Frida Kahlo and Diego Riviera

I travelled to Chichester today to see an exhibition of Frida Kahlo and Diego Riviera's work. It was a great  exhibition. It had about 12 of Frida's fantastic paintings. There were also prints and drawings and some memorabilia.  I hadn't realised how small some of her works were. Much of the works had been painted with very fine brushes. There was an incredible amount of finely detailed work.



Her paintings are stunningly beautiful. Very rich.  Diego Ithink is better known for his political murals which must be quite amazing to see.

Another treat for me at Pallant House Gallery in Chichester was
the inclusion in the exhibition of several photograpihic
portraits of Frida by Nikolas Muray.    Absolutely superb!

The Pallant House Gallery is a gem! I was pleased I had travelled so far to visit. Till soon C x

Home

I will be travelling home this week. Arriving October 2 after a long flight and train trip.  I have completely worn out one of the 2 pairs of shoes I took with me.  I have covered quite some kilometres. I went to the Tate Modern a few days ago...a bit disappointing I thought.  I must be  a spoilt brat!   Maybe it's art overload?  Anyway I did see some Picassos and Dubuffet, Schwitters and Balthus works that were interesting.

After seeing their Jackson Pollock work....it made me realise how lucky we are to have the magnificent 'Blue Poles' at NGA.

I went to the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea, where there was an interesting collection of contemporary works.  Lots of plaster over chicken wire there.  (not my favourite form of sculpture).

My favourite work there was the work created with flouro tubes. You will see it on the following link:
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/current/sculpture_installation_views.htm      amongst other examples from the exhibition.  It was a very playful piece.

You can hire the gallery  there for a mere 47,000 pounds a week! So there's a thought!

The gallery itself is superb.  Each gallery space, of which there are 14, has an attendant who will talk to you about the artwork on display.   It has a very friendly atmosphere.

The exhibition of slabs of rock on metal stands was beautiful, and with small wire crosses on their tops, they evoked the mountainous landscape.....landscapes I have been travelling through recently.

Talk again soon. c x

Back to London

I am back in London after a whirl wind trip around Italy, taking in all of my favourite places. On the way home we stopped over in Zermatt in the Swiss Alps. It was an extraordinary experience.

This is a view from Gornergrat in the Swiss Alps...3089m...looking over to the Matterhorn, (under cloud).  Photos taken by my son and I stitched them together to make this panorama. An amazing place.

Today I visited the British Museum to see an exhibition - "Treasures of Heaven" - saints, relics and devotion in medieval Europe.  A superb collection. I'm loving London!  

Till soon. c x

Rome

Friday night Alan and I will arrive in Rome. It brings back so many memories of the time my mother and I travelled to Italy. It was so special. We often talk about it. Capri, Lake Como, Venice...and getting lost in Rome one night after visiting St Peters again. So proud of ourselves when we finally found our way back to our accommodation...thanks to a very few Italian words we knew and some very helpful locals. It was just a wonderful adventure! Wish you were here Mum!! c x

Paris

I have fallen in love with Paris. What a fabulous city. Lots of wonderful galleries to visit. Lunches in the park beneath the Eiffel Tower. Walks by the Seine. Markets, open air cafes, beautiful parks full of people enjoying Paris. Fabulous!

c x

Video of Jip

I have so many people asking me about Brad Marsellos's video of Jip, that I thought I should share it again. It is a fantastic story. Thanks again Brad!!

cx

The accidental artist from ABC Open Wide Bay on Vimeo.

London

It's wonderful to be here in London!! The weather is fabulous and I have been touring around all of the usual tourist spots with Alan and yesterday by myself. The rail system is so fabulous and I am only 20 minutes to the centre of London.

I'm going to explore Hitchin(where Alan is living) today. It is a rather quaint suburb.

Packing for Paris tomorrow via the Eurostar train!
Two hours to Paris!

Talk soon. C x

Keith Stewart's amazing videos

Take a little time to look at this wonderful video, produced sound and all, completely from scratch. Keith is obviously incredibly talented.

On Youtube, Keith is known as 'Unknown Zone'.

As video is becoming a bigger part of our art practice, we from the soon to be opened...'Dirty Linen', will be keen to see where Keith goes on his interesting journey.

Having upgraded all his software to the latest available, we are sure to see some very slick videos in 2012.

It is going to be a great year ahead.

On my way to Brisbane tomorrow....London on Saturday!!

A photo portrait of Clinton.

I hope Clinton likes this photo. I think it is the best portrait of him that I have done to date.

Brad Marsellos & Jip

http://vimeo.com/27991851              Check out  this video created by Brad Marsellos from ABC Open Wide Bay...it's absolutely brilliant!!  Great job Brad.   Keep them coming!

Hint:  If your video stops and starts,  Start it and then pause it.  It will stop playing, but it  will still be downloading.  Leave it to download for a couple of minutes, then play.

The accidental artist from ABC Open Wide Bay on Vimeo.

Pineapple bandit

We had such a great time on Sunday. Good company,  delicious food, plenty of wine and champagne. And out of the blue there arrived a most interesting woman called Gypsy who provided everyone with a pineapple to take home. It was quite bizarre, but we hope it happens again!  It was such a Queensland thing!  We are  truly blessed!!

Gypsy held a captive audience, which she regaled  with wondrous stories about crop-picking, goats and gladioli!

Sue Anderson came along.  She had recently won a photographic competition with a brilliant work about multiculturalism.  Great job Sue!  We were delighted for you.

We also  had some artworks on display that were by a local indigenous girl, Chernee Sutton. She is incredibly talented and only 14 years old.  She has exhibitions coming up everywhere including Parliament House. She has only been painting about a year and she is just skyrocketing to dizzying heights.   There's a girl to watch.  And she is just lovely to boot!

Later in the day, Brad Marsellos from ABC Open, took some great black and white portraits. I will have to find out what settings he used for those great pics.

Clinton had his portrait taken too.

Talk soon!   I'm packing!   C X

Last days of gallery 39

Attached are some pictures of a really fun Sunday in the gallery.   I'm trusting 'Dirty Linen' will provide more in the future.

Crucifix

Clinton gave me some fabric flowers. I used them to refurbish this crucifix that  made nearly 20 years ago.

The work was inspired by the 'Vision of Christ on the Cross' from Dante's Divine Comedy.  I created many pieces in response to that poetic work..... many of which were crucifixes.

And....great news.......I have a comment!!!  See below in the hand made books post.     Thanks Pamela, very much.

Party today.  I will post some photos this av.  See you then! c x

Hello!

Hello?  Anybody out there going to talk to me today?  I'd like it if you did!  Do you like my little book?

Hand made artist's books

Last night I spent my time cutting out the covers for some hand made books I want to have ready for the opening of 'Dirty Linen'. The little  book pictured is only 13 x 14 cm in size. It is called 'Little Monas' - (Mona Lisas) and it only has about six pages.

You can see how I have constructed the covers.  I have used embossed wallpaper. Once the cover is dry I will fold and paste down the edges and cover what's left with a heavy marbled paper.

Make two covers,  arrange torn prints in order, produce title page.  Use a punch to make holes for ribbon.

'Bingo'!!  You have a hand made artists book!

Clinton curates a show

Clinton is 'on a roll', with an exhibition he is curating, really taking shape. He said on Facebook:

thanks everyone i have 47 artists for the " just ideas " group show in December:) the boards will be sent to you all on Monday and list of artist are in my notes. Lets blow bundaberg away and i thank you all for breathing new life in the wide bay area! All good:)

He is giving artists small canvas boards (10cm sq) to produce a work on.   He is spending his own money on the boards and postage and even tells me that a small commission will be taken for the gallery on any sales. Prices will be very low.

He has lots of Brisbane artists involved as well as some from further afield. Some overseas artists too.

If he wants me to, I will photograph each work so we can run a Youtube video catalogue while the show is on.

Dates in December are to be confirmed. Should be fun! A great show for my gallery the re-invented 'Dirty Linen'.  And just in time for Christmas.

Great job Clinton.  c x

New Work

This is one of my latest digital works.  First of a series to come. They are photos of mannequins  merged with photos of lace and doilys.  'Lace Mannequin 1'.   c x

Wedding dress

Mackay Conference

I am spending the night with family in Brisbane. I will take the train home tomorrow.   It has been an interesting week at the Museums & Galleries Services Qld State Conference. I had the chance to catch up with some old friends and to make some new ones.

My speech seemed to be ok...I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be.

Highlight of the conference was for me, Guy Abraham's speech about climate change. It was very compelling. Guy speaks regularly on the role of the arts sector in the climate debate.

You can find out more by following this link:         http://www.climarte.org/
I think 'Dirty Linen' will be a great venue for regular exhibitions relating to climate change. I will curate the first exhibition for early 2012.

Trudie at BRAG will be scheduling exhibitions about climate change also in  2012. So together, we should have a strong voice.

c x

Conference

I flew to Mackay today. I will attend the Museums & Galleries Services Qld State Conference where I will be speaking about 'Collective Insites'.
I have prepared a 15 minute speech and two videos to play at the same time. I am really excited to be here and am keen to meet some of the interesting people who will be attending.
C x

Jay - Another photo

Jay

My nephew Jay and his beautiful family have been visiting me.  Jay is a musician/singer in a hardcore band.  I have so enjoyed my time with them all.

More Dolls

Here are a couple more dolls.  They are reclaimed dolls from opportunity and dump shops.   Once I had decorated them, they were coated with polyester resin to unite their surfaces. These days I prefer not to glue, stick or screw. I generally stack objects to create my works.

Dolls

It's about time I took some decent photos of my dolls.  I  made them over a 15 year period.

They are recycled old dolls. Cast offs from the local opportunity and dump shops.

I have used all kinds of needlework and decorations and doilys in the making of these mock icons. I love to work with women's things.  

After I had assembled the dolls I painted them with a coating of polyester resin, to unite the various layers.

I don't glue, screw or stick my obects these days. I prefer to stack them up like totem poles.

Totem poles preserve social and cultural histories for future generations as do my 'Suburban Goddesses'.
I was delighted when these dolls were included in Frank McBride's 'Tempertature' exhibition 2004 of contemporary Queensland sculpture at the Brisbane City Gallery - (MoB).

The picture below is of my installation at MoB

A video for Clinton

Video

I posted a video directly to Blogger last night. It was very small and pixelated on the screen. I couldn't find anything to help. So I have embedded this file via Youtube.   It is much better,  and the full screenversion is good.

I'm off to Rachael's today to photograph some jewellery she hopes to sell from a new website.

In the afternoon I will head to Clinton's place with some consignment forms for the new gallery, when it opens in October. He will curate an exhibition of drawings of male artists from Australia and overseas.

I stopped up too late last night, so I'm tired already!!!

Till soon,

C x

New video of selected 3d artworks

Clinton's portraits

I took a few photo portraits of Clinton yesterday, but I am not happy with them....I think i will have to reshoot on a grey background.  The black one is swallowing him up.    Still they are not bad. 

Today I will put the finishing touches on a new slideshow I have done featuring Clinton's recent assemblage works.  This will be sent to his Youtube site.

Finishing touches will also go on my slide show for the Museums and Galleries Services Queensland State Conference, where I will be speaking in a couple of weeks. I am quite excited about the Conference.  It will be an adventure!  And I should meet some interesting people.

c x

A new digital image.

Gallery hire

Consider an artist- run exhibiton at Gallery 39 in beautiful Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia. Surrounded by sugar cane, small crops and fabulous beaches. The home of Bundaberg Rum! There is a growing interest in the arts in Bundaberg. Come and be a part of these exciting times. Hang your landscapes, project your digital videos....setup an installation. You are in control when you run your own exhibition or event at Gallery 39.  Hire costs are very cheap. Weekly and daily rates are available.

Come by the gallery and check it out. It's a great space. 13m x 8m of white walls. Contact me on christineturnerau@yahoo.com.au or via my blog 'Comments' link. Attached are a couple of views of the gallery. Residencies by arrangement would be possible for city and international artists.  Talk soon.