Lectures about Colour at the Museum of Modern Art, New York

I have been loving the free lectures and discussions posted on the MOMA website - particularly those regarding the exhibition Color Chart: Reinventing Color, 1950 to Today
which was on show March 2–May 12, 2008.

I have been listening to a lot of them while I weave and am about to go through them again to take a few notes. Some of the artists featured are Marcel Duchamp, Andy Wahol, Gerhard Richter, Jennifer Bartlett, Dan Flavin, and Damien Hurst.

Short talks regarding particular pieces of these artists work and more are to be found here http://www.moma.org/visit_moma/audio/2008/spec_exhib/ColorChart/ColorChart_download.html.

Longer and more in depth lectures and discussions can be found here http://www.moma.org/visit_moma/audio/2008/pub_prog/downloadAAPAA_2008.html.

I found these talks particularly motivational and inspiring while sitting doing production weaving.

It would be wonderful if all museums and galleries provided this kind of resource free to the public.

--mel

Mr Lacroixs' Dress

Thinking of Colour

Colour theory, what is it? what does colour do for us as humans? How does colour fit into or daily thinking and more importantly who works with colour? Dr John Gage, Trisha Guild and my favourate Christian Lacroixto name a few. What does colour mean to them this will be my new investigation for 2009. How what do they do with colour? I think Lacroix will be my main focus with a little bit of Guild thrown in. Then again what is colour in the Australian landscape?

Collage experimenting

A couple of things I have been playing with...


Found objects, stitching and paint.

Am considering these very much in the sample realm as I think the composition and subject need quite a bit of work. Also I will play more with building up the layers with patterning and texture.

http://bioregionalanimism.blogspot.com/2007/10/biomimicry-not-new-idea-but-damn-good.html

Mels Favourite artist

Mel is researching for her PHD and Ross lovgrove is a fav of hers. So lots of unteresting things to come from Mel!

Mechanical Textures

These are a couple of examples of a little project I have been working on for fun. I have been loving textures from images in magazines, so I cut a little piece out, stick it in my journal and create my own texture around it. I had a teacher once how referred to drawn texture as 'mechanical texture'. This little book has been making me very happy.

Lacroix

Lacroix dress in the London Financial Times

Vogue Living America

I am loving this colour swatching. Now 2 warps to wind. This may get me out of my own colour palette of cream and neutral colours.

colour inspiration

This image is taken in my brothers backyard in Bourke NSW Australia and Taken minutes after the rain had stopped. We had just had 1.5 inches in about 1 hours, it is so dry and sandy the water vanished instantly. I have taken colour samples out of the image and think this could be a good way of finding new colour combos for warps etc. The image allows for lots of colour combos in different hues. next one will be a lighter hue.

The result

Pre wash was 45 x 22 cm after washing 10 x 19cm.

I guess it is OK woven. i need to concentrate more as i keep losing my place and getting mistakes. The colours are also not good but OK for a sample. No worries Avi will wear it!

I received a new book today Anne Fields collapsed weave. Some good information in it but I must say the photography is not good and the editor didn't do their job very well.

I will work my way though a few of the drafts and see what I can achieve. Maybe a bit of felting tread with it.

I also have some horse hair to play with, what shall I do?

What to do

Sorry photos a little blurry.

Well a new project but an old warp. I think I have had this warp end for at least 3 years and how need to use up all those bits and pieces that lurk in the back of the studio.

I think the treads are silk rayon that is definite and possibly cotton.

I have the threading pattern 1234321234----

And a waffle weave tie up. The sample I have woven is with over twisted yarn but now That is so boring what suggestions can you come up with???????

A Weekend at Bundanon

Well here I am, finally writing another blog entry! I took my time!

On the weekend I visited Arthur and Yvonne Boyd's property 'Riversdale' and 'Bundanon' on the Shoalhaven River about 20mins from Nowra, NSW. I organized a group visit with the Friends of Sturt for an overnight stay and play. The 'Riversdale' property is one of the most inspirational places I have visited for a long time - I have been looking forward to it for ages!
So here's a quick tour of how I spent my time...

I started with some spinning looking out over the amazing view, because I hadn't spun for years and I was really missing it. The photo is of some of the other FOS gals.
But what I really loved was going for walks. I followed the creek for a while...And found some natural weaving!And settled down under a palm leaf.Where I started noticing the micro-world... as I usually do! - Beautiful, luscious different types of moss.
And I do love the beautiful details of lichen. This is a great illustration of L-systems which I have been investigating lately.And beautiful buttons of fungi - I find the different browns in this stunning!And cute little orange buttons...And this little stunner in reds - never seen it before.And I did actually do a little bit of sketching - just some quick linework of the shadows falling on the page.Had a very rejuvenating time!
--Mel

I'm in Love

I have just discovered Leonie Oaks at Handmark Gallery Tasmania

THis is her info on the Galleries website

Leonie Oakes graduated from the University of Tasmania in 2002 with Honours 1st class. Predominately a Printmaker and Book Artist, her work is held in private and public collections in Australia, USA and Brazil. Central themes to her work are thought, memory and containment.

Sinh Party and Lao Textiles

One of my purchases, how could you resist?

Beautiful Pleats

Melanie, Annie, Julie, Valerie and Christine

Melanie, Valerie and Julie

Margaret, Fiona and Meredith

Dig In !

What a treat! Yesterday Valerie Kirk head of textiles at the Australian National University (ANU) hosted a Sinh party and a gathering to welcome textile arts and in particular Carol Cassidy to Canberra for the Tapestry 2008 conference. Friday will see the opening reception for the conference and the Lao textile exhibition at the foyer gallery at ANU. Carol had a wonderful collection of silk textiles for us to admire and purchase.

Lao Textiles

Fiona Rutherford

ANU Textiles Department

Tapestry 2008

Loa Textile Exhition

Tapestry 2008 The Fine Art of Tapestry Weaving Exhibition

Fresh Colour

This is the lastest issue of Vogue Living Australia, I love Caroline Quartermain 's work it's so fresh and light. Carolines' Website