Up in the air ...

With all flights to Tasmania cancelled David and I find ourselves in Sydney unable to get home. Our flight was last Sunday 12th and our new scheduled flight, after many, is now planned for Thursday 16th. Qantas has been marvellous in looking after us with hotel accommodation and meals for up to five days. Wish us luck. The worst thing is we have been slightly inconvenienced, as our thoughts are really with our New Zealand friends and in particular our friends in Christchurch.

In the mean time I have my visual diary for my records. In Canberra the other day I bought this little pack of 12 x A7 (7.5cm x 10.5) pads and books called The Miniature Collection, which are giving me great pleasure.  My plan is to use all these 12 different supports for my upcoming A Letter a Week project. Here they are:

Nib sculpture

Pen Nibs, Sculpture by Anne Neil 2005

Can you believe these nibs!!  I was excited when my host Barb King, who was looking after me for my recent versals workshop for the Calligraphers Guild of WA, said I must see these nibs. Barb was right!  This nib sculpture is in Barrack Street at one of the entrances to the Supreme Court gardens.  There was no plaque to tell me the sculptor, nor it's name. It may well be "somewhere" on the work.   Makers ... please insist on leaving your mark!

I have done a little search and have come up with a couple of explanations to their significence. One is that scriveners worked nearby at the courts for the past two centuries ... but another says they have nothing to do with the courts at all and that they are related to the gardens and were a tribute to the far-sighted planners who established the gardens over a century and a half ago.

I took these photos obviously in the evening, lit up, as well as in daylight.

Thanks Barb! More on the workshop soon.

Gilding - traditional & modern techniques

Learn the art of successful gilding through Private Lessons. Any thechniques you are having difficulty contact me if you would like to study further to becoming a successful gilder.

As I see it ...

... a whole week in the studio ... yippee!

"Apparently in one of Elgar's regular slumps in morale Jaeger (August Jaeger, Elgar's publisher) told him that whenever Beethoven was troubled by the turbulent life of a creative artist, he simply poured his frustrations into still more beautiful compositions". 

Oops I have just spilt the ink!

Ink on fine tissue paper

Flexible study plan available

If you are interested in being mentored through a particular calligraphic journey or wish to have a series of constructive critical analysis of your work, then I would be delighted to work with you. I will work individually with you on a one to one basis at whatever skill level you are presently at. The plan is fully flexible and operates as a pay as you go system. Interested? Click the link "study with Gemma" above.

gb

my thought for the day

In a time of self uncertainty act mindfully in all that you do.  Little things like washing up or big things like interacting with colleagues, friends and people you meet as a natural course of your day such as when shopping.  Be mindful that they too may need a little boost in their day ... it will make you smile and feel good about yourself.

gb

A child's gift

In my work it is refreashing to revisit "simplicity". 
Here is a lovely little piece I did today for a soon-to-be six your old.
I loved this poem when I was a child and I still love it.

It is The End from Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne.

 

Schmincke gouache, metal nibs and a touch of gilding on Ormoline size.
I have kept the lines in the manner that they were originally written.