Some more from my camera class..

 My sister Nancy came to stay with me for a few days after my daughter Liz's wedding, and our project for the week was a photo showing/using light in some way.  I took this early in morning while Nancy was having her first cuppa.  The sun was shining thru the window right onto Nancy's face.  It's quite a harsh light but I like the picture.

This next picture is one we did in class, we had to compose a picture using the dice and cup as well as some pegs and the textured 'fabric'.  I'm reasonably happy with this, maybe getting the camera lower would have made the picture more interesting, rather than looking down on it, but...

Our next home project was to show the rule of thirds, I chose to use my Macro Lens with a pink Crucifix Orchid.  I sprayed water on the flower first, as I think it gives it a bit of oomph to a flower in a photo.  It really is an odd looking thing when you see it up close.  This one earned me chocolates in class as the best pic of the day ;)

 

A VISITOR TO MY GARDEN

This Rainbow Lorikeet & his friends were out on the palm tree in the front last evening, they come for the flowers on the palm tree

GETTING BACK TO MY CAMERA AT LAST

It's been a while since I have put anything on here.

I plan to share the progress I'm making with understanding my camera and using my own settings, instead of just letting the camera decide.

I started a course called 'Beyond The Basics' at the local TAFE (Community College)

I got off to a slow start, because due to reconstructive surgery on my right hand to remove some arthritis, I was unable to manipulate the buttons on the camera ( I had a splint on my hand) 

However, I am now able to take the splint off and am doing Physio to get it all moving again, so look out world, here I come.

Our first assignment was to learn how to change the focus of the camera by changing the aperture to show depth of field, I know this is a simple picture but I'm just beginning, so please be patient with me ;)  This is a money box moose, such a handsome wee guy.

Last night was our 3rd class, it was a 'Night Shoot' so we went to a shopping centre at Broadbeach on the Gold Coast, where there's a pedestrian bridge which crosses the street in the middle of an intersection.  We set up our tripods and cameras and really had a great time even though there wasn't a real lot of traffic.

The second picture was taken looking in a different direction and moving the lens in and out gently while the shutter was open, such a fun picture..

Then we packed up our tripods and cameras, and headed over to the Park at the Gold Coast Arts Centre, and took some photos of the high rises in Surfers Paradise, across the Nerang River.

 

It was a great night, we had a lot of fun and learnt something new as well.

Artist Co-op on the Tweed

Well my boxes of goodies arrived just over a week ago, and it has been like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one, as I open the boxes and rediscover my treasures!

Tuesday I went to the AGM of the Tweed Valley Artists Co-op andmet some delightful folks there.  The Gallery is in Community Hall, in the village of Tyalgum, which is about 20 minutes from Murwillumbah.  I loved the diverse mix of art that is on display there, and I am looking forward to putting some of my creations there too.

The Co-op has an Art Cafe event coming up on April 28th at the Tyalgum Hall, which promises to be a fabulous day and I am planning to share a table with one of the other artists, wish me luck!!

New Beginnings

Long time since I posted anything.. 

For those who don't follow me on Facebook, I have moved from the USA to Australia ~ Long story, but I had to move closer to my children, and so here I am.  I live now in Murwillumbah  in the far north of New South Wales, just south of the border with Queensland, and the famous Gold Coast.

None of my art supplies or my dolls are here yet, but the crate that holds all of my beads and other art supplies, as well as my dolls, has made landfall & all being good and well, it should be here in the next week or so.  It first has to be cleared through customs, I hope they manage to get everything back in the crate, as Joe and I packed it pretty tight ~ had to be to prevent things from sliding around while it was out there on the ocean.

This is 'The Keeper of Faces'  she is my first Art Doll made using assemblage & she was so much fun to make that I want to make more.

Her body was made from a small drawer, this allowed me to attach her head over the drawer pull, she has 'barby' hands which are attached with wire to small pieces of dowel and beads that form her 'arms'.  Her legs are polymerclay over dowel for strength.  Of course I had to use beads, and I had such fun gluing her beads on that it was hard to know when to stop.  I guess I will be doing more of this kind of beading LOL

She has a story, and it's attached to her back

I added 'LIFT' arrows so that she can be picked up without touching the beaded areas ;)

Before I set off on my newest adventure in life ~ moving back to Australia ~ I managed to finish a couple of UFOs that had been sitting for a long time.. 

The first is 'Mother & Child' I like how she she sits without the need for a stand ~ I weighted her bottom end with lavender seeds..

The question here is......   'Do these beads make my butt look big?'

 This guy is Joe's Polar Bear...  He was a labour of love, a gift for a wonderful gentle man, enjoy him Joe  ♥

 I have a few beads here, I and might pull them out tomorrow and see what happens, my hands are sitting idle and I don't like that!!

Long time no art..

But that is changing, and I have a couple of teaser pictures for you. 

Arthritus in my hand, makes beading with a needle and thread difficult, so I am sad to say that my beloved beads have sat alone for the past year or more it seems. 

Now, I have begun to play with assemblage art, I collected STUFF for a long, long time.  I even had a nice studio, out in the back of an old trailer.  That was the problem I think, it was in the back and the only window looked out over the neighbours messy yard.  I really felt shut away from everything, sometimes that is a good thing but not always, a moot point anyhow because the trailer went away, and I had to move my supplies.  That turned out to be a good thing!  I have a new studio, which looks out on my back yard, and it's much easier to warm, two good reasons to be happy, and I am.

Assemblage, oh my the possibilities are endless ~ polymer clay, paper clay, found objects, this, that, cut, glue, paint, stick, drill, screw, nail, sand ~ I am sure you know what I mean.  My DHJoe has made sure I have all the tools and then some, and it is so much fun.

Of course before I knew it, some beads began to sneak into my art piece in progress, I have to say I do love tacky glue...

The first picture show some of my wood burning skills, and yes I'm playing with wire..

This one you can see some blue beads, yellow and red, but what are they doing?  That is not a head..

Expect some pictures of other bits soon

Obsession Exposed

Taken today in Astoria, Oregon.
Not sure now of the name of the cafe
But they make delicious Panini. Mmm mmm

Anyhow, the cafe is part of a hotel downtown
And this wall of 'Things' is in the lobby.
Such a fabulous collection

That I really had to capture it

One man's junk, is another man's treasure.

Never more true, than what you see here.

Maps 'n floats 'n telescopes.

Boxes 'n books and this 'n that.

Stacked so neat and stacked so high

It really does catch the eye.

Nope, not my pile of neat stuff ;>)

I used it for my daily picture on my 356Project..
Joey this is for you ;>)

Our them this week on 365Project, is Over Exposed..

Before

After cropping and processing to 'expose it to the light' 

Click on the pictures to make 'em big!