Short term plans

I've been slugging away, waiting for the busyness to slow down a bit but three weeks out from Christmas it is still not letting up. One of my Masters Supervisors has contacted me about starting my PhD next year, so now I am busy trying to write a half decent research proposal and have it in prior to Christmas. On the up side, with some news that hard work is paying off, I have been selected as a finalist in the BCCs recycled art comp which culminates in April next year. Web link below:

Recylcing Art Competition

Local Wildlife

Been having lots of encounters with the locals, particularly of the avian persuasian, although have officially sighted the first koala in one of the trees near the creek. There are so many  birds, particularly little ones: variegated fairy wrens (managed to get a pic below), yellow robins, treecreepers, spangled drongos, lewin's honeyeaters etc. The last couple of nights I have been joined at dusk by a couple of kingfishers catching insects in the lawn from their perch on the back fence. Delightful.

De stressing exercises

Been having a go at doing some of those colour-in books for adults in a bid to do something artistic while everything else is packed in boxes. The one I chose was Mandalas which added to the colouring in aspect is also quite a zen thing to do. It works for as long as you can actually do it - you become very centred and focussed for a period of time. The results are quite pretty, but again, it is the process that is important.

Masters

So this came in the mail yesterday. I'm official now.

Morning Walks

After way too long, over these school holidays, I have restarted morning walks. I always try to take in some of the local lagoon which is a kind of oasis  tucked in behind a whole lot of houses. Yesterday, after numerous wild encounters, I decided to take my camera, with the following results. This week alone, I have encountered the usual pacific black and maned ducks, swamp hens, including one nesting out in the middle of the lagoon, eastern long-necked turtles, and water dragons, pied cormorants, shags and even the blue and bronze flash of a little azure kingfisher. Feel so lucky to live close to this little patch of wilderness and am sure there is at least one artwork lurking there somewhere.

Flying Visit to Cairns

Last weekend I went to Cairns with Flying Arts to deliver a workshop to Art Teachers from FNQ. It was a great day, and hopefully the participants had a good time. Been finding it really hard to feel connected to my practice lately so it was certainly good to be with the tribe and to feel appreciated as an artist. Since returning, I have been flat out with work, so before any more time elapses, I thought I would put up some photos. Thanks Cairns.

All done and dusted

The last month or so have been the most stupidly busy of my entire life, I think. Aside from the exhibition and the exegesis to go with for Uni, there was all the 'nearly the end of year' stuff that goes on with home and work. Very nearly lost the plot. Anyway, the Uni stuff is done with for now...just waiting on results and in the next couple of months I will be able to put the letters MSTA (Visual Arts) after my name. Last week I drove to Toowoomba to hand everything in on a record-breaking hot day - 36 degrees in Toowoomba and 42 through the Lockyer on the way back. Was a bit worried the tyres would start to melt or something. Anyway, to mark the end of it all, here's a video of the final installation, made by Alex Brown, one of my former art students.