gooseflesh

Work in Progress

A map of thoughts (sorts)

My pieces of coral are crocheted spontaneously. 

It's possible but highly improbable that I will create two pieces exactly the same. 

Whilst playing around with a piece of coral I realized how it's branching pattern is a bit like a map of my thoughts. I start with a germ of an idea which quickly grows out of control in a branching pattern. It could also represent a network of nerve fibres firing across the brain. My thought patterns are like pieces of coral or perhaps I just have coral on my mind. 

Fine branching coral, 2008

Dimensions variable, (16x9cm)

Wool

The mind is ordered in a disorderly way

Life without deadlines

AAhhhh!! Life without deadlines. Finally time to nurture the exciting new ideas germinating in my brain.

Photos from the opening night of the Post Chrysalis Exhibition:

That's me with the silly grin on my face (above).

Some red dots!!!!!

Edward, Susan and Nina (+ unidentified man). Dad and I in the doorway.

 

Floral Necklace, 2008

Discarded Plastic Bags.

There are tadpoles in my little pond. It's likely they are Eastern Brown frogs. There's often a very robust and handsome Kookaburra sitting in the tree above the pond with his head cocked to one side and an eye staring down at the pond. A few weeks ago I found Hairy Harry (portrait) cautiously sniffing around an upturned plastic pot. I gently lifted the pot with a stick ...... a lizard, a snake? No....... a very large Kookaburra. He flew off in a great hurry, sitting on the pergola for a while with ruffled feathers and a confused look on his face. I don't know how he got there or how long he was there. Probably the same guy.

Harry walked into the studio and I snapped him.

Long live the reef!

In a few days I will return to Australia after a long journey around the globe. The next post will have photos of the exhibition at the Hayward Gallery. It looks splendid. Check it out if you get the chance.

The Hayward Project Space and Royal Festival Hall Level 2 Foyer

Wednesday 11 June 2008 - Sunday 17 August 2008

 

This little coral has just been finished and was photographed this morning on the petals of a peony. It will be good to be sleeping in my own bed again and hear the crashing waves on Newport beach.

Glasgow

Some more coral pieces for the IFF's Hyperbolic Coral Reef Exhibition, Hayward Gallery, London. Clandestine photographs on location at the Kelvingrove Museum, Glasgow.

On Location in New York

Cephalopod and my other plastic bag crochet sea creatures made the long journey to New York. I decided not to show them with the Toxic Reef. They looked out of place and overwhelmed. Instead I took Cephalopod on a location shoot overlooking the Hudson River, with the Statue of Liberty just visible on the horizon.

The Hyberbolic Crochet Reef

Only a few days before I leave for New York city.

The Rubbish Vortex and my Crochet Sea Creatures will be on show as part of the Institute for Figuring's Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef. Come and see................... there will be coral and sea creatures made by women from all around the world.

The Winter Garden, The World Financial Centre . Opening reception will be held on Sunday the 6th of April from 2-5 pm. The show be on until May 18.

Please come and see this and the sister reef in The Broadway Windows, NYU.

Hope to see some of you guys there. Come and say hello.

A Crochet Vacuum

A box full of crochet sea creatures are on their way to New York. Fedex picked up the box this morning. I'll take the rest of the pieces with me in the suitcase. It feels strange now to have some extra time......... crochet withdrawal perhaps.

An anemone:

Regina Anemone
Crocheted preloved tapestry wool.

Three Coral Gardens:

Grey Ascidian.
Crocheted preloved tapestry wool.

Purple Barnacles
Crocheted preloved tapestry wool.

Pink Sponge
Crocheted preloved tapestry wool.

Violet Ascidian
Crocheted preloved tapestry wool.

Crochet Sea Creatures

A few more organisms have been made using the fabulously coloured bags that arrived from around the world. Thank you everyone. You may recognize the colours.

They don't have any names yet. All going to New York IFF exhibition in April.

aaahhhh........no words!

Soooooo busy making............. I can't find the right words. I sit to write and can't find the words to describe what I'm doing and yet so keen to show and tell.

Last night I went to sleep thinking about the Rubbish Vortex........ I came up with some new refinements of the design and I can't wait to start. Feel like a goose getting so excited about making things and yet know if I didn't make things I'd go mad (madder). One day I will be found fused to and part of one of my objects. Blissfully lost in a cloud of creating, smelling the flowers and desparately trying to keep up with the real world.
I look around me and see inspiration everywhere........ life is good!

I see connections in branching patterns everywhere. My circulatory sytem too!

The making of these woolly gems is similar to sketching. I experiment with colour combinations and shapes. These discoveries can be used in the Crochet Sea Creatures series.

What can I say?

I found some words.

The Softies Award 2007

Geezzzz!!!

Medusa nematocysta has been selected as one of five finalist in The 2007 Softies Award.

Voting is now open!

Vote here

The voting will be open until Friday March 30th.

Medusa nematocysta

2006
Reused plastic bags
Height 700mm

Sea Creatures

Must be time to post my sea creatures.

version 1.

Medusa nematocysta is crocheted from yarn made from reused plastic shopping bags.
I unravelled large parts of this until I felt reasonably satisfied with the result.

Extreme close-ups:

The last version.

.....maybe I could tweek it a bit more!