Tuesday 19 June 2012

an interesting life

i lead an interesting life
and
because i find endless fascination in the wonderments of the whirled
am delighted to be able to assure my readers that
boredom is not something that afflicts me.
ever.
it can be a life of extremes
i hang out with fascinating people
like
Bumble and Felix [while pruning roses]


as well as with my No1 son-in-law [an excellent shearer and generally very helpful chap]


you can't really see him...he's standing behind that pile of wool that somehow hid in the woods and escaped shearing last year

and at the end of the day
Johnniecat is always happy to discuss philosophies


in between writing and teaching
weaving, dyeing, stitching and dreaming
there isn't much spare time


that said,
i made time a while ago
to sew/dye/embellish a frock for someone
who said they wanted it for a red carpet event
and in rather a hurry
it involved several fittings [with long drives back and forth to town]
and some extended nights of handstitching
no payment was offered
and [yes, silly me] i was too shy to ask
sadly i cannot find any images of it being worn anywhere
[and none have been sent]
so the only pictures i have of it
are blurry phone-snaps.

i hope it doesn't end up in an op-shop somewhere.


it was an interesting experience
that momentarily left me feeling not quite "the lucky one"

[altgough other recent life events have reminded me just how lucky i really am]


anyways


the next special frock i make
will be for me
for an event at the Art Gallery of New South Wales
where I have been asked to come and tell stories
as part of the events arranged for a spectacular exhibition

Kamisaka Sekka - dawn of modern Japanese Design

maybe i will see some of you there?

27 comments:

  1. those skinny sheep's legs sticking out from that wool made me giggle!

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  2. Now I am yearning to collage darkened ginkgo leaves....

    I don't understand boredom really. There is so much to contemplate, to learn to watch to experience. lets alone Ted Talks!

    I wish I could come hear your stories. I hope you have an enjoyable experience.

    (To ask for such a frock, to accept it and not pay..karma will take care I hope.)

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  3. Fabulous frock. That no payment was offered nor thanks or photos sent is unthinkable. What's with people? Your work is incomparable. Were I you I likely wouldn't be quite so generous with it.

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  4. oh look at Felix - he is such a big boy now and so very beautiful - as is the frock - naughty, naughty person to show such disrespect to you and your creation - congratulations on the Sydney gig - how fantastic and the sheep - all that wonderful wool - yum jxxoo

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    1. the wonderful wool was sadly cotted [ie felted on the sheep] so is destined for a dogbed but the Sydney gig will be fun, i think :)

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  5. I'll be visiting in spirit - please post lots of photos. So sheep have been sean here (soggy devon) too - do you shear in cool season then? Happy story telling.

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    1. usually we shear late in October [our spring] but this chap had to be dealt with...he was so very fat underneath all that wool that i don't think he will feel the cold!

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  6. enjoy story telling
    what happened in the past...
    bad memories make your day unpleasent

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  7. I never understand people who get bored, I have more than enough ideas and dreams and projects that could fill more days than I will live, undoubtedly.
    What are those pretty black leaves you are eco printing with? What a delightful shape!

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    1. those are the leaves of Gingko biloba...which were a kind of golden colour before i began to mistreat them...

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  8. poor rascally sheep. i'm sure he's happier now!
    as for the dress--! twice!!
    the 7th photo is my fav of this wonderment blogbit.

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  9. I wonder if the recipient of your generosity reads your blog. If so, a photo and remuneration are surely forthcoming.
    :-)

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    1. proof that it was worn in the places that were proposed would be lovely!

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  10. Goodness, that sheep really put on the wool! Love the dress, would have been interesting to see it amongst all the black dazzles and other formal ware, maybe you can still get a pic? I like bumble and Felix, nose to nose.

    And Felix in the tree - what an astonished expression!! Looks a lot like the kitty that came home from me from Greece when I lived there. Hard to have a kitty live with one for 6 months and then let her go... so she made the big voyage and came to America! I'll never forget a grandmother in the village asked me if we didn't HAVE cats in America - they couldn't quite understand why I would take a plentiful commodity (ie mouser-farm hand) with me! She was named after the Hera, cause Hera's temple was on the island.

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    1. what a lucky kitty Hera was! Felix was found at about three weeks old, in a very sorry state indeed. his eyes are very cute - always looking as though he is amazed. perhaps he is.

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  11. beautiful images. a shame about your stuning creation. it will right itself, I hope. Johnnie's handsome!

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    1. not expecting much of a response in terms of the dress...the person who commissioned it clearly operates in a very different sphere to me

      Johnniecat is clearly more adaptable than me, too. melts into position practically anywhere provided there's warmth involved!

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  12. I love that dress, so cool! It's always a great feeling when someone takes the time to photograph your work and send it to you and such a big disappointment when they don't especially when they didn't even offer some sort of recompense.

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  13. your pussycat is just like our molly - love the shot in the tree :) and that dress is truly, truly stunning - wow!!!

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  14. the girl who got the dress is stupid...........she's got the dress and lost your friendship............

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    1. i wouldn't call her stupid, after all she's a very successful film professional...and maybe all she ever wanted from me was just the one dress.
      it may be that from her point of view these things are normal practice, after all fashion houses very often give or loan garments for such occasions.
      but when you're living from one workshop income to the next with the occasional bonus of selling a piece of work and the twice-a-year royalties from books you see things from a very different perspective. will admit i was a little piqued when i heard of her substantial public philanthropy elsewhere while i was scratching to pay the bills.
      but hey, i'm not bitter...it's all part of life's rich tapestry of loose ends
      and
      [thank goodness] i'm still learning something new about the whirled every day!

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  15. will be a lucky dog that gets that fine dog bed. i do wish I could be there to hear your stories too - and one day I WILL get to, when i can get into one of your workshops here in US. Love that dress and somehow want to think this isn't the end of that story.

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  16. ahhh a dress of such delight needs a delightful soul to wear it... like yourself (in the AGNSW!)

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  17. the date at the AGNSW is in the diary!
    and hey India just send the actor an invoice, you are a major world renowned textile artist, your dresses cost $1000's to make and you have to get by!

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  18. What a wealth of images and stories.. of course you never get bored.. not with such a menagerie hanging around... and that sheep with all that extra wool.. what a sight.

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  19. You are an amazing woman India Flint. Your dress is gorgeous and l am sorry you were so badly treated. if it had been for me l would have shouted your name from the roof tops and sent images......BUT having had some buisness with "film" people..l am not surprised the way she behaved. Anyway l was going to say loved the sheep image..made me giggle after a very stressful week..thanks Indiaxxlynda

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