Weekend shenanigans and my Happy Place.

This weekend was a corker. A winner. Do you know what a great weekend means? An image-heavy post, so look out!
I treated myself to an extra long weekend with my lovely man to spend a few days enjoying the amazing spring weather and each others company. I'm still so attuned to the seasons of the Northern hemisphere that I forgot how lovely this time of year can be... oh my gosh... here I go again, banging on about the weather! Hahaha.

I just can't help it though... as an ex-pat you have no idea how exciting it is for me to be able to get into shorts in Spring... well, any time of the year really!
Each year our town celebrates 'Springfest', a community event spread around the shores of the lake with market stalls, yummy food, vintage car show and heaps of stuff for kids. With that big ole sun shining I think the whole of Ballarat turned out for the event this year!

 My fave part by far had to be the awesome Chinese lanterns in the lantern making competition... Ballarat has a strong Chinese heritage from it's Goldrush days so I love seeing that multicultural history celebrated. Plus, how awesomely colourful are these lanterns!?

As if walking around the lake weren't enough for a Sunday, I made the executive decision that we were heading out bush... I can't get enough of camping and, yes, I do know it's not for everybody, but I really think camping in the forest is my Happy Place. Uppercase H uppercase P. It's that good. 
Do you ever find it hard to relax? I do. My brain whizzes around, spinning with so many ideas and inspirations and projects and worries all at once that sometimes I think my brain will implode on itself! I can 'chill' with the best of them, but I'm so rarely actually relaxed inside, just going through the motions of being at rest in the hope that my thoughts will give up the struggle and follow suit. 
 I can recall 1 time, in the past 4 years in which I was so relaxed I thought my brain would turn to mush.Yep. You heard me. One time. In 4 years. Wow, was that a good feeling. My whole bod felt different... like a big, cooked strand of spaghetti, soft and floppy and just hanging out like...urm... a cooked strand of spaghetti! 
Stick with me here because I'm going somewhere with this...  that one miraculous and marvelous occasion was on a week long camping excursion. Sure, I hadn't showered in days  except in river water, and my feet were black as a very black thing, and my hair felt like a grease-fest but I was happy and relaxed and it felt AWESOME. It can be pretty darn tiring being so tense all the time let me tell ya, and how I long to feel like spaghetti again.

Sometimes it's easy to forget about the things on your very doorstep. We are lucky in Ballarat to live close to a few State Forests which offer acres and acres of bush to explore and camp in and this season I'm keen to suss out some local places rather than taking the drive to the coast. I want to find some pretty places close our house for spontaneous getaways, quick refreshing retreats without the fuss and expense of camping on an organised site. And as long as there are trees and water I'm happy, be it ocean or river or creekside. 

Just 15 minutes down the road and we could have been a million miles from our house. Out of the city, down by the creek we threw up our tent and with the campfire lit I was one happy chappy.  Gathering wood and making some amazing coals to cook over just makes a process I already love that little bit better, food is so great delicious cooked over an open fire don't you think? The simplest fare is mouthwatering and I'm dreaming up all sorts of yummy things to cook up next time. Even a cuppa tastes better brewed in a billy and drunk from a tin mug.

In just one night sitting around that campfire, staring into it like it were television, I felt just a small part of me unwind, my clockwork loosened just a little and I got a taste of that illusive cooked spaghetti feeling.
As we sat there into the night, just me and my man, we watched the fire crackle and glow and listened to the noises of the bush at night, we both knew our next trip would be very close indeed and this year is Camping Year at our house.

Happy camping,  
X Steph

Ballarat Pop-up shop

For 7 days this Christmastime Ballarat talent will be featured in a pop-up retail shop in the centre of Ballarat and I'm the poster girl... well... my design has been featured on the poster... but I think that counts, haha. 
The store is aimed to showcase the varied makers and designers in the region and is a great opportunity to pick up some awesome handmade gifts this Christmas if you are in the area.

Laura Day, the event co-ordinator has featured me on the events blog and I have shared the interview below...  read on if you would like to hear more about me. Or not if you don't :)

The pop-up shop will be running from November 3rd - December 9th and is located in the Backspace gallery in Huyghue House behind the Ballarat Art Gallery.

"FEATURE : Steph Wallace

We just had to start off our first FEATURE post, with the one and only Steph Wallace. Steph is a super talented Paper-Cut Artist and the creative mind behind our beautiful Ballarat Pop-Up Shop branding image. Please read on to find out a little bit more about this talented lady…

Tell us a little bit about yourself Steph… and how you came to live in Ballarat?

I run a small independent art gallery in Ballarat called Red Brick Gallery, or ‘the brick’ as we affectionately call it. I’m originally from the UK and after traveling and working in the U.S I settled in Australia in 2005. After living in various parts of Victoria I was drawn back to the hills of the Central Highlands and tried my hand at living in the bush. I joined the Ballarat roller derby league in 2009 and as I began to become part of the Ballarat community I relocated into town a year later and have enjoyed putting down some roots since then.

What is your background and when did you start paper-cutting?

When I think about how to describe what I ‘do’ I get a bit confused… I studied ceramics and fine art in Edinburgh and although I still practice I wouldn’t describe myself strictly as an ‘Artist’, perhaps more as a ‘creative’. I write a blog, make stuff and nurture a business as well as create artwork and I love all those roles! I get a lot out of exploring new materials be they yarn, fabric, paint or timber and paper is my latest love. I adore the simplicity of paper and scalpel…. You can create so much from so little, with no fancy expensive equipment, just a bit of patience.

What or who inspires your work?

I have a large collection of vintage children’s books which is a great source of inspiration for me, both the vintage illustrations and the tales of adventure and fairy story. I love museum collections, the old cabinets of pinned beetles and pickled bits and pieces, and taxidermy. I really admire graffiti and street art for it’s use of colour and line. Obviously papercut artist and designer Mr Rob Ryan is a hero of mine too.

What is your work space like and what things do you like to surround you when you work?

I used to have a dedicated studio space but found I didn’t really use it… I like to be where the ‘action’ is so I constantly move the actual space that I work and just used the studio for storing my materials… fabrics, screen printing inks, paints, canvas, papers… you can never have too many art supplies! As I’m usually working in ‘the brick’ I often create at my desk or in the beautiful little garden behind the gallery… it has great light which is so useful as I’m always toteing my camera and recording moments for my blog. I guess that’s the joy of paper, it’s so easy to transport… my studio is where my heart is!

Where are your favorite places to go online for inspiration (blogs/websites etc…)

Don’t you just love the interweb?! It’s revolutionized living in a country town, now I can acess amazing artists and designers from around the world with a click of a button and, boy, is it good. I love Ausssie websiteThe Design Files, Lucy does an awesome job of traveling far and wide to meet some pretty amazing designers. My fave websites are more about staying inspired to create, and the girls over at ‘A Beautiful Mess’ inspire me not only to keep making and photographing but to work hard growing my business too. They inspire me to stay motivated an enjoy what I do!

What advice would you give other artists (just starting out?) or that might want to follow in your footsteps? 
 

It’s hard to see yourself as a role model for others…. but I guess when I was a graduate the path ahead seemed so long and unclear. There is no way I would have even hoped to be owning a gallery (no matter how small) 10 years later! For me it was a question of working out what really made me happy… I thought it was making things, and in part it is. But it’s actually how that creative act can bring you closer to people, help you form relationships and interact with people in your community, that’s what really makes me tick! Once I figured that out, the rest is now flowing. I’m no longer over-thinking, alone in my studio, but I’m getting out there and being inspired to create by my relationships with other motivated, down to earth people.

Where are your top 3 favorite places to go in Ballarat?

Vegas and Rose cafe on Humffray Street is a fave place to relax with an Earl Grey tea. They have simple and delicious food and the atmosphere is so welcoming and friendly. You can expect to be greeted by your name and a smile… the best bit about small-city living!

On a sunny day a picnic at Kirks reservoir is a must… it’s never busy, so a peaceful arvo in the beautiful traditional gardens is pretty much guaranteed. Maybe a little campfire even!

Ballarat is riddled with secret bike trails which meander along the many creeks. Exploring these with the dog is refreshing and inspiring… Lake Wendouree is very pretty too but there is something about the Yarowee River trail that always makes me feel like I’m on an adventure. A great place to collect mosses for my terrariums!"

Learning to slow down

It has been all go here at our bricks and mortar store the past few weeks. I have been BUSY and am still in that slightly manic head space of lists of things to do and projects to complete.
We have officially moved shops and are now inhabiting the shop next door to the original Red Brick Gallery  at 216 Skipton St, Ballarat. This new, lighter, fresher space is now home to the 'new and improved' Red Brick.

We have been working late into the evenings to renovate the new space, painting and plastering, writing signage, re-covering the awning, making shelves and finding new homes for stuff in the store room.
 But finally we are there, the new exhibition is installed, the shop is all in place and it's been a busy weekend trading.

There's still lots to be done behind the scenes (you don't want to see the disaster zone in the back rooms) but I am officially exhausted.

I came back from my overseas trip with a fresh perspective that I'm having problems implementing... I have soooo many projects, ideas and DIY's that I want to achieve. So many home and business improvements I want to make. When I think about how I would like my business to be, for my home to look, for my garden to thrive, there is always so much WORK to be done that its makes me feel.... Unproductive. Unsuccessful.

 I have realised that I spend waaay too much of life worrying about the NEXT thing to be done, too much time spent looking ahead thinking about the next job, what's still to be achieved. There is no room in my head for acknowledging and celebrating my achievements thus far and this is no good. I need to sit back, relax and pat myself a little on the back.

So that's what I'm going to do this week.... once I have put up those shelves, installed the washing machine, painted another coat of paint of the bathroom floor, planted some seeds, fertilised the garden, taken a load to the tip, hung the door, made some window boxes and sorted out my studio. Hahaha.

Meet the neighbours

Earlier this year I introduced you to textile artist Ailsinn Mckinnis, a talented neighbour of ours. Our bricks and mortar store is situated in a little enclave of Ballarat housing a number of artists and creative people.

The Red Brick building its self is also home to Mayfair Studios, an artists space where a number of local artists create and collaborate.

It's time to introduce another neighbour, Brock Sibley, one of my favourite painters I just can't get enough of his work!

Because I own and run an art gallery, it's sometimes expected to be a bit... well... wanky about art. You know, talk about the juxtaposition of the subject matter versus the blah, blah, blah.
It's not that I don't see the value in analysing artwork in this manner, far from it. I think the ability art has to really make you think about the big questions is inspiring... But I also think it's ok to assess art in terms of how much you LIKE it.
If a painting, or sculpture or drawing or piece of ceramics, makes you feel something, makes you want to look at it every day and have it in your home, then I'm sure that's all it's creator could ever wish for.

Brock Sibleys work ticks both of those boxes for me. Not only does Brock think pretty hard about the world around him but his painting are so beautiful to me that I want to hug them tight and put them in my pocket and give them pet names.

I want one BAD. No, scrub that, I want 10 of them!

Brock paints from his studio in our building but I first saw his work in a local university exhibition. A review by local arts reviewer Kent Wilson (curator of Golden Art Net arts website) said it better than I ever could...

"It takes a certain talent to be able to paint this badly, and still make it interesting. And I mean that in a truly complimentary way. After all, Picasso said it took him years of effort to finally be able to paint like a child again.... Sibley’s overlays of scribbles, paint patches, lines and blobs really managed to hold their own, on the precipice of falling into a chaotic mess – not unlike life itself really."

As I'm crafty like a fox I have done a nifty little swap with Brock recently... a website for a painting, lucky me. You can see it here. Introducing Mr Brock Sibley.... man, can he paint!



X Steph

Home is where the heart is

Oh goodness it feels good to be home.
I'm still processing the experience of our sojourn to my home land, there were some great times, some tough times, some home-truths, some inspiring moments, so much to see and do and feel I'm veritably overwhelmed by the whole experience!
I know one thing for sure though.... I have a good life, a rich life and a life filled with people I care about, I life I have worked hard to build and sometimes forget to celebrate. So raise your glasses and lets toast to living the dream. I am one lucky, lucky lady, and my home and heart are right here in rainy Ballarat, Australia.

So often in blogland you see apologies for absence, for not updating often enough. Like a teenage journal so often we recriminate ourselves for not documenting in writing because we are too busy living. I feel a little of this right now and so instead of the awkward 'catchup' post I'm going to jump right back in where I left off.

Right now my mind is in the garden. Whilst the weather here is so gosh-darn soggy and cold it's hard to picture the abundance that is a summertime garden but now is the time to prepare and I am on a tight budget, so this next week or so I will be preparing my little greenhouse for sowing seeds in readiness for Spring. Only a few weeks away until the weather begins to turn and the air and soil get a little warmer.
I'm dreaming of a herb wheel, a fruitful veggie garden, cascading hanging baskets and blooming window boxes heralding summer! The time to start is now, and with a little investment in seed and raising mix I will be well on the way come late spring.
X Steph

Good things come in small parcels

Today we have an exhibition opening for our annual Small Works Prize, showing works no bigger than 30x30cm. The event is promoted as an affordable opportunity for artists to exhibit their work and enter to win a prize package worth over $700.
This year we have had 50 different artists submit work and the winner will be announced this arvo at 3:30.

I really enjoy this event as it encourages really talented people who might be lacking a bit of confidence to come out of the woodwork and show what they can do! I'm discovering Ballarat seems to be breeding some amazing, young illustrators at the mo'. Can you tell which piece I might have already snagged?

(from left to right artwork by Brooke Barnett, Erin Bond Matheson, Megan Palmer)

(artwork by Brock Sibley, Amelia Kingston)

The prize is a web development package including a website or webstore as well as a page on our website and an artist feature on this blog so stay tuned to meet the winner once they are announced! 

I have popped a couple of small papercuts into the show just to be a part of things... don't worry, I shan't be the winner, teehee. Here are my works entitled 'The Fox and the Hare'. Strictly it's a rabbit, but I like the word 'Hare' better.

Have a wonderful weekend, it's a worker for me but I will be day-dreaming of my upcoming HOLIDAY! Huzzah!

X Steph

The Night The Earth Moved

When I was a kid there were so many things I wanted to experience that in my adult life I now realise would be pretty terrible. I really wanted to break a limb, just so I could have a cast for my friends to draw on. I wanted braces on my teeth as I thought they looked cute. I also wanted to know what it was like to experience an earthquake.

I can still only cross one of those things off my list (the agony of braces). Last night there was an earthquake here in Victoria. Measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale at its center in the East of the state, here in Ballarat the earth shook for a few seconds just before 9pm last night. I didn't feel a thing. I sat snuggled under a blanket cuddling the dog absorbed in the cheesy 80's glory of Steel Magnolias, reveling in how ace Dolly Parton really is.

I'm sure I didn't miss much but my inner child is slightly disappointed in myself for not noticing that the Earth shook. My adult self is pleased that there wasn't too much damage and nobody was hurt.

Did the Earth move for you last night?

X Steph

International Yarn Bombing Day 2012

Yesterday I got my bomb on and decorated some objects in our neighbourhood in honour of international yarn bombing day. It has become a tradition to cozy up the telegraph pole outside our shop and last year we celebrated the day with the local ABC radio team. This year I also wrapped up a bicycle to brighten up our shopfront.

Given that the winter here has felt so very Wintery so far it's been nice to see more of the locals getting in on the action too, it makes me warmer just looking at our efforts.

Here's hoping you had a really super weekend!

X Steph

Artists Block

I really enjoy creating papercut images, my noggin contains endless variations of images to reproduce in papercut format, but give me a commission and I'm stumped. I get papercutters block, I'm stumped, stupefied and stilted. There is something about working to brief that I find terribly tough... the pressure, the expectation, knowing that someone else other than me has to like it. Eeek!

I have often thought about being a storybook illustrator but I don't think I would be much chop... unless of course the images came first and then the story!
I have been faced with this dilemma a couple of times this year, having to generate designs for the signal box and just this week to come up with some ideas for a local project of a pop-up shop. I had a play with a couple of designs for their promo and eventually began to loosen up and have fun. I'm crossing fingers they are liked, which is your fave?

X Steph

Trunk and orderly

Thank you, thank you, thank you to Lucy from the Design Files for bringing to light another reason why Ballarat is AMAZING!
Meet Trunk and Orderly, Joel and Anna have rescued the Melbourne Everlite suitcase factory and transplanted it to Doveton St Ballarat where they manufacture the most amazing luggage using mainly vintage stock! Could it get any better?

(All images from Trunk and Orderly website)

You can see their work on their website, and an insight into their workshop on the Design Files.

X Steph

A helping hand

Marcia and I are passionate about what we do here at Red Brick, like any small business these first few years can be a struggle and we are working our butts off to support artists, designers and makers in our region and beyond.
We are in this for the long haul and are constantly looking to the future, we know that one day all this hard work will be worth it.
Marcia has entered us for a grant with Suncorp Banking, you can lend us a helping hand by voting in the peoples choice awards by clicking here!

 You can vote as many times as you like over the next few weeks but only once a day. This grant would make a huge difference to our business and the creative community of Ballarat so get voting and if you feel inclined please share the link with your friends too.

Thank you guys!
x Steph

Small Works prize 2012

It's that time of year again and we are opening entries for our annual Ballarat Small Works Prize.
We will be accepting all works in any medium at or under 30 x 30 cm in dimension. Last years exhibition saw nearly 100 works and this year is looking to be bigger and better. If you are interested in submitting works,don't be shy and hop over to the downloadable application form on our website. We are encouraging all to exhibit as this is an excellent change to show your work in an affordable way, with many gallery visitors and is an excellent way for artists of all levels of experience to show their works.

I will be working on a new paper cutting for the show (which of course won't be entered for judging) as I often need this kind of prompt to create new works I'm 'deadline orientated' in that way. How about you?

Tickets to a show

Myself and a whole bunch of my ace buddies are going to see Lanie Lane perform when she visits Ballarat this month, I saw her for the first time in the Nick Cave tribute show hosted by triple J and she was a highlight of the show for me!
If you don't know her work check out this clip of 'Aint Hungry', a tune produced by Jack White.
Will I see you there?
X Steph

Floral Friday 2.

Ok, so I know it's no longer Friday but I haven't quite got the hang of scheduling posts yet!
 Following on from last weeks Floral Friday I will be showing you how to use readily available blooms to produce on-trend floral displays giving you some hints and tips along the way.

This weeks design trend is SUCCULENTS.
Succulents are popping up everywhere in garden and floral design, from informal centerpieces to bridal bouquets.

Alongside the blooms and foliage I used last week I also cut some succulents from my little garden to make this cute, textural display

A handy little trick to keeping strong forms within small arrangements is to make little posies, tying them in place them with string or ribbon. By allowing these little bows to show you can also add interest and texture to your arrangements.

  

 I used jute twine to secure the succulents, and using short stems of flowers I made a 'dome' shape which I also tied. Pop these little arrangements into your vase or jar ( I used a sweet little milk jug) and make sure there are no spaces. A snugly packed arrangement will draw attention to the forms you have created rather than the spaces between them, in the same manner keeping to a simple mono-chromatic palette (in this case shades of green) will highlight shape over colour.

 Finish the arrangement with a little bow of ornamental grass around the vessel.
With smaller arrangements you will need to top the water up more frequently, so keep an eye on your display and you can enjoy it for at least a week. Once the other blooms fade you can pop the succulents in well drained soil and they will grow for future arrangements!
X Steph

Make your own Terrarium

I first fell in love with terrariums earlier this year. When I saw these amazing little worlds at a local market, straight away  knew I would have to make some and immersed myself with researching how these mossy micro climates were created.
The first thing I discovered is there there are more than one type of terrarium, there are dry, arid versions and there are moist mossy counterparts and they need distinctly different conditions to survive. The lush, vibrant greens of the moss terrarium really appeal to me, discovering the key to a successful moss terrarium is creating it's own sealed micro climate makes the concept even more satisfying.

Constructing a terrarium is pretty simple and doesn't really need that many specialist supplies. You will need a glass vessel with a lid, preferably large enough to fit your hand through the opening until you become a pro. You will also need some gravel, charcoal granules (I got mine from our local pet shop as it's often used in fish tank filters), potting mix, some props to create fun scenarios and of course moss.

I collected moss from beside a local creek, you will find it growing in damp, shady spots often on rocks or wood facing away from the sun (in the southern hemisphere that is South, very confusing to this northern-hemisphere girl!)
Prise the moss away from the surface with a blunt knife or paint scraper and try to bring with it any soil or surface it is attached to, this will help when transplanting it. Pop it in a plastic bag, this will help keep it moist and alive until you get chance to replant it.
You can buy dried moss from a florist or online, once you rehydrate it eventually it will become lush and green again under the correct conditions.

Begin with a layer of the charcoal, this will prevent your micro-climate from growing mould, then add a layer of gravel for drainage. Above that place a layer of potting mix or soil, it need not be deep and the quality need not be rich, as moss gathers it's nutrients from the air. Make the soil either domed or sloped in shape as this helps with drainage then cover with the moss.

It's now time to create your own little world! There are an abundance of miniature figures and props available online used to creating model railways. I bought a chain-gang, park bums and gravestone set in N scale, this makes the figures 11mm high IE. teeny tiny. I think in hindsight I should have purchased HO scale which is a little bigger!

To make my figures stand I glued itty-bitty stalks of wire to each prop and once dry inserted into the moss to make a grave-robbing scene.

 

 To care for your terrarium you will need to mist it with a spray bottle every so often if the moss feels dry. Don't over water it though and if you see water sitting in the gravel then leave the jar open to allow some liquid to evaporate. If you mostly leave the jar closed it will 'water' itself through condensation. Keep your micro-world out of direct sunlight and open the lid every so often to allow air to circulate, if you want to show your terrarium off, then open the lid to let any condensation on the glass disperse.
I'm now on the lookout for a nice old magnifying glass for my visitors to view my little cemetery and think I might make some more for our shop, I think they would make really terriffic wedding or Mothers day pressies.

How to take cuttings from succulents

The succulents in my garden are making little 'babies' all over the place at the moment and I'm working on a number of ways to make the most of the offspring. I found these sweet mini buckets in my local dollar store and thought they would look awesome on my kitchen windowsill, a spot that gets the afternoon sun long into winter. They will be perfect as succulents don't need much watering so will save the buckets from rusting.

 I delved into my stash of sample paint pots and picked these three fresh colours, they remind me of my trip through the New Mexico desert and those pretty painted stucco houses. I painted a couple of coats onto the bottom half of the buckets and allowed to dry.

Succulents thrive in well drained soil, too much moisture will causes the roots to rot, so a combination of potting mix and sand will do nicely to plant them in. You could also use a specialist succulent potting mix but I had the sand in the garden from paving last month.

 

Taking cutting from succulents is as easy as pie, just cut a section of the main plant with secateurs and pop into the new pot. Simple as that! I have also heard that allowing the cutting to dry for a week or so before planting helps it root. I would imagine this process emulates the natural process of arid regions.
The plant in the center is Aloe Vera so will be handy in the kitchen, just in case of burns!
I shall pop these in their new home and let you see how they look.
Happy slump-day!
X Steph