Revived and revisited

Fiona and I gave The Fishers post a clean (see photos above) before the S2 students from Farr High School came to visit and hear about her exhibition Hame.

Last year we did an aluminium etching workshop with two classes (S1 & S2) at the high school; and turned their combined etched aluminium plates into a sculptural memorial post that is now called the The Fishers post. S1 class of course are now S2 and we suspected they might want to check out the post during their visit. As you can see from the photos below, with Tracy their art teacher, we were right. As soon as they got off the bus they made a bee line for the post and spent some time rejoicing in finding their art works on the post.

Following are some images of the cleaning - gently done with a stainless steel scourer, soap, water and cleaning rags. We were removing 12 months of light grey-white corrosion (see last photo) caused by the salt air.

It brought Fiona and I much joy to see the young people expressing pride in their publicly displayed art work. Over the last year some of the students had brought family members to the Annex to show them their work. The following day this year's S1s who visited Fiona's exhibition also visited the post; and some did rubbings of art done by their older siblings. 

Art in the landscape

  

Fiona and I have done a lot of walking whilst we have been in Sydney house-cat sitting. One think I love about cities is the art that can appear as graffiti or on fences around building sites - some of it is impressive - commissioned one would think. 

Just sharing a few of the many and varied bits we saw.

I also love the fact that many artists can't resist a blank canvass (aka wall) or space - so glad that is the case. 

Art bits and pieces

 

Fiona and I are in Sydney doing a couple of weeks of house-cat sitting. This has given us the opportunity to catch up with a few friends, walk and check out the art and exhibition scene. 

So no work being done by me in the letterpress studio or the workshop. Instead here I simply share a few images of details or fragments of art pieces that have caught my eye over the last few days.

Of course one keeps one's eyes peeled to pick up objects that might find their way into art pieces.

Laneway fragments and a couple of other bits

 

We have been to Melbourne for a few days for work and catching up with friends. 

We were staying in the city centre so go a few opportunities to wander down laneways to check out the wall art. I like the contrast the above piece offers - maybe a gentle, peaceful snow white archetypal female; but in this case holding a large bomb.

A few more fragments follow - some for their scale, some for their messages and some for their quirkiness.

A photo of the wall reflected in a puddle - but I think the phone camera was having trouble working out what was back to front - all a bit scrambled!!!

And a couple of others:  one from our accommodation window; and looking at the refracted light in a large chandelier during a conference presentation!!1

Great trip away; but also good to be back on the mountain.

Revisiting Peace in the Trees

©2020 Fiona Dempster - Peace sculpture on the Peace in the Trees Sculpture Walk, Maleny

Recently Fiona and I decided to take a walk along the path in Maleny precint. Over four years ago the Peace in the Trees Sculptural Walk was opened. At the time the the 12 sandstone monoliths were cemented securely into the ground and had very little plant and tree growth around them.

These days you need to look a bit more closely to find the sculptures amidst the trees and Lomandras. Fiona and I decided to return to the walk and begin to do a bit of maintenance to enable the walk and the pieces to be enjoyed a little more.

My piece on peace is the first sculpture at the town and of the walk. I have been told it is a favourite with dogs, Looking at the base of the sculpture I think that could be true - all the soil and gravel has been raked away by dogs.

©2020 Fiona Dempster - Looking a little bare!!!!

Fiona and I decided to carry a couple of buckets of gravel and to restore the area around the base.

©2020 Fiona Dempster - Attempting to make a rock barrier to keep the gravel in.

©2020 Fiona Dempster - Pouring in the fine gravel

We also took out battery operated hedger to cut back the lomandras that had hidden a couple of the sculptures, like Kim's Solace, so that they can be seen again.

©2020 Fiona Dempster - Getting stuck in

©2020 Fiona Dempster - Creating a window?

©2020 Fiona Dempster - Beautifully weathered Solace - certainly in the trees.

There is still work to be done - over the next couple of months we or other artist might give the sculptures a truce up.

I thought I'd share a recent photo of our peace book sculpture - still making a strong statement.

©2020 Barry Smith - Peace Books Sculpture