House Cleaning

I have resettled a little after the last post, thanks mainly to my beautiful bf Axel and his words of wisdom and the comments shared by Inger C at Hello Craft Lovers reminding me that there is plenty of time to be an artist as we never stop being one, it's something you can go back to at anytime in your life. I do have to say though I still feel like it is something I should be doing now when I am younger rather than older. I am scared domestic life, kids husband will really take over then and seal the creative envelope shut. But of course these are fears and not necessarily my future reality.

Anyhow I finally had my tenants move out of my house I lease and have started on the big 'clean up'. Now I know things could have been worse but at the same time the house was not left in the best of states and outside was worse, things broken and nothing I could actually claim. Very annoying. If there is anyone here from Melbourne I tell you John Kontek, Sunshine has failed to manage my property properly. They have not done one inspection over the last 3.5 years and have made appointments with us to inspect the property and not shown up only later to argue that they did not make an appointment with us. Ha! obviously we just dreamt up the date and time. And above all they have lost my last months rent by telling the tenants to pay after they move out. As if they are going to pay after they move out. Seriously why should I miss out on money if they want to be lazy and not do their job as they should. Anyhow I think I will take matters further with them. Not happy Jan!

Anyhow all weekend we have been painting and cleaning and this weekend we will start on the backyard. I need to get the roof fixed and painted and also put up a new fence. My parents have been awesome. Mum has helped me paint and dad is going to help with the removal of a broken down patio and the fence. The Garden needs a good clean up too, there is ivy growing on the side of the house that is about 9 feet tall.

I must say I will be happy when it is all finished, clean and fresh smelling with less out of control plant life and a 6'4 fence so nosey neighbours can't peep in. Oh must not forget all finished off with a non-leaking roof!

Fine Art in Contemporary Craft

For a while now I have been contemplating on pursuing and developing an art practice that incorporates crafts like crocheting and felting but in a way that is more sophisticated and is designed as fine art rather than just decorative craft. I was browsing at the local 'arty' book store in Yarraville and found a book called By Hand which presents the craft based artwork of a variety of artists. Every artist is also presented with their own artists' statement as well as 3 or 4 photos of their work.

The book is edited by Shu Hung and Joseph Magliaro, and those of you in Australia buy it off Amazon.com it's much cheaper, if only I'd known. The work itself covers a variety of media from cake decorating to freehand sewing even crochet in the form of granny squares!

Shane Waltener, Sweet Nothing, An intimate history of cake decorating, 2005

Coffee Maker M.I.M, 2001 Margarita Cabrera

I don't know what I am going to do... I have this urge inside to create 'fine art' again and not just make handmade presents for friends and family. I want to become serious about my art again but I am not sure if it's for all the right reasons. I am starting to worry that I haven't made serious art for so long that I have lost any chance of making it in the art world. Then I start thinking oh what a waste of time going to art school for 4 years and what will people think who have known me as a kid with a pencil in my hand? The problem is if I think about it real hard and look deep down and honestly about my desire to make art again it could all be because I still have a silly teenage idea that being an artist is cool and if I am an artist then I can be cool or 'interesting'. It's so stupid. I bumped into a ex lecturer and my honours year supervisor at the train station the other day. It was lovely to see her but at the same time at the back of your head you can't help but think maybe you failed her by not continuing to purse an artistic career.

I think back on my years at art school. I do love making art creating and designing. But at the end when I have an artwork finished and I think of the art world and exhibiting, the snobbery and academics that run the show it makes me want to slit my wrists. I am a miserable artists and a happy teacher who acknowledges that she is a daggy teacher who thinks she wants to be a cool artist. I sure am an idiot at times!

I think I will email that lecturer and make a coffee date...