I recently went to Queensland...

Well, actually, it was about a month ago, but Davernator time is different to normal time.

I spent a week on Stradbroke Island with Chester's mum (that's Cylinder Beach above) and I believe that everybody should spend a week on Stradbroke Island before they die.



In order to make my holiday tax deductible, I spent a few days in Brisbane visiting my stockist, the Gallery Store at the Queensland Art Gallery. It was my first visit having stocked them for the last 2-3 years and I was impressed by the store and very happy with how my work looked there. I also had a look around the gallery, I really enjoyed the collection of 20th Century Australian Art. Then I went to check out the new Gallery of Modern Art which was in between 'blockbuster' shows but the building itself is beautiful and understated and leaves the art to speak for itself. I was impressed by this...




But it would be hard to not be impressed by it. It's by Anish Kapoor and the wall tag says "Anish Kapoor's... sculptures engage the viewer both physically and psychologically." "...perception is manipulated through the use of a single rich colour, a highly reflective surface and monumental form." "His art works are remarkable sensory encounters." And, oh boy, are they what? One of the aims of my work is to foster a desire for a physical as well as psychological engagement with objects. However, I use the miniature and detail to encourage people to really get in close and imagine being in the 'world' of the object. But the monumental and simple works so well. I wanted to be IN this sculpture.

This work...



by Eko Nugroho is installed in the entrance hall of the gallery and I loved it just as much as I loved his work in Helsinki

And these beautiful things were on display amongst many other equally beautiful things.





Pearl shell pendants by Aubrey Tigan




Tjanpi (grass basket) by Atipalku Intjalki




Guutu (vessels) by Shirley MacNamara.


I do wonder whether the gallery would be as eager to exhibit craft from non-indigenous artists?

I also had the great pleasure of meeting up with some fellow Brisbane bloggers at the Umbrella Collective Christmas Show.




I kind of felt like I was going on a blind date!!

I met Liana Kabel,




from whom I purchased some beautiful plastic earrings,




Rebecca Ward aka Rebecca the Wrecker,




from whom I purchased some flatliner brooches,




Shannon Garson,



(sorry about the bad photo Shannon and sorry I didn't get to visit you in Maleny, it took about 3 weeks and 5 visits to the physio to repair my dodgy jewellers stiff neck!)


from whom I bought my favourite tea drinking cup,




and Florence Forrest




from whom I purchased Ishmael's Whale...



and who inspired me to choose 'Moby Dick' as the next book for my bookclub!


I was also invited to the grand Brisbane premier of Elizabeth: The Golden Age with our Cate by Mel Robson. She promised brocade bloomers and demonstration sword fights and we got 'em! She also invited Kenji Uranishi along, whose work I had purchased at the Gallery Store at the Queensland Art Gallery




I didn't get to purchase anything of Mel's but I already have these in my collection...



So, all in all, a great trip!

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