24 September 2008

my life as a list (g)

grid
garments
garden
gift
gratitude
gold, gilt, metallic
grouping
gathering
gleaning

23 September 2008

float along

The gorgeous + talented Ms Virginia Mawer is launching her solo show - Surface Tension - at Kudos Gallery tonight. Her beautiful, evocative work is certain to impress, so those of you in Sydney or surrounds should get along now. Wish I could too!

21 September 2008

for weeze

Oooh... what a terrible slacker I've been. I HAVE been sending Weeze her cards - at a very snail-like pace, I must admit - but I haven't posted any since JULY. Good god, where did the time go? I'll try to make up for it... soon... ish...

18 September 2008

first egg out of the pot

I've just hit 'apply now' + sent my first job application off into the ether. That final click was almost a letdown after the protracted trauma of Clairey Re-engaging Her Brain. Wham! Biffo! Ouch! The pulling teeth metaphor is kinda apt as it felt like every sentence had to be yanked from my sleepy head with a strong piece of string + a slamming door. I had several near tanty moments + had to bribe myself with an entire packet of honey jumbles. But it's done. And miracle of miracles, I think it's okay.

It's such a funny process, isn't it? I always feel like a wanker when I start out - "I am this + I am that + oooh, look at how brilliant I am" - but I have to admit that by the end of it I'm often believing my own spin + thinking "SHIT YEAH! I can do that!" Hmmm... I suspect that I am now sounding like a wanker as well as feeling like one.

In news of an animal nature... I was invited over to a neighbour's place for lunch yesterday + spent a divine couple of hours playing farms. Tambo the dog greeted me at the front gate, followed closely by Baaarnaby, the cutest black lamb you've ever seen. He was so soft + cuddly + I got to feed him his lunch after we downed our pumpkin soup. Then I hung out in Jan's rare breed chookery with the most the most beautiful birds - silkies + sussex + lots of others whose names I can't remember. I was sent home with a dozen fresh eggs. Animals! Aren't they incredible?!

I uncovered a boiled egg mystery yesterday. You know how some eggs won't peel properly after you've boiled them? Well they're the fresh ones. Eggs have to be at least a couple of days old before they're peel-able. Now I just need someone to explain asparagus pee + I'll be sorted!

13 September 2008

my life as a list (f)

flying
floating
(falling)
flight
fears
freedoms
frog
fox
fish
family
figure
female
feminine
fire
flags
feathers
found objects/text/drawings
familiarity
fragments
feedback loop (drawing/redrawing/drawing)

12 September 2008

friendships, adventures, parties

I've just walked in the front door of the Palace + I'm basking in the scent of freesias, picked from the roadside this afternoon, + the glow of Ferguson Valley shiraz cab. I've had a gorgeous night - starting with a couple of drinks at the brewery across the road + finishing with dinner at the local pub. I'm pretty much in love with Libby + Martin. There's no pretense, no bull... only generosity, warmth, humour, joy. They are both lovely, open people + it's great to spend time with them. It's like we've been friends our whole lives + not just occasional, long-distance, old mates of my folks.

Tonight they told me the most fabulous stories of friendships + adventures + parties. I threw in a few of my own, for good measure, although they weren't the cream of a wild crop. A costume party where everyone came as either Merv Hughes or Dolly Parton. Turning up to a random bar in full bridal party gear + demanding to know where their reception was being held. Libby's visit to the specialist last week...

Lib goes to the doctor + has to fill in a form. She thinks it's important to be honest in this particular area + so she fesses up as a smoker, nominating twice weekly as her frequency of vice. When the doctor questions her on this she takes the admission further + reveals that it's not cigarettes she's talking about: she actually smokes two joints each week.

"Oh good." says the specialist, "Is it for pain?"
"No." says Libby, "It's for sex."

Well, she explains... I'm 61 years old, I've been married for 35 years, gimme a break.

Please let me be this much fun when I'm 61. And ditto on sex twice a week... even if it is "assisted".

10 September 2008

gift processing + document controlling

Okay, okay... I know I've been slack. I have lots of excuses, if that helps.

I had a wonderful weekend OUT OF THE HOUSE... novelty of all novelties. Hanging out with my friends Libby + Martin; hitting the oppy motherload (which I'm not going to talk about cos I'm supposed to have quit); walking the hills; communing with birds; watching 'The Diving Bell + The Butterfly' + having an enormous cry. Aahhh... so good...

Since returning to the Ferg I've been all go in my quest for employment, or at least a bit go. Trawling recruitment sites + wading through shoddily worded appeals to Senior Sewer Modelling Engineers, Gift Processing Assistants, Field Works Schedulers, Associate Document Controllers + Conventional Supervisors. Searching for the Right Job. Who knows what that might be, but hopefully it will leap up + bite me on the bum before I have to write a gazillion applications. Lord it's a dull + time-consuming business.

My newfound addiction to late night telly isn't helping either + I'm determined to break it. I've discovered this weird window between 11pm + 2am when good things beam into life + trap me in the la-z-boy. Boston Legal + 30 Rock, for example, as well as crazy foreign films + a great selection of anime. Last night it was an odd Romanian movie about teenage love + life under Ceausescu. I kept waiting for it to make sense but by the time it wended its way to an end it was 1.30am + there was no sense in sight. And no raunchy sex scenes either. Cmon SBS... what's the story?

I am still ENGROSSED too, as Toni astutely picked up on. I have about 57 new art pieces on the go + am struggling to tear myself away. I still don't understand them well enough to talk about them but it's exciting. It's lovely to be back in the zone. Watch out for an exhibition in a loungeroom near you!

PS: I didn't make up any of those job titles OR the la-z-boy... that reclining action is pretty bloody good actually.

05 September 2008

my life as a list (e)

elephant
eclipse
eroticism
embroidery
everyday
envelope
energy
engaged
edges
ephemera
ephemeral

04 September 2008

gone fishin

I'm falling behind on the ol blog + know there are gaps to be filled. Late last week I journeyed to the Palace - a world of green parrots, rolling hills, pristine interior surfaces - + left the Shack behind. A new chapter unfolding. But somehow I don't feel inclined to put any of it into words. Once again I find myself in an introspective space where words don't fit. Not bad introspective. In fact, the handful of people I've spoken to in the last week have all told me how good I'm sounding. Oh, you're sounding so GOOD. Am I? Well thank you, I guess I am good. Although, to be honest, I can't quite put my finger on how I am. I feel like I'm standing on the edge of a giant pool, peering in + wondering what's going on in there.

The pool at the bottom of the vineyard is full of trout. Every evening I wander down to feed them + marvel at their beauty. They embrace the dinner delivery vigorously, launching their shining bodies out of the water in flashes of silver, red, green. I can only hope there's something as exciting going on in my pond. I'm happy to wait + see.

I've been hanging out
with a pond full of trout
+ not one has a pout
so what's all that about?

01 September 2008

puff n stuff

Hanky drawings by ME. Words by Interpol, The Muttonbirds + LCD Soundsystem respectively. I've just finished uploading the latest instalments of Pattern Diary Two to Flickr, braving a painfully slow internet connection to bring the goods to ya. Please make my pain worthwhile + check out the full collection!