, its boring. No wait, maybe thats just me.... I'm off to blow some glass today! See ya!

Modern Times and Assorted Woes

Ok.

I'm going to keep this short. It's late. I'm tired. But still here we are...

Above is a pic I took from the launch at Modern Times launch. Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to come down and say hi. I usually don't really like exhibition openings, I'm not very good at the schmoozing and whatnot, but this one was a winner. I got to talk to another glassy who had work there (you can check out his great work here) he really helped me to nut out some worries I had about taking on a job. He's awesome.

I also met a new friend (hopefully) who creates super rad terrariums. We only got to chat briefly but I am hoping it could become something rad and exciting for us both.

Here is some food for thought; 

check out this great blog post here, Lara talks about some pressures that as a maker I feel too. The need to reinvent yourself, to be in constant competition, to keep up with what everyone else is doing. I feel this constantly. Why the fuck can't I just keep on making what I like and be happy with it thats what I want to know! I've had a bit off a rough run, feeling a little miffed about it all but am hoping to turn it around.

Uggggghhh, the constant uphill battle! Just someone hurry up and discover how awesome I can be. Fling me some clams and let me make glass everyday. Then I can cook delicious things in the evenings have fun times with my cute husband, make beautiful works, have a big commission job to work on, have fun exhibitions, travel the world taking classes, maybe get a studio puppy (one weiner dog please) actually maybe just throw in a manager for me who can manage (duh) all this for me and find the balance for me, because lord knows I ain't got it at the mo. 

Le sigh.

Maybe it's just the winter blues? Lets hope so, spring is just around the corner right?

Right?

Right.

Opening this Thursday night!!

So if you are at a loss this Thursday night you should come here:

Modern Times Pop-Up Shop 3
311 Smith St, Fitzroy, 3065

From 6 -8pm you will be able to check out the new and spectacular set up at Modern Times,  (check out their rad site and blog) a fantastic store on Smith Street. I am extremely lucky enough to come on board with my bonsai and they will all be up for sale along with other beautiful wares from talented designers.

So come say hi why don't ya? We can chat and swill wine and look at pretty things.

See ya there

Slow and steady

Slowly, slowly, slowly I try and find my feet. Probably half my problem is I am impatient and want everything now. Maybe the other half is I can be quite hard on myself (but if I'm not who will?). I have been working nearly everyday at my pay the rent job which I really like but I like being in the studio more...but, I have to keep reminding myself to look at the bigger picture, to remember that this is just laying the foundation.

So our new house has an enormous room at the front which is going to be my studio space. It's awesome. I love it. Look at my studio assistant. He loves it too. I have such grand plans for making it lovely. At the moment it's a bit trashy. But thats ok too.

So coming back off the massive effort that was team bonsai, we hopefully have some happy stockists. My latest stockist to come onboard, which I am more than happy about is "Modern Times"

Modern Times are a super rad crew who run a pop up shop on Smith Street. They pair delectable danish style furniture with beautiful contemporary art. While the lease may be temporary, they have been there for quite awhile and just received an extension so to celebrate they have some new artists (me!!) under their belt and will be doing a little launch on Thursaday the 16th of August. There will be art, there will be furniture, there will be wine and there will be beats! I am really excited and if you are in Melbs you should be too!

I got to meet the lovely Amy who runs the space and I really like her thinking, I like busting out of that gallery scene and displaying the work more like it would be if it were in YOUR home. That is how I like to think my work sits. I want it to be lived with, to be loved and not to be squirrelled high up in the china/no touching cabinet.

My goal this year is to expand on my bonsai. I want bonsai in more stockists. I want bonsai in more homes. I want bonsai in photo shoots. I want to think about bonsai in an online shop. I want bonsai to be absolutely rocking it by this time next year. I want to think about streamlining, about lighting, about colour, about killin' it. Yeah.

I wish I could show you some more pics but my computer is being a douche and not letting me upload any more. Thanks, thanks alot. This won't go unforgotten when bonsai world domination hits and all of a sudden someone is looking to upgrade....