It has been a bit of a full on day today. We have done such a mix of things the day just seemed topsy-turvy. We have had over 700mm in 4 days; have done the library lift; and now many of the buildings along the OBI Obi , including the library, have been sand-bagged. We were making calls to see that family and friends were Ok in the flood; getting calls to see we were OK; buying extra rations as the town was already isolated; dehumidifying moist rooms; hanging up a bucket to catch the drips of water going in on my computer (it worked a treat); and doing a repair job in the storage area under the stairs where water was seeping in. And of course there was the work-work to be done. I'm already feeling tired just writing about it all. But honestly we are only inconvenienced in comparison to the people in Toowoomba and surrounding area - so many deaths and so many missing.
However Fiona and I decided that we would still try to do our bit of time in the studio. I have started another small personal shrine (270mm high & 210mm wide). As the photo below shows this will be a very simple but classic shrine filled with historical energy and human connections. The centre piece will be a rectangular crystal with an inspirational word under it - I experimented with the 'openness' to test how the crystal would fracture the word.
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| Barry Smith © Ages past shrine |
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| Barry Smith © Fractured word |
The shrine is based on the leather cover (over board) of a destroyed 1888 photo album - pretty special given the age and so many memories that have been carried in the album but are now gone.
everyone is now talking about the floods ... i'm so glad your area is still at manageable state.. my heart goes out to those families who have had it real bad.
ReplyDeletei love your new shrine ... i esp like the idea of the crystal refracting the word openess ... that's a stroke of genius and the outcome is mesmerizing!
Barry, I'm glad you and Fiona are making time for studio work! It was a far greater magnitude of loss, but I remember a poet friend telling me after 9/11 when I asked her what artists could do, feeling unequal to such an event, and even a little guilty sitting around making pretty things while ground zero burned. And she reminded me that in times of disaster, great or small, it is exactly the role of artists to keep creating, keep making things, however large or small, to reaffirm the positive and counter the negative, work by work...all the best to you, and stay safe and dry!
ReplyDeleteWhat a tragedy, I'm so sorry to hear about the deaths and so many people missing....my thoughts are with you and I wish you and Fiona the best, and hope the flooding does not hit your area too hard. Glad you were able to get in a bit of creativity as a diversion from Mother Nature...
ReplyDeleteKeep emptying that bucket! All so sad. What a wonderful use for the old leather cover, and the word under the crystal is really beautiful. Stay dry and safe.
ReplyDeleteAll - thanks for your support. We are coping well given we live on a mountain - but we feel for the p[eople who are suffering badly. We did a temple bell gonging tonight to send the deceased on their way and send positive vibes to their families.. Yes art is a way of continuation - coping with sadness but continuing to find the joy and positiveness. B
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