Monday 19 December 2011

we're a happy bunch of grumpies here!

Happy Monday everybody!

It's been a brilliantly busy weekend here at Grumpy Star Studio. We were out and about at Parap Markets on Saturday for a bumper pre-Christmas weekend; meeting new faces, talking Fimo and illustration techniques and, best of all, exchanging lots of happy smiles. I'm sure Adam Hills mentions in one of his skits how fabulous and surreal it is to be a comedian- people working in I.T. for example, aren't treated to a clap and a cheer for switching on their computers in the morning, or remembering their passwords (though they should be- I'm still amazed I can find the 'on' button on my beast of a thing, let alone designing programs on it!). Now- don't misunderstand me here- I'll grant you I've learned a sense of wit in my impending 26 years, but people have yet to pay me for telling jokes (or fixing computers). All the same, both of us are fortunate to have jobs that make others just as happy as we are to do them.

Speaking of computers- you might notice a few changes around here. After ten or so hours of tweaking, the blog has been almost completely overhauled and is looking pretty darn nice if I do say so myself! If you click on the button marked 'exhibition' you'll also find a complete inventory of the 30 works that made it into my recent show at Woods Street Gallery, 'Strange Creatures, Sweet Allsorts'. Plans are already in the pipes to add other posts to this list in the coming year, so stay tuned!

And onto the subject of exhibitions, I'm very happy to share with you all that mine and Dave's work is now proudly shown at one of Darwin's best art galleries, Framed. You'll find our lovely lolly necklaces on show in the 'Flower Power' exhibition, run alongside the December show, 'Laughter is the Best Medicine'. Today we dropped off a few of the paintings from the Woods Street show that have yet to find loving homes, so keep your peepers peeled for these, too.

And for all of my lovely supporters out there who have contacted me in the past about buying online- there is lots of work going on behind-the-scenes for the grand opening of our Etsy Shop in early 2012! Hooray!

Hoping you have a brilliant day wherever you might be.
Mel x




Sunday 11 December 2011

alicia of hearts


Hullo again dear readers!

My show 'Strange Creatures, Sweet Allsorts' has now been hanging merrily for a little over a week, and I am very happy to tell you that it has been received fabulously well! Friends, family and everyone else in between came from all corners of our fair city to support me, wish me well and make my night so wonderful.

After sixteen months of working towards it, it's so satisfying to know I don't honestly feel I could have put on a better debut show. Everything looked so smashing thanks to Paul and Don at Don Whyte Framing, who have spent weeks working with Dave and I comparing and ordering mouldings, talking tonal values, offering framing advice and just generally being wonderful.

To accompany these gorgeously framed pictures, I wrote stories about each of the images and how they came from being ideas in my head to pictures on paper. So many people commented on my writing, which is humbling and wonderful, because I do love words, and it's nice to make good sentences when one can manage it.

Everyone lingered long and attentively, reading and looking at my pictures carefully in the same way I look at my children's books. This, I think, is the very highest compliment- to watch people give themselves over to something, to stop whatever else they're doing to study something- to know it's something I've made myself that they're looking at- is so affirming. It is wonderful to know I can do something I love and to be able to share it. A couple came into the gallery yesterday and the gentleman said to me by way of goodbye: 'I came in feeling quite grumpy, and now I feel really relaxed. Your work has taken me somewhere else'.

Dave was not without his fair share of admiration on the opening night either: toiling well into the previous Thursday night to prepare no less than 150 macarons, (only one of which was left uneaten at the end of the night very probably because it was smooshed up in the crush to stuff salivating gobs Darwin over); he was rewarded with the sound of many ladies sighing in plaintive tones: 'I wish my husband made macarons for me!' Dave and I are so compatible that way- he cooks and I love eating, so all is as it should be.

And now, with around half the exhibition promised to happy buyers at the end of the week when it all comes down, my mind is already on another, and other projects besides. Stay tuned!

In the meanwhile, here's a little something I managed in between times that didn't make it to the show. 'Alicia of Hearts' is already on my market shop table in a limited edition of 30, and would make the perfect present for every little girl from 3 to 103 who has a fondness for all things pink. She is of course inspired by that wonderful little girl who falls down a rabbit-hole and captures the heart of everyone who remembers what it is to be a child in a world of adults who talk a lot of nonsense.   

All nice things for a wonderful weekend wherever you and your heart might roam.
Mel x


Friday 2 December 2011

sweet press



Only hours to go now! I was stoked to find this wonderful article in today's copy of the NT News promoting tonight's opening. A huge thanks to Caine Edwards for his words and Michael Franchi for coming in to take photographs on Wednesday.

And in other exciting news, I've also only just this minute received a call from the ABC in Alice Springs- be listening in at 6.25 tonight folks!

And now I'm off to attend to hair and dress and other important things- see you there!

Mel x
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