Flowers and the Dickerson

 

 

 

 Two of my absolute favourite things ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hamish & Madison

Canberra

25th December 2020

 

 

Such beautiful moments, happy children. Mind you, they are happy most of the time. I miss them.

 

Christmas 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wishing you many happy moments over the festive weeks.

 

The kindest gift you can give someone is time.

Not quite there yet.

 

 

 

the spirit of twenty twenty

 

I have just finished prepping for tonight's class that starts at 9pm my time. As the workshop series is run out of Ardington in the UK it is their 10am Monday morning. Ardington is a sweet little English village with a pub, an old schoolhouse and a few scattered homes with gorgeous country gardens, hanging baskets and idle lanes. Truly beautiful, I know I have been there.

Staying in a village nearby Lipscombe Regis, we, Pam and I traveled to Ardington to this wonderful old schoolhouse to teach. Was that 2017? Welcomed by scones & chocolate biscuits and some wonderful English characters we settled into exploring the art deco movement in lettering.

It's not what I am doing now though. I am on and adventure with the German script artist Hermann Kilian. Presently I am finishing off my final class for the Ardington Academy with whom I have been teaching since May pretty well non-stop. Perfect from this distance in the middle of a pandemic. Interestingly enough the workshop series classes have been quite successful and very enjoyable except for the time of day. 

These classes take a great deal of my energy and time. Preparing for zoom classes is quite different from teaching from the front of a classroom where you don't have to talk non-stop. You have time to pause, wend yourself around the classroom to give critiques of peoples work. Use you body language to approach and deliver some meaningful assistance and guidance to the student. In my zoom classes all my materials are a arms length. Papers labeled with that the exercise is and the order of the five or six exercises I am going to demonstrate in that time. I start with a coffee, I have one mid-class and am ready for another at the end. Exhausted. You try talking for two hours non-stop.

Anyway, I like my teaching but there will be a lot less of it next year so I can concentrate on some serious art, exhibit something worthwhile, research and write some articles. I don't think I know anyone who is not looking forward to twenty twenty-one!

 

 

 

 

Winding down ...

 

 

With one more class to go for 2020 I am starting to wind down a little from an amazing seven month teaching schedule that started up due to pandemic living. I could never have imagined my creative life would change so much and for the better.

Life has changed on several fronts but mostly in my teaching, creating art, creative writing and writing articles etc. Most of all I am very happy and very fortunate. I know not everyone is feeling these emotions right now. I hope to address these issues soon here in my blog because I feel if I write it all here it will give me some perspective I think, even if no-one ever reads it, I'd still like to write. 

For now though I am exhausted and tired after spending a few days answering emails as the classes start to finish one by one.  I am looking forward to a quieter December writing a new program for Acorn Arts and brushing up the existing one Foundational Hand. I will also be working on technique classes for Calligraphy Italia. This will include lots of filming and writing.

I am also thrilled that our borders have opened to the rest of the Australian states and territories and I can visit at last with those two little grown-ups up north in January.

In the meantime I'll share this little piece that I did as an exercise for my latest class introducing the works of Hermann Kilian (German script artist) more widely.

 

Curiosity leads to learning ...

Classes & workshops

 

T U I T I O N

Due to the ongoing world pandemic I will continue to teach my classes online for the forseable future. Please make expressions of interest with Harvest and/or Riccardo respectively.

Acorn Arts and Calligraphy Italia

This allows me a little more freedom to continue to explore my work, start some new artistic endeavours and some research projects.

As always, thank you for your ongoing support.

 

Workshop & Classes updates

 

All international workshops and now Australian workshops
have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic but ...
zoom zoom zoom is a happening thing!

P R I V A T E    L E S S O N S

 

Enquiries welcome!

Gemma offers one-on-one, personal lessons to discerning students of calligraphy anywhere in the world. This guidance is specifically designed to help students further their existing lettering skills or for them to learn a completely new hand.

 

Gemma is not only a skilled calligrapher and artist, but also a highly respected tutor nationally and internationally. Gemma is now pleased to offer personal instruction designed specifically to the interest and level of the individual student. Full handouts are provided for each lesson.

 

This offer takes the form of four by one-hour lessons at one lesson per week. Once payment has been confirmed through PayPal Gemma will set up the best time for lessons according to various time zones around the world. Consultation regarding the specifics of what the student would like to study will take place before the first lesson so that time will not be wasted during the first hour. Each lesson will be specifically tailored to the student’s skill level and to what they would like to achieve. Lessons are offered via Zoom and an invitation to join the session will be sent ahead of time. If you are not familiar with Zoom, Gemma is, so she will help you every step of the way.

 

The cost is $400 AUD per four hours. Please email Gemma to discuss your needs.

2020 W O R K S H O P S
presented online
Please check your world time zone for attendance at each class,
all classes however, are recorded  for participants convenience.



SGRAFFITO gold leaf, colour & lettering
11th September 2020
Calligraphy Italia

Registrations are open, please click on the organising group.

THE BITING OF BOWS
ampersands and other ligatures
start date 7th September  2020
Ardington Academy Live Plus
a  four-week live series workshop
Bookings are open please click on the organising group.

Oh No!
Sold out, so sorry if you have missed it but thank you for trying!
Enquire about the cancellation list with the organising group.

 



FOUNDATIONAL HAND
October  2020
Acorn Arts
a  series workshop of four to six weeks with a private forum  and individual critiquing.
Please enquire by clicking on the organising group .



THE WORKING VERSAL
start date 12th October  2020
Ardington Academy Live Plus
a  four-week live series workshop
Bookings are open please click on the organising group.

Oh No!
Sold out, so sorry if you have missed it but thank you for trying!
Enquire about the cancellation list with the organising group.

 



HERMANN KILIAN
let's take a look
start date 9th November 2020
Ardington Academy Live Plus
a  four-week live series workshop
Bookings are open please click on the organising group.

Oh No!
Sold out, so sorry if you have missed it but thank you for trying!
Enquire about the cancellation list with the organising group.

 

Calligraphy italia

I have finally jumped on the wagon and run a wonderful zoom class through Calligraphy Italia organised by Riccardo Ali.  By all accounts the folk enjoyed themselves as I did and here are my in-class demonstration pieces. The first class was the European Series Adolf Bernd and the second class Art Deco pen & pencil Lettering.  Enjoy!

Japanese Saying

Detail

The shell tree ...

Today was one of the most beautiful winter's day here in southern Tasmania. Just south of the Bay is the awesome Fossil Cove. David & I took advantage of the windless sunny morning to climb the depths of the rivulet crevice to the bottom thinking all the while what goes down must come up. Phew. It was a trek down, down, down but worth every sore muscle now we're home and relaxing.

                                

The most beautiful surprise was the shell tree.  Wanting to do a little beach fossicking one is not allowed to take a single pebble, shell rock or flower away from the conservation area.  With the Cove coming into view as I walked the last leg of the track in, I wondered what the beautiful white flowers were growing down there at this time of year. "Shells" they were, yes shells. So David and I added our own shells to the trees. It was strangely a special treat. So we came out with nothing but sweet memories of the shell trees.

Enjoy these photos from our day!

UTAS Module One: done and dusted.

The title of my first module in the UTAS Wellbeing Toolkit unit I am undertaking is called:

Human Behaviour in Extreme Environments: stress, distress & resilience

I found the module to be extremely interesting. I passed the quiz section and will now await the essay assessment. I thought in the meantime I would share with you a poem I wrote as one of the outcomes to this learning environment on this particular module. It's called When earth becomes sick.

My next module is The History of Public Health: epidemics and social change. Can't wait!

A N O T E O F T H A N K S

A   N O T E   O F   T H A N K S

I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to the
Sidney Myer Fund & the Myer Foundation for administering a series of grants

on behalf of the following
Participating Philanthropists and Philanthropic Entities:

Andrew Myer AM & Kerry Gardner AM
Ann & Warwick Johnson
Berwyn Roberts & Jennifer Mackenzie
Carrillo Gantner AC and Ziyin Gantner
Creative Partnerships Australia
Darin Cooper Foundation
Day Family Foundation
Doc Ross Foundation
FWH Foundation
Inner North Community Foundation
James and Diana Ramsay Foundation
Kate and Stephen Shelmerdine Family Foundation
Kathryn Fagg AO
Kim Williams AM
Lindisfarne Foundation
Mandy and Edward Yencken & Family
Mark and Louise Nelson
Minderoo Foundation
Nunn Dimos Foundation
Robert Bishop
Philanthropy Australia
Sarah Myer and Baillieu Myer AC
Sidney Myer Fund
Simon Mordant AM and Catriona Mordant AM
Spinifex Trust
Tim Fairfax AC
The Skrzynski Family Sky Foundation
Vallejo Gantner
Yulgilbar Foundation

I have gratefully received a grant of $1,000 to help manage my loss of income during COVID-19

Unfortunately I am not eligible for JobSeeker.

A happy day - debt repaid

How lovely to have made the final payment on our beautiful new townhouse. Now a few years of upping the Superannuation and we should be okay in retirement. Speaking of which, my plan is to continue as an artist messing about in the studio making & creating things.

INKWINGS WRITING ADVENTURE

INKWINGS WRITING ADVENTURE

My friend from New Jersey Linda Lanza invited me to join her class to undertake a writing adventure. Linda started the course at the outbreak of the coronavirus in the USA to help friends navigate a path through the virus lockdowns. I would like to keep a record of what I wrote during those sessions. I will also jot down the a number of words that have been floating around during our sessions:

ONE-LINERS

pick one leaf not the whole forest

what did the writing tell you

we are still in the boat

the dependable colours of old friends

the nurturing that is love

I see many things on the back of my eyelids

hate bites, joy sings

death divides, memory clings

IDEAS

swept away two words seen on a River Derwent walk in March 2020

WORDS caught

nourishment, food, friends, mother, father, freedom, acceptance, love, peace, comfort, space, freedom, burn tear, dissolve, share, save, raw, write, spring, seeds, courage, see, say, feel, thing, vessel, reflection, relief,  pause, peach, recess, trill, curls, elegant, finite, perfume, daisies, seconds, time, hour, day, slow, light, darkness, breathe, breath, sound, eyes, thread, sew, use, beauty, functional, dissolve, elusive, sensible, lonely, alone, elusive, intrepid, plant, blossoms, bloom, fortify, smoke, sleep, think, more to come

RAMBLINGS

seeds of the pen, the brush, a song,

a poem, lessons learned

lessons taught to keep my world turning

my mind working, my days tuned

in tune with the planted seeds

floating on this river of life

precarious as it is right now

aware of the river, the banks, the drifters

suddenly the world slammed shut

to be opened anew when the scattered seeds crack open

to reveal the new way forward

an endless afternoon became more apparent

time went by

pain, loneliness, fright

how did this happen

how did I get to here

abandoned by the loved ones

my own fault, really? was it

tears again … again … a child

tears again … tears still

when things got hard

I used to drive and keep on driving

why did I do that

why not stop and stand my ground

it was easier then to keep on driving

a single glorious thing

start of a new life

I couldn’t see that then, why

why why why

where was my sense of self

I let go

of that single glorious thing

what is the use of beauty

if it is to die

as time engulfs us, instead

expose the inner beauty

in us all

a candle for the end

what end

my end of course

when will that be

shall I light it

not yet silly

there is a thread you follow

it swims it dives it travels

it has a path of it’s own

go with it

it’s stuck

hold on

it’s stuck again

hold on, hold on tight

-----------------------------------------

the line of the thread is writing

your life’s story

until that day comes

for you let go

the thread

it sews the body bags

slipped into unnamed boxes

buried deep

deep en masse

take heart, it’s not your turn

my reaction upon seeing hundreds of bodies buried at potter’s field on hart island

I am the thread

I glide through the eye of the needle

I sew my life as a tapestry

a coloured cloth of insatiable

want for knowledge

just like an undeniable tsunami

the ill-wind came so swiftly

quietly

scaring the people of earth

the wind swirls harshly

touching every corner of the earth

the ill-will stays

it traumatises all in it’s wake

taking it’s own slow journey

whence it came.

right down there

in the thick of things

some people run to the top of the mountain

some people hide

some people are left behind, but

some people stay behind for

those who can’t fend for themselves

right down there in the thick of things

is compassion

the work of the world

is as common as mud

to be of use in that world

you must dive right in to that mud

and work with it.

make things, beautiful things

functional and helpful things

give of yourself this mud you have molded

to be left behind

one person’s creative legacy

write, write, write

write with your hand,

write with your head, and

write with your heart.

time will give it to us

what we seek

be patient with time

be sensible

be aware

love those close

keep them safe

if you’re alone,

do not be lonely

use time wisely

and that elusive seed will come

Leave your mark

A wonderful video of my colleague Monica Dengo came across my desk this morning. I have thoroughly enjoyed this interview with our highly respected colleague Monica. The essence of her words are informative, intelligent and knowledgeable about the subject of handwriting, so primal to us all and how handwriting manifest itself so importantly to our creative existence. 

This is the best interview I have seen that has resonated deeply within me. And that’s a great thing, what I need right now. Not, I think because we are in the mids of the covid-19 but rather because I am personally in the midst of change within myself. Those can be discussed at a later time as I'd love for you to grab a beverage of your choice, calligrapher or not as it pertains to us all and spent this half hour watching Monica talk about handwriting, materials, community, plastic, working with our hands and our her own art:  click here for artist Monica Dengo

How to make Origami Box

Here is a little video I created a couple of weeks ago just to test the quality of my filming ability, my video camera, clarity, accessibility and quality. I am also testing the new format of my blog. Right now there is plenty of time to simply mess about in the studio - thanks to COVID-19. Enjoy!

At Potters Field ...

A Potter's Field is known in historical terms as a place of burial for the poor and the unclaimed. Here is a potter's field in New York today. Hart Island, the Bronx.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-10/new-york-state-posts-record-coronavirus-death-rise-covid-19/12140380

Memory Markers, Perth Western Australia - redux

A few years ago I posted this fabulous sculpture here on my blog. I am very pleased to tell you that both the Artist Anne Neil and the Historian Barbara Dundas have given me more information regarding this amazing work. With their permission I share it with you now. I thank Barbara Dundas for initiating contact with me so I can share with you the true and historical meaning behind the work.

And just to quote from Barbara: "The markers acknowledge the physical and social changes and less obvious, but equally important, the need for the written word to help support and preserve those oral traditions of the First Nation people."

 This art work Nibs - Memory Markers was completed by Artist Anne Neil and her team Blackwell Landscape Architects and Historian Barbara Dundas in 2005. The artwork is comprised of 5 dipping pen nibs that stand 3.5m high with blue up-lights

  
To understand the art work one has to consider the competition brief from the Perth City Council. The art work was to link the various historic and architectural sites in Perth- the Town Hall, Lands and Surveys Buildings (held all the original certificates of title to land in WA), the first Court House in WA, the Supreme Court buildings, the Bell Tower, convention centre and the historic Stirling Gardens and the broad cultural heritage of the area - land of the First Nation Aboriginal people, the Nyungah, Swan River people.

 In the preliminary historical search, the site became of particular importance, the start of colonial law, the first botanic gardens in WA, now Stirling Gardens and the adjacent Government House and the Government Gardens. The selected site was part of a place of meeting and landmark place with vistas to all the above sites.

 However, at this level  it appears to focus on European culture. The use of the nibs ... the written word was also a point of difference between the Indigenous and the European Cultures. The markers are located not far from the site of where  British Flag was first raised to mark the commencement of the  British  Swan River Colony  in Western Australia - a tree was felled at the site of the Perth Town Hall. Adjacent to the Memory Markers is the now Stirling Gardens and the entry to the Supreme Court. 

The artwork was originally considered to have the name Script ... that is a legal term and the point of difference between the two meeting cultures. The selected name is Memory Markers, this both acknowledges the two cultures; their meeting  and the points of difference between the written record - the new legal system and an ancient oral tradition of the First Nation people. Adjacent, is a poem  from a newspaper in the 1930s, describing the place and its flowers. You will note the nib sculptures also have a variety of native and exotic (imported) plants  excised from them. At night the flowers are highlighted with blue up lighting and appear as art work on the nibs. In its landmark, position the nibs are visible both day and night from the north, south and west.

The markers are indeed poignant reminders of the complex history of this area and colonial settlement impacts. They recall the  power of the written word, the new legal system and the role of  planning and land ownership. They also pay tribute to those early settlers who marked out the town/ now City of Perth and the landscape and the changes in landscape. The markers acknowledge the physical and social changes and less obvious, but equally important, the need for the written word to help support and preserve those oral traditions of the First Nation people.

Barbara Dundas - Historian

The  Artist and team member names are included in the sculptural context - on a a plaque nearby

Dishes & fishes

Just a follow up on the dishes & fishes. Here they are in all their glazed & fired glory. The fishes are pen rests just in case you didn't notice. Five of us gathered on International Women's Day for a celebration in clay. Thank you wonderful friend Carolyn Canty!

Today's brief message.

A brief message:

Well that didn't go very well. I tried the Glover, I tried to sell a good work here but to no avail on either. Not to worry, we are well and that's the important thing. I am in the studio working and David is practicing for some small (three peeps) ensembles and interviews to be recorded by the TSO during the covid-19. Marvellous!

Though here in Australia we do not have a total lockdown we, like so many others, are staying at home only to go out to the market and the pharmacy as short five minute walk for both. We check on our neighbours and we practice social distancing.

I feel a bit more positive, more than I have over the past few days. Let's hope that continues.

Covid-19 sucks!

L I S T E N

Watercolour painting: 300gsm Arches cold press H 83cm x W 57cm

Cost: $800 AUD

I created this work as a response to the Australia bushfires earlier this year. The colours are of course more rich and sumptuous as appears here. The texture is almost tactile.

If you are interested please contact me.

Tasmania closes borders

Tasmanian Mercury Newspaper 20th March 2020

This happened a few days ago but I would like to save this photo here so that a visual record will remain of this time. When I first saw this it actually shocked me, I think because it was a blatant "in-your-face" message which of course was what the public needed to hear. As I mentioned in my facebook post on this it jolted me to think "no room at the inn". Sad, needed and real.

To be honest I am sick and tired of all the fun jokes and memes about the virus. I am normally not a doom and gloom person rather quite the opposite. And, I'd be one of the first people to raise the spirits of someone in trouble. I am bitterly annoyed though, at the the number of people particularly the young in Britain & Australia flouting the regulations to stay away and self-isolate. These are the very people who will either get sick or worst still carry the virus to their families and the elderly. Selfish selfish selfish individuals. I have always had faith in humankind, always, through one disaster or another. I feel that faith slipping but ...

... I have one daughter who works in the National Incident Room in Canberra and she has worked long hours sixteen days straight this past fortnight. My heart goes out to her. I have another daughter who works in foetal medicine and as women will continue to give birth regardless of pandemics she is also essential hospital staff. Both of my girls have compromised immune systems and yet there they are on the frontline. I think of these two remarkable women daily and they buoy my spirits.

My heart goes out to those who are not in a position to help themselves around the world. The poor communities, the homeless, the sick. After my recent trip to South Africa and my first hand experience of "informal settlements" I can't help but imagine the wretched devastation that would occur if these homes got even a whiff of the virus.

I am on overload and need to start occupying myself in a more proactive and creative manner.

Cancellation of all classes.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

all of my international and

Australian workshops have been cancelled.

For me this will mean a loss of that arts practice and teaching income. I hope to be able to change tactics in a creative way to keep a small amount of money coming in. I just need a small amount and I'll be happier than I am feeling right now. I know many in the arts sector are feeling this right now. I'm working on it!

COVID-19 two weeks later

Well, it has been a whirlwind of a fortnight with the virus spiralling out of control with more cases diagnosed in Australia.  Two nights ago the Tasmanian Government took the step to close our island borders only allowing a short period of time to receive returning citizens and residents and those returnees have to self-isolate for fourteen days.

I was to teach in Sydney today and tomorrow and as of Tuesday past I was still going, then all of a sudden the spiral began. By Thursday I had cancelled my workshop with notice from Jetstar that my flight had also been cancelled. The workshop has been rescheduled to November 21 & 22 and my flight credit will be available "if" airline is still in business.

Australia's borders have now been closed isolating us from the rest of the world but is it too late? Only time will tell.  Many people here in Australia are flaunting the rules of "social distancing" of course in some cases spreading the virus further.  My feelings are that while the Government is serious in it's advice and actions they have failed to act strongly enough to advise the general population acutely and accurately.

Social media is full of false information, scare tactics causing unwarranted panic, trolls and opinions it almost make me want to distance myself from social media full stop.  I am so fortunate to live here in Tasmania far far from the madding crowd and with David who is just a skeptical of peoples behaviour as I am. People are fickle and selfish and when someone uses the phase "they are not using their common sense" I get so riled this is no such thing as common sense!

I guess having travelled so much in my lifetime I have connected with many people from many walks of life. Thankfully I can keep in touch with them and am saddened by the trauma some of them are going through. Italy for instance, so wretchedly sad, thousands of deaths, churches used for keeping the coffins before people can be buried with no funerals. The United Kingdom is in lockdown. My Californian friends the same. Unprecedented actions all over the world. Needless to say the next six months of my world tour has been cancelled. I did that on Sunday just past and I am glad to put all the worry and stress of it behind me.

I am enjoying studio time and I am laying down skeleton plans for what creative adventure I can go on with here that will make some sense of the pestilence at our door. Hopefully I shall be able to help others along the way in some capacity or other.

Go well and be safe anyone who reads this message.

COVID-19 interesting times

I don't think there is anyone left in the world, perhaps with the exception of some refugees in war torn areas of the globe, who have not heard about the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19. It is a new influenza with no vaccine at this stage. We are four months into the spread of this new virus and right now the world is indeed a wretched place. It is wholely up to each individual to keep themselves free of the virus to the best of their ability. through personal hygiene and cleanliness. The stories and visual images of cities emptied of people & traffic, closed businesses and schools, people working from home and so on are compelling. Hospitals are gearing up for one of the worst epidemics we have seen since 1918 with the Spanish Flu, which if I remember correctly had nothing to do with originating Spain. The WHO has not called it a pandemic yet. Many in government and health circles believe it is just a matter of time.

It is not funny but oh how fickle and selfish people are.  With our medical experts pleading people not to panic buy they raid the shops buying up toilet paper, long-life milk, pasta & rice  You have to either laugh or cry. A fight broke out over toilet paper between three women in a Woolworths supermarket yesterday. It was video recorded and the clip went viral. The police were called and two of the women have since been charged. How foolish they are. How will they feel when we finally come out of this epidemic after it peaks.

In the meantime there are things I need to think seriously about and then either take action or not.  There are travel bans in various countries at present they are China, South Korea & Iran. Many other countries have travel restriction and there are COVID-19 testing stations set up all around the general flight and travel community.  As you know I have a very hefty calligraphy international travel itinerary ahead this 2020. Here are the countries I have on my schedule and in this order:  Hong Kong, Singapore, England, Italy, Slovenia, Germany, Belgium, Canada and the USA.  Every one of these places has COVID-19.

The strange thing is I am not afraid. I feel I am healthy enough that if I contract the virus like others, I may well survive as I am not at high risk and my immune system is not compromised. David's would be as he is asthmatic. I would certainly need to take this into consideration.

My problem with this travel schedule is the likelihood that I shall be detained and placed in quarantine for fourteen days at any point on my journey. Perhaps multiple times. This would disrupt my schedule and subsequently the place I am teaching next and then the next. I feel however, the worst situation will be the quarantine or self-isolation. For me it will come at a huge monetary cost perhaps many times. Where do I go, who do I stay with, how can I afford two weeks of B&B or hotel costs etc. etc. etc. Would anyone put up their hand to host me or at least offer help. Should I expect someone will? No methinks not. Would I if the situation was reversed?  All of these questions need to be well thought out and a decision made.

I feel I have already made my decision for the situation at this time, but if the coronavirus rapidly decreases it's infection rate in the coming two weeks I may reconsider. I need to write emails to all my hosts and see what their feelings are on our gatherings. Interesting times, watch this space.