The Whole Brain Workshop

It's taken me a while to work out what I'm doing and where-to-from here given there's so many amazing talented artist and creative persons already doing 'their thing'. As a direct result of winning a scholarship I've decided to just keep on keeping on, exploring my creativity and seeing where it leads instead of trying to make it go in a particular direction. What I do know is I enjoy ceramics, printmaking and weaving so will focus on those three areas in 2016/17. It's been fun brain-stormimg what I could do and make, but before sharing about that I'll just answer a few questions as per Arthur Aron, professor at Stony Brook University, New York.

ARON'S QUESTIONS

Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?

My favourite people to have around me at mealtimes are my own young-adult children. They inspire me and make my life worthwhile. They have unlooked in me resources I didn't know existed and I feel very privileged to be their mama. I particularly love when they want to cook for me. There's nothing more rewarding than sitting down at the end of the day to a meal prepared for by your kids!

What would constitute the "perfect day" for you?

I have two ideals actually....depending on my energy-levels....

If I was feeling good it would be: Rising early and going for an early-morning walk ior bike-ride and watch the day break and sun rise as I eat breakfast.. Then I would meet a friend and after go explore a museum, art gallery or the zoo. We would have lunch out at a cafe then afterwards I would either spend time in the garden or make something, maybe pottery related. Then I would have a long soak in the bath, order take-aways and curl up and watch a movie or go out to a restaurant (Thai) and the movies. My day would be complete retiring to bed with a book and read until i fell asleep.

But, if I was was tired my perfect day would be: sleeping in and having breakfast in bed. Reading (and probably falling back to sleep!) until I felt like getting up. Then I might stay in bed some more or get up and do something creative. Paint or scrapbook or watch a movie. order takeaways or go out for dinner with a friend, watch the sun set, then retire to bed with my book (again)

What is the great accomplishment of your life?

It would have to be giving birth to my three children. What an awesome adventure parenting is and even with all it's ups and downs, highs and lows - it has taught me so much about myself.

The other great accomplishment for me has been learning to drive. I didn't get my Learner's until my late 20's and then was put off driving with an instructor wanting me to drive a manual. Fourteen years later (and by this time I had teenagers) I knew I needed to "face that giant and slay it" A friends husband took me for driving lessons, I bought my first (auto) car and got my Restricted driving test. The rest is history and so far I've taught 2 out of 3 kids to drive.

The Whole Brain Workshop - Action in Writing

There are a few areas of interest I'm looking at doing as the next part of my TLC Art and Creativity Programme (Honours). 

I would like to further explore ceramics, printmaking, textiles and tapesrty -  the latter being a community project at The BACH Art Gallery & Shop Co-Operative, where I work.

We are estimating another 2-3 months work.

 With our existing  community Tapestry Project nearing completion after three years of weaving  I am putting together a proposal for the next one, which I'm really excited about but don't want to let the "cat out of the bag" just yet. (I will email that page to you, Keith)

I wasn't surprised by these results!

~o0o~

I've starting working on ceramic numbers AND joined a pottery

 group called The Firebirds. They meet at the Reyburn Studio 

weekly on Thursday's. I'm wanting to incorporate natural textures

 (bark, leaves etc) with my numbers (naturally..pun intended!)

 I've booked and paid to go to the annual "Dunedin Scrap Camp"

(in April) for a weekends retreat. I can't wait and thought since its

been a while since I've done anything scrapbooking-related I'd

put this together for a small canvas. Ten minutes later, I changed

 my mind and it's evolving into a 12x12inch page!

 I'm excited to share my paper-pulping "system"

well, that was until I discovered it doesn't work 

and needs tweeking. Back to the drawing board...

And after months...years of slicing bits of my fingers cutting 

paper with a stanley knife/metal ruler I've finally come to

the conclusion I need a guillotine. I scored this baby for $30

off Trade Me....and it was a local seller so didn't have to 

pay for frieght. New these things cost waaay more than 

thirty dollars so I'm really happy with my find!

~o0o~

Life Casting Block Week TLC - Dec'15

All last year I'd been hoping to get down to a TLC workshop, but it with one thing or another (post-cancer treatment) it just didn't happen. I was really happy to have it all come together for a Life Casting Workshop in early December and fortunate a "got permission" to go from work as pre-Christmas is our busiest time of the year at The BACH Art Gallery.

I set off in the bus at 6am on Sunday the 6th December,
 arriving in Wellington City around 9pm.

 Leaving Auckland...

Sky City Tower, Auckland.

 On the road south driving towards Tirau.

It's called the Fitzgerald Glades.

 I rained crossing the central North Island

while driving through the Dessert Road.

 Foxton Bridge - as a kid my older brother called 

this the "Never-Ending Bridge"... Interestingly

 enough, we were over the bridge before I knew it!

Sunset at Paekakariki..nearly there!

My view from The Base, Courtney Place, Wellington.

 It was a long day travelling, but I enjoy watching the world go by, so it wasn't an inconvience or nuisance for me. I'd organised to stay the week at The Base Backpackers .. little did I realise that's the nightlife central and wouldn't get much sleep!

The Base, Cambridge Terrace.

My view out the dorm window during the day.

I got the TLC Express there at back from The Base

 to TLC..it was so much fun, like being a kid again!

 This is always such a welcoming site for me!!

Mural Painting is by Sue Lund, who was

a student at The Learning Connexion. 

 I'm so inspired by this place!

 The Ceramics Studio where I came each day

for the Life Casting Block Week.

Mel Ford, our tutor was just lovely. I really

 like Mel and felt a real connection with her.
~o0o~
On the first day we learned the basics of life casting and discussed what body part we wanted to cast then paired of to cast our ear, one being cast and the other doing the casting on them. We were just a small group of 6 so very quickly got to know each other. We used alignate as the molding material which was really cold to have it poured onto/into my ear! Of course you have a bit of cotton wool in the hole but it was still a bit freaky having it poured into the cup that housed the mold.

You have to work really fast with alignate as it starts to set
 almost immediately you start to mix the powder with the water.
Once it had set a small amount of plaster was
 made up and pour over to take a mold of our ear.

 The hanging apparatus

Strategically placed for hanging
(and hopefully not upside-down lol!)

Ta-da...my ear! We left them there for Mel's 

wall display called "The Walls Has Ears..."

~o0o~

I had two things I'd hope to do while at TLC. one of those things was to cast a mold of my hand as I'd like on my "hand" soap dishes

Mel said that we'd need to make a two part mold.

One half of the top of my hand and the other half of the bottom. Seems easy enough! First step was to make a clay support for my hand ensuring there would be no under-cut on either half. Initally I didn't understand what she meant by this..but by the end of the process, I did. Unfortuately I could photograph my hand being cast both sides but after getting the clay support prepared we created a wall surround and made up plaster of paris to pour over my hand. Once this set (I had to sit there a while!) we were able to lift of the clay and hand from the cast plaster mold. That was left to harden overnight in the oven (on low) and after greasing with vaseline we repeated the process doing the other side of my hand. Unfortunately there ended up being a number of undercuts so I wouldn't be able to use the two-piece mold for clay., but Mel said we could try latex instead and that nothing was wasted as it's all learning.

Strapping the molds together.

Pouring in the latex....

...and rotating the mold to completely cover the inside surfaces.
The excess was poured back into the bottle.

Before separating the two halves the inside surfacse are
coated with cornflour to prevent them sticking together.

Ta-da! My hand..in latex.

Then we spent a few minutes being "silly" with my hand lol. Mel made me feel ok about being there by making me laugh!

~o0o~

On Thursday we split into two groups. One group cast one of the woman's foot, the other group cast the only male in the groups hand. For these cast we we shown how to apply alignate and plaster bandage then separating the mold with a small incision at the wrist (or ankle) and pouring in plaster of paris to replicate the body part.

 Applying the alginate. Many hands make quick work!

Before the alginate goes firm we were instructed to "wookiee" the alginate (stick polyester fluff to it) and then trim away the excess. As we had to work fast there were small holes and areas missed with the alginate, therefore the process needed to be repeated.

Mel saying something funny to Mahon..

...which made him laugh. It was such a neat group to spend the week with.

Adding the plaster bandage, then cutting it off,

 rejoining the bandage and filling the mold with plaster 

and here's the finished product.

There was a few air bubbles which appeared as 

little holes so Mel showed us how to fix them up

 by adding a little dry plaster with a paint brush.

The other things I wanted to do was a torso cast.

It was a bold move on my behalf but Mel was very 

descreet and had me tucked away in a side room.

Sadly, the first attempt broke so we did a second torso which I brought home on the bus (in a box, of course) along with art supplies bought from the TLC shop. I'm yet to take a positive from the second torso I'm really interested in using harakeke pulp. Just need some fine weather to do it!

During the week I had the opportunity to attend an Artist Talk - about the World Art Games. It was really interesting and has piqued my curiousity. Maybe something I could look at joining in with in the future? Also I was able to attend the Term 4 Student's Exhibition opening night which was very inspiring. So good to be there to see all the different art works.

~o0o~