On Wednesdays I head up the highway to East Lynne, into a clearing in the bush. In a shed surrounded by eucalypts, women gather, four or five of us most weeks, for a day creating. I write a bit, but mainly eavesdrop on wide-ranging conversations, as the other women paint and chat. My drafts are very rough: my creative pleasure is watching paintings evolve.
L, our host, is an Aboriginal woman, using dots in a non-traditional way, creating a vase of leaves. M. is doing a series based on waterholes – the current one evolved into a crane, and she visualises his raucous cry, using dots in a fountain above his head. L's painting is fantastical, and vivid with pinks and purples: it shows a figure having a haircut. Four disembodied hands are cutting bum-length hair to skull-fuzz: as it falls to the ground it turns into tiny snakes and lizards and other half-real creatures. She too ended up using dots to define the carpet. I wondered how I could incorporate dots into writing – a piece composed entirely of full-stops perhaps. Maybe one time soon I too will dare a paintbrush.
We celebrate a birthday with a lunch feast, using crystal and best china, sharing food we each bring, and finishing with a red velvet cake.
I'm posting this with a link to Paula's Thursday's Special, although it's really a case of Wednesday's special for me!
http://bopaula.wordpress.com/2014/09/18/thursdays-special-favourite/
Pingback: Thursday’s Special: Favourite | Lost in Translation
Paula said:
What is a red velvet cake? The idea of 5 classy ladies bringing their best china and crystal into the woods is charmingly quirky. No photos of their creations or your draft keeps me wondering .. the photos report of nice weather and beautiful, art-inspiring scenery. I am flattered it was linked to my post. Sending you my warmest greetings Meg 🙂
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morselsandscraps said:
Can I wax lyrical about the red velvet cake? It was a deep plush maroony-red with the cake-density I remember from childhood: light-dense, not dense-dense like mud cake. The sides were covered with textured icing in the same rich colour, the texture coming from cake-crumbs, we decided. The pink flowers on the top surprised by tasting of chocolate. Another birthday soon: I’ll photograph, although it may not be red velvet.
I wanted to photograph the paintings, but I’m new to the group, and I need to be sure they trust me before I ask to blog their work.
Warmest greetings to you too. Has the flooding eased?
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Heyjude said:
Love the gatepost 🙂
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morselsandscraps said:
I was so glad I stopped to photograph. It’s easy just to drive through. Stopping gave me these shots of bush and shadows and also amazing shots of a large yellow pea flower – another eggs and bacon. It will star in a spring posting I can feel coming on.
Off to Canberra for a weekend of galleries and catch-up with an old friend from my working days and maybe Floriade. Enjoy whatever you plan for your weekend, cyber-friend.
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Heyjude said:
Ooh, look out for PP and Jack – she mentioned Floriade recently. Have a great weekend 🙂
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Lucid Gypsy said:
I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on writing, I’d be too busy watching and listening”
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morselsandscraps said:
Why is it I feel writing is a lesser skill? Once I get more embedded in the group, I’ll take myself off outside for a bit of focused writing, but for now I need to bond.
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restlessjo said:
I feel the same, Meg. I’d so love to be properly artistic but all I can do is gawp at other people’s creations.
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