open studio weekend

 A few moments from Aliquilts Open Studio

 We converted Alis' garage into the gallery featuring artworks by Ali, Chris & myself as well as 

the SAQA "This is a Quilt" Exhibition

 We also set up a hands on and demonstration area. Chris sharing her explorations with her Flood Art & postcards, 

myself sharing image transfer techniques and working with oil pastels and 

Ali demonstrating various printing techniques with dyes & inks. Ali has workshops available.

 Ali and Chris looking out from the workshop area and imagine our delight when Bill surprised us

with a fly over in his Tigermoth on Sunday morning

 swooping and looping around; such a buzz

What an awesome weekend, very inspiring. Many thanks to Chris, Judy, Dick, Jenny & Sue for your help throughout the weekend and to all our wonderful visitors. The Aliquilts Studio was open as part of the Open Studios and Cultural Trails of the Scenic Rim. Artists in the Canungra & Beechmont area open their studios this coming weekend of 1st & 2nd June. 

pancakes a weekend feast

We both enjoy a cooked breakfast; so on weekends I often make up something special 

 At the moment our citrus (the mandarin & the lime) trees are full of fruit

so yesterdays' treat was raspberry, pear & white chocolate pancakes served with French vanilla ice-cream, lime coulis and a dusting of icing sugar.

a day in the groves, the olive groves

We spent a day in the groves: olive groves alive with activity and surrounded by mountain vistas. A day filled with music, artesian stalls, workshops, demonstrations and culinary delights. Over five weeks the Scenic Rim celebrates the arts with a series of open studios and cultural trails throughout its region.

Last Sunday mum and I enjoyed a scenic drive to the Lost World Valley area of the rim to the 'Arts in the Olives Festival'. The festival entrance and artesian stalls were nestled in amongst the olive trees and a bridge across the picturesque creek seamlessly combined the two sections of the festival. Plenty of space along the creek or in amongst the olive trees to lay out our picnic rug and enjoy a momentary pause lunching, sketching, photography before further engaging in the various activities on offer.

Betty from Mt Tamborine in front of her stall at
"Arts in the Olives Festival"

Driving throughout the Scenic Rim is beautiful and well signed. This coming weekend 18th & 19th May artists in the Eagle Heights & Mount Tamborine area will open their studios including the studio of Betty Bull and Margaret Smit specialists with felting, millinery, silk flower making and textile design.

 On the following weekend 25th and 26th May artists in the Boonah & Aratula area will open their studios including the studio of Textile and Mixed Media artist Ali George. Ali's studio is located at 169 Niebling Rd, Tarome (near Aratula) and will feature artworks by Ali and artists-in-residence Chris Jones, Sue George & Mel Forrest. You can also see the Queensland launch of Studio Art Quilt Associates International touring exhibition "This is a Quilt" featuring the works of 43 artist and art quilters.

tables to cushions - stack them up

further explorations with finding inspiration
everywhere, everyday

 the hue, softness and peacefulness of early morning sunlight streaming through a window

a stack of side tables or a collection of shapes and simplicity

all contributing factors to this collection of shots

A few modifications were made to one of the images, then printed onto Kona Cotton through Spoonflower. The cushion covers are using spinning around and my new fabric.

inspiration everywhere, everyday

auction donation

Here's a picture of the quilt I've donated to the SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) Benefit Auction. I've been enjoying seeing the growing collection of donated quilts on the SAQA Website. I've called my piece "Enlighten" and it's on page 3a. Closer to the auction time members of SAQA who live in the Oceania Region will be doing a blog hop and we'll be featuring more information about our pieces. Once the hop starts I'll pop all the links to each artists blog in a post - I'm looking foward to seeing each artists story/inspirations.

A little closer to home is the international travelling SAQA Trunk Show - "This is a Quilt" which will be exhibiting later this month at Aliquilts Open Studio as part of the 2013 Scenic Rim Open Studio Program.

tide in tide out a natural pattern

 elements connect

 ebb n flow is imminent

 the canvass redrawn

when out exploring the mangroves the other week, the patterns in the sand also caught my eye. As the tide receds the pull of the water across the sands surface creates interesting patterns.