Tuesday, November 6, 2012

An art4place artists' celebration

Last night art4place members and Peace in the Trees sandstone sculptural artists joined together in a celebration at Maleny Retreat.

The event had a number of purposes but the most important were thanking the Maleny Retreat Gang for allowing us to do the Peace in the Trees placemaking art activity on their property; officially launch the Peace in the Trees installation with the artists who created the sandstone monoliths; and officially close Creative Spaces 2012.


The 5.5minute video below takes you on a walk visiting  the sandstone monoliths that make up Peace in the Trees.




And of course there are many other photos of artists checking the installation out and generally celebrating this achievement. There was a real joyful spirit as folk wandered around and checked out, admired and discussed the monoliths.

©2012 Fiona Dempster - Artists gather for the launch of Peace in the Trees
©2012 Barry Smith - Folk wandering - checking out the 12 sandstone monoliths
©2012 Noela Mills - Cathy L and Christine E enjoying the celebration
©Noela Mills - Ken M resting, bubbles in hand, on his reclining monolith - Be Still
There is something special about a community of artists gathering, celebrating and just connecting; and what better event to do that at than the launch of Peace in the Trees.


Saturday, November 3, 2012

Visiting Peace in the Trees

On the 6 October the public were able to access three Creative Spaces 2012 activities: Noela's installation of sails - Sailing Inland; Cathy and children's display of the Creatures of the Obi Obi in the Maleny Library; and the sculptural installation Peace in the Trees.



The Peace in the Trees sculptural installation of 12 sandstone monoliths is located in trees at Maleny Retreat. The monoliths were carved by  12 local artists who volunteered two days of their time to create pieces that reflected nature, the environment or some aspect of peace and peacefulness.  Wendy van der Drift is a member of art4place; and she and other residents of Maleny Retreat (Maria, Michael and Roman) gave permission for this installation to be carved, installed and open to the public at certain times.

On Saturday 6 October the installation was open for the second time between 10am and 4pm. As you can see from the photos below couples and small groups of visitors took the opportunity to view this unique sculptural installation.  

©2012 E-A Murray - Visiting Peace in the Trees 1
©2012 E-A Murray - Visiting Peace in the Trees 2
©2012 E-A Murray - Visiting Peace in the Trees 3
As visitors meandered through the trees they could stop and reflect on each of the monoliths - the 12 artists had provided a brief description of the message behind their work.

©2012 E-A Murray - Judy G's - Reflection 
©2012 E-A Murray - Kim M's - Solace 
©2012 E-A Murray - Carolyn S's - Heartfelt 
To some visitors it may have seemed that the 12 artists have made but a small impression on the large stones as much of the stone remains natural and unmarked by chisel and hammer. One of the important aspects of this placemaking art installation is to let the combination of sculptural work and the stones themselves tell their story - nature will continue the creative process.

These monoliths will peacefully merge more with the trees as they age; and visitors will be invited to reflect on peace and the natural environment that is so much a part of Maleny Retreat.


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Water creatures of the Obi Obi display

Cathy Lawley worked with two groups of children (Water Dragon group and Platypus group - 17 in each group)  to crate; glaze and then install their Water Dragons and Platypi in the two display cases at the local Maleny Library. This was all part of the Creative Space's Water Creatures of the Obi Obi placemaking activity.





As you can see both cases are just filled to the brim with finished works.




What an amazing hands on way of learning about these important creatures who live in the creek just behind the library. See just a few of the raku fired pieces on display.






I'm sure that the 34 children who took part in this activity;  their families; and now the broader community will be much more aware of these special creatures and their place in our environment.

Creative Spaces 2012 was sponsored by the Sunshine Coast Council; and the Water Creatures of the Obi Obi was made possible through the support of staff of the Maleny Library - thanks.

Monday, October 8, 2012

'Sailing Inland' continued

My second day of installing my sails at Gerrard's Lookout went well.
I chatted to lots of people and many were quite impressed with the concept.
I set thinks up a bit differently yesterday - sails on both sides of the road and I sat in the shade under a convenient tree [35deg in the sun], where most people needed to pass me to get to the lookout - ample opportunities for a casual chat.
Thanks to Christine for helping me set up, Ken for the morning coffee, and of course a huge thank you to Barry for the behind the scenes paper work to make the whole art4place 'Creative Spaces' viable.




Monday, October 1, 2012

Water Creatures of the Obi Obi River

As part of the art4place 'Creative Spaces' project, Cathy Lawley spent many hours with children at the local library, creating clay platypi and water dragons which she raku fired and installed in the display cabinets. See Barry's posts for photos of the 'making' stage on the library lawn.

The workshop celebrated the special creatures that live in the Obi Obi Creek in Maleny. Platypi and Water Dragons feature along the creek and children had the opportunity to explore where they live, be inspired by nature and re-create the animals in clay. By focusing on the creatures that actually live in this place (and not just native animals in general) and by learning about their habits and how they live, children became more aware of their environment and the special habitats and creatures around them.

Cathy took the children to the creek where they saw water dragons and a couple of the boys camped out near the creek and actually saw a platypus on dusk that evening - a very special outcome!!

The following photos show some of the processes...

...platypii ready for glazing...
...glazing in the library...
...water dragons raku fired...
...platypii in the display case.

Wonderful fun for all involved.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Flight of the Glossy Black Cockatoo - cont.....

This is the fourth time I have done this post - is it me or is it the bloggersphere?

As Barry mentioned in the last post, Christine held her last Glossy Black Cockatoo workshop at Russell Family Park, Montville, yesterday.

'The Glossy Black Cockatoo lives around the Hinterland, but sadly is becoming endangered. This creative placemaking art project aims to remind people of the Glossy Black Cockatoo and its beauty and encourage them to help protect and save it.

Going on a Treasure Hunt for their food source – the She-Oak - helps show young people how hard it is to find the right food for the Cockatoos to eat.

By encouraging children to imagine the cockatoos flying around the hills and by making wings and masks and performing “the flight of the Glossy Black Cockatoo” we hope that we can raise awareness about these precious birds and the risks they face'.

Christine worked with and filmed hundreds of Mapleton Primary School children some weeks ago then dozens of children and parents in the park yesterday. Everyone made masks and wings then performed a little play flying down the hill and searching for the elusive she oak seeds. The whole performance was filmed by Christine.
...children making masks and wings with the help of locals, Lorraine and Jim...
...Christine demonstrating flying technique...
...Eric Anderson telling the story of the endangered Glossy Black Cockatoo, with Jim's painting in the background. Eric is part of the Glossy Black Cockatoo Conservancy Board and resident GBC expert. 
...this stand of she oaks was planted by Montville Primary school students 3 years ago to encourage the return of the endangered birds...
...'birds' flying down the hill and settling near the she oaks trying to find some seeds...

It was a great activity, entertaining and educating children [and parents] on holidays from various parts of Australia.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Glossy Black Cockatoo mask and wing making workshop

Yesterday was Kim's Creative Spaces installation of 'love and unity'; and if you check out this post by Noela you can see just how beautifully it turned out.

I could not get over to Montville this afternoon to check out how Christine Elcoate and Jim Cox's Glossy Black Cockatoo (GBC) mask and wing making workshop which was to culminate in a 'flight of cockatoos'. But I did go earlier today to see how things were going regarding the making of masks and wings.

From the following photos you can see that there was a great group of children and parents working with Christine and Jim when I arrived.

©2012 Barry Smith - Children creating masks and wings with Christine in the hat and Jim in the background
©2012 Barry Smith - Great shady working area for the workshop
Jim provided a beautiful painting of the Glossy Black Cockatoo to provide inspiration of the children.

©2012 Barry Smith - Jim Cox's inspirational GBC painting
And Christine's fibre vine and leaves were just gorgeous on the railings.

©2012 Barry Smith - Christine's creative fibre vine and leaves
I'm sure Christine or Noela will give a bit of an update on the later stages of this placemaking event; and better photos given mine were taken with the iPhone. All photos of children were taken with parents' written permission.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Kim's 'Celebrating Love and Unity'

Kim Schoeberger has been busy cutting, painting and preparing hundreds of leaves ready for her workshop and installation today titled 'Celebrating Love and Unity'.

The lagoon in Russell Family Park was once a watering hole for members of the indigenous Gubbi Gubbi people as they made their way to Baroon Pocket for their annual gathering. At these gatherings stories were told, tools and ornaments exchanged, conflicts resolved and marriages arranged.

Such gatherings speak of love and unity, and by trailing hand-written messages of love and family on a sea of heart shaped leaves, Kim celebrated how Russell Family Park is still a place for gathering and for families to spend time together.

She invited people to write messages of hope, peace, love and unity on the leaves, then they were floated in rubber tubes on the pond  in Montville. Kim interacted with at least 100 people and had hundreds of leaves arranged within 10 floating rings which looked very much like hot pink, black rimmed lily pads.

The installation created a sense of serenity and meditation as it drifted across the lagoon, creating differing designs and patterns as the wind took it in different directions.