Happy Easter

The best time of the year here on "Straddie", the weather is beautiful with days cooling after a long, long, hot summer.

I took my wares to the Easter Markets today but the sun was calling people to the beach so not a good day for market sellers, and we are punishing ourself by doing the same thing again tomorrow morning. A couple of images are below.

I needed to recover from the markets and spent the afternoon at the beach with Edward who gets excited when he sees sand. We stayed until the evening as we could not leave the beautiful view along Main Beach. All we saw were a few seagull footprints in the sand.

Must share this.

Another post today, don't worry it won't last I, I'll settle down soon but I have to share this exciting event with you as it was a real thrill.

Went over to the beach at sunset, it was such a beautiful evening and what did I find in a wheel rut. A newly hatched green turtle that couldn't get out of the deep rut. I know I shouldn't interfere with nature but as my husband said "It was an unnatural barrier". So I picked it up and placed it out of the rut. It made a bee line for the water and was off.

Only recently I had made some prototypes for a piece I had been thinking about for a long time. I had researched the effect on the turtles that all the rubbish has that is thrown in the ocean, it is shocking. I will include a photo of it the prototype.

It seems I can't put text with photos on my iPad when blogging, or rather i don't know how, so the photos are below.

1. Main Beach. 2. Turtle. 3. First wave. 4. Swimming away. 5. Main Beach. 6. My Prototype.

Whoops!

Forgot the Milton Moon pot.

Inspiration

Dashed into the Queensland Art Gallery and GOMA yesterday while I was in Brisbane. The 7th Asia Pacific Triennial is the major exhibition there in both galleries at the moment. I was particularly drawn to the Papua New Guinea performance masks and the brightly coloured carvings. The masks are full of movement and life and more subtle in colour than the carvings.

The "Dilly" bags by aboriginal artist Lorraine Connelly-Northey were powerful pieces. I had seen smaller works of her bags previously so was thrilled to see these larger works. You would enjoy these works Susan, a pity you live so far away.

While I was racing for my bus I saw this beautiful pot by Milton Moon, dedicated to artist Ian Fairweather, I missed my bus.

All images are below, as I haven't figured out yet how to insert the photos next to the text. The poor images I took with my iPad, sorry, I will need to take better shots.

Taking the plunge

Here I go taking the plunge into the blog pool. It maybe a belly flop; a bomb dive; a perfect 10 but what the heck sometimes you just have to leap in.

The purpose is to document my clay work and see how it develops. I want to note the influences that impact my work; other clay workers; galleries I visit; conferences I attend as well as workshops; my surroundings; and how my friends and family play their part.

Here is a view from the shed where I do my thinking and my drawing. Where I make my work by hand or wheel. Where my gas kiln is located.

So welcome to my blog, I look forward to your comments on my work good or bad and enjoy the plunge.