Saturday, August 2, 2014

Growing Out of Pikerhood

I am. I even ironed my clothes before packing, something I never do, but if we are going to discuss exquisite weaving or magical/mysterious books, I thought I'd do it not in the style I work at home.

I did well in weight, (the suitcase, not myself,) but not so in bulk. Am I glad our discipline is textiles; our darlings can be squished or rolled up and stuck in shoes and other small spaces to keep other things in good shape. Keeping paper straight or carrying various art supply isn't easy, even with my pared down lot; supplies list in mixed media is positively eye-watering, too. (My sister's regret with ceramics is the bulk and weight, even just storing them  at her place.)

I've three days left to finish making a netbook sleeve, get Aussie $, go see the current exhibition at the Refinery, and a combination of weaving, weeding, and another chapter for Weavers and Designers. The group has been quiet, but even if I'm the last one standing, I do enjoy the work so I'm going to stay with it. I'm not going to be a "piker" which in Australia, I learned this week, means someone who either does not join in with others, or gives up an activity before it is finished. I'm a specialist in starting with a bang and then... um.... yeah...

I didn't get anything done yesterday because, shock horror, I read! And I read for pleasure for the first time in a long while. Ben says I don't read for pleasure when I'm faced with a difficult project, and not only exhibition but prepping for the mixed media workshops were hard. But I went looking for the magic I mentioned yesterday and picked up Nick Bantock's "The Forgetting Room" and once started, I had to finish it. I found myself staring at black letters dancing on white pages from time to time.

His books don't have a lot of text, but I have to keep going back to the artworks, so it took a while but the experience was, oh, so, enjoyable.

The yellow orchids are almost over so I took some photos before they are all gone.
 Generations
 "Youth" is relative
Look at my insides; I've plenty of good bits left

8 comments:

  1. Happy travels Meg, just the thought of packing gets me excited! I love your orchids and the way they are still beautiful in their old/young way. xxx

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  2. I'm finally excited about my trip; the preparation was a bit heavy duty up to here, but now I'm making a list of questions to ask the two weavers, for e.g.

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  3. Don't you dare put your beautiful textiles in a shoe or we're done!

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  4. I'm still standing! Albeit rather stooped... I have bits of cut-out magazine in a heap on the table, but was having trouble taking photos as the paper is v shiny (and the sun keeps being bright). Slow, but still in the team, I hope.

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  5. That is great to know. I'm afraid I'll continue when I get back from Oz, but Ch 4 is bit about composition which is interesting but a little hard for me.

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  6. Have a fantastic trip. I shall look forward to reading all about it, while also being enormously envious... Still, this weekend I am planning my own private craft DVD festival while S is away, so that's something!

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  7. Aha, but you can do yours in your PJs, Cally. I even pressed my T-shirts for the outing! But yes, I get to touch the textiles for one thing, which would be super special. I shall try to post pics lest Mom will worry. :-)

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