While You Were Sleeping...

Once again...I had fun! Once I figured out what path to take - all I could think about was how well my husband sleeps, and how frustrated I get with him when I am having those nights where I dream so much rubbish I can't stand it! Our breakfast table is often the scene of re-told dreams...and my family never cease to shake their heads at the crazy rot my subconscious dishes up! (The organ grinders monkey with the little red felt hat and semi automatic machine gun in the lush gardens of a tropical resort is the stuff of family legend!!)

So, this is a nod to my tormented sub conscious...and my soundly sleeping hubby - look at where I've been while you slept the "sleep of the just"!

Real Girls Eat - Shelly Neave's book

This has been a great book to work in - thanks Shelly. The text within the work explains it all.

It's February!! The beginning of Round Nine!

Howdy Altered Book Artists!

Long time no speak! I'm wondering how you are now we have hit the end of January.....Have you recovered from the Christmas and New Year festivities? Have you settled back into some sort of normal routine?!
Bruce and I have been back at work for 3 weeks now. It was wonderful to have a few weeks break from our routine!
Tomorrow is the 1st of February which marks the beginning of Round nine of our collaboration, which means we should be sending off the book/s that we have had over the December/January period.....and receiving a new book! - this is something I always find exciting!!

So, I would like to take this opportunity to check which books each of you still have to complete. I have kept some records, however, I have a few gaps.....could you please run your eyes over the list below and let me know if I am correct in my records?

Shelly you still have 3 books to complete: Journeys, Optimism and Out of my Studio?
Kristin you still have 3 to complete: Optimism, Journeys and Anon is a Woman?
Nanette you still have 5 books to complete: A Face in the Crowd (which you have almost completed!), Faerytales, Journeys, Annon is a Woman and TutenKhamen's Tomb?
Donna you still have 4 books to complete: A Face in the Crowd, Faerytales and Journeys and Tutenkahem's Tomb?
Tracey you still have 4 books to complete: While You were Sleeping, Who Am I?, A Face in the Crowd and Faerytales?
Tamara you still have 5 books to complete: Optimism, Cabinets of Curiosity, While You Were Sleeping, Face in the Crowd and Who Am I?
Lindesay you still have 4 books to complete: Paintbox colours, Tutenkhamen's Tomb. While You Were Sleeping and Who Am I? ?
Olley you still have 4 books to complete: cabinets of Curiosity, Paintbox colours, Tutenkhamen's Tomb and While You Were Sleeping?
JacQ you still have 5 books to complete: Anon is a Woman, Out of My Studio, Cabinets of Curiosity, Paintbox Colours and Tutenkhamen's Tomb?
Helen you still have 4 books to complete: Out of My Studio, Real Girls Eat, Cabinets of curiosity and Paintbox colours?
Jenny you still have 3 books to complete: Optimism, Out of My Studio and Real Girls Eat?
and finally I still have 3 books to complete: Optimism, Out of my Studio and Real Girls Eat - correct!!

A REQUEST FROM NANETTE: Nanette as the organiser of the wonderful 'Wrapt in Rocky', has asked us if we would like to have our Altered books displayed during the week long 'Wrapt in Rocky'.??? I think it would be a wonderful opportunity to show off our books to other artists. Please let me know if you are willing to allow your books to be displayed during this forum. The dates of the forum are: 25th of June to 1st of July 2010.

ALSO would anyone be interested in another opportunity for our books to be displayed and also for us to all come together to explore the books, meet each other and enjoy a collaboration celebration???!!!! All this will be possible over the weekend of 23 - 25 September 2010 in Brisbane
this weekend marks the beginning of a week long exhibition, "Uncharted Depths" that Nanette and I (as well as Amanda Lowjen from a previous collaboration) are having at the Circle Gallery........Kristin has expressed an interest in hosting this momentus event......how many people would be interested in this idea at this time of the year????

I have certainly given you all a lot to think about.....I'm looking forward to hearing back from everyone!!

Happy and creative days!!

Peta

Journeys... to the Podacarp Forests of Hollyford River

Having just returned from a walk in the Hollyford Valley when I received 'Journeys', it was an obvious choice for this book with all the wonderful memories still fresh in my mind. Doing my 'pages' let me relive this fabulous experience that was like a step back to ancient times. South Island NZ 10/09

Optimism - Helen's pages

This has been a fun page to do...Optimism! I figured that the bottom line in life is the optimism we have for the people in our lives. Its pretty black and white...we want for them, what they would want for themselves. We want them to be happy, and for good luck to go their way. This is the first book in this collaborative process that I have worked on with blank pages.

Who Am I?

These are my pages in Olga's book - which is becoming a most fascinating collection of visual biographies! There's some paint, stamps, collage, writing, drawing, silk paper, a glass bubble, stickers, even some little doors that open to reveal just a little more! Once again - I had lots of fun. I say that every time - and it's true, but what's also true is that before I get to the having fun bit, I can be paralysed with fear and lack of inspiration!! That part's not fun! But, thanks to the beautiful encouragement of my fellow collaborators, I am growing more confident as the books keep coming! Thank you all...

Journeys - Tracey's Book

My pages in Tracey's gorgeous book is an altered 'Kid's Trail' activity fold out that I picked up at the Qld Art Gallery whilst on a recent trip to Brisbane. The pages are titled 'Bloodline Only', as the trip was with my two sisters, brother and mum. I have altered some of the original images by overlaying with photocopy tape transfers after using coloured gesso and white pen to journal with. I also printed some of the photos I took whilst on this trip onto transparency film and have overlaid these onto other images in the fold out. Maps and pieces of ephemera I picked up whilst in Brisbane have also found themselves a home in this fold out.






One of the highlights of the trip, (which involved visiting art galleries and the State Library), was the viewing of a number of Artists' Books. One of the books we viewed was Helen's 'Around Brisbane' Artists' Book, a very gorgeous and interactive book, made up of pages from a Brisbane Road Map book with transfers of photographs that Helen took through the window of a car whilst driving around Brisbane!



The Journeys book was the first piece of art created by me in my new studio! The first artists to use the studio were my grandchildren!
Peta