Random exhibitions.

Just noticed this in my unposed list!! Need to post it because ... it is September!

 It is August already!! Where does the time go?? I have this theory that when you are 5, a year is a fifth of your life, a long time. When you are 50, it is a fiftieth of your life, not so long. So time is relative!

Anyway ... I have been to a few interesting things lately. I attended a workshop at Threads and Tangles that was taught by Kathryn Harmer Fox. I have done a workshop with her in the past and didn't want to miss out, so booked in February.
It was a three day workshop. I felt exhausted every day on the drive home, thought it must be me. Then, on the last day, people were commenting on how tired they had been each evening, so now I feel better. It was from the great concentration and creativity that we had been doing.

As usual, Kathryn was encouraging while still challenging. There were kits that had been prepared for the participants but I had missed some of the messages so took my own image. It didn't matter much, everyone did their own thing anyway, even if they had a kit! It is always amazing how people can be at the same class, using very similar materials, and come up with entirely different works.

Mine is the Pademelon (looks a bit like a kangaroo)

Each day we had to pin up our works in progress and Kathryn would do a crit for us, all positive but with suggestions to challenge further progress.

After that workshop, I went to the machine embroidery group at the Embroiderers Guild and there was only a small group. Lo and behold, many of our usual members were at a class being held by Kathryn. She was teaching at the guild also. So I got to take pictures of her works displayed around the room.

Then, the same day, the teapot exhibition had its official opening at the Stonehouse Gallery. Seeing it is not that far from home, I attended. It was great to see works by people I know, as well as many whom I don't know. I also caught up with a few friends and acquaintances.  I really admire the judges, the works were sooooo different!
There were functional and non-functional teapots. Ceramic, textile, wooden, felted teapots. Probably some other techniques that I don't remember at present. It was lovely to see so many creative ideas.

My two at the front.

Then, today, I went to the State Library - after walking around the block to find an entrance that was open, there is a lot of renovation and building going on in the city!!!

I saw this amazing tapestry on the wall. I had seen posts about it on the ATW website and had actually seen it being made but hadn't taken much notice of where it as going to be hung. So it was lovely to come across it today, in situ.

Victor Hugo exhibition

At our design course we talked about using line to draw. I saw some amazing examples this week, at the Victor Hugo exhibition. It is at the State Library in Melbourne and is timed to coincide with the newest production of Les Miserables.

One thing I learnt was that I don't know much about French history!  It was quite enlightening and made me think I should learn more.
There were old manuscripts, paintings and old photographs about Victor Hugo and his times.

Of special interest to me, in terms of line drawing, were the prints that appeared in his time - they use line extensively. I had never thought about it in that way before. Doing courses and learning about design make you see the world differently.

We weren't allowed to to take photos in that part of the exhibition but there was another aspect, related to the various stage productions of the musical Les Miserables. It was in a very interesting space. It seemed as if it was outside the original State Library building, using the walls to set the scene. I am not sure if it was really the outside that is now enclosed or if there were some really good props. Whatever it was, it was impressive. I was more taken with the space than with the exhibition - but I am not a Les Miserables oficionado.  (I have looked at the map and it seems that there is a space that is temporarily closed, suggesting that I am right, we were looking at the outside of the building which has the appearance of some of the French buildings. It was probably built around the same time. It was a fabulous space.)

Children's picture book art

Last Thursday, a friend and I visited Look! The Art of Children's Picture Books exhibition at the State Library of Victoria.
We had a lovely time, reminiscing about books we had read in the past, the detailed pictures that provide so much information and enjoyment for the children (as well as the adults) and some favourite stories.  Of course, there were books represented that we were unfamiliar with too.
Some of the work was bright, lively and happy.  Others were from darker stories and they reflected this in their choices of medium and the illustrations. Not for the younger reader!
Most of the illustrations were drawn but there were some that incorporated collages and some that were 3D, using wonderful soft sculpture and textile techniques.
One of the most interesting things for me, especially after hearing about the illustrators' process at the book launch I attended recently, was to see some of the sketches and works in process that were included in the exhibition.
You'll have to go to the show to see it all.  It is on for quite a while yet - probably so schools can use it for first term themes. Not that I have to care about that anymore.
One of the best things about it, for me, was that I no longer go to an exhibition of this sort and get distracted by thinnking of ways I could use it, or its ideas, for my teaching. I could just enjoy it.
Of course, I did reflect back on my teaching, especially on one event just before I resigned from teaching.  Terry Denton, whose work was in the show, visited our school and gave a very informative and entertaining presentation on some of the process he goes through when illustrating a book. (He's a wonderful person to get in, the children were all most attentive and it was a very large group!)

Giving a demo in very difficult setting

story board

I took lots of photos for our teaching, recording the whole process of writing, drawing up a story board, doing the individual pictures, etc.  I took so many that he eventually drew me - with camera.  So now I have my own Terry Denton picture!