Maggie Stein makes a Linocut



Maggie Stein carving the lino

 

More than a month ago Ross and I returned to Maggie Stein's studio to film her making a linocut.  As you may remember we made a film of her previously, printing a linocut, but now we have returned to see how she produces the linocut itself.  Here is  the result of our visit, a six and a half minute video on youtube.  Ross very kindly filmed this and my Easter project was to figure out how to edit it.  Please have a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh_zkkxXAn8&feature=youtu.be

Maggie has a unique method of  creating the design on the lino which is interesting to artists of all levels.  She covers the lino with black ink and then paints the design in white which helps to visualize the final result.  The inspiration for this particular print was a gum tree. 

 

Carving the lino

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Lino on the left, original drawing/inspiration on the right

 

 

Have a look at Maggie's artwork at her website: www.maggiestein.com.au

She also holds classes and workshops for children and adults which would be great fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Visit to White Rabbit Gallery

Appeals without Word, 2006 by Jin Feng  Inkjet print

I went to the White Rabbit Gallery in Sydney this weekend as the new exhibition is up and running.  As you may remember from  a previous blog post, the White Rabbit is a private gallery of contemporary Chinese and Taiwanese art.  It is free to the public and none of the art is for sale but there is a nice café and gift shop if you did want to spend a few coins.  As usual the new show is thought provoking. I enjoyed it very much.

On the ground floor there is a very long print of people standing in line, no one looks happy and they are covered in gold.  This is a piece by Jin Feng (born 1962, Shanghai) and is called Appeals without Words, 2006.  This is about China’s justice system which allows people to make complaints about corruption and injustices but the petitioners often wait for years to be heard. He has covered his line of people in gold as they are waiting so long they might as well be statues.  At the top of this post is a portion of this print.

On the top floor of the gallery there is a weather balloon which is inflating larger and larger, pressing into the ceiling and the material becoming more and more stretched.  I was becoming a little nervous watching it and that was the idea of the artist Zhou Xiaohy (born 1960 in Changzhou, Jiangsu).  He thinks that modern Chinese are increasing anxious as they are driven by the desire for more and more consumer goods.  The balloon makes us worry about how much more it will grow and will it explode.  As in China today, there is no getting away from the worry, when the balloon deflates, our worries reduce but shortly the  balloon grows again.

 I enjoyed the mixed media art work of Bai Yiluo (born 1968) called Recycling 2008.  I think I could relate to this piece (boo hoo) which was in effect a great big heart sitting on the back of a bike with alot of other recycling.  The artists asks “what if someone decides to sell their heart cheap to the first guy who came around collecting rubbish for recycling”.  The information board explains that this artist has been on both sides of the metaphorical transaction, he  has  romantically given his heart away and also as an artist, has used other people’s longings and heart breaks,  turning them into art.

 

Zhou Jie (born 1986 in Changde, Hunan) has produced a mini city called CBD 2010.  The city is made out of porcelain and it sits on a bed of rice.  The materials used, of course, relate to China’s cultural heritage.  The information board tells us that Jie is concerned about urban development invading nature, upsetting the balance.

 There is many more interesting artworks at The White Rabbit Gallery and I recommend everyone who lives in Sydney, or visits it, to have a look.  There are plenty of very knowledgeable staff there who are happy to explain more about the work but I found the information boards explain the art very well..




 

 

 

 

  

Everything has gone pear shaped

Pears... I can related to them cause I am pear shaped.  Like drawing a woman they are also fun to draw, with  bumps in places you don’t expect them.  Irregular and bumpy and yet still recognizable as a pear . In this case I have ripped paper to follow the pear shapes and then added some pen to add the shadows.

Pear Tart is a delicious cake that I was introduced to by a friend whose mother was European.  She would make cakes using ground nuts rather than flour and this is one of her recipes.  Ground nuts make a cake so very, very good..

Ingredients

2-3 tbsp of soft brown sugar

150 g butter

150 g caster sugar (or reg sugar if you don’t have caster)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

150 g almond meal (or a mix of almond and hazelnut)

2 tbsp self rising flour

2 tbsp blanched almonds

2 pears, skin on

Line a circular flan or cake tin 23 cm in diameter with baking paper.  Sprinkle soft brown sugar over the baking paper

In a bowl, cream together butter and caster sugar to create a smooth creamy mixture, making sure all the sugar is dissolved.

Lightly beat the eggs and add them to the creamed mixture.  Add the almond meal and flour and mix well.

Cut the pears vertically, leaving the skin on and the stalk.  Place the pieces decoratively in the flan or cake tin, flat side down.  Fill the gaps with the blanched almonds.

Pour the cake mixture over the pears and almonds and press down.

Bake in a preheated 190 degree C oven for 45 min or until the filling feels firm at the centre.  Allow to cool.  Ease the flan away from the edge with a knife.  Place a large serving plate on top and turn it over.  Try putting the cake under the grill to toast the top after it is turned over.

Easter

I can hardly believe that Easter is coming up next weekend.  Seems like 2013 is roaring along much too quickly.  It is coming though so thought I would make some cards/gift tags  which you are welcome to download, print and attach to the gifts that the Easter bunny is giving out..

This is a Bilby, an  Australian marsupial which is endangered.  Here in Australia we enjoy this chocolate variety of marsupial for Easter. 

 

 

 

Have a lovely Easter with your family and friends.  I hope you find as many chocolate eggs as you are happy to eat in the garden or behind the couch or wherever that funny bunny puts them.

Nancy

 

 

 

Fiddle Leaf Fig

Ink drawing on list of street names by me

I have been seeing Fiddle Leaf figs at Garden centres  and have been very attracted to them.  Those big pear shaped (or fiddle shaped) glossy leaves and curvaceous stems are a knock out.  Then I started seeing them in the decorating magazines.... hmm must get one of these  plants to add oxygen to my room, yes... that is the reason...  The only fly in the ointment is the price, those babies were way too much cash.  Luckily I found my own specimen from a local market, it's over a metre high and was only $10.  I was extremely happy with that and I have been admiring it's dramatic, artistic shape  these past few weeks.

pen drawing of Fiddle leaf Fig, by me

Fiddle Leaf Fig's proper name is Ficus lyrata and it is native to Western Africa.  If planted outdoors it will grow to a huge size but indoors it can be managed.  In Africa it often starts life as a epiphyte high in the crown of another tree.  It sends roots down which slowly strangles the original tree,  That doesn't sound too nice for the original tree but nature can be cruel!  Of course it also grows as a free standing tree, growing to  12-15 metres.



Fiddle Leaf fig in my living room.  Painting by Peter Godwin, teak sideboard by TH Brown, South Australia, 1960s

Berte Jessen-Royal Copenhagen

Candle Holder, Royal Copenhagen

 I have a collection of Royal Copenhagen ceramics from the 1960s and 1970s.  The vase above is one of my favourite pieces.  It was designed by a woman by the name of Berte Jessen.  I love her colourful abstracted designs based on nature and the colours are gorgeous blues and purples.  These pieces are all individual as all are hand painted, each one having slightly different colours and textures.  Royal Copenhagen pieces from this era are made by a number of different artists, Berte being just one of them. I bought this vase at the antique and collectable fair but I have seen similar ones on ebay.  My candle holder (also by B Jessen) is damaged but such a fantastic piece I could not leave it.
It is worth picking up these ceramics if you see them, they are very collectable and really beautiful things.

Ink drawing of part of my Royal Copenhagen collection

this is one of my artworks.  I have cut out the streets on a map to make the design

Marimekko

 

Marimekko is a family company based in Helsinki whose bright floral and geometric designs are synonymous with modern Finnish design.   It began after the original owner’s oil cloth business failed and they converted it to a clothing plant. Original owners, Viljo and Armi Ratia asked their artist friends to apply their graphic designs to textiles.  In order to show how the cloth could be used the company designed and sold a range of simple dresses using the fabric. In the 1960s the brand became famous for it’s bright, bold, roomy comfortable dresses which were an alternative to post war fashion. After Jackie Kennedy wore Marimenkko  dresses  the company was catapulted into the international fashion scene.

 

The company did well until well into the 1970s  but had fallen into difficult times by the mid 1980s.  Kirsti Paakkanen bought the brand  and put the company back on track by mixing new design with 1960s patterns.  Carrie Bradshaw in Sex in the City has also helped to promote the company more recently after that character wore a Marimekko dress.


 

There are Marimekko stores around the world including a new one in Sydney which opened last year.  I love the wonderful designs of this Finnish company and am lucky enough to have 3 pieces of it.  On the weekend  I bought a dress made out of Marimekko fabric and I’m pretty chuffed with it. I also have some cushions which I made from this company's fabric a few years ago.  For Xmas last year I was given a beautiful blue and white Marimekko bowl  which I love.   
I can imagine how different these designs were in the 1950s and 60s, such big prints, so bold and colourful.  How different from, say Laura Ashley cotton from the same period.