Back in Delhi, Tour starts tomorrow- so exciting.
i am a little nervous but have done my homework and everything should be fine.
I am trying to see India as it was that first time i got here- i was so happy from the time i got off the plane but also thinking " oooooooooooohhhhhhhhh my goodness- what have i done"
so i am trying to run things in such away that people have a little time to aclimatise. Really though this place is like jumping into the frezing pool up in the rainforest behind my place.
you can't really ease in your just have to jump in feet first gasping and laughing as the shock hits you.
Went to visit a brand new temple complex this morning- surely it will be recognized as one of the modern wonders of the workld. the blurb said 3 million man hours went into the carving and construction of the complex. it is all pink Rajasthani sandestone and white marble and is so beautiful inside the main temple you could almost cry.
add to that the thousands of Indian ladies in their gorgeous saris and salwar kamiz in everycolour of the rainbow, replete with sparkle and style and you would think you are in heaven or any other name you would choose to give that idea.
Sitting on the train last night thinking cloth, layers af organza- pieced to alow different colours to emerge then overstitched in the simple running stitch of the Katha style and you wouldd start to build up a very interesting fabric for a jacket- who you put a fine layer of wool in there and felt it first for warmth and i would guess duribility?
i am happy here and in no hurry to go home but would also like a bit of time in the studio to try the idea out.
bye for now
F
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Saturday, February 11, 2006
elephants just passing
I am sitting in an internet cafe in Udaipur, southern Rajasthan in India.
Glancing out the door I saw an elephant passing. He was hot so took some water from the tub out there and splashed all over himself before continuing upthe hill.
I love this place it is so full of surprises.
i have a fascination with this place and will continue tovisitas often as i can.i find so much stimulation formy art work.
the rich colours,the appreciation of beauty, the appreciation and celebration of the feminine.
India has not been impacted by the Modernist approach that has influenced the west for the last 100hundred years and so colour and pattern, and tradition as seen as valid foundations forthis days expression.
Pattern is often createdby hand, not mechanical and so has a freshness and vitality toitnot found in something createdby a mechanical process.
Temples and Havellis [ palaces] are handcarved and often each pillar of a temple will have similar but differnet patterning- each being created as a kind of moving meditation for the diety the temple is in honour of.
looking andnoticing all of these small and large differences in arts practice helps me to gain a greaterdepth of understanding into what i am doing too.
Yesterday spent the day with Yacob- ji an acknowlwdged Master of natural dyes.Many preceeding generations of his family have worked in this method [ his youngest son Belial also has the passion and will follow his father's footsteps]. Yacob-ji's knowlwdge is encyclopeadic and his generosity in sharing it is unstinting.
my first textile tour will start next week and when we are in Udaipur we will spend the day with him in his workshop trying our hand at block printing, kundri [ tie and dye southern Rajastahni style] and and be introduced to the wonders of the vibrant colours he can create with natural materials.
Glancing out the door I saw an elephant passing. He was hot so took some water from the tub out there and splashed all over himself before continuing upthe hill.
I love this place it is so full of surprises.
i have a fascination with this place and will continue tovisitas often as i can.i find so much stimulation formy art work.
the rich colours,the appreciation of beauty, the appreciation and celebration of the feminine.
India has not been impacted by the Modernist approach that has influenced the west for the last 100hundred years and so colour and pattern, and tradition as seen as valid foundations forthis days expression.
Pattern is often createdby hand, not mechanical and so has a freshness and vitality toitnot found in something createdby a mechanical process.
Temples and Havellis [ palaces] are handcarved and often each pillar of a temple will have similar but differnet patterning- each being created as a kind of moving meditation for the diety the temple is in honour of.
looking andnoticing all of these small and large differences in arts practice helps me to gain a greaterdepth of understanding into what i am doing too.
Yesterday spent the day with Yacob- ji an acknowlwdged Master of natural dyes.Many preceeding generations of his family have worked in this method [ his youngest son Belial also has the passion and will follow his father's footsteps]. Yacob-ji's knowlwdge is encyclopeadic and his generosity in sharing it is unstinting.
my first textile tour will start next week and when we are in Udaipur we will spend the day with him in his workshop trying our hand at block printing, kundri [ tie and dye southern Rajastahni style] and and be introduced to the wonders of the vibrant colours he can create with natural materials.
Friday, February 03, 2006
It is so hot and steamy I can't sleep, so I thought would add some pictures to this site.
I have just finished my Master's project and he exhibition is now hanging in the Gallop gallery in Wagga Wagga.
I am off to India tomrrow so there won't be any my images until I return but I will try and update some interesting things I find. [ sometimes this blogger is not co-operative about loading images- or what am I doing wrong?]
The countryside is on the road to Wagga Wagga- the most amazing shade of bleahed gold. So dry it makes you wonder will it ever rain again and the smell even from the car window as i was speading along... a hot dustieness, warm hay....
Gallery picture of the Australian wall i my exhibition subtle memories/ vivid impressions. work that looks at memories and impressions of two journeys- one Far West NSW and the other in Rajasthan India. There are a series of textile 'postcards'
this is a close up of one piece from the Indian wall
"Ranakpur : marble forest"
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