The Shopping Sherpa: Wanderings

Showing posts with label Wanderings - Australia. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 03, 2019

Siteworks 2018: Micro (Little things mean a lot)

September 2018 was busy miniature-wise, as two weeks after my trip to Sydney to see Joshua Smith's Urban Decay exhibition I was off on a road trip to Bundanon Trust in Shoalhaven to be part of their annual Siteworks festival of art and science.

Flier for Siteworks 2018 at Bundanon Trust.

The theme for 2018 was Micro: Little things mean a lot and I felt quite boring in a lineup that included tiny dancing spiders made big, art inspired by microscopic images and conversations with scientists about molecular biology and soil health.

But the opportunity to visit both Bundanon (home of famous artist Arthur Boyd), and also not just visit, but sleep in, the Glenn Murcutt Boyd Education Centre at Riversdale was too good to pass up (especially when my home was becoming more and more overrun by piles of packing boxes for shift that I did not yet know quite when was happening...).

My friend and I arrived at Riversdale as evening set in to a welcome committee of wombats (those are the dots you can see on the lawn below), but didn't have time to explore as we were due at the Bundanon property (which is a 20-minute drive away) for dinner.

Woman standing at an open doorway looking over a lawn dotted with wombats that leads down to a river.

The next morning I got up bright and early to explore the building before we had to head back to Bundanon for a day at Siteworks.

It didn't disappoint. This is the main block:

Entrance terrace of the Boyd Education Centre from the hill above.

Front of the Boyd Education Centre main block from below.

A man sitting on the ledge along the front of the main block of the Boyd Education Centre in front of an open sliding door.

View from inside the main block of the Boyd Education Centre, showing one of the sliding door panels, and a man sitting in the sun on the ledge outside.

View from inside the main block of the Boyd Education Centre, looking through the open sidling doors down to the river. In the doorway are sillouheted two men and a child.

which leads to the dormitory block, which is on two levels because of the slope of the hill:

Outside view of th edormatory block of the Boyd Education Centre, from the lawn below,

Inside, the four-bed dorms can be split by a sliding door into two two-bed dorms (which is what we had). The front wall above one of the beds in each dorm has shutters that open out to the view...

View of a bed inside one of the dormatory rooms int he Boyd Education Centre dormatory block, showing how the shutters above the bed open up to the outside.

while the other had a framed Arthur Boyd print on the concrete wall above it (all rather posh for what is usually student accommodation, I thought, but liked the touch...)

Someone asleep in a bed in the dormatory block o fthe Boyd Education Centre. Above the bed on the concrete wall is a framed Artur Boyd print.

The door to the dorm room leads straight onto an outside walkway, so if you opened that door and the shutters at the front you had a bush view in both directions. I took a video to show the set up:

Back over at Bundanon for the day, I managed to make time to duck into Arthur Boyd's studio for a bit of miniature inspiration before my 'conversation'.

Interior of Arhtur Boyd's studio at Bundanon Trust.

Also in conversation was artist Julian Oates, and Jenny Whiting, who curated Stories and Structures – New Connections, an exhibition of works informed by images of microscopic slides.

Three people seated on a stage. One is talking into a microphone, while the other two look on, one with micrphone poised to ask a question.

After the conversations were over I wandered over to the homestead to have a look at the exhibition in person.

Gallery view of art informed my microscope slides and the original slide images on a gallery wall.

(On the top row, the artworks. On the bottom, the slides).

There were many other works and performances to explore, and another night to spend at the Boyd Education Centre.

View from inside the great room of the Boyd Education Centre looking out across the river and bush.

And on the way home we stopped off at Kangaroo Valley Woodcrafts so I could buy a miniature wooden pear to add to my collection:

Miniature wooden pear sitting on a copy of the book 'Siteworks: Field guide to Bundanon'.

I'd originally seen them 20 years ago on my first, and, until now only visit, but didn't have the cash to buy one then: so was very pleased that they still had them in stock for me to (finally!) buy...

(If you'd like to learn more about the Boyd Education Centre building at Riversdale, watch this series of videos of architect Glenn Murcutt touring the building...)

Saturday, January 27, 2018

A Japanese-themed January jaunt

On return from my trip away I realised that most of the photos I took were Japanese-themed. I had an hour of so to break my trip in Sydney before I met up with my friend further north and so ran a couple of mini-related errands in the city.

I found this mural at The Galeries Victoria:

Mural featuring a cat, a Japanese girl and a man reading a book.

on the way to visit Muji to buy pill containers to try and make a trolley like Marion's.

Then (of course) there was a visit to Daiso before I caught the train to meet my friend.

And discovered that there was a suitably-patterned bedspread on the bed in her spare room:

Plastic Daiso bag filled with purchases, on a black and white Japanese-print bedspread.

On Saturday we visited the Edogawa Commemorative Garden in Gosford, even though it was stinking hot.

Japanese garden with a path leading towards a tea house.

Pond in a Japanese garden with pagoda next to it, seen through a round window.

My purchases from the trip included some bits for the build I'd left half-finished before I left: a set of blue-and-white patterned washi tape from Muji and a pen from Daiso with a kokeshi doll on the top:

Three rolls of Japanese-patterned blue and white washi tape and a pen with a plastic kokeshi doll on the top of it.

both of which fitted in very well when my attention returned to the scene this morning,

One-twelfth scale Japanese-themed display on a chest of drawers, with a rice-paper lamp. a kokeshi dolls, a plant in a blue-and-white Japanese pot and a white rectangular bowl.

(and gave me just the kick in the pants I needed to finish making the bedding, and put the rest of the scene together!)

Corner of a one-twelfth scale Japanese-themed bedroom with a cream cane bed with blue-and-white bedding, a chest of drawers with a rice-paper lamp. a kokeshi dolls, a plant in a blue-and-white Japanese pot and a white rectangular bowl displayed on it and, on the floor, a blue and white checked rug with a pair of embroidered slippers on it.

Monday, February 06, 2017

Blogiversary* at the beach

A friend held a birthday party last weekend at Ettalong, and invited me to share the apartment she'd booked for the weekend.

View from an apartment balcony across the beach and sea below.

So I was lucky enough to spend the weekend at the beach,

Beach at sunset with the tide out. Two people are paddling in the distance, and behind them are a number of moored yachts.

with a fabulous ring-side seat for the spectacular sunrises (I snapped the picture below from my bed, by reaching one arm out the sliding room next to it which lead onto our (enormous) balcony!)

View from a balcony, across an inlet at sunrise.

View across an inlet at sunrise, with the sun just coming up behind a hill.

There was miniature inspiration: particularly at Hatter's Tea House, where we had lunch on Saturday:

Retro living room with vintage sofa draped with a crocheted rug, and green wing chair with floor lamp behind it.

and just up the street at Geoff's Boatshed, which sold mainly fishing and boating supplies, but also had a range of souvenirs including bottles of miniature shells, and tiny china animals:

Selection of bottles containing miniature shells in front of a box displaying postcards.

So I came home with a selection of suitably nautical souvenirs (plus some not-so-nautical pieces).

Miniature china flying ducks and wise monkeys, plus a metal anchor keyring and five bottles of miniature shells arranged on a tabletop.

Plus I may have managed a quick visit to Daiso while I waited for the train home and picked up a few more things not pictured.

(*Eleven years)

Tuesday, December 01, 2015

Goulburn goodies

While I was in Goulburn on Friday, I made sure to visit Dimmey's, my favourite discount store there (I'm not linking to their website because they have an annoying auto-play ad which you can't stop).

I spent some time trawling through this large display of 49-cent placemats

Shelves full of placemats in a discount store.

and came away with a good number that I plan to use as flooring, wall covering and for screens.

Selection of placemants in black and white and gold.

Also new in the stash are these laser-cut beams for my HBS Creatin' Contest build pergola (thanks to JWT Dollshouses and Miniatures for the fabulous and speedy service).

Four laser-cut wooden beams laid out on the invoice.

Speaking of the HBS Creatin' Contest build, I'm planning the front and staring more closely on the windows in my real house than I ever have, to see how they're made...

Reading glasses, metal ruler, calculator, pen and bowl of pasta on top of a piece of paper with a plan for a wall with windows.

And there's been lots and lots (and lots) of undercoating over the past week.

#HBSCreatinContest2015

Friday, November 20, 2015

The aftermath

This morning was a mad dash to complete my two scenes before I was picked up by a friend to deliver them to Goulburn Regional Art Gallery for their 'What's in the toybox' exhibition, which opens next week.

As usual after a major project, my studio is in complete chaos.

Work table of a miniature artist, in a complete mess.

And, even worse, have a large cutting mat and tools in the middle of my kitchen floor: I found myself moving from over-crowded spot to over-crowded spot in search of somewhere to finish the next part of the work before the deadline.

Large cutting board, ruler, stanley knife and various bits of card and paper on a kitchen floor.

We drove through 40 degree (104 Fahrenheit, for those on the other side of the world) heat* to reach the gallery, and were diverted off the highway because of a grass fire*, but it was worth it to spy this at the entrance:

Pamphlet rack on a wall containing pamphlets for the 'What's in the toybox' exhibition and various related public programmes.

and these little houses in the exhibition before the one I'm in:

Ronnie van Hout's 'Cold shoulder to cry on' sculpture of a house on legs in a gallery.

Ronnie van Hout's 'Timing that Flawed' sculpture of a house with legs in a gallery.

Once I got home and did some research on the artist, Ronnie van Hout, I was delighted to discover that he is not only a fellow kiwi, but that he also created 'Fallen robot', one of my favourite sculptures in Lower Hutt, New Zealand...

Ronnie van Hout's 'Fallen robot' sculpture of a metal robot in a pond.

High on my agenda for the next couple of days is some serious down time (possibly including some TV-series binge watching) and napping, hopefully not at the same time. And some major house cleaning and organising.

(*How can this be? It's only November!)

_________________________________________________________________________

What's in the Toybox exhibiton

27 November - 24 December 2015

An exhibition of works particularly for children but also suitable for adults in need of a little nostalgia in the lead up to Christmas. From original book illustrations to colourful sculptures and hand-made wooden toys by local Goulburn Woodworkers, there's something in the toybox to delight everybody.

Goulburn Regional Art Gallery

Civic Centre, Bourke Street

Goulburn N.S.W.

Tel. 02 4823 4503

Open Monday - Friday 10 am – 5 pm, Saturday 1 pm – 4 pm (Closed Sunday and Public Holidays)

Monday, August 17, 2015

A conference, miniature-eyesed

A conference lanyard on a desk in a hotel room. On it is a miniature camera, and next to it are a number of clear plastic containers which look like miniature planters and sinks.

I've just spent a few days on the Gold Coast at the 2015 ProBlogger training event.

Although I'd checked to see if there were any miniature shops close to the venue, I realised that I probably wouldn't have time to see anything more than the inside of the conference centre and my room (I was right).

So imagine my surprise when the miniatures started finding me, even before the first session started!

Olympus was running a #SpectacularStories contest, and were giving away miniature cameras. Alas, more like 1:6 scale that 1:12, but a miniature is a miniature, right?

Miniature camera displayed on an open hand in a conference hall.

And then at lunchtime, I spotted these trays under some of the cakes:

Plate with two small cakes on it. One is on a clear plastic tray. In the foreground is a hand holding up another of the trays.

And instantly thought 'miniature sink!' Which got me haunting the tables with to find any more that had been discarded. On the hunt I also discovered taller containers which had contained jelly: perfect for re purposing into large modern planters...

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Gascoigne at Goulburn Gallery was great!

In the Canberra Times art magazine a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that there was a Rosalie Gascoigne exhibition on at the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery, which is a mere hour up the road.

I love me some Rosalie Gascoigne about as much as I love me some Alex Asch, so of course I had to go. And since I have no job, I could go any time I wanted :-D

Today was the day, and friend Tina joined me for the trip. And, being such mature grown-up people, our first stop in town was a selfie in front of the bum of The Big Merino

Two women posing in front of the bottom of the Giant Merino in Goulburn.

(which I shared on Facebook with the title 'Yum yum, sheep's bum, road trips are great fun!'). Yep: completely adult.

Seriously though, I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibition

Entry sign for The Daylight Moon: an exhibition of Rosalie Gascoigne's work, showing at Goulburn Regional Art Gallery.

(especially as we'd drive past Lake George to get there. And had the place to ourselves...)

A woman standing in front of work at The Daylight Moon: an exhibition of Rosalie Gascoigne's work, showing at Goulburn Regional Art Gallery.

Two works at The Daylight Moon: an exhibition of Rosalie Gascoigne's work, showing at Goulburn Regional Art Gallery.

The day got better when I discovered the children's room at the end of the gallery, which invited us to 'create your own Rosalie Gascoigne inspired [sic] collage and add it to our group work'.

The children's room at The Daylight Moon, with a sign inviting people to 'create their own Rosalie Gascoigne inspired works.

As we read, our plans to visit the local op shops before we had to return home faded away.

A woman selecting paper for her collage in the children's room at The Daylight Moon exhibition.

A woman cutting paper for her collage in the children's room at The Daylight Moon exhibition.

I decided to photograph my pieces with the works that inspired them...

A woman holding up her collage in front of a work by Rosalie Gascoigne in The Daylight Moon exhibition.

And, finally, I just had to make a miniature-sized work

A selection of pieces of paper, scissors and a glue stick arranged on a table top.

which I had to play with once I got home.

The first thing I spotted in the stash when I started looking for inspiration for the scene (because one more 'desk and stuff' or 'sofa and stuff' scene would probably put me to sleep) was this chair from Minisx2:

Modern dolls' house miniature collage art work hanging on a black wall. In front of it is an art chair.

And, as sometimes happens, the whole story for the scene fell into place. It was a gallery shop, of course! (And what a long time since I've done a gallery...)