Dunedin Scrap Camp 2014

For the past three years I have packed up what 

scrap-booking items I can fit in a suitcase and journey

 down to Dunedin  for the annual scrap-booking camp 

hosted by the lovely Naomi Carvell and Carol Rogers.

We meet at Camp Tirohanga in Taieri, Mosgiel on 

Thursday evening at 5pm and scrap-book to our

 hearts content until Sunday lunchtime.

Over the years I have become more confident not 

only in attending camp (with a bunch of women that

 initially were strangers to me, but now I call friends) 

but I have become more confident travelling by air! 

These are some of my pages....

Works in progress...

...and my table/workstation.

 These were taken on my phone so not very good quality, sorry.

Better photos coming soon!

Time: 4 hours (24th April)

14 hours (25th April)

14 hours (26th April)

4 hours (27th April)

Total Hours over weekend = 36 blissful hours!

Art Journalling and Clay Workshops

During the week I continued working on 

the Food page. It took me a bit to work out 

what I need to "say" but it was quite therapeutic

working on it and I'm pleased to have journalled

a little bit about my eating disorder journey.

 I joined to sheets of paper and fold them like

cupboard doors, they open out from the centre.

Wording on the left describes the battle...

..and on the right, are what have got me through.

 Colours are a bit wacky sorry but you get the gist...

So, this weeks page theme was "REST" and after

 a difficult topic (for me) the previous week, the 

thought of thinking about a working on a journal

 page about resting was much more "up my alley"

I worked some more on this on Wednesday but yet

 to photograph the pages. More pics to come soon...

Then Tuesday Morning with the Casual Clay Group.

I wasn't actually planning on going (as Monday had 

messed with my head and I was quite weepy!) 

but the ladies there were so nice as encouraging.

One of the potters gave me some of her clay to

experiment with and though everything I tried ended 

up a being a disappointment to me I did manage

 to be satisfied with this fluted bowl...

One of the others had a nice book about

 pottery techniques that I had a look through. 

I had a look for it's availability on the internet and though

 I can purchase it from Fishpond, it's currently

 out-of-stock. It would be a great resource to have.

Time: Art Journalling/

Mixed Media - 7 hours

Pottery - 3 hours

Casual Clay Tuesday...

 Last weeks efforts were a disaster...

all three pieces cracked on me.

 I was quite pleased with myself though 

as it didn't upset me knowing I can

 reconstitute the clay and reuse it.

It also led me to hunt out info on the

 internet about why clay cracks and

 preventing cracking and warping

 One of the more experiences potters suggested I use 

grad-wrap (plastic cling) between the clay and the mold 

 It made removing the frame a piece of cake.

 Fingers crossed, THIS one works!

 Some of the women who come to the clay workshop on a Tuesday.

Working in a group has been good for me as they have 

usually made all the mistakes I'm, as a newby, making!

 I tried the flower mold again, this time lined with glad-wrap.

 I've covered my clay items with a damp cloth to slow down the 

drying time so looking forward to seeing them on Thursday as I'm

 planning on attending a print-making workshop for the first time.

Clay Workshop - 4 hours

8 April 2014

Art Journalling Workshop

This morning was week 2 for the Art Journalling Workshop with Jane Cunningham. We meet at 9.30 am each Monday for 12 weeks in the scallop Room at The Quarry Arts Centre.  Jane's workshop is based on the book "Women Who Run With Wolves" by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes. This weeks theme was EAT, which is a complex topic for most women....I've yet to met someone who is absolutely fine with their relationship to food/body image and emotions! This was a particularly painful subject for me (as I had an eating disorder in my teens/early 20's) and I shared a little about my love/hate relationship with eating/nourishing myself. It's something I'm still working through and probably will be until I die. I've yet to complete my page but will continue to work on it over the coming week. I'm not sure if I'll share it here. I might just show a "bit of it" ....

I work at The BACH this afternoon filling in for Briar as she had an appointment in Auckland. I tried to do a little sketching (as it was quite quiet) but it just wasn't "happening" for me so ended up working on the tapestry for the last 45 mins before shutting up shop.

Art Journalling/Mixed Media

4 hours

Mould-making and Casting You Tube video

Just been watching some You Tube clips

 on mould-making and casting.

This one shows how to make a concrete cast.

Will keep these for future reference.

Casual Clay Workshop

Tuesday has become my clay-day.

This time I thought I'd have a go at 

making a slab vase (I think it's called?)

This is what I did...

 Rolled out a piece of clay between two pieces of sheeting

(so it doesn't stick to the roller or dry out too fast)

I lay a piece of nylon netting on top 

and rolled over it to give it flexibility

...then wrapped the rolled piece of clay 

around a gladwrap cardboard tube. 

cut off the excess and smoothed the 

edges where they joined.

 I found a piece of pvc tubing 

to cut out the end or base..

 ...and smoothed that around the 

bottom of the cardboard tubing.

 TA-DA! Fingers-crossed, it works!

 This is some of the reconstituted clay

(with my handmade flax paper added)

 I repeated the same process as above and 

am interested to compare to two after firing. 

 The two side by side for drying.

I hope they don't get knocked over!

 Then I saw this mould ...

 ...and thought it would make a pretty book cover

 The plan is to take a plaster mould 

from it once it's dried and fired.

 If it come away intact, that is.

 Here's some pics from last weeks clay class.

Unfortunately the words have fallen off

(not "stuck") but I'm told by another more 

experienced potter that they can be adhered 

after firing so not to worry.

 I didn't like how this turned out...

...so back it goes to be reconstituted!

I should point out though, it wasn't easy to break

so my experiment with trying to make the clay 

more resilient, worked *smiles* 

Now to wait and see what the slab vases look like...

Clay Workshop - 4 hours
1 April 2014