My creative space

For the last couple of weeks my desk has been covered in leaves in various states of decay and autumnal colour. I have a map in my head of places around town where there are leaves of a particular shape or colour in case I have to replenish my supply...must remember, corner of Williamson Ave & Millais St there are some heart-shaped ones that are turning red at the moment.

I'm drawing them for a project I'm working on at the moment, the cover of Mr. Millicent Crow's forthcoming album. This has been accompanied by challenges like "Make that leaf glow...like it's got a halo around it!"

Here's a sneak peek:

Looking for leaves has reminded me that I've always loved this building in town that's covered in ivy and is like a barometer for the seasons. Right now it's a good place to find autumn leaves. To see other people's creative spaces have a look over here...

Burger time Mr. Stroud

Have you read The Cowboy Dog by Nigel Cox? It's set in a kind of mythical version of New Zealand, where cowboys roam through the central North Island high country. I've always thought it'd make a great movie, and when I saw this scene the other night (a spooky Auckland burger bar features in it too) I felt like I'd walked into a scene from it...

Smash palace

If you've accumulated a china collection, you're bound to have some casualties. My broken china shelf in my kitchen looms over me, a constant reminder that some day, some day, I should get round to turning all those pretty and colourful and sentimental shards into a mosaic. In the meantime, here are some mosaics that I've photographed for inspiration...

I'm sure I recognise that leaf plate!

...and that teapot lid!

Maybe I shouldn't worry about having a broken china collection. I heard a guy on the radio last night talking about his beer can collection. Apparently when you collect beer cans you drink the beer out of a small hole that you puncture in the bottom, so that you leave the tab on the top intact. But that collection wouldn't be so easy to turn into a mosaic.

Happy Easter!

Lunchtime sunshine

Ideas

I've been getting sideways glances from people in the Sallies today - I've been hanging out in the furniture section taking photos of the fabric on old mattresses. It's for a new project I'm working on, which I really hope turns out the way I see it in my head!

I don't think I have the tidiness to do quilting, I'm sure all the pieces would end up strewn all over my house and covered in cat hair, but I like the way the fabrics here look a bit like a quilt.

Happy Saturday!

Silhouettes and a mystery fruit

I found these beautiful leaves with holes in them the other night when I was walking home. I loved their silhouettes with the last of the light shining behind them. Then I found this beautiful mystery fruit. It looks like one of the fruits in The Arrival. Does anyone know what it is? I thought it might be a little pomegranate, some kind of guava...or something from outer space...

Downtown wanderings

Just a few snaps from my excursion into the city today AND you should come along to this tomorrow night:It's Mr Millicent Crow's single release for his song "Now we are 28" (we're not 28 anymore but ssh!) as well as a musical extravaganza with lots of bands AND an art installation by yours truly (featuring overhead projectors - old school!). It's at the Wine Cellar and goes from 8pm until the wee small hours. See you there perhaps?

St Kilda gardens

In the shadow of the rickety old rollercoaster of Luna Park in St Kilda, there's an amazing community garden.
There's an aviary, a chicken coop (complete with a guinea fowl whose discarded feathers I wanted to steal until I remembered I would have a hard time bringing them back to NZ), artists' studios and a whole lot of decorations. People have their own garden bed to decorate as tastefully, or as wackily as they please.


We sat and watched cockatoos roosting clumsily in the trees. And if you sit there a while you might end up with a bird resting on your head. Like this fellow:

My creative space

My creative space this week is all about practice. Practising drawing from my head, rather than real life or a photo. I've been doing lots of market stalls about the place lately and it has given me the perfect opportunity to sit around drawing without feeling like "I should be doing..."

This foxy lady is an idea for a painting, or a bigger drawing. I put the fox's back legs in the wrong place and it looks a bit like a fox-eel, oops! I thought I might put it on a card, but I don't really know what kind occasion would call for such a card. Maybe as long as it's blank? I made the mistake the other day of buying Mr Millicent Crow what I thought was a blank card, that actually said "Grey hair isn't so bad...it's the weight gain and the whiskers that are annoying!"

These other sketches are also ideas for paintings.

To see other people's creative spaces, pop on over here...

Happy Thursday!

It wasn't the best picture...

but the red tutu hanging in the window seemed like the start of a story...

Bits & bobs

Firstly, thank you to those of you who made purchases from my Felt shop in March, it meant that I was able to make a donation this evening to the Red Cross Earthquake appeal, to help those affected by the earthquake in Christchurch. Because of the recent devastating events in Japan, I am going to extend my earthquake fundraiser in my Felt shop for an extra month - all proceeds from my Felt shop sales in the month of April will go to the Red Cross Japan earthquake/tsunami appeal.

Next up on the agenda: I'll be stallholdin' at the Cassette Super Markets tomorrow (Sat); they're on at Cassette Number 9 on Vulcan Lane from 12-5. As well as my usual prints I'll be bringing some owl bags and perhaps some secondhand clothes, if I can rustle up some from the mountain of clothing that is threatening to take over my room! Hope to see you there!