May Stitch Explorer

With this piece I have tried  to use an abstract form.  It is not very successful an would probably look a lot better as a woven tapestry where I could keep all the lines straight and angular. But it was an interesting exercise.  I think that I will try the same design using pulled thread or even just a satin stitch without removing any threads.  This form of stitching does lend itself to more organic forms.   As I have finished the challenge so early I think that I will try something else.

 

Needle weaving

 set off this morning to see the exhibition from the Met and it lived up to expectations.  Being the first morning it wasn't too packed but by lunch time the crowds started to arrive.  On the way out I came across another exhibition featuring the work of L. J. Harvey.  His work was in wood carving and furniture.  On his "Bed of Peace"  was this amazing cover made by his wife Francis, who was a lace maker.  This was the last thing I expected to find at the art gallery, needle-work.  But what an amazing piece.

I have been waiting to be struck for inspiration for my needle-weaving piece for the stitch explorer challenge.  This isn't it but its is still inspiring.  I did find inspiration in the work of Erich Buchholz in another part of the gallery and am now busy stitching.

It's finished!

I've finished that tax return.  It nearly caused me a nervous breakdown.  I had all my receipts, in fact far more than I can claim.  I got it onto a spread sheet and then couldn't find the group certificates.  I had put them in a safe place.  Not the same safe place I have put my good jewelery unfortunately.  Because after tearing a couple of rooms to bits I found them.  No precious stones just pieces of paper. Now I can get back to having a life again.

I now have a whole day I can spend at the Art Gallery and there is a fantastic new exhibition opening tomorrow.

The website has a slide show of some of the works and it looks really interesting.  They also have some more information further into the site.  I a so looking forward to being inspired and I don't have to feel guilty about not having finished that rotten tax return.

Horrid jobs

I have to get my tax done.  I hate doing it and put it off all the time, then I can't remember where I put my group certificates.  Oh God I hate it all!!

When checking out an exhibition I wanted to see I came upon an add at the same gallery for a quilt exhibition.  I want to see this one.

I saw this over on Pam Holland's blog.  I can't believe that it is wooden it looks so much like fabric.

I also found a new blog called Barij which is the site of a fabric designer.  There is this cute quilt pattern there that you can download.  I think I will try it.  I really like the fabric.

End of the Conference

So the conference is over and I have learnt so much.  About things like Wikis, 2nd Life, hosting web-pages, digital portfolios.  The list goes on and on.  Now the challenge is to work out how to incorporate it in my teaching.  The other question this has thrown up is do I want to keep teaching in the State system that talks about innovation and creativity but does everything possible to stop this happening.  Big Questions.

It rained most of the weekend but still well designed spaces look good in the wet as well as the dry.  Or maybe it's just that I love pink!

I liked the name for the techies in the school as well.



And looking out the windows at the surrounding apartments I always find those balconies intriguing.  I have drawn up this design for a quilt where each of the blocks is a view of a balcony on an apartment building.  I like the one with the paddling pool, but oh the weight of the water.  I hope it holds.



Next day there were people there as well.

 

Overload

It is always the way with conferences, overload.  You try to fit so much into a small space in time.  I don't work in an Apple Mac school but I work on one at home.  I wanted some way that I could use mobile phones as part of my teaching and with what I have learnt yesterday about pod-casting I have put together my first piece and have it sent ready to be played by my students when I will be absent from school tomorrow.  Wow.
                                                                                        

 I wasn't the oldest there.  A whole range of age groups are attending (which is a relief).  Some of the younger teachers are talking about attending the conference in 2042.  I don't think I will make that one!

The conference is being held in The Queensland Academy for Creative Industries.  This is a Senior High School catering for students from year 10 through 12.  Any student can apply, they have to submit a folio of work and take part in a one on one interview.  If they are accepted they have access to the most wonderful resources.  (This was the top performing high school in the state on year 12 results in 2007.)

The difference between a school like this is not just the talents that these students bring with them, it is the desire to do well.  The desire and motivation to excel, in my experience, will always out do just academic ability.  But, having said that put the two together and the gifted academic student will usually leave their teachers wishing they had this kind of talent.

I wish I worked in this kind of space with these wonderful resources. Most of us have to make do, buying requirements for our students they can't afford from our own pockets.

In the student gallery, (these are teenagers),  there were a number of pieces that I found interesting. One painting, two pieces of textile art and one of photography.

Working Weekend

I'm at a workshop this weekend with Apple computers.  I bet I'm the oldest one there but who cares?
I'm doing sessions on pod-casting and how to build second life worlds.  I want to be able to use mobile phones and other ICT's that will connect with the kids.  So here I go.

I came across a free down load on itunes last night. It's Barak Obama's address to the University of Arizona.  I found it very interesting.  He is a great speaker and just to see that many people in one venue.  There are lots of free down loads that you can get from itunes.  Videos, podcasts, they can keep you going forever. 

The other site I came across whilst looking for 'boy'quilts (AGAIN) was lizzy house.  She has an interesting etsy shop.  And I just love some of her quilts.  She has a whole range of patterns that you can look at.

There are also some free downloads .

Untitled work

My friends brought me back photos of the quilt exhibition from the Melbourne Quilt Convention.  The photos were great.  Only problems is there is no photo of the card that tells you who made the quilt.

I love this one.  The close up shows you how it was constructed.

 

Very Wet Weather

Oh Boy it has be raining, a lot, in fact a deluge.  At school the creek that runs along the back playground came right up to the door of the back classrooms and in some blocks it was lapping at the door.  Good thing most older high schools are high set.  The creeks and rivers rose so quickly that we had to get parents to come and collect students.  Of course there were lots of very wet kids.

Living near the city I thought I would have no trouble getting home.  I drove my normal route thought Wilston, (which is about 5K from the city centre) , turned the corner and was confronted by a lake!  I turned around and went another way only to find the main highway was cut.  So, through back streets keeping to high ground and finally got across a bridge were the water was lapping at the edges.  All the rubbish in the water was amazing and now I hear that the ferry's are not running at night for the same reason.  I hear that there is more of this to come.  We still have water restrictions from a drought when they thought the city would run out of water.  How does it go -   'droughts and flooding rains' ?  I wonder where the Broncos are going to train?  From this photo they are under water!

High water: flooding from Ithaca Creek inundates Red Hill businesses. (ABC News: Giulio Saggin)

(The ABC has started a gallery of images called wild weather.)

Stitch Explorer 2009 - Needleweaving

I was over having a look at 'Smockery's'  blog where she was reviewing what she had done in the way of needle weaving.   Looking back on my own work it isn't nearly as interesting.  All traditional type lace making.  This edge on a piece of Ukrainian embroidery.

Some work from classes that I have taken with Christine Bishop and that's about it. 

 

This is the one I am working on at the moment. 



I have plenty of scope for experiment!