camera roll: May

Lol, these camera rolls get later and later each month ...

I started May with a day trip to Joburg. My first for the year - quite something after my bazillion trips up there last year.

It was nice to be back in the Big Smoke. A quick productive day of business and straight back home.
I was on a recce trip for a job which was due to happen there this week - but a few days after the trip it was postponed to August! Already my notes from this trip seem as hazy as this skyline ... eek.

It was my birthday - did I mention that? And what with going away and then losing my MIL and generally blah-ness it all become very disjointed and bitty - which was kinda crap but kinda great in that I kept being surprised by it - like this unexpected beauty gifted to me from the boot of a car at a kiddies party one week day afternoon ...

... I have always wanted this (can you tell by my face?) - telephone wire coat rack by Heath Nash. I have literally lusted after it for years. And dear friends remembered and said to each other 'Zahida was always really good at presents, we need to hit this one out the park' and bandied together, and DID.
The ribbon on a gift like this, is the knowledge that you are known, that your people get you.
And that was what I really needed this birthday.
That, and a telephone wire coat rack by Heath Nash!
That, and the reminder that regardless of everything - it is beautiful here.

But the hero story for May - the most wonderful (and oh thank god happy ending one) was this:

In the same week that my MIL died, this little old lady pulled a number on us too. Stopped eating, drinking - didn't leave my bed for 2 days. We were ... distracted, I'm ashamed to admit, so much else going on, and by the time we got her to the vet I was lambasting myself for being a bad mummy but when he got her out the carrier he was genuinely surprised that she looked so 'fantastic' for a kitty her age, and I felt hopeful. Khoki is 19 this year, but still soft as a kitten, strong and feisty.

She over-nighted at the vet, on a drip, the same night my MIL passed and I lay awake fretting - for Husband to lose his mum and his beloved cat in the same week seemed too cruel for words.

But she made it!

It's first stage kidney disease, it will take her eventually, but for now she's back - demanding and cranky as ever - and every night when she snuggles down between us (having yowled at us since dusk to come to bed) , I offer up the closest thing I have to a prayer - a message of gratitude to the universe - to her - thank you for staying with us a little longer. For all my concern for Husband, I don't think I could bear this loss too right now.

And then autumn, waning in all its beauty ... my mum bought this little broom and wheelbarrow for my little nephew to sweep the vine leaves on her stoep - but Stella clearly decided she's by no means too big for that herself yet ... segued into winter ...

... and the cubble got real :-)

joburg

I was in Johannesburg yesterday, just for the day.

A pre-event recce, venue walk-through, planning session, shake 'em up kind of day. I'm coordinating a big event there on the 1st.

I didn't take a single picture because I was moving too fast, and also because Braamfontein's not really the kind of place you take out your camera and linger.

But luckily others have, and I'm borrowing some of their pics here ....

The giant Eland we flashed past on our drive in from the station.

The achingly cool coffee stop where I picked up a delicious Flat White for FIVE RAND LESS than you'd ever buy one in Cape Town.

The colourful buildings I ran-walked past on my way back to the station in the late afternoon, a mix of adrenalin and unease fueling my suspicion that it was a little late to be out walking - the rainclouds looming along with my paranoia.

Other fun things which happened:
Telling someone over the phone to calm the fuck down, in full earshot of the whole office.
Accidentally exposing some massive internal incompetence.
Spilling hot chips down my cleavage in front of the ultra-Orthodox accountant.

I love visiting Joburg, I think I've said this before. And this short jam-packed visit to the inner-city was really inspiring and energising.

I'm back at my desk today. I should be exhausted from a busy day and a late night. But I think I brought some Jozi energy home with me. I feel okay, I feel motivated.
And this is a good thing, because there's fuck loads to do!

sticky fish

There is a fish (in fact two fish) in that bowl, they're just camera shy.

At this first class we all had to sketch the fish, collage the fish. Instantly I was put off. I didn't want to be told what to create, that's not what I'd signed up for. But quickly it became clear that this was the fastest method to teach us the myriad of ways in which collage can be approached, and not having to spend too much time on conceptualising meant we all got right down to tearing and cutting and sticking. Oh the joy!

Apparently many people stick with their fish. Refining and building on this one piece throughout the month of classes. I'm nearly done mine, and thinking ahead to what I'll do next week.
I'm not sure what this says about me, or my method. I know that I need to start in order to get the inspiration flowing, and maybe because I was SO READY for this is was easy to throw myself in. I've also confirmed I'm not that into the torn paper look - I'm more of a scissor sister really.

I was amused by some of the questions the others asked though. Am I allowed to do such and such, or is it okay if I change the colours? The thought of asking permission to be creative never crossed my mind, and when I intricately cut out a long green water plant instead of collaging it in, the woman next to me said, 'That's a good cheat' and I laughed, you can't 'cheat' at art. Can you?

This is as much fun as I thought it would be. Roll on next week!

collage

I've rewarded myself (after the stupid, stupid job I've just finished) with a month of collage classes with this lady.

I can't draw. Or sew. The medium I've always been most comfortable in is paper, and I've been playing with collage since high school.
[SIDE TRACKED! I went off looking for a collaged workbook I knew I still had from 1992 and found my old diaries ... there goes my weekend!]

all mine

Naturally I signed up for the course and immediately started a 'collage' board on Pinterest.

someone else's

I've no idea what to expect, and I'm very happy to remain ignorant until class starts and let the ideas rush in then, but it doesn't hurt to hone your eye right?

I'm drawn to changing perspective and message through simple techniques.

eugenia_loli

Nick Paliughli

I like the use of negative space.

Jeorge Chamarro

I'd like to tell something of my life.

But my god I'd also love to be able to do this.

Derek Gores

And I wish I'd made this.

But all my (cough) best work thus far has always been spontaneous and inspired by the images on hand, I can't wait to see what Wednesday evening holds.

PS. The first person to say 'scrap-booking' gets a kick in the ass.

a few of my favourite things

Julie did this today, much more artfully and better lit than me, but I had to play along so did a quick whip around the house with my camera before we lost all light (it's an unseasonably grey and rainy day here, 'summer rain' coincidentally being one of my other favourite things ...).

my silver and gold (and some white gold) rings, and some of my adored yellow glass collection

my beloved Shy Girl by Frank van Reenen

my growing Lego minifig collection, inspired again by Julie ... got a couple of gaps to fill yet. Yay!

there are a couple of interlopers in the collection, incl. Mr Frosty - he's awesome

Nguni cattle poster. I adore Nguni's, have I mentioned Husband's promised to buy me one one day?

my Liesel Trautmann ceramics ... I have a growing collection

Tord Boontje Garland, draped around the light on our stairwell

And I haven't even pictured these sneakers or these or this fabulous awesomeness ... I often get despondent that I don't have cash to buy nice things, this was a timely reminder that I already have some very nice things indeed!

12 dec 2010

Colour me Sunday.

Her idea. Her compositions. Her art direction. I just took the mediocre photos.

(we were still working on the rules here - hence the blue pillow)

oh my

I quickly have to blog this so that any new visitors here aren't assaulted with all manner of expletives describing my lack of sleep recently.

MY SOFA MADE IT ONTO Design*Sponge!!

That, plus a semi-decent night's sleep and I think it's shaping up to be a Good Friday.

Thank you Heather and Kate!

in her head

Last week we spent a morning at Kirstenbosch Gardens, one of our favourite places.

We did some balloon modelling (thank you Kirstenbosch for your kiddie's holiday programme - we love you) and then trundled around the Gardens for a few hours.

Frieda explored, I trailed behind zombie-esque, Stella soundly asleep in the pouch.

We watched some guinea fowl with unseasonal chicks, some older boys climbing trees. Frieda had her snack sitting on the giant low branches of an old oak tree, a stranger touched my heart by offering me a much appreciated cup of tea, without even expecting a chat in return.

Kirstenbosch has a new project, a temporary pavilion housing a sculpture exhibition and an amazing wall of vertical vegetation. The structure is mollusc-like, drawing you in to the centre where most of the sculptures are housed. Read more about it here.
We went in to explore.
Frieda loved the circular structure and, predictably, how the circular passages carried her voice shouting 'Sculpture sculpture sculpture' as she ran around and around.
In one side, out the other and off we went in search of new adventures.

It was only that evening, in the warm confessional dark of her bed as I tucked her in, that she said, 'I don't like that new house at the Gardens Mummy.'
Silence for a while and then, 'I don't want to see those sculptures again.'

I can understand how she may have found the work disturbing. Big bronze sculptures of human figures with horns and weird-shaped heads. Supposed to represent the wilderness in humankind or some such. I'm not a big fan myself.
But what interested me was how she showed no signs of discomfort when we were there. In fact I'd have said she hardly stood still long enough to really notice anything about the pieces.
Something stuck however, and she didn't like it.

I remember that strange headspace of childhood. How your responses to things, people, places are determined by the feeling you get from them. Not always able to articulate the exact source of your disturbance, you go with your gut.
It's an invaluable trait, one which I'd like to encourage in my kids. I decided not to try and work out with Frieda why she didn't like those sculptures. It's enough that she's that sure that she didn't.

Luckily, Kirstenbosch is filled with a lot of work she does like.

And we'll be back to visit those.

art, art I love you

Get this: this post has nothing to do with babies!

I managed to get myself to the Spier Contemporary Art Biennale at City Hall just days before it closes. The exhibition opened just before I had Stella (oops, mentioned the baby) and was on my To Do list. I missed the chance then but was determined to get there before it closed.

With the rain bucketing down outside and just over an hour before Frieda needed collecting from school I whizzed around it this morning with my Mum and the baby sleeping soundly in her Moby wrap.

Here follows some mediocre photos of some great stuff.

ceramic cow head - love love love.

croxley counter book blankets! double bed size. fabulous.

one of brett's golden truths.

a dreamcatcher made from 4000 black condoms - filtering out the nightmares ...

See? I'm not just all about babies at the mo ... 

(and I finally got my boob-brain around Picasa Web Albums - could it be because the baby is 2 months old today? Two months old!)

epic martha fail

http://bizcommunity.com/Blog/LouiseMarsland/2010/2/26/-Design-Indaba-conf-Martha-Stewart-flamed

As we like to say in SA - ag shame ....

(thanks SIL - can't wait for an eye-witness account!)

now I lay me down to sleep

I pray the lord Orla Kiely to keep
And thank him her for making such beautiful things
And for the opportunity to have gone to London to buy them.
Pretty. Pretty. Pretty.

beautiful inside my head forever

When I was in London recently with my dearest friend, we visited the Pop Life exhibition at the Tate Modern. Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami, a couple of others and Damien Hirst.

Now feel free to call me a cultural philistine, but I just don't get Mr Hirst. Dead cow, sculpted bust from his own blood - yada yada yada whatever ('tho he did once do something quite pretty with butterfly wings if I recall?).

We were cruising round his part of the exhibition, side-stepping the dead stuffed horse in the middle of the room and being generally rather dismissive of his work in general, when we came upon something a little different ... and my friend fell in love.

(this was the only picture I could find of it online - you get the general idea.)

The rest of the trip was spent walking round London jokingly saying 'I'm looking for a sort of gold cabinet, with lots of little shelves, filled with diamonds - would you perhaps have anything like that?'

But alas we didn't find one.

It's my friend's birthday this month, and when I was racking my brains as to what give the friend who's always so incredibly generous, who gave me a ticket to London for god's sake, I could only think of one thing.

The original work is called Memories of Moments with You. Very apt in this case.

(Keep an eye on etsy for an upcoming range of miniture Damien Hirst rip-offs. My next challenge is to formaldehyde a goldfish ... Take that Mr Hirst.)

Oh and, number 42.

bear with me ...

And visit these links.

I just can't do this place justice with words, or the paltry few badly-lit photos I managed to snap in the bad light of a stormy and pissin' with rain evening in Cape Town.

But believe me when I say it was as awesome, and even more (p)awsome than it looks. And dudes, there was a Bear Suit in the cupboard. I kid you not. A. Bear. Suit.

He was surprised. Oh yes, he was.

I love you Cape Town!

[And check out how they did it here, it's their photo above.]

aerial patchwork

Back from a fabulous few days in Joburg. My second favourite South African city. Not that there's a whole lot to choose from or anything...

Lots to tell, lots to think and blog about, head feeling a little full and crazy. All in a good way. Raas kop leef.

But I did love these.

Shots of farmlands from the plane.

Wouldn't you love a patchwork quilt in these colours and patterns? 

Did you know those circular irrigation thingiemajigs are a South African design? We rock.