Aboriginal art

This is the art I have never seen before I came to Australia.
Even when I came to Australia, for a long time it was just a souvenir shop stuff.
Not much interested.

This all changed since I met Mayumi san.
She is my friend, mentor and sister in Australia, and she is an Aboriginal Art Coordinator. The collections she has are very different from souvenir shops and I realised these were the genuine aboriginal arts.
I sometimes just stayed at her then gallery looking around, sitting on the floor staring at my favorite. After she closed her city gallery, now she still let me look around, sit on the floor staring at my favorite at her place. I know I should buy one or two and do it at home ;p

Few months ago, she invited me to her place to see Maureen.
When we arrived, Maureen was drawing. Dots became lines, lines became dune in the outback. The way she drew itself was like drifted by the wind. We couldn’t tell where she will land the next dot. I could just keep looking at her drawing and never got tired of it.
As well as being a great artist, she is a charming lady. We all had great night chatting with her and listening to her stories.

Next time I saw Maureen was again at Mayumi san’s place and that was a night before they are leaving for Japan!
She was little concerned about not being able to eat kangaroo meat during her stay. Except for that, she seemed excited! I even helped dye her hair for the coming special event!
She will be attending and drawing at the exhibition in Kobe organised by Mayumi san.

Here is a sneak peak of what you will see at the exhibition. They were so beautiful and I wish I could go to the exhibition to see them properly framed and hanged. Or I wish I could buy them!! (* they are not Maureen’s but other artists’ works.)
Here is the detail of the exhibition if you are in Kobe.
Clicking on the bellow picture will lead you to Mayumi san’s Website in Japanese.

date: tuesday 1 november ~ sunday 6 november
11:00am～6:00pm（sunday till 5:00pm）

place: galley kitanozaka http://www7.ocn.ne.jp/~kitano/
Kobe-shi, Chuo-ku, Yamamoto do-ri, 1-7-17 WALL AVENUE 2F

Feltball rings

This is what I’m making now. Still need finishing touch but can’t help trying them on!
This simple but huge ring is fun to wear.
I made the first one for myself at first, but it’s gone to the new owner very quickly. My friend liked it very much and she bought it.

She told me so many people talked to her and compliment this ring.
“She is just being nice to me”
This is what I thought at first.
It changed when we went to the restaurant together. People actually come to compliment her ring and it lead us to start the conversation with girls sat next to us and we actually had really great time.

It was really precious moment for me.
I feel grateful when people like what I made, but it makes me really happy to see people wearing it happy and get compliment from others.

So I am hoping someday soon these rings make future owners happy

Oh by the way, this is NOT a single ring with lots of balls, but I am wearing a lots rings with a ball. Just in case I confused you…

Girlie cafe with a girl friend

Cute tiny cupcake!

Me and my friend was supposed to walk around the Albert Park Lake.
Last time, I was too tired and this time she was.
When we are tired, we need something sweet!!
So we changed our plan and went to this cute cafe.
I have been to the original Yarraville one but I think this cafe is more girlie.
We enjoyed endless chatting with a cuppa, which seemed to be the most proper thing to do here

I wondered why they didn’t do table service. There seemed to be enough staff, and it took us for a while to realise we had to order at the counter. Or at least, it would be nice if they just reminded us about that, when we arrived. We were the only customers in the cafe.

I only had tea and petit cupcake, so I might not be able to judge well, but tiny cake was cute, sweet and yummy. So I think I will come again

urbanspoon rocks!

Felt balls

It’s quite hard work to make felt balls. Especially for my back!
Yet, how cute they are! It’s all worth it.

Cat lovers paradise

In Japan, stray cats are easily spotted. That was one of the things I miss Japan as well as food and shopping.

When I used to live in western suburb, I only knew one cat which looked very similar to our Shiro. Some of my friends even surprised to see her/him on the street! But that was it.
I still liked there because I could spot pelicans flying from my windows! How stunning!

When I moved to this south-east suburb apartment, I didn’t know this is cat lover’s paradise!

Here are some of my neighbors.

Continue reading →

Beach and Ice cream

I love beach.
I love the sound of wave, and I love the ocean breeze that bring the scent of the sea.

Maybe half of my blood is from a little island floating middle of Genkai Sea.
(and I love the city life as another half is from one of the biggest city in the world!)

Whenever I have a chance, I go to beach. Just sit there and do nothing much.
I love the smell of the autumn beach the best. I can’t tell why but always feel nostalgic.
Winter is freezing cold by the beach but the air is clearer and refreshing.
In spring, I can stay at the beach longer and how happy I feel every first no-jacket at the beach day.
And Summer! I can’t wait to eat ice cream sitting on the beach, and I love burying my feet in the sand to cool down.
It’s pity I found never-in-the-beach days since I came to Melbourne.
That is when heat wave comes. Too hot to get to the beach, too hot to stay, ice cream would turn in to shake straight away.

Now I am waiting for the day to put my feet under this soft and shiny sand.

Yes, I love ice cream too.
If you are in Melbourne I highly recommend Jock’s.
In this spring, me, yoshi and mr A have tried and tested many popular ice cream shops around the town. Sometimes we tried 2 shops in a day.
And we decided Jock’s is the best unanimously!

Soon I will be at the beach eating Jock’s icecream!!
Just thinking about it makes me happy

Catching up with friends at Kamel

We have been to this Middle Eastern/ North African restaurant once few yeas ago and kept saying we should go again soon.
Finally we made it!

Kamel serves mezze style dish, like tapas, which is great to share with friends.
We ordered 6 dishes with 5 people and that made us full and happy.

Everything was yummy and hard to decide which one was my favorite but I think I liked their patatas bravas the best(top right in the pictures). That was fried potatoes and roasted onions with aioli. Runner up was the “honey & fennel pork belly, apple & walnut salad”(bottom right) i guess. The pork was perfect, most and skin was crispy!

I should go back again soon:)

Together with great food, I enjoyed catching up with my friends.
With different nationalities, ages, interests, we still couldn’t stop chatting!!

Red Cross Appeal Report and Thank you

It’s been 7 months since my country was hit by huge quake together with the horrific big wave. Recovery is still underway and the nukes problems are big concern for everyone.

I joined some fundrasing events, organised one, and I also raised fund online by participating Australian Red Cross “Japan and Pacific disaster 2011 appeal”.

As Australian Red Cross closed the appeal, I would like to thank everyone who helped me to raise the fund. We have raised $837.65 online only.
Sad thing doesn’t have to be all bad. I was really touched by many people, friends and even strangers through this devastating disaster. I’d like to thank you who donated and concerned about my country. You all are awesome!

Appeal

Australian Red Cross has closed the Japan and Pacific Disaster Appeal 2011.

The appeal has raised more than $23.5 million.

The funds raised through this appeal are being used to support communities affected by the earthquake in Japan and the resultant tsunami that reached numerous countries around the Pacific Rim and within the Pacific Ocean. The funds are being used to:

Provide earthquake and tsunami affected communities, displaced families and their host families with emergency relief, equipment and recovery assistance

Send specialist aid workers to assist in relief, recovery and longer term disaster management operations

Support the work of Japanese Red Cross Society and other Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies from affected countries in assisting people devastated by this disaster.

People can still donate by visiting the Japanese Red Cross Society website’s Emergency Relief section.

Saturday at NGV: Vienna Art & Design

“Der Zeit ihre Kunst. Der Kunst ihre Freiheit
(TO THE AGE ITS ART,TO ART ITS FREEDOM)”
That was the motto of the Vienna secessionist and written above the entrance of the secession building.

Last weekend was the last of the winter masterpiece “VIENNA ART & DESIGN” at NGV.
I was interested but thought entry fee was too dear, so just ignored about it whole winter.
However, my friend gave me free tickets just few days before it ended. Lucky me!!

I don’t know much about art and history, but, of course, I know Klimt.
I heard it was the first time and last that we could see “Fritza Riedler” and “Emilie Flög” togehter in Australia. They were both beautiful but I prefered “The park” or other landscape drawing in square canvas. I loved the lights and shadows in the drawings.

Also “Beethoven Frieze” was the highlight. The drawing on the wall was astonishing!
You can have a look at some pictures on secession website.
Some parts were scary but I really loved the last “Ode to Joy” part. The angels in pink dresses and flowers were so cute.

In the exhibition, there were many other artist like Otto Wagner and Egon Schiele. Their drawings and designs were very modern, and I was surprised to see the drawing of the people then in fluffy dresses! These artists must be treated like weird people!

I also loved the lithographs. It’s pity that there were no cards or prints sold at the shop.

I found a Japanese print as well at the exhibition and although it looked out of place, I felt bit proud to know these artists were inspired by the Japanese arts.

Thanks to my friend, we had really good time!

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craft, photography and life down under

Monthly Archives: October 2011