....... on masochism and open studios

Yes, well, the idea of opening one's entire home and studio to several hundred strangers (and friends) to traipse through, display one's artwork for them to handle and be available (and smiling) to talk (again and again and.....) ..... is clearly only one step away from madness.

But here we go again. .....and it is a time to gather and assess the years work (or lack of), a time to spring clean the studio (long overdue) and meet friends and strangers who appreciate one's artwork and, quietly (because one should never count one's unhatched chickens) to make a sale or two.

So, if you live in the neighborhood (Melbourne) come along and visit a selection of the Dandenong Ranges best Artists. And their studios.


If you want to see the artists involved, a map of the area and information on Burrinja Gallery who hosts the whole deal, click here.

I wish I could report that my life is not as messy as my studio, but, alas it is.
That doesn't mean that I don't function quite well within that chaos. In fact, I seem to thrive on the house being full... and loud.... and messy. Its just that I function best when its late.... and they are all in bed asleep... and quiet ...... and the phone doesn't ring..... and no-one pops in for coffee.

Its about setting boundary's to work within. And keep others out.
So the daughter can come home. Of course. but she will sleep out in the bungalow.
And the boy and his girlfriend can trawl the curbside hard rubbish for furniture, but it goes under the house.
The good man can live with me. On the weekend.

Here is that semi functioning chaos.


I have a few new artists' books... pages finished and ready to be bound.

"Wandering among the living and the dead"







"the shows of confusion"



Another bunch of life drawings waiting for their 2nd incarnation








........ and another



......... and another

..... on the circle of life

..... no, nothing so deep, just playing with circles and a bunch of pics from the thousands that seem to accumulate . Isn't that the problem/wonder of digital photography.... you can snap off 625 images every time you walk out the door.....
There's a great little photoshop tutorial here that guides you through the process of making these cool images


















.....and these ones are just playing around with the "spherize" filter

...... zines

zines.
.... something about the simplicity and immediacy of a zine is appealing.
Arty, but easy. Permanent but quick. Huge, but small.

Here are a few pics from the recent zine fair in the degraves st subway at Sticky's
festival of the photocopier.
These are from their facebook page.




This is the table I shared with my daughter Maara.



Thats me on the right with the glasses.



... and a taste of the other cool stuff on the day









..... and a few of the recent additions to my etsy zine shop

........ on feisty elders

...... another feisty old girl.
Jean Stone, basketmaker, beader, dollmaker, knitter, teacher and general expert in almost any craft you care to name.
She lives alone among the thousands of creations she surely must spend 21 hours a day working on.
Small, wirey, feisty, seventy something, and constantly creative.
Oh, to be so.