Open Studios last weekend

May is a super busy month in our region, there are open studios every weekend the last being Boonah,  its about an hour and half drive from home. So worth the effort we lunched at a new restaurant Wild Grain, started the rounds at the  Boonah arts Society and purchased a piece for Peters impending Birthday. We also dropped into The Head Office , Christopher Trotter and Patena Moesker and sadly she does not have a web presence. Patena is a textile guru and has done some stitching to die for ….and now have one of her beautiful batik silk scarves. Peter and Ula want to build a sand garden too.

Open Studio

The Open Studio weekend was a great success ….. met lots of lovely people made some bundles, shared some dreams, laughed and talked. We were nearly blown off the mountain by strong cold westerly wind, Bertha ( the laundry boiler )  had her first outing and worked hard, so cold and windy on the Sunday that I wrapped a blanket around her. I shared the Studio space with Nicole Crosswell great friend and neighbour, a very talented lady.

Nicole, Wendi, Virginia

Nicoles Work

Nicoles Work

sandwiched silk

wool vest

sandwiched wool

students work

students work

students work

sandwiched wool

a little bit of heart

Busying myself for a weekend of sharing, pow wow’s and fun. Open Studio runs over two days so I may not have a voice on Monday. Then the next weekend here in Australia is Mothers Day and I will be out at Arts in the Olives for the day workshoping and my stall womened by the lovely Lisa and myself when I can …… with loads of Bundle Dyed Clothing and Gifts……. hear are some of the hearts I have been working on…

 

wool flannel cushion

wool flannel …… not sure if it was made to wear on babies skin or as an outer but this piece is nappy size and I would give my eye teeth for more. I took it with me to the workshop with EB and bundled it with leaves but no copper or iron rod just a tight little package. Now its sewn up with a mohair backing that is in a burnt orange. This lovely piece will be with me at open studios on the weekend, don’t think i will get permission to sell it from the cat or my husband.

 

Open Studio May 3rd and 4th

The count down begins and I am very excited to be opening my Studio as an Artist in Residence at Beechmont Community Centre 1835 Beechmont Road Beechmont, from 9am till 4pm both Saturday and Sunday. My neighbour and friend Nicole Crosswell will also be opening her studio at the same venue. The cafe and community garden will be open on these days too. I will have heaps of new work inspired from the Elizabeth Bunsen workshop I attended in Newcastle.

Open Studio 2014

The Open Studio Trail in the Scenic Rim Shire kicks off May /June 2014 I have gone out on my own this year … with my lovely neighbour Nik she is in my blog roll ( Nicole Crosswell )  we will blitz Beechmont with our creativity at the Beechmont Community Centre. For those who wish to have a play I will run a simple introduction to Bundle Dying , and will have the big pot onsite both days .

nice big pot (50cm across)

Triffid Tomatoes

On my lead up to Zest Fest, Open Studio and Shape Shifter with India I have neglected our vege patch…… lucky for me tomatoes are like Triffids I picked 1.3 kg of  red and yellow and pear and round Tomatoes !!! The orchard is also over flowing at this time of year thus the name Zest Fest for our community festival ….. we have Seville Orange, Blood Orange, Mandarins and Limes at the moment ( no scurvy in this house)

Open Studio

 

I had a enjoyable two days at Wallaby Ridge Retreat over the weekend had lovely students and a very good helper on both days. The most curious things happen with our water though…. pays to ask first what the water supply will be ! the colour shift from treated bore ( underground) water was extraordinary  blue /green to mauve.

We had the privilege to see the Raku oven be open too

whats coming up next….

I will be making my way up to Samford Valley next week to spend three yes three whole days at the shape shifter workshop with India Flint… three days of stitching, bundling and bliss…… the house hold will have to get by without me , the list will be written and probably ignored but we will all enjoy the change !

Then on the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of June is my gig at Wallaby Ridge Retreat Open Studios   so if you are in the neighbour hood please drop in.  I have a couple of places left in my bundle dye workshop,  please contact me if you are interested….

Day one at Wallaby Ridge Open Studios

What a wonderful day …. .   the misty view out to the west , lots of interested visitors and we were well feed by our hosts Robyn and John.  Thanks for the great pizzas for our evening meal.

Debbie Oberhardt’s Works