Waiting for Autumn

I'm foolishly hoping that as soon as 1st March comes around this summer sun madness will all be over! It's getting a bit too hot for me sitting at the computer here, so this will have to be short and then I can retreat to my studio which hopefully will be a bit cooler.

I've just taken photos of my most recent etchings and listed some on my etsy site. I thought I'd show them on here too.







Right, too much for me, I'm off to cooler climes.

Finally

Finally, after 36 hours labour my sister in law gave birth to a son. My brother phoned me late last night and I could hear him in the background! I'm an auntie!

Finally, I have found my camera charger. I found it in a broken bag behind our clothes rack while I was looking for wool to make a blanket for my new nephew!

Finally, I have my new press up and running. I just need to get to know it a bit better before I can start on the real stuff, there are a few things I need to iron out first.

And finally, I'm getting these images loaded up onto etsy and my blog. Here's the Crested Pigeon.

Today it's Galahs

I haven't been to the museum for a while so I thought I'd better book myself in again and get back to drawing. One of the birds this week was a Galah. A lovely Australian bird with a soft grey back and a gorgeous pink face and underbelly.


The drawings below were an experiment to see if I could draw the galah by building up layers of loose lines, instead of initially drawing an outline and filling in.


I like the build up of 'scribbles.' I might take this drawing further and experiment with making it into a hard ground etching. All the etchings I am making from my drawings will be revealed in an exhibition in October / November. Then I will post them on here and on my website.

Drawing at the Museum

Today I went to the Melbourne Museum in Carlton Gardens where I had arranged to draw some of their collection of birds. I rang up last week and gave them a short list of birds I'd like to draw and today myself and Anna found ourselves being greeted by a Magpie, a Butcher Bird, a Red Wattlebird, a Chough and a rather worse for wear Honeyeater.

My photos of my drawings aren't particularly good so I think I will take some more tomorrow in the daylight, but for now here is a left hand drawing of the Chough (pronounced 'chuff.') I draw with my left hand to keep my lines lose ( I am normally right handed.)

My new toy

After wondering what a gocco print was from seeing so many mentioned on www.etsy.com I started researching into this medium. It is basically a simple home screen printing set invented by a japanese man about 25 years ago. This was before households had computers and he believed everyone should have the means to print their own invitations and cards. I became fascinated by this machine, and wooed by the beautiful images other artists had created using print gocco. So I bought myself one on ebay, found the instructions in english on the internet (the ones supplied were in japanese!) and last week I made my first print. I'm now hooked.


Seven Australian Magpies

This is my first gocco print.

Three Female Satin Bowerbirds

This is my second gocco print.

Now I need to buy more paper so I can make more more more!

Immigration v's love

I am currently gathering up evidence in order to apply for a de facto visa, which I am applying for in March, so I can stay here in Australia with Jeremy (he's Australian.) I was in a such a bad mood after phoning Immigration I've decided to counter balance all this foul temper with a bit of love! These are a few of my handmade heart brooches, made with salvaged card and japanese /decorative paper.


I have just restocked Birds Gallery in Kew and Thread Den in North Melbourne with more heart brooches in the last two days so have a look! Or look online in my etsy shop at www.bridbird.etsy.com or simply click on the hearts above.