Learning Art.

A bit about Big T. 

 I AM ART. IT IS ALL I KNOW. I KNOW VERY LITTLE.

art [ahrt]

noun

1.the quality, production, expression or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.

2.the class of objects subject to aesthetic criteria; works of art collectively, as paintings, sculptures, or drawings: a museum of art; an art collection. See fine art, commercial art.

3.a field, genre, or category of art: Dance is an art.

4.the fine arts collectively, often excluding architecture: art and architecture.

5.any field using the skills or techniques of art: advertising art; industrial art.

Art in school has upset me since I was a very small child. I would go to galleries with my mum, and see magnificent works, or look in books and be awed by simple pencil drawings of aesthetic proportions that would blow my mind, and then I would be at school 'learning art'. You do not learn art at school You learn to blob paint around in a format set out to cater to a half hour slot.  True art requires immense skill and knowledge, and does not come about by colouring in a picture of a bilby with coloured pencils. Art requires planning, mathematics, understanding of colour, of depth of field, of ratios, more planning, understanding of physics, chemistry and now also computers. Art requires practice, courage and insight and the capacity to translate from the inner eye to reality and hard copy.  But none of these are taught in school. Art is treated like poo at school. A boff off easy subject, a time to rest from 'real' learning. 

My first day of pavement art at 24or25. I had just quit doing visual arts at tafe because it was such a load of rubbish.

As a child I taught myself. No one else would teach me what I wanted to know. My mother helped me at home, she was a pretty good artist herself. We had a fantastic room with sesame street characters painted on the walls. But for the most part I taught myself, I was resourceful that way, still am. Trial and error and hours every day learning the hard way, painstaking observation. I was teaching myself how to make something of 'more than ordinary significance'. I started this when I was eight.  I wanted to be a master painter. Eventually I was good. Very good. I have not yet reached my potential, the fun part is that I never will!

 A rather bad photograph of one of my last works of pavement art and one of my last works of art. She was about 8ft tall! Summer 2005/6.

I am actually glad I never studied art at University. I have learnt that they teach aspiring young artists to cheat. Yep, to use projectors to translate photographs into paintings. What they haven't worked out yet, is that this totally messes up the proportions of the portrait, causing bulbous noses and large foreheads. A projector doesn't understand foreshortening. It just makes things big, and it doesn't work. I can pick a projector painting a mile away. They can look flashy, because the kids are great at colouring in, but they are missing something, something integral, something I can't yet pinpoint, inner soul perhaps? Oooh, I am such a b*tch.

Over the last 8 years I haven't produced much work. I did a few lame sketches of my daughter sleeping when she was a baby and that is about it. I will get back to it eventually of course. I have just been doing other things! 

 

So here is the first art project that Lil't has done at home. This project required a paper draft, to plan pattern, colour and layout and measurements. Also important to the plan was the order of colours to be painted, as acrylic tends to have a shadow bleed effect. The project is a complete one. Not a slap of sticky tape and pipe cleaner. It took two weeks to compleat. Some of it I helped with, especially the lining (which was really hard) but then my mentors would get their hands in with my art too. Teachers at school can't teach art this way, because there isn't the time to teach art properly at primary school, especially to kids who show a disposition toward it, which is a travesty and let down to the future culture of the human race.

Planning. Integral to learning to be an artist.
 This can be executed as a million drafts or in the head,
 but it has to be done.

Each colour required several coats of paint, which in turn requires patience. Patience is awesome.

The finished box, ready for display!

In the garden

How cool is our pink shed!

We have been doing a lot of work in our new garden, although it has been a difficult to get out there as much as we would like with all the rain we are having in Melbourne.

Lil't, for the first time ever, has a home with a climbing tree! It's magical to see her hanging out up there, just being. The day I took these photo's was stunning, tee shirts in winter, well, I was in a tee shirt, but I was pruning and digging.

Lil't's tree.

 Our garden is still pretty lame at this stage. It will take us a few months to prep it up, ready for spring plantings of veggies and flowers.

This is where the veggies will go!

 We can't wait!

Music, friends and photographs.

Every Wednesday eve we head over to Ash and Em's house for lil't's music lessons. It is a fabulous affair that usually includes cups of tea, biscuits, lots of chats and a lot of music. I met Ash and Em through my mum, who does play readings with them, and I was super excited when they started their own wee music school. I had been looking for teachers that were self employed as I find it irksome that many teachers don't get paid their full dues or have appropriate autonomy when teaching for a school or institution. Initially lil't was just doing piano with Ash, but in the last few weeks has begun singing lessons with Em. Next term guitar and music theory will be added to her classes.

Cups of tea and biscuits form an important part of our time together. We share cooking tips and ideas and ecological awareness and a love of locally made goods!

 un-edited pic by Big T of lil't drinking tea.

Ash and Em have incredible and varied backgrounds in music, theatre, film and television.

 Ash is currently performing in a show where he breaks into renditions of Flight of the Valkyries on piano accordion, an instrument he has only learnt to play in the past few weeks. He has written curriculum for music teaching - theory I think, and is a most interesting and excellent songwriter, with an album or two under his belt. He also is quite the actor, though apparently untrained. Ash likes to teach a broad curriculum to lil't , which includes the use of percussion, improvisation, reading, mathematics and even good ole' fashioned scales.

Em has a background in musical theatre, film and television. She studied at NASDA and WAAPA. Em has been in some big shows, like Guys and Dolls and Jekyll and Hyde and bazillion films and adverts. She teaches singing and drama and has had several of her current students accepted into a BIG musical! Awesome! Em is an animated and exciting teacher with an immense understanding of the human body and the mechanics of singing along with being a kick arse actor and singer and is amazing with children, she should make some - with Ash preferably.

They both star in the excellent very short promotional film The Melbourne Appreciation Society.  They are both from New Zealand. Their music school Ash & Em's Home Studio is going from strength to strength as is lil't's progress! They are wonderful passionate teachers and our lovely friends.

Singing with Em

An instant rapport. Em is infinitely likeable and a total sweetheart.

In both Ash and Em's classes there is a lot of laughter. Music is such a joyous experience who wouldn't want their kid to experience that!

Em firmly believes that if she gestures emphatically enough the right sounds will come out. This is the big finale. It actually worked!

 Tallulah has had an affinity for music from a very young age, it may have something to do with me blaring Aladdin Sane and the likes in the car to cover up her crying as a baby! Grandma Mo bought her a weighted keyboard for her 3rd birthday and she has been able to jam it out with muso's since she was four. She has a great ear for pitch and is a very passionate and sincere songwriter! Lil t is by no means a prodigy, but I do think she will be a fine musician/singer/songwriter given half a chance and given her current dedication and love of music. It is a passion that I believe every child/person is entitled to enjoy and I have shared it with gusto. She is yet to appreciate Kate Bush the way I do but she is a firm fan of 'Daddy' Bowie.

 Are there any cultures on this planet without music or song?

  Piano with Ash

The vibe is very different with each of her teachers. Ash has a dry cheeky wit. Its all very business like when these two pals get together!

Ash has incredible patience, never condescending, and extremely aware of lil't's ability to understand concepts. So Rad Eh!

Lil't has made huge leaps since beginning lessons with Ash and Em, I am so proud of her and I think they are too!

So I got me a camera. A Canon Eos30D. I am thrilled to bits, and this is my first piece using it. Some of the pictures are kinda fuzzy, but they show the energy of the classes. I am looking forward to learning more about photography. Its something I enjoyed a great deal at Tech and Tafe and High school. My aim is to take fewer fuzzy shots and be able to concisely document my world in picture form. It's so much faster than painting!

For more info on Ash and Em follow these links Ash's Music Blog and Em's Acting & Singing blog.

Dolls House

Is It Real? 

By lil't. 

A Beautiful Georgian House.

A blank canvas interior.

there are six rooms the botom small room is the bathroom then the botom big one is the kitchen then the top small one is the gestroom then the one next to that is the loungeroom then in the next floor it's  bedroom one and bedroom two.

How real does this look!

in true life this is a doll's house it is brand new and we had it on laybuy for three month's then we brought it home with the kitchen furniture and a tea set and nothing else.

Above posts by lil't, unedited of course. 

Big T. 

This is such an exciting project. Perfect for the little girl in both of us. As a rampant emerging feminist I have to allow here and now, I love pretty things. Being a feminist doesn't mean we have to be macho and grow large beards, though I do like wielding my power tools and am dying to get back into furniture restoration. For me and my daughter it is about embracing the awesomeness of being a woman. This is going to be a decorative experience for lil't and I to share. To create a beautiful heirloom for our family. The project will require much planning and research. From installing light fittings to deciding on wall paper and flooring to learning how to create our own fittings. Soon we will go on a country adventure to our friend's grandma's house, as she has a whole room dedicated to miniatures. Lil't's father was also into miniatures, more of the ancient army varieties, ala DBM (De Bellis Multitudinis.) Another very nerdy pursuit of painting tiny little men and then having wee wars with them. This is a tad more peaceful methinks, but no less of a lesson in history and architecture and so much more.

Priorities! 

The later to do list.

Here is a list lil't wrote of what she wants to do in 15 years when she moves out of home.....

I did mention that the order might need to change a bit, hence the scribbles at the side.

She has now ventured into the wonderful world of watching Lassie on youtube. Oh the memories! 

The original Lassie with Liz Taylor

So lil't has decided she wants to rent a modern house, have a dog and work as a pop star or in an ice cream shop. Good to have ambitions.

She spent about 45 minutes researching appropriate dogs for her needs and she hit on the Scottish Collie. Such pretty dogs. But I was impressed with her research ability. Lil't has a lot of experience with dogs but mostly with Staffordshire Terriers. I think a Lassie dog would suit her very well indeed. She has since investigated jobs further, and is contemplating dog breeding. She is somewhat aware of the pros and cons of that industry, and as an animal lover will surely end up an activist on that front. She weeps at the mention of any animal injustice or cruelty!

Happi-ness and Rainy-ness

Mothers day pressies Rock!

Bliss.

Ahh, I am so blessed. I had a terrific mothers day indeed. I received the perfect card and the perfect pressie from my fabulous perfect daughter. The key to this perfect pressie was that I took lil't shopping. I selected the toppingest teacup and saucer with her assistance, and  she excitedly paid for it. Nana helped her with the card creation earlier in the week. 

Our day began grocery shopping in the morning with my sister and nephew, we had a lovely time but i have to say I am sooo glad my child is no longer a toddler. 8 year old kids are FANTASTIC!  Lil't helped entertain a mildly grisly 2 year old C-man while Aunty and I wrangled with some stupidmarket shopping. Truly a fantastic Kid!

Mmmmm. My favourite tea cup and my favourite Clash tee shirt. Worlds collide in this household!

In the evening, after drinking about 12 cups of tea, I forced lil't to watch 42nd Street (yes I forced her, she wanted to bugger off). She declared numerous times that it was boring, which she often seems to do with black and white films, yet eventually fell under its spell which included singing along and tap dancing on the carpet. 

The film is 79 years old! Kinda blew me away. The costumes are amazing, but the best costumes are in the finale, they are incredibly foxy, garter belts, furry numbers with glittery tummies and cut WAY up to there. Lady GaGa et al really aren't that crazy with their costuming, nearly everything has been done before - except perhaps the meat frock and the cigarette sunnies. (lil't is a huge fan of said artist).

Overall a lovely, cosy and rainy Mothers Day.

Busby Burkeley Styling on 42nd Street. This impressed her!

Mothers day is a bit of a big deal for lil't. As her dad is no longer with us, Fathers day can prove a bit of a problem and Mothers day is extra important for her. When she was at school they were pretty dang insensitive about it, what with making the kids make things for their fathers, having the massive fathers day stall and all that exciting stuff. While I don't expect they would ever do anything as drastic as getting rid of such events, I was always amazed they never offered the kids with no dad (or mum) an alternative or some consideration. And I am very aware that she is not the only kid who has such a weight in her life. There are kids who have never met their dad, or whose mum has gone off the rails, or sometimes much worse. 

The generic treatment of kids at school means that often teeny little kids are left feeling really hurt and punished. Lil't had a male teacher in grade 1 who was very considerate of her situation, but sadly that is not the common rule and sadly he left the school. Some people may say suck it up as we can't possibly cater for everyone, but I say be thoughtful with children and they may just grow up to be thoughtful adults, I also believe we can cater for everyone, its a thing known as love and care. We can't keep punishing children for their situations. Being a mum and a dad for the last 3 years has been a tough job but I have had to do it,  I think I am doing A-Ok and she really is coping incredibly well.

Big hugs to all the mums and dads out there who are doing it a little bit harder than everyone else, and big hugs to every other parent too. 

We all need hugs.

Making Scented Bath Salts for YA MUM! 

 

This was a great fun project, that was experimental and not too messy. I looked up a lot of recipes online but decided just to wing it, which is my preferred style whenever I cook or craft anyway. 

So we used a heap of Himalayan salts (which actually comes from Pakistan), a small heap of Epsom salts ( they come from Epsom in the UK-we get them cheap from the horse supplies shop) and a handful of Bi-Carb.  

We then bunged in some smelly oils and food colouring. We used baby rose perfume oil mixed with meditation oil. It smells pretty sickly, like a 1960's Nana, but that's what the t'girl wanted! We tried to make purple salts (her fave colour) by mixing blue and pink food dye but it kind of failed and turned out a gross blue-ish pink.  We then popped them into some cute bottles that we bought in Queensland while visiting Vonnie and the gang.

We will make these again for sure. But I will take control and choose the smells next time and we will also try using colour brites that I get from Aussie Soap Supplies .