territorial chair

My copper red stoneware bowl slipped from the dodgy dishrack this morning and crashed onto the tiled floor, such a pity as it has been my travelling companion for the past few weeks. I've been sitting in the Territory Craft gallery all day working on my protazoan lino cut while people wander in looking lost and asking where the Northern Territory museum is. I have to explain why I'm using lino cuts for ceramic work and then I redirect them through to the museum. I unloaded the kiln this afternoon with only one breakage due to a concave kiln shelf. Ceramics is a life of hits and misses.

arafura dreaming

I've been waking each night as I turn over on the blow-up mattress which threatens to turf me onto the floor each time I move. I can hear the sound of scrub hens fighting in the garden and the night plovers and eagles whirling above. There is the unmistakable sound of a peacock calling in a yard nearby. The sun doesn't rise until 7am and there is a strange mixture of mist and smoke from the big fire at Berry Springs hugging the ground. I'm making paper clay so I sit in bed methodically shredding toilet paper into a bucket between my legs. I'm thinking that my flat mates are probably wondering what is the strange noise coming from my bedroom in the wee hours of the night.

Today in the studios of Territory Craft I finally made something with clay. Up to now I've be plaster casting and linocutting in preparation for ceramic work. I slab rolled the clay and made two protazoan inspired clocks.

studio report

My studio at Territory Craft is surrounded by venetian windows with the humid Arafura winds blowing through to ventilate the space. The smell is of damp clay. I have banished my leather sandals which have become foetid with fungus. I am working on some moulds for platters and clocks today. I'm also doing some design work for a repeating pattern using protazoan shapes.

winton library

So many dead kangaroos on the road between Toowoomba and Winton. I'm keeping the smell out by keeping the windows closed, I've got my earplugs in and music up loud. How many times can you listen to Tina Turner on a 6 day voyage? I try to sing along but the earplugs makes my voice sound like a rusty bucket.

Winton library has internet access, what a great service for my travelling log.

on the road again...

One sleep to go before the big dry calls me north to Darwin. Cruising down the highway in my gray Echo (I'm imagining it's a pink Cadillac). Looking for the best coffee shops and bakeries and op-shops along the road. My friend Sue asked me if I had some photos of my paintings on my blog. I suppose it was a bit of an oversight on my part so here is one of my favourites.

embroidery

I stood in the kitchen of an old women today who was wearing a grey-green tracksuit top with fake printed embroidery. The design was beautiful with blossoms and long feathered lyrebirds. She had cut the neck out because it was too uncomfortably tight. There was beauty and poignancy in the moment as I thought about lost embroidery skills.

I made a range of vases with damascene like embossing called Chatelaine suite. I was looking for a minimalist form with an intensely decorated surface.

weekend cholesterol fix

"There's an interesting taste in this lasagna" he said. " Well, it's got chilli, coconut milk and coriander in it" she said. It looked authentically Italian which was amazing considering the difficulty she was having mastering the vagaries of the new Smeg oven.

Yes, it's the weekend and time to throw the vegetarian menu out and eat meat. I thought we had some mince in the freezer but no. Lentils to the rescue, I made a cross-cultural lasagna with some left over green curry of lentils. You may not believe me but it was delicious.

I put in the mechanism for a moon clock today. The face is similar to my 'Contentment' vases.

tick tock tick tock

Awake at 3 am, I'm thinking of how uncomfortable it might be to sleep angled into the back of the Echo with my head up against the back hatch and my feet wedged next the driver's seat door. I have a camp foam mat which is probably inadequate to the task of cushioning me from the spare wheel housing. Motel rooms at Longreach, Camoweal and Three Ways are looking good in comparison.

Some new ceramic jewellery pieces look good so I will incorporate them into necklaces this weekend.