Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Reflections

I had intended to double my blogging output this  year but at this stage I have blogged slightly less than last year. I still like the platform in that it allows more discussion than the instant quicks of Instagram and even Facebook, comments are less these days but that may simply be because what I have to say is not so very interesting.

I have been busy but I cannot exactly say what with. I have been down to Gellibrand a few times- to organise my shed a lot better so that I can actually do some work in there, though I am still without power. There will be a solar panel going in in the next few weeks, so that I can charge my laptop and phone, and hopefully in the next year I can put in another panel so that I can use a sewing machine. The area is still digital blackout- so without a land phone line there is no internet.Needless to say the grass is long, we have had so much rain, but at least it keeps the fire risk at bay!

I have had a friend  from France ( well actually she is a Kiwi, Margo Bimler, living in France) staying last week- and we did a fair bit of sight seeing around Melbourne and the Otway region. It's been awhile since I have been down to the coast.


The photo is where  the ocean meets the land close to the southernmost point of the Australian continent- the ocean is very cold along this part and there are times when whales can be spotted- but not on this day.

We went to the State Library , and of course saw Ned Kelly's  armour suit, which was somehow smaller than I imagined it. Also saw a lovely exhibition on books - Mirror of the World - some beautiful beautiful books in this exhibition and has fuelled my desire to make more hand made books. I loved this page form a William Morris decorated book.


My goodness can you imagine finding  such treasure in a second hand bookshop or trash and treasure market? And I did earlier this year- not as beautiful as the William Morris book ,but treasure nonetheless and quite rare as only a small number of copies were printed. Unfortunately I do not have the book to hand to tell you its name but here are some images from the book- made with hand carved woodblocks.The text was also carved on a woodblock. It is a devotional book of Belgian origin- I can't wait to spend more time with it.Some of the images in it are beautiful.




We also indulged in a very touristy  rail journey. Gembrook is the end station of the Puffing Billy line, a steam train ( weather permitting- on high fire danger days they run diesel engines due to the risk). My children have been on the train, but I never have and it was rather fun really. It is one of Victoria's big tourist attractions. The train is manned by volunteers , the tracks maintained and wood to run the engine collected, all by volunteers. The rather interesting cart with vintage suitcases and baskets creating a lovely display remembering slower times.



Aussie Bush Project
It is full steam ahead with the Aussie Bush Project which will start it's exhibiting life  at the Sydney Craft & Quilt Fair  in June 2017. It will tour around all the states and also New Zealand. I am still negotiating a venue in Europe, which is likely to be in 2018. If you would like to join the  project please check out the Aussie Bush Project  page on my blog. I still have many prints available ( there is a choice of 4 different linocut printed fabrics) and will be dyeing more fabric for printing after Christmas. The due date for pieces will be mid June.

On-line Linocutting class
This class will commence after the first week in January, and has been designed for you to learn linocutting and to build your skills at linocutting and printing fabric ( especially) and paper if you are so inclined. The course consists of a number of exercises to build your skills with the tools and to create effective designs,  and guides you through using your own photographs to create linoblocks. The course material is delivered by way of pdf files and I set up a private Facebook group for discussion and interaction. Linocutting is such a fun medium, and it is exciting to see the developments in recent years with many young artists using the medium because it is inexpensive and can be done on a kitchen table. It is also a wonderful way to create unique fabric . I often use my linocut printed fabric as a base for stitching or embroidery. The cost of the course is $60AUS- you work at your own pace, and lessons, which contain  a series of exercises , are delivered fortnightly ( 4 times- 8 weeks total)
You enroll by emailing me ( and using internet banking if in Australia) or using the Paypal button below;


The photos below are all of work I have created  using hand dyed fabric and linocut printed trees. The pieces have been machine and hand stitched to create texture and contrast.




5 comments:

Debrina said...

Hi Dijane, I totally agree with your sentiments about the superficiality and lack of depth in conversation and discussion on social media platforms. I've actually just deleted my Facebook account after nearly 10 years of using it, and I've rediscovered how wonderful it is to reconnect with friends, fellow creatives and family through the medium of email, letter writing and blogging. I also have had the best of intentions this year to do more blogging and failed miserably, but I will be doubling my efforts to do so from now on. Thanks for keeping the faith with your blogging and I hope, as more people wake up to the problems that social media is causing, we will see a renaissance.

Monique 78 said...

Hi Dijanne, nice to hear you'll try to blog more next year. But you're so busy creating and travelling. I admire you so much.
When will you come back in Europe ?
Say hello to Margo !

Monique 78 said...

Hi again !
I wanted to tell that I love your olive trees. I was in your first online linocutting class (a long time ago !). Next weeek I'll try to work more on some stamps. I'm encouraging some friends to follow your next course, but they say: it's in English ! We'll have to think about it.

Anonymous said...

It is always interesting to read your blog posts Dijanne. We are on the Bellarine on an acreage and already it has dried out, we have had borrowed sheep in to get the grass down in time for summer. I am glad we do not need to send off the Bush project until June, I have put mine somewhere so safe I cannot find it!! Wishing you a joyful, safe and peaceful Christmas and New Year.

libby said...

Dijanne, I love reading your blog posts. I just don't remember to check for them often enough! Kept writing, you have a knack for it & such interesting topics. Great to hear the shed is progressing so well, btw, and that I'm not running out of time on my Aussie Bush piece, which I am loving stitching, now I e got started. 🌷🌷🌷