Rustnstuff: Placemaking

Showing posts with label Placemaking. Show all posts

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Art at your feet

©2015 Barry Smith - This has nothing to do with the brass and mosaic pieces - but I loved the colour and concept. A bass speaker and paint as part of a interactive piece of art in a Umbrella Gallery in Townsville

As readers will know from an earlier blog post Fiona and I did a sculpture walk when we were in Townsville a few wells ago. I showed a few of the standing 3D sculptures.

However I was also taken by the use of brass and mosaic tiles to create 2D art works in the concrete pathway. Each piece told a placemaking story - moving from Indigenous ownership and settlement of the place to white settlement.

Though the stories we worth reading I thought I would just share a few images here so to show the lovely weathering of the brass, the texture and the mosaic.

A lot of creativity went into the pieces. I think it is a useful and strong way to tell placemaking stories, or share quotes, or poems.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Revisiting old friends

Usually on Wednesdays I blog on my morning walk - but over the last couple of days I have been involved in a community group art activity; and this activity had a special significance because it was about continuing work on an installation called Peace in the Trees that we started in 2012 with a local art sculptor and friend Craig who recently died.

Anyway, I just wanted to share some photos of the pieces of sandstone sculpture that 12 of us (non-sculptors) did in August 2012. They have weathered beautifully - lovely green patinas.

Over the last two days and two days next week we are working to further refine these works before donating them to our local government for installation on a public walkway. Farewell Craig who started this journey with us.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

An art and community weekend

The weekend got off to a busy start with Fiona and I helping set up the stall for the Neighbourhood Centre for the Real Food Festival on Friday. Of course we got our Friday art in.

Saturday was divided between: putting together the signs for art4place's Creative Spaces 2012 activities; celebrating Fiona's mum's birthday and her dad's father's day; attending the Real Food Festival to give support to the Neighbourhood Centre's stall volunteers; checking out Shannon's Handmade Table; doing a quick whip around the RFF; and making more 'leaf spoons' - yes some sold!!

Today (Sunday) the art4place signage was finished as you can see from the photos below. Each of our six artists will be provided with an A2 sign that promotes their activity; an A2 sign that tells the story of their placemaking art; and a couple of art4place flags to attract the eye of the public.

This afternoon both Fiona and I just got into more production for our Open Studios. I spent the afternoon cutting metal for: medium leaves; daily words; words in your pocket; daily word bowls; and small earring leaves. We did have an interruption when a couple from Sydney visited thinking the Open Studios had already started - we couldn't turn them away so we showed them the studio and explained what we did. Fiona sold letter pebbles.

Each afternoon over the coming week Fiona and I will continue to make for the Open Studios.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Emerging from stone

After two days of tapping, scraping, sanding etc the local artists produced monoliths that will become the installation Peace in the Trees as part of the art4place's Creative Spaces 2012 placemaking art event.

Noela M visited the sculpture workshop site yesterday, took some photos and did an art4place post (check it out here) so I won't repeat that.

We are all tired from our efforts but satisfied with the images we encouraged from the stone. So I thought I might just share a few of the fragments as they emerged; and when I'm less weary post on the finished pieces - and of course the pieces once they are installed with the trees.

It was amazing what novice sculptors could draw out of the stone.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Give-away 'winners' & more on stone

The give-away draw was carried out today as promised. The names were put into the Singing Bowl and drawn out against each of the three give-aways.

Ersi M's name was drawn for the brass tube ring.

Gaby B's name came out for the two earring leaves.

And Helen I's name was drawn for the 'tadpole' spoon.

Thanks to all those who posted a comment. If the 'winners' can send me their postal address to me at my contact address on my website I will get those give-aways in the mail.

Fiona and I have been away in Melbourne for a couple of days 'work-work'. We got back Saturday afternoon. I spent three hours this morning with Craig Medson (our workshop sculptor-teacher) helping him to break up a large slab of sandstone into five pieces. I learnt a lot about breaking stone with wedges etc. Craig was still there breaking stone and setting it up for us to carve - big thanks to him.

I just love the outcome - from a big slab weighing several tones to working pieces for the two-day workshop.

When the stone broke in its own unique way Craig said, "you have to be flexible with stone". I loved that comment given the stone was so hard. I think we will have a lot of fun on next Tuesday-Wednesday doing this community sculpturing work for the Peace in the Trees installation as part of the Creative Spaces 2012 placemaking art. Should be some interesting photos regarding what 12 volunteer novice sculptors can produce.