Put your hat on

Put your hat on was inspired by the Qld beach which has been a yearly constant since I was a child. No matter what we had experienced throughout the year in good times and in bad,  our time at the beach was a time to reset , recharge and revitalise. The body is created with banana fibre paper, the hair with paper string and the shells with paper pulp. Each thread of hair was handstitched in a felt headband. The hat was made from  paper dress patterns. There is a memory in the heel dipped in wax. This body was modelled on my daughter. I usually do me but as I am getting older i'm needing more and more paper 😂😂😂😂 she also has been to the beach yearly so the tradition is carried on.

 

Goddess of Gratitude

 I am currently working on a small piece Goddess of Gratitude. I have been trying to work small but it is such a different way of working from my full body size work. Very challenging. I have included multiples of flowers as I love multiples in my work. I have finished my 6 week class in ceramics and really enjoyed the  process. I love learning and any new skill is always useful, but I am always drawn back to the paper. 

Experiment with Paperclay

 

This is my first sculpture in paperclay. It was about the way I was feeling like a fassie fern ready to unfold. learning, growing ready to blossum. It has a zen like quality which is peaceful to look at. I see  little flaws but that is what experimenting and learning is all about we all have flaws.

This was a tea light holder for my back table. I found the process of putting on the glazes really difficult to get my head around as the colours don't always go on the same as what they are. It was inspired by Susan Trimble's work which is amazing. 

Out of the kiln in one piece

 This is the small sculpture I have been doing in paperclay. It has come out of the kiln in one piece which is great. I now have to do the glazes. The work is about me feeling like a fassi fern just starting to unfold. 

I have been doing a six week clay course with the amazing Clairy Laurence . I also did a heart workshop. I made this for my son's engagement. I had not touched clay for 20 years before the classes. lovely to feel and experience clay again.  His beautiful fiance loves daisies,  it got one little kiss mark from the kiln but it was made with love, using paperclay.  

 

Also working on my body paper sculpture casting a hat worn for the beach. I am always drawn back to the paper for its beautiful fragility and strength.

Coming along

I am really enjoying my clay class each week. I am learning so much. Like everything it is much harder than it looks. I love the Quote from Paula Modersohn Becker

" Everything good is difficult "

 

Experimenting and learning new skills

Hi everyone, hope the year has started well for you all. This year I am trying to experiment more and just enjoy the process without expecting myself to create a masterpiece every time. Just enjoying the experience and seeing what happens. Trying to bring a bit more curiosity into my work. I am just taking a class once a week with a new material for me to experience , clay. I am staying to my female figurative work and so far loving the collaboration with the material. I love learning new skills and the interaction with other artists is always rewarding.