Exhibition ‘Collected Leavings’, April 15 – May 22 2011

The work of one of our members, Annette Sibson, is being exhibited at Umbrella Studio at the moment. She has used her eco-dyed cloth to create some stunning effects. Really worth a visit!

Getting to know Selena Smith.

pushing the boundaries oil on canvas purchased by an art therapist in Perth.

How do you categorize yourself – art/craft wise.   As a full-time artist, mentor and public speaker.

·         Are there any artists or crafters who, more than any others, have influenced you in your creative life and why? Rowan Atkinson as he has always done his own thing and disregarded critics. Margaret Olley as she is a strong woman who is still painting copiously.

·         Describe your workspace. A little chaotic, relaxed and spacious, shared and fun to be in….in fact I sometimes spend 6 days a week there.

·         What 3 tools could you not live without? Paint, recycled papers and my contact lenses…without them I am extremely blind.

·         Do you keep a sketchbook or journal? Sometimes. I have 20 full at the moment….but I am an organic painter and go with the moment and lose myself in the process…then tweak the work at the end.

·         Do you share your knowledge of your own particular field with others and in what way? All the time, I run classes for the artistically challenged and childrens’ art classes.

·         Would Studio2 have a list of these classes for people who are interested? Yes, the classes are at the studio. The artistically challenged series are for adults who believe that they cannot draw...but if a stick figure is all they can do, I can take it further with them. The children’s classes are divided into two areas. Firstly  master classes for those with skill and who would like to enter competitions and develop their skill  and  secondly the creative kids class for creative exploration of materials and styles.

·         How do you inspire your creativity when you’re stuck?  Paint the canvas a random colour and then let the colour talk to me. It reveals my mood too.

·         If money wasn't an issue, how would you further develop yourself in your field?  Travel and partake in residencies all over the world.

·         How do you balance your life? Art first and last, family first and second, both of these are fun. So I feel content.

My first painting that sold at an exhibition in 2003. This is done in pointillism style.

·         Have you recently or are you planning to soon exhibit you work, either collaboratively in a group or alone? If so where and when?  Yes I have just exhibited at Umbrella Studio. Utilizing the vault space and stairwell, it was called N TWINE and looked at our relationship with trees. I collected driftwood and built a tree and drew trees with human forms entwined. It opened in Jan and closed in March. And I have an exhibition at Studio 2 in June so I am painting madly for that around my normal supply of work for the Studio and a few commissions. It’s to be REVERSING FORWARD WITH FRIENDS and open on June 3. It explores numbers and games with friends and will have interactive elements for visitors to the studio. Thank you, Selena. We look forward to following your career into the future.

N Twine

Getting to Know You - Getting to Know all About You!

I thought it might be fun to get to know the members of Fibres and Fabrics a little better, so I'm going to be featuring a series of questions to an individual members and their answers. Annette Sibson has agreed to be my laboratory mouse! So here we go:

Getting to Know Annette Sibson 

 1.    How do you categorize yourself – art/craft wise?

Individual.  Keen to have a go at anything new, use wayout materials, wayout techiniques.  Jack of all trades, master of none.

 2.    What techniques and mediums are your favourites?

   At the moment my love is eco-dyeing using eucalypt leaves and found fabrics  (from        second hand shops).  I just love the unexpected results and glorious earthy colours, some subtle, some less so.  I also love rusty fabric using found rusted items and again, found fabrics.  And I better not leave out free machine embroidery..  just love it..

3.    Is there one artist or crafter who more than any other has influenced you in your creative life and why? 
    Carol McGill for her support of my creativity and her recommendation to join Fibres & Fabrics, where I found acceptance for my way of creating.  My confidence has increased tenfold.  Thank you Carol. 
     You’re welcome and I’m pleased to have been of some moral support to you, but hasn’t the development of your artistic work with eco-dyed textiles been strongly influenced by India Flint?
     Yes, I will agree that India Flint’s work has certainly been a huge influence over the past 18 months, but without the realisation that there are people out there who are accepting of such adventurous techniques I may never have gone as far as I have.

4.    Describe your workspace. 

     Large, open, airy, tidyish, extends to outside under the verandah and the garden.

5.    What 3 tools could you not live without?
      Needles. Scissors. Imagination.

6.    Do you keep a sketchbook or journal? 
    Yes, I have several going.  They are all different sizes and shapes and I lose them constantly.

7.    Do you teach? Where and when?
     Rarely, but happily help friends all the time.
     I saw the following advertised in the Umbrella Studio newsletter:

Eco Textile Workshop

9am - 1pm Saturday 7 May

Members $35 | Non-Members $45

Join artist Annette Sibson and learn how to use vinegar and water to create unique markings on fabric using rusted items and leaves. 

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL: phone 4772 7109 or email project@umbrella.org.au

             Is this correct?

           (Laughing) Oh, you saw that..  yes it is, I’m really rather nervous about this,  but am told by          friends that I’ll be fine.  I’ll wait and see. 

8.    How do you inspire your creativity when you’re stuck? 
     Go for a walk outside, go to the beach, watch nature.  Look at pictures of others artwork in books, on the ‘net.

9.    If money wasn't an issue, how would you further develop yourself in your field? 
     Travel overseas on art tours.

10.  How do you balance your life?
     Go walking by the sea, fishing, laughing with friends, glasses of wine, cryptic crosswords, being outside, being a member of a group.  Nice dinner out with my husband.

11. Have you recently or are you planning to soon exhibit you work? If so where and when?  
      Exhibition ‘Collected Leavings’, April 15 – May 22 2011.

Is that being held at Umbrella Studio?

Yes, that’s correct, they (the staff at Umbrella) have been very supportive and appear keen to see my work exhibited.

So are we all, Annette! Looking forward to visiting your exhibition. And, thank you for sharing letting us get to know you a little better.

Knitted Masterpieces

Please share with Fibers and Fabrics, these are fabulous:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gallery/2011/mar/30/craft-knitting

We are at home for another few weeks before resuming our aborted sabbatical journey. During that time, I have been madly exorcising the ghost of the Christchurch earthquake by making "comfort" quilts that my quilting group has been obligingly machine quilting. Working with one's hand is very healing. Interestingly enough, it is Qantas Airways which will ship them gratis to NZ, Air New Zealand declined as they are (understandably) overwhelmed with the relief effort.

Isn't the situation in Japan ghastly? It is scary but Santa Barbara is in a somewhat similar position - in a seismic fault zone, a nuclear power plant nearby located on the ocean, limited ingress/egress from the city (3 roads to be exact) and an airport built on a drained marsh subject, of course, to possible liquefaction in the event of a temblor. Well, all one can do is be prepared and believe me, Bob and I are.

All the best to you all in Townsville,

Isabel