Skip to main content

Exhibition Countdown 3 : Pack and Thanks

Three days before opening and only one day before hanging... so now we are packing. 
At this very moment, the grumpy old men are awaiting the rolls of bubble wrap. 
The last couple of days have been checking lists, proofreading the catalogue descriptions and gallery labels, checking and readjusting prices and other associated administrative tasks, so this is really now the "pointy" end. I could have used  some extra time to do some finishing touches, but I took Sunday off to attend a celebration of  a sesquicentenary of public education in Wingham. ( a two hour drive from our place).  It was great to catch up with former colleagues and students and their families, some of whom I hadn't seen for 20 years -  the perfect de-stressing activity.
It is really great to have my family so supportive and helpful. Jim has been cooking and cleaning solo for at least the last month, and helping with backing the canvases and of course, packing everything up.  During the week, my sister who is currently in Ireland on a Mercy Pilgrimage organised a delivery of beautiful flowers and bubbly from her, her husband and my mother - just to wish me luck.  I don't think I need luck - I have such wonderful family support and love, even from afar. And from even further away, I have so enjoyed receiving the comments on this blog from  a newly found Simmons  family member from Nova Scotia. The positive encouragement is truly valued and appreciated. 
Thank you all! Hope to see you at the exhibition if you are able to come! 



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Fish and Sticks : Art Dolls

This week I've been working on fish and sticks ....  The sticks are the message stick art dolls which were very popular, attracting some attention and a few orders at the Wise Women exhibition. Each of the message stick dolls are from the Wise Women series, each with her own personality and  message of wisdom, handwritten on a handmade timber tag. I gather the sticks during my walks around my neighbourhood and the tags are made from special bits of timber, some collected by me or  my husband or from off cuts gifted to us  from another doll making friend whose husband makes bagpipes. These dolls start off very simply with a wrap around a stick, in the general shape of a body. 'Naked" message stick dolls - strips of wadding wrapped around found sticks.   Then I usually wrap other layers of fabric, wool, and/or fibres, over which I do some simple embroidery. I sculpt  or mould small face masks for these dolls. I really like using "sari ribbon" as wrapping str

Too Precious to Waste

 Stitched tea bags/ old doily "tea lights" - Wilma Simmons  More than a year ago, a decision was made.  The annual exhibition of NCEATA ( Newcastle Creative Embroiderers and Textile Artists) 2015-2016 will have the theme "Mottainai". Mottainai in Japanese refers to more than just physical waste (resources). It is even used to refer to thought patterns that give rise to wasteful action. Grammatically, it can be used in Japanese as an exclamation ("mottainai!") or as an adjective phrase ("it feels mottainai"). There is no plural form. The collection of mottainai things could be called mottainai koto ( もったいない事 ? ). As an exclamation ("mottainai!") it means roughly "what a waste!" or "Don't waste." [2]  A simple English equivalent is the saying "waste not, want not." A more elaborate meaning conveys a sense of value and worthiness and may be translated as "do not destroy (or lay waste to) that

May I Present Mrs Chalumeau...

Finally Mrs Chalumeau takes a bow …She is a Pearly Queen … 695 buttons on the doll and 10 on the journal.(I think – could be more). I would like to thank Paula from Antiques and Collectables here in Hamilton, Newcastle and Raku Buttons ETSY seller for supplying me with about 500 of the vintage mother of pearl buttons, and the rest I had in my stash. I think they look great on my pearly queen, but I am truly tired of sewing on buttons. It made me think however, how many buttons must be on the elaborate clothes of the real pearly Kings and Queens! I drew my inspiration from the lovely lady pictured here, and the following description from Wikipedia. ... A Pearly King ( feminine form Pearly Queen) is a person dressed in a traditional Cockney costume covered in mother-of-pearl buttons. These costumes were treasured heirlooms, hand made and sometimes representing much of a family's wealth. .... This doll is all cloth – a little different from most of my other dolls which generally h