I’m just getting going on a one month residency at the Australian National University School of Art – my alma mater. As soon as I arrived and settled in, the entire Furniture program loaded up and headed down to the south coast of New South Wales to the ANU’s coastal campus and field research station at Kioloa. Set in a rich forest of spotted gums and blackbutts and right on the edge of a beautiful string of golden beaches its was a great place to meet the students and check out some of the local woods.
The spotted gum forest is so engaging. There were magpies and rosellas soaring through the trees and yabbering away to each other and a discrete lyrebird working on his repertoire down amongst the tea trees.
I’m interested in using images of the spotted gum bark for a series of prints while I’m here. The markings are remarkably similar to the artifacts of ‘livetrace’ that I have been exploring recently.
I wonder how they will turn out?
Ian Guthridge took me out to see ‘Old Blotchy’ a huge and ancient spotted gum that has been around since before the whitefella landed on these shores.
More soon as I get going on some new work here in Canberra.
nice to hear your voice and to know that you are appreciating the flora – that wrinkly bark pic is a corker
Wow! you’re really in your element! I like Old Blotchy. I’ve been reading about the guys who climb them and study the canopy….more later.
Am in London and off to Reykjavik tomorrow with John. Will be meeting up with Steinunn for lunch………
Wow thanks for the trip down memory lane.! I was on the furniture camp to Kioloa last year, I really miss those tall east coast trees. That collection of whittles ought to go in the end of year exhibition ..
Matt. The whittles (and their children) will be in my show at ANU opening sept 30th! Come by!