Author Archives: stefrob

An artist. Currently exploring fragility and beauty through movement and sculpture. I have 18 years experience as a community artist were i have specialised in outdoor community events, using lanterns puppets and movement to create parades, installations, celebrations and events. There are many strings to my bow!

other work

Art days are on hold,

a community festival has my attention.

I spent the day scanning and laminating art drawn by primary school children to the provocation of “your favourite place”

many beautiful drawings.

4 schools, 4 completely different responses and mediums

Its been great to see how the different teachers have responded to the themes and inspired their classes.

yay to art

No Pictures………sorry!

 

Friday night

I hung the paper drops i have been working in the dance studio.

I invited 2 friends, we turned on the theater lights (basic and limited)
put on some music
danced and played.

I’m very excited about this work, i think it has much potential.
it was lovely to stand and play amongstĀ the paper.

Later when the lights were off it was incredibly peaceful, and a little airy to be in it,
like standing in a forest.

So there is a new working tittle… In the forest

Its a place for the creatures ,that emerge in my impro, to play
theres a place for shadow and mystery
theres defintely a place for beauty, and moving beautifully.

Theres a world waiting to emerge……

 

curious

One of my new years resolutions had been to make and present a work for May 2012.

While my concept had simplified
I still intended to present something.

So i booked a small community gallery.
Dates set,Ā i went home to check emails etc

And sitting there was an invitation to join a tour with an interactive children’s show
to the US.

A moment’s hesitation
is this a test about my commitment to my own art making process ?
or just another wonderful opportunity in the journey of life.

I have said yes
It’s hard to turn down an adventure, esp a paid adventure
The gallery is postponed
indefinitely as I’m not sure were it fits in the rest of my yearĀ …..

As a friend pointed out,
I’ll still be doing my art
just not that particular piece of art ……

I’m thankful for the choices i have to make
but curious about their timing!

today…..

What you can’t see here is the shear pleasure and relief it was to get to my studio.
I have found my routine….
i drink coffee
then eat
then put on Adelita loudly in my earphones and
then
work comes and plays and takes me on journeys


This ‘White Rose”
was after the caffeine had worn off
and the iPod was changed to shuffleand i had finished frantically glueing and rubbing images to tin
and found a softer more peaceful place.

Somehow it reminds me of a wedding,
maybe its the white
and the rose

another thing you can’t see is that i surrender to the fine Japanese paper with the gold

and silver fleck, and that it sits ever so just beneath a layer.

It so beautiful and fragile and yet i can tear at it and scrunch it and it doesn’t mind.
It’s almost clichĆ© in its presence
so that Ā until to-day i have avoided it,
but i think it’s here to stay and more will sneak its way into these collages….
Are these collages….?


an art day

first up
a sleep in

not long
just a few pushes of the sleep button

later
after some admin

A shared practice in the dance studio
Lots of clown and delightful play
surprising

then
to the other studio

via lunch and a quick visit to a new cafe for a take away coffee

At the studio
Playing with paper
finishing a work
excitement about potential

To top off a perfect day
A New Orleans styled band playing Ā outside the cemetery
music filling the delightful Melbourne summers evening.
Old friends met and caught up with……..

A long walk there and back……..

tomorrow not so perfect….
lantern papering at one end of town starting at 8am
then 1 Ā 1/2 hrs Ā to the north via the ring road
another arts workshop…
It could be worse…it just wont be today

Butoh Class

I move

to the instructions
of my teacher.

We connect heaven and earth
my center feels strong and engaged

I notice the different textures she asks us to move through

and i see the parallel between my current practice of tearing and layering paper
and this dance
And possibilities unfold in front of me

and a thread understanding of what I am creating
appears

Now
to remember to
weave
with
it

preparations

A lantern parade begins to take shape

Friday we cut the cane and prepared the candles, today I twist the “ballerina” for the top, for the carry stick to hang from.

Tomorrow the schools workshops begin

3 lantern makers

2 months

7 schools

600 lanterns

layers

There are many layers

to a sense of self

each

fragile

and

delicate

Mountains and streams

Waterways are the arteries of a mountain;

Grass and trees its hair;

Mist and haze Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā Ā its complexion…

Stones are the bones Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā of heaven and earth…

Water is the blood…

(Guo Xi cited inĀ  Mountains and Streams 2006)

yesterday

yesterday doubt snuck in when i wasnt looking

and turned off the power

I ran in circles

bumping into walls

untill it hurt

so i sat Ā still

in the dark

…when i opened my eyes

doubt had left

and a new landscape was revealed