New work

Have framed some of the 12cm square fruit box collages - really happy with how they turned out.

And there's also a new large panel in blues - 40cm square, my biggest so far. It's fun to play with new sizes colours and formats.

Balmain Markets Saturday 12th December, 2009

Another day, another market...

Made some 9cm square fridge magnets, and one of them is going to be someone's Kris Kringle present at a recycled furniture company. Hope they like it!

Oh, and I found a new little friend - Mr Skinky seemed to like my work!

Unusual materials: jewellery made from pencils

Image from designboom.com

Maria Cristina Bellucci's jewellery pieces "...are made using fragments of pencils that have been attached together and formed into a variety of shapes. The forming process reveal the interiors of the pencils, showcasing the wood and the coloured lead."

Image from designboom.com

Really beautiful! Find out more about Maria's jewellery at designboom.com

Recycled Christmas

Last year The Rocks area had a Christmas tree made out of stacked kitchen chairs, this year it's made from over 7,000 imperfect soft drink bottles rejected by the manufacturer.

The bottles have been tied onto garden mesh. After Christmas, they'll all be recycled back into bottles.

Merry Christmas!

Inspiration - grain edit

Have just stumbled upon a new source of inspiration, with loads of design and illustration stories and pics.

Grain edit is a website that's focused on classic design work from the 1950s-1970s and contemporary designers that draw inspiration from that time period.

The Scared Building

Buildings have a facade, sure, but this one seems to have a face! I've nicknamed it 'The Scared Building'.

I love its startled window eyes and the buck teeth in its arched window mouth.

The time lapse photograph has given Enmore Road a ghostly feel, what does The Scared Building know that we don't? Then again, maybe it's just a nervous type. Cute!

Inspiration - street art

Something I always find inspiring is the street art around my neighbourhood. I love the illustrative styles, 'raw' quality and quirky subjects. And I guess I love the idea of art being everywhere.

Here are some shots from May Lane back in April. Near St Peters railway station, it's an outdoor gallery space for legal street art.

Find out more: www.mays.org.au

Glebe Street Fair - 15 November 2009

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my stall at the recent Glebe Street Fair, the annual Glebe community festival held on the main street, Glebe Point Road. It was great to chat to you about my work and hear your feedback!

View of the street fair, looking towards Parramatta Road:

I shared a stall space with Kirsten (aka Lilypad Designs) who makes gorgeous pouches, cushion covers, tote bags, badges, buttons, magnets, and more! My sister Cathy (visiting from Queensland) gave me a hand too!

A photo of the stall:

Am very happy that the small red panel and large green panel have gone to live on a mantelpiece in a Sydney terrace house!

Recycling the city

An arts project in Newcastle is breathing new life into the CBD by transforming empty shop spaces into creative outlets.


Featured on abc.net.au:


"Urban decay is a problem affecting cities, regional centres, towns and villages around the country. Boarded-up businesses are lingering reminders of the passing parade of economic activity that has seen a lot of business activity migrate from the main street to shopping malls built further away from the centre of communities.
. . .
Marcus Westbury presented the ABC documentary series, Not Quite Art. The young and articulate writer's career has taken him around the world. On those occasions when he returned to his home town, he was dismayed to see the number of empty shops in the city.
. . .
For Marcus Westbury, the solution to Newcastle's problem seemed obvious: the city's empty space should simply be offered virtually rent-free to anyone with a bit of energy and an interesting idea. He also decided he was going to make that happen. In 2008, he established a concept now dubbed Renew Newcastle."

More information on the creative businesses involved - http://www.jetstarmagazine.com/story/mining-a-citys-treasures/735/

View previous Not Quite Art videos on ABC website

Cut and pasted

Wow! The Cut + Paste Festival and Makers Market was great - friendly fellow stall holders, fantastic music the whole day, yummy food and a really positive response to my work. Thanks for all the great comments, especially from young Lily (6 and 3/4s) who made my day!

Some photos of the market below, plus I've added a gallery on the right.

Collages and cards for the Cut+Paste Eco Craft Fest

Have been busy working on a range of collages and cards for the Cut+Paste Eco Craft Fest at the Red Rattler in Marrickville this weekend. 

Here are some samples...