ART CULTURAL EXCHANGE IN TATEBAYASHI

Here is a memory of seeing our Sister City Tatebayashi's famous Azalea park from the hill. Azaleas as high as houses and some 800yrs old. Wrapped and bound to keep the pests and weather at bay.

This is a trip down memory lane. I just thought I would post it again as I am heading over to see Char Chin's family again. Char Chin's mum wrote me a song on my first visit to our Sister City Tatebayashi. This will be my last official trip there, a swan song so to speak. A group of artist friends are going over to do workshops for the Citizen's festival. We are also doing a day of workshops with a small school in Ichikai which was devastated by the tsunami 2 years ago. Only 2 weeks before we leave.

Christine by Peter-ABC OPEN VIMEO HD V2 from Christine Elcoate on Vimeo.

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alaw 2013

I am so late in beginning this set of letters due to not being able to make up my mind what was important to me as in making a "peace"statement. In the mail months ago I received my usual CBM letter asking for donations for African women who are mutilated in the name of their culture. I have spent the last couple of months trying to come up with something more in the line of peace within one self, as I believe if everyone found peace within, we would all get on with each other no matter what creed or culture.....so I have finally started with the base letters which were sooooo hard to photograph due to the fibres being so free yet fragile. Strong yet weak. Lines blurred just holding together. Peace in our world so fragmented....

glycene weed

I found this weed a little boring but I only used the alum mordant with a copper rod.  Perhaps a different mordant would show this natural dye off.  It was a little too subtle but a lovely fawn all the same.

 

ducks in a row

So much happening at the Uni.  These ducks were hardpressed to find their normal swimming spot.  I thought the photo made a good eco statement!

 

Eco flicks had a workshop at the University last weekend with a brilliant tutor and sound whiz called Skev from Qld school film and TV.  It was full on two days but brilliant brush up and more.  A few great editing, sound and film tips.  Eco Flicks competition closes in March.  Plus another film competition with  Visioning Outdoors due in June.  Will have to get my thinking cap on.     

Recycled Xmas Decoration Workshop Marycairncross

 A little late with the update on the workshop at Mary Cairncross but we had lots of fun.  Out under the big shady trees was a great spot to make this year's Christmas decorations, recyling our bits and pieces of jigsaws etc.

We ended up with lots of lolly wrapper glitzy angels, jigsaw wreaths and several of their own creations. 

Thanks to the great help from staff to help set ups etc.  and the weather was perfect.  A little more breeze would have been great but then our bits and bobs would have blown away.  Beautful place to make a creative space.

New beginnings with a bang!

Source: youtube.com via Photojojo on Pinterest

I know fireworks are not so environmental but this video caught my eye.......so really we could save in Melbourne next year by using this video projection instead!  Just thought I would start my blogs with a bang for new beginnings....a little late but better late than never!

final alphabet piece for 2012 A LETTER A WEEK

It has been a big year and fabulous to boot.  A letter a week has been a little project that pushes me to come up with new ideas on how to do an alphabet.  Admittedly it usually ends up in a textile format.  I have had a late start with Alphabet no.2 but finished early which was suprising with all the ups and downs.  This rust/weathered dyed pieced vest has been stitched through to add flavour.  Inspired by a Chinese artist friend Jackson Li from Sanbao.  He wore a indigo stitched vest for special occasions which was very old but I just loved the aged rustic look and feel.  Never forgotten....this is my take on it.  The front is mainly rusted/strategically torn and pieced.   Alphabet is mainly on the sides/back.
My Soy silk lamp is in the back ground which is being exhibited at the Coma exhibition at the Tree Frog Gallery Maleny.

Shadow puppets with weeds at the Maroochy Bushland Botanical Gardens.  That crazed Cat's claw taking over the kids favourite tree was the focus for the morning.  Some of the kids helped me with the tree while the others made characters with Jess Begun from our Maleny Film Co-operative.  I think they had lots of eco fun and will be making more plays at home with a sheet and light.
    

celebrating the glossy black cockatoo project film

This Creative Space project took a little time to pull together.  Mapleton School was a fabulous school to work with as they are very environmentally focussed.  It took a couple of extra days of work making the wings etc for filming day but in the end everyone helped each other to finish by the deadline.  190 little treasures flying over the hills behind the school.  Nothing was scripted.  Only the expert Eric Anderson came in to the school to give talks to every class about the GBC....then on filming day I had the Grade 2 teacher pick out a few children who she thought might remember what was talked about.....I rounded up a few of the older students randomly early morning before they could think about it and hey presto I think it worked in the end.  We have had a few screenings thanks to my Maleny Film Co-Operative group and hopefully another in Palmwoods at the end of the month.  Hope you like it

Celebrating the Glossy Black Cockatoos-Placemaking Art

Today was the first day at the school to help prepare 200 sets of Glossy Black Cockatoo wings.  Eric Anderson the expert on GBC's gave talks to all the classes and my wonderful friend Janet came to help.  We got nearly to the half way mark.  The teachers and students made a great start collecting, cutting and painting last week.  Janet and I got them to the finished stage.  Will have to do some homework and hopefully finish them all off with the students on Friday.  Filming practice next week and the Place Making Art filming will be a goer on Thursday weather permitting.

It is a longtime coming but I finally worked out how to pop it up on YouTube and now to blogsite....techno chick kind of....I can highly recommend ARTIZ which is run by Flying Arts every year.  If you student child is leaning towards the Arts as a career it is a good sampling of what is possible....great guidance.  I have been a house mum and a resident camera girl at two of them and loved it!  If only it had been around in my day!

Jackson Li - Making 1000 cups

This uploading stuff is getting to me today.  Well 2nd time lucky with Jackson's second video from SanBao last October 2011.  Finally two in the bag.

I hope you enjoy watching Jackson Li at work as much as we did.  I took a lot more footage so in the next few weeks you will get to see a little more of Jingdehzen.  Jackson Li is due to arrive on the Sunshine Coast as a guest of Clayworkers for workshops and a fabulous exhibition called "Hands of the Masters".

Bird Buzz in the Maroochy Bushland Botanical gardens has been fabulous with kids dropping into make bird masks and learn about birds in the Rainforest with song and performance.  It has been a great combination of talents with the Maleny Film Co oP working together to promote the environment with Tree Line in Green June.  Did you find the Catbird in the forest?

Playing around with Jess Begun and getting ready for Treeline and Bird Buzz with fellow Maleny Film Co Op members.  Jess and I played with our bird mask prototypes....getting back to basics was a great switch off!

Opening night at Culture 2 Culture exhibition was great with lots of people filling Rosebed St Gallery, not a floorboard left to stand on due to the rain.  Usually everyone spills down the stairs and have drinks under the stars but not to be last Friday.  Thanks to wonderful artist support as well.  Best of all my prize piece sold in the first ten minutes.  Guilin Blues screen  is going to a good home.

Had another meeting for our Culture 2 Culture exhibition at Rosebed St Gallery yesterday.  It is all coming together for the opening on the 25th May.   Our last lot of Chinese tiles will hopefully be back in Australia now thanks to Leon at the Foreign Affairs Dept in Xiamen China and Father Richard Gowty who went over to develop a music exchange for a Sunshine Coast College through Sister Cities.

Jen had a great night loosening up with left hand and time restrictions.  She is a strong mark maker with her right hand so using her left was a challenge.