gooseflesh

Another little vessel

The fence post is proving a good location to photograph my work. This necklace below is made from leftover plastic bag yarn from the "Rubbish Vortex". The three little vessels I posted a photo of recently were made from the same leftover yarn. 

Another little vessel below made from precious orange plastic bag yarn. It's resting on a small hexagon quilt I'm currently making (check out Alicia's Poulson's tutorial here). It feels really good to be hand sewing again. 

 

Here is Harriet wearing the little orange vessel.

She has started to graze, but still likes being bottle-fed warm milk and gets very feisty when it runs out.
 

 

The Original Cephalopod

A quick note for the record:

One of my favourite TV shows is "Collectors", ABC TV, 7:30pm. Last Friday 4th of June, a woman was interviewed about her collection of plastic bags and what she makes with them..... coral and other sea creatures (including a copy of my Cephalopod) and that she was concerned about the plight of reefs etc.. I found myself standing up out of my chair in complete disbelief and felt my stomach churning and my head spinning with confusion.

Synchronicity is a possibility, as is editing out relevant bits of information, but............

Whenever a similar thing happens I remind myself why it is I do what I do and how much I love doing it. People can copy my work and appropriate my ideas but it won't take away the immense joy I get from experimenting and creating and I hope to continue this process as long as I can.

Ahhhhh!!!! There it is out of my system and on the record.

Cephalopod, 2005.

Discarded Plastic Bags.

Helle Jorgensen.

Compared to the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico this is pretty insignificant! 

10th June 2010 

Extraordinary synchronicity: I've been contacted by Nicole Johnson in Tasmanina (the woman who appeared on the "Collectors"). At the same time as I was making sea creatures crocheted from discarded plastic bags so was she. Our work is similar but also very different. Nicole also weaves beautiful tapestries using plastic bag yarn. It's quite spooky that we've made the connections at the same time and that we live relatively close together. This coincidence a valuable lesson for me.  

Some new pieces and a happy heiffer

Hariette is a healthy and happy heiffer now. 

She's mooing, walking, running, kicking, bucking, head-butting and occasionally escaping. I get woken up in the morning by her standing under the kitchen window, mooing for her milk. I've been seen chasing her around the garden in my pyjamas. The grass is beginning to interest her and I see her patiently trying to get long stalks with seedheads into her mouth.

 There has been time for some crochet too. Three little vessels with a pedestal made from multi-coloured plastic bag yarn.

A black piece of coral.

Some black chain.

Multi-coloured beads on the flowers of the African tulip tree.

Components of a new coral garden: a couple of feather star arms

and yellow ascidians (next to a yellow cucumber found growing in the compost heap).

I found Lucy sleeping on her back in Hariette's straw crib today.

Lost at Sea

The following sculptures arrived safely at gallery hanahou, for the exhibition, Lost at Sea. I was a little concerned that they wouldn't arrive in time because of the volcanic ash in the atmosphere. Thankfully the sculptures flew over the North Pacific so I need not have worried. Actinia was a WIP last time I posted a photo of it. So here it is finished. These pieces will be for sale in the gallery.

Exhibition details:

Lost at Sea  

daring fiber artists delve into the deep

May 6 - June 11

gallery hanahou / 611 Broadway, Suite 730, New York City/ galleryhanahou.com

Opening reception: Thursday, May 6, 7-9 pm RSVP info@galleryhanahou.com

 

Actinia, 2010

Discarded Plastic Bags

20 x 12 x 6 cm.

 

Echino, 2010

Discarded Plastic Bags

14 x 14 x 11 cm. 

Diploria, 2009

Discarded Plastic Bags

13 x 13 x 9 cm.

Blue Cunjevoi, 2009

Discarded Plastic Bags

15 x 15 x 10cm.

I wish I could be there to say hello to some of you but I will be there in spirit. 

Udderly Inspirational

Today's Harvest

Self-sown cherry tomatoes..... I pick this many every couple of days. We've been eating tomato soup, tomato pasta sauce with lots of chilli and I tried slow roasting them in the oven too. Shula over at Poppalina  also has tomatoes popping out of her ears and shares a great recipe.

The loofas are ready to be picked too. Millions of caterpillars have descended on them!!

I put my foot in the photo so that you can see how big it is. The loofa that is.

They make great kitchen scrubbers.     

 

Group Exhibition

coming soon to gallery hanahou 

Lost at Sea  

daring fiber artists delve into the deep

May 6 - June 11

gallery hanahou / 611 Broadway, Suite 730, NYC / galleryhanahou.com

Opening reception: Thursday, May 6, 7-9 pm RSVP info@galleryhanahou.com

There is something about the malleability and textures of fabric, thread, and yarn that speaks of the sea and its many mysteries. 

Curated by Kristen Rask of Schmancy and "Plush You," "Lost at Sea" gathers 32 exciting artists who share underwater visions of items lost, creatures forgotten, and life that struggles to stay with us. The show will feature a broad array of amusing and uncanny works in embroidery, plush, and other materials.

It's a girl!!

Actually, a Hereford heifer and her name is Hariette. Harry if you're in a hurry.

Day 1: Mum (Cheeky Girl) and Little Miss H.

I was driving past the neighbour's paddock and to my surprise a new little baby had just been born.  She was very small and weak on her legs and wasn't able to suckle Mum. Sam, the vet, came and gave her antibiotics and electrolytes but didn't think there was much chance she would survive as she hadn't had the colostrum feed from Mum. After a couple of days I persuaded my neighbour to let me feed her by bottle. 

 

Day 5: Feeding Miss H calf milk formula.

Harriet was sleeping outside in the sun and rain and got a sunburnt nose. I wanted to take her home and look after her but as she didn't belong to me all I could do was carry her into the shelter under the trees.

Cheeky girl would come over at feeding time and was very curious and feisty. I'd find a big boulder and use it to protect my back in case Mum got jealous. 

Harriet's plumbing is working efficiently.

So tiny and sleepy after a feed. Her little legs are very wobbly. 

It's five weeks later and Hariette now belongs to me; my neighbour gave her to me. She's been to the vet in town and has been diagnosed with joint-ill, hence the wobbly legs. More antibiotic and anti-inflammatory injections later, she's still not keen to use her legs. I've been massageing her joints and made splints for her front legs (out of plumbing pipe lined with an old woollen blanket). The carport is now a temporary cow shed with a cosy straw crib. Harriette is out of the sun and rain and is feeling very cosy. She's getting bigger and stronger every day.

Day 30: The nose has healed and is pink again.

........and she has a beauty spot!! 

   

 

Happy Easter

 

Lost things

Starring Alison Sudol

Written and directed by Angela Kohler and Ithyle Griffiths