This just went up so I am splashing it all over the place ’cause it’s my birthday and I can !!!  Open this link here to read… ME ME ME !!!

ME ME ME In my Birthday Oilskin Night-gown !

If you find yourself in the main st of Daylesford Vic and venture into an alley because of a sign on the wall suggesting you visit “Sister George” and you may find Hats and stuff up there, you will need to be intrepid and keep your eyes peeled for clues ! .. up the laneway a small arrow will point you further and up ahead on the side of a building you will be encouraged to “Keep Going” .. then a couple of small, helpful and positively sympathetic signs will encourage you to persevere.. It is SO well worth it.. around the corner in Duke street, parallel to the main st where you started is the domain of Sandra Broman of “Sister George Productions”  Studio Gallery, Inhabited by the most extraordinary Hats, Garments and a brilliant collection of quirk-full and delighting paintings, prints and cards, full of humour and cheek ! Sandra steered us onto “door 3” Ceramic workshops and gallery in a complex of sheds, where there is a huge Auction Gallery filled with fine works of art and top end antiques.. What looks like the studio of David Bromley (closed).. He paints those wonderful 50’s style  ‘boys own annual’ style pictures amongst other sculptural works and jewellery.. Great stuff. Also there is the workshop of “Overwrought” Iron Art.. a very inventive metal artist… and another studio space with mind-blowing exterior going on.. It was great to connect with these spaces .. perhaps another visit will reveal more… We also sought out Jackie Gorrin, printmaker nearby but unfortunately found her away and the beautiful looking studio closed…..So we headed out to find sculptor Stephan out at Sailors Falls in his Gallery “Paradiso Arts” .. Hauled him out of his workshop where he is deadlining in on a prestigious exhibition in Toorak, Melbourne, to show us his work and share his enthusiasm around his architectural and votive inspired sculptures in timber and steel..His paint finishes and passion for motor vehicle constructs .. (A 1/4 size Bugatti style letterbox graces the entrance to the Gallery ) !  Back in town we visited Artist and Sculptor Michael Parker’s Gallery “ Red Pepper Gallery”, Full of a fine collection of artists work from the region.. He has a ’sister’ gallery “Stoney Creek Gallery” just near Stephan’s place. I met metal sculptor Darren Gilbert of “ Monkey Tail Designs” there while he was bumping in some of his new Sculptures and we shared ‘metal workers scars” with one another ! .. That about did it for the day .. Beautiful kind and helpful people populate these chilly southern climes.. Going to light a fire now and thin down a little amber fluid in a glass with just drop of Daylesford water…..

 

Sandra Broman of “Sister George Productions” in her fabulous studio/gallery

 

“Sister George Productions”

 

Door 3 ..Clayspace

 

Auction and gallery fine art space

 

some David Bromley art work weathering

 

some David Bromley art work weathering

Stephan out at Sailors Falls in his Gallery “Paradiso Arts”

 

Stephan’s Mailbox

 

Darren Gilbert of “ Monkey Tail Designs

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Phoenix creates

 

Found a few concrete sculptures in Echuca..!!!!… “Poor Ned, you’re better off dead..at least you get some peace of mind” (Redgum)

Poor benighted Silos Too !!.. Bullied from dusk to dawn ….the annual Silo Kick ?!!? And a fine piece of tin can barrel art (no kicking !)

In Elmore Victoria.. I stepped into the darkened Muddy Water Gallery, where a bloke appeared in work fluro and informed me the owner was away. I asked him “ is this the gallery?” He replied, “ No, there’s only these pictures and stuff on the wall”.. Around the corner up the street was Richie’s Art Gallery .. Richie is at the easel. Retired at 42 and been painting since .. 20 years?.. A happy fellow!!! Now it’s breakfast and coffee in Castlemaine, after arriving at our brisk and chilly destination, Daylesford Vic. last night .. (Top camping at Jubilee Lake campgrounds!)

On our way to brekky at Castlemaine, we met Sculptor Issa Ouattara and his beautiful family – Monica, his lovely wife and sweet daughters Angela and Sophie at their sculpture garden, restored church and atelier .. He is amazing, this guy, cutting sheet steel with snips and gas welding fabulous sculpture! Loved meeting these guys! I highly recommend a visit to their place on the road from Hepburn Springs to Newstead. There is a pic here of him with the balustrade he built and him hand cutting sheet metal also a hopeless pic of one of his beautiful sculptures.

Poor Ned

So you wanna be a sculptor? Mass concrete sculptures at Echuca Vic

Mirool NSW..Tin Can Sculptures.. home of the Silo Kick

Mirrool Pub ! Full of Silo kickers on the 2nd Oct no doubt

Richie

Entrance to the Issa Ouattara Sculpture Garden and Studio

Sculpture .. Issa Ouattara

Issa ! hand cutting steel..
Gun welder with a oxy torch too .. Sweet running beads.

Poor kicked Silos at Mirrool NSW

 

These beautiful distances with  “Clouds like headlines on a new front-page sky” (Tom Waits)…”Music of “The Tallest Man on Earth” on the Ipod from Josh’s collection … Lunch at a billabong by a shady tree (sans Swaggy) and now we are in West Wyalong ! Late Sunday arvo and we luckily found Matthew Cumming fixing up a Cafe area in the new seven month old Splatter Gallery , run by artist Clairre Wishart …. A really good Exhibition space and teaching venue that must be a welcome addition to the town.  Stopped in at a Glass gallery run by and showing the work of glass artist Elaine Marshall. She produces very colourful and skilled slumped platters bowls and a range of diachrotic jewellery.(if i could spell that I would change my  profession and become a smart-i-pants) .. Just prior to finding her Gallery we saw this big tin shed “ART GALLERY” painted on the side and front, with a mangle of iron out front behind a chain-lock fence which upon closer inspection, proved to be something of a menagerie of sculptural constructs .. there is humour and imagination in skip-loads and despite the junk-yard look of the place I wanted to have a bit if a squizz around in that humungous shed ! .. Alas! and Alack!.. the gates were chained and locked and there may have been a dog !.. ?! “Baked bean Olive n’ cheese chuck-about” for dinner and on to Daylesford Victoria tomorrow.

Big Sky Riverina

 

Billabong Bunyip

 

 

 

Splatter Gallery..Rosie and Matthew in the soon to be Cafe space

Elaine Marshall , Glass Artist

Elaine Marshall , Glass Artist’s Gallery

Metal Menagerie

Metal Artist’s yard and Gallery/ Workshop

Saturday night in the beautiful town of Coonabarabran.. Lovin’ it !

Night life , Coonabarabran NSW

Found Pinnata gallery Dorrigo NSW..now in the Food Angel Cafe , an amazing Gallery in new circumstances.  Rosie noted no less than 13 Artists whose careers she intends to follow up on ! I was charmed by a pair of small ceramic sculptures by Sally Hook called “The yo-yo players” I could feel the “expert’s” judgment as the younger yo- yo’ist’s yo-yo rested, slack stringed on the ground! … The Cafe is large and stretches out to the courtyard, Wi-Fi and power points everywhere !!!  Good coffee too! The Pinnata Gallery now in a long side room mostly, shared with old books and Cafe tables.  We returned to the ‘Mountain Metal Art’ guys for a look at Steve’s Forge and a hit of Coke-fume as he lit up the thing and showed me his “you bueat’ Norwegian Anvil”, then onto Bendemeer where we checked out the Autumn Arts And Craft Show … Hundreds of entries !!!  So many artists ! These country towns pull in so many incredible artists from the back of beyond and all about. Some of it wonderful and some horrible and all a joyous exercise in ART!, and it is how we met the wonderful Metal artist and activist Fran Wachtel in Murrurundi NSW two years ago… So we never pass one of these shows without a look.  Camped at Lake Keepit near Gunnadah . ….Stuffed.. Baked beans olives and cheese for dinner.. an episode of “Janet King” on I’View and up this morning to a flat battery ’cause I left the ignition on all night .. *#*^! …So we meet “Smilin’ Gary of Gunnedah NRMA”..  Taking the afternoon off in a campground in Coonabarrabran now, reading  Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey and writing this.

Stephen Viola in his forge making me look little.. lucky I’ve got a hat !

Food Angel Cafe and  Gallery, Dorrigo NSW

Pinnata Gallery .. sorry !

Pinnata

Smilin’ Gary of Gunnedah NRMA

I’m keeping the flies at bay , waiting for the NRMA

Snoofing around town in the early evening , we found “Mountain-Metal-Art” at 47a Hickory St…and Inside , Katiuska Cruz, Jewellery maker plus and Stephen Viola, Blacksmith !  The Talk-fest was on ! Yay ! .. Beautiful and friendly .. with a realy great Gallery/Studio/Shop.   They told us about a big ‘SteamPunk Party’.. held annually in Dorrigo.. 2014 date still to be announced…. Sounds like a seminal affair in the SteamPunk world and by all accounts a HOOT .. as is also, we were informed, the Annual Bluegrass festival here that we may well return for..! ….. Stephen teaches Blacksmithing up here and these guys seem well connected to the community in the Bellengen Shire .. Loved meeting them and Steve is a Uke player !! (Plunker he says ?)    Writing this in a camp site near Danger Falls.. Magpie chorus, Cups of tea, Cow- Pong and Green andSunnyVistas .

Stephen and Katiuska of Mountain Metal Art Dorrigo NSW

tech padock

Delivered the three ‘Sky-Dance’ Garden sculptures to a great outdoor sculpture and gallery space in Mullumbimby NSW at the rear of 59 Burringbar St, next to the Rock n’ Roll Cafe Called “Sunshine Alley” … So this week Rosie has put some Watercolour paintings and cards in “Moonrise Studios”  105 Stuart St, Mullumbimby… and I have these in at ‘Sunshine Alley’ … a bit Cute really !!! …. Sunshine and Moonrise !   Rosie has also recently been sought out by “Federal Village Gallery” and has some watercolours in with them !

“Sky Dance” Three Garden sculptures at Sunshine Alley, Mullumbimby NSW

Northern Rivers Hinterland Moonrise Studio

“Sunrise Tallows Beach” Federal Village Gallery

 

 

Bee Dance … That little dance Bees do to give directions for other Bees to find flowers
Work in progress..Welded steel Jewellery

I’m truing a new addition to the “Navigator” series.. This one on Jewellery scale.. We do our little dances to tell each other where we find the Flowers !

I’ve also finished three garden ornaments (Jewellery for the Garden)  They are tall and move in the breeze .. Welded steel with imitation Gold leaf and sealed with ‘Penetrol’

Three Garden ornaments .. welded steel and fake Gold Leaf from about 3 to 4 meters tall

Garden ornament .. welded steel and fake Gold Leaf about 3 meters tall

Hello ! and a very big thanks to Oskar Schlegl ..for giving me this WordPress site to play with ! Thank You Oskar ! You are a Mountain among Men and a very generous soul with your time and expertise ! Also thanks to Josh Pringle who helped me initially to swim (doggy-paddle) in the deep water.. (for a short legged Wombat).. that is the administration of a thing like this.. Thanx Josh !! xx

So ! I have a website again ! Great addition to the Fallow Year process and in time for My Girlfriend Rosie’s and my upcoming trip to central Victoria in a day or two .. Camping in the Van and having another look around Bendigo, Ballarat, Clunes, Dalesford, Castlemain and an aside down to Port Fairy SA. in the mix…. We had a bit of a practice run on Saturday with our friend Glenda..visiting Federal Gallery, then the Channon Gallery .. on to the GreenBank in Nimbin and also the Nimbin Art Association’s Autumn Exhibition… Then on to the Richmond Tweed Regional Gallery for “Tea and tiny cakes” !1….., to check out the new and amazing Margaret Olley Art Centre Wing ! A bit of a taste of things to come for the next two or three weeks.

Rosie and Glenda , Stylin’ it in Nimbinn