Graham-Hay

You don't get any pudding until you eat your clay...

2011-11-13T01:22:00.000-08:00

Geophagy

Now that's a strange subject.

The "practice of eating earthy or soil-like substances such as clay", etc

It's good because it absorbs toxics, aids digestion, reduces risk of Crohn's Disease in children (adding healthy bacteria within the digestive tract) and is beneficial for foetal development (presumable due to trace elements).

Despite it's historical widespread occurrence in a lot of cultures, it's gone out of favour.

Maybe because it is associated with being "dirt poor"(poor is not fashionable-an't that a comment on society :)), also due to the assendance of companies advertising dirt removers and germ killers.

I suspect that along with pottery classes, it's on it's way back.

I'll be looking for dirt/clay cookies on the shelf at the supermarket to see when it comes around again.....

Fizz

2011-08-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

De-text and de-photo your world....

I'm a visual guy and I'm tired of writing and reading on the web, Facebook, LinkIn et. al.

Who doesn't take smart phone photos of articles or information or objects we find interesting.

Weeks, months later I was go through mine, and deleting the superficial rubbish.

Today I revisited a photo of an article about Fizz, a visual record of Facebook.

Despite the likely yawn factor, I checked it out and it's great - time based bubbles!

Check it out at http://fizz.bloom.io/

De-text and de-photo your world....

PS Google won't let me post the 3 capital letters of the title i.e. What the fizz. talk about prudish.

Rethink recycle reuse

2011-07-18T21:34:00.000-07:00

Rethink recycle reuse.

After attending an Ceramic Arts and Design for a Sustainable Society Symposium in Gothenburg, Sweden, I have been reassessing my studio methods and artforms.

Japan is way ahead of the curve, recycling by grinding up, mixing, making and firing their old ceramics into the Re-Tableware product lines for nearly a decade.

All I have to do is figure out how to do this in Western Australia and then convince my peers, educational institutions, students to contribute their lesser quality work.!

Email Scam targeting Artists

2011-03-29T14:55:00.000-07:00

A fellow artist in our studio received an email from a prospective buyer.

While we were excited for her, I did suggest she google the email address and name (also you should do the same for key phrases in the email.

Unfortunately, this came up with the posting at http://stopartscams.blogspot.com/2011/03/scam-email-thomas-bill.html and http://stopartscams.blogspot.com/2011/03/scam-email-robin-map-ii.html

The former Scam had the robinmap1@gmail.com email address but an almost an identical email

"From: Thomas Bill [mailto:thomasbill11@ymail.com]
Sent: Friday, March 25, 2011 7:22 AM (the one sent to our artist was sent Sunday, March 27, 2011 3:16 AM)
Subject: leave the shame behind

Hello,

I go through your art work and i really like your creative, due to this i really have the interest in buying this your work, so kindly email me the price of it and the info about the work because i really like it and also my wife also have an interest in it as well because we saw it together from your web and we want to buy it.

Hope to read from you,

Best Regards.

Thomas."

In both cases the scammer uses the skype user id thomasbill11

He claimed to live in the Netherlands, sought the Artists Name for the cheque, address to send the "cheque or money order" and phone number.

Later he was very insistent on using his own shipping company and paying via a Money Order payment.

The language was very poor english.

You have been warned, spread the word!

Yes, the iPhone runs on African Maths

2011-03-12T22:40:00.000-08:00

When Ethno-mathematician" Ron Eglash looked at aerial-view photos of African villages, and then talked to them, he discovered they are DELIBERATELY laid out to form perfect fractals, with self-similar shapes repeated in the rooms of the house, and the house itself, and the clusters of houses in the village, in mathematically predictable patterns.

As he puts it: "When Europeans first came to Africa, they considered the architecture very disorganized and thus primitive. It never occurred to them that the Africans might have been using a form of mathematics that they hadn't even discovered yet."

Source: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/ron_eglash_on_african_fractals.html

more explainations

More images

I see this as visual maths

So you have to be good at maths Ash, to be a good artist, just like music!

Paperclay Video

2011-02-25T20:10:00.000-08:00

After a year of buying equipment and mastering it and a dozen associated software programs I am beginning to roll out a series of free high definition video lessons on making and using paperclay.

The logic is simple, and the same reason as building the 120 page website:

To reduce the demands on my time and costs of providing information to the growing tide of requests for information and advise.

So get your cup of coffee/tea/cool drink (it's 39 °C / 102.2 °F here today!) and click on the link below.

And, if you have the time do let me know how I can make it better, request a technique demonstration....

http://www.grahamhay.com.au/paperclayvideos.html

cheers

Graham

Get Great Google Search Results! Pay me $200

2011-02-07T01:43:00.000-08:00

This was the message in a phone call from an English accented salesman this evening.

He claimed to be from a company called "Chrome Media", and then told me to type in "Google Expert" into Google to get to their website.

That's strange...

So I typed in the company name instead.

Second entry read

Fixed Fee Google Adwords Scam - Avoid companies like Dotcom Chrome ...

You have been warned, spread the word.

Later 19 May 2011. Guess what?

Another call today from the same company. They must be making money, to afford ringing my mobile phone from the UK. Not only that they had obviously taken the time to researched my art forms and knew a lot about me. So people of Perth be careful!

2011-01-31T22:46:00.000-08:00

I've just spent a fair part of my family holiday writing a paper about the ecological issues facing ceramic artists; for

Ceramic Arts and Design for a Sustainable Society:

International Ceramics Symposium 2011

7-11 March, Sweden

Those who are interested in this area may not be aware that there has been a

"Call for Papers to address the symposium themes":

If you are interested in contributing, or attending, further information is on the symposium webpage at www.ics2011.com

Hope to see you there...

Where do I put my images?

2011-01-04T17:07:00.000-08:00

One of the interesting things about the internet is the multiple of channels for presenting art.

As a digital content producer, as opposed to a digital consumer, I spend a huge amount of time assessing, uploading, organising and linking image and text about my and others art.

The challenge is finding the best website or services which:

1) are visually pleasant (ie not cluttered with advertising)

2) easy to navigate (see all thumbnails, flick between larger images, dig down to descriptions, post comments etc)

3) are seen by the right audience (eg peers vs collectors vs art administrators vs publishers vs art loving public, prospective students vs current students vs friends).

As a guide of some of the possibilities out there I provide the following examples to you:

my website I used to put thumbnails, so those on dialup could quickly see all (small) images. Then as broadband rolled out I inserted larger images below with descriptions. Note how (usually) you could only see one large image at a time as you scroll down (lit walking to each sculpture in a gallery.

Paperclay Sculptures on the Behance Network A Creative Professional Platform. In my mind a relatively untested venue.

Paperclay Sculptures on Facebook and Compressed Paper Sculptures on Facebook

I put both up so you can see how they have received different levels of comments (at the bottom). While it is great to see the comments and who made them, it's hard to gauge the response of those who may have looked, but not commented. Is there a website where you can track numbers, source and time on each image? Ideally this would give me the feedback I get to your art from being in the crowd at my own exhibition, or by babysitting my own exhibition.

Flickr

Flickr is a photocentric service, but not good for much else

One I'm currently looking more closely at the moment is the loop, which is an Australia/NZ Creative Industries focused website (a rare thing). This link will explain who, what, why.

Your comments/advise/suggestions are welcome as I continue to add/edit this post (become a Follower-make this less public discussion than Facebook walls).

Ah, someone thinking along the same lines:

"The greatest challenge we will face is how to measure the quality of talent. The solution will be community curation. Aided by tools like Digg, Facebook's "Like" button, and the "Appreciate" feature on Behance.net, communities are starting to curate themselves. Anything from articles to pieces of art can now be sorted based on consensus.

But the insights of the critical mass aren't enough. For example, when evaluating the quality of a photograph, the opinions of 1,000 photographers should matter more than that of 1,000,000 random people. This is the difference between a "critical mass" and a "credible mass." The "credible mass" will enable creative professionals around the globe to get new opportunities based on the quality of their work." source: article by Scott Belsky

A cautionary tale to art administrators

2010-10-22T03:07:00.000-07:00

If you ever employ or recommend to be employed, for give a grant to friends who are artists you might like to read this.

The internet has made your life and job a lot more transparent.

Even the most experienced Perth art administrators are making this mistake.

I just thought of this when I noticed the organiser of a series of talks was regularly employing their university class mate.

So I just put both their names in separate sets of quote marks into Google.com eg "Art Adminstrator name" "Artist name" together into Google.

Guess what?

6 pages of 59 results in 0.19 seconds.

Including the fact that they went to the same university art school, in the same year. And that they exhibited regularly over the last two decades.

Please be careful! Be objective, not subjective in your sections of who you promote.

3D Printing

2010-09-11T02:09:00.000-07:00

I was researching a 2008 ABC TV program about 3D printing for two Italian ceramic artists, and found some really interesting things about 3D printing:

Then I've thought up with a few variations for the ceramics profession.

Why? As a ceramic artist I am part of the small manufacturing sector, which has a bias towards the hand or simple machined (we call it a wheel or slipcasting) out of a plastic material called "clay". As you know I'm using a variation of this called paperclay/paper clay/pclay(TM).

These days, with a computer and a 3D printer, there is the technology to produce any "plastic" 3D object!

See it at http://www.dimensionprinting.com

Don't have the US$15,000 for the printer?

For those without the small fortune need to buy one of these digital replicators visit http://reprap.org/wiki/WebHome to see how to build it yourself (video at http://vimeo.com/5202148) for under AUS$1000!

What I'm now researching is, is it possible to print clay/paperclay using a variation of these machines?

Look at the work of Antonella Cimatti, Italy and her paperclay techniques. It would be a small step to put a paperclay paste squirt nozzle as the printer head on the 3D printer!

Imaging you break a cup or plate? Just go to your computer, download a file from the web, and overnight your paperclay printer could printout a new 3D paperclay cup or plate (with premixed oxides in the paperclay slip-to give it colour), which you speed dry, spray on a clear glaze as a sealer and then fire it. Within the week you will be using it!

Or see a ceramic artwork you like on the net? Imagine downloading a file, email it to you local ceramic art studio, and they'll print out your artwork, decorate and fire it according to the artists instructions(also downloaded) and deliver it to you within a week!

next day:

Update: What do you know!

It's being done (but not in paperclay)

Designguide.tv interview from Unfold on Vimeo.

See it at ttp://vimeo.com/11706604 (thanks to Daniel Harmsworth, Challenger TAFE eTech Centre for the links)

for the first ceramic 3D printer-they call it a virtual potting wheel and ceramic printer!

(L’Artisan Electronique is an installation commissioned by Z33 Art Centre for the exhibition Design by Performance and developed in collaboration with Tim Knapen and the RepRap community, from 14 March 2010 to 30 May 2010 at Z33 Hasselt, Belgium)

Next day (Sept 13 2010)

Update:

Others are usinga binding "glue" (and compression) with the clay powder (less safe process) in a modified 3D printer

Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmVLQHAH-V4&feature=player_embedded

(John Balistreri and researchers from Bowling Green State University, first printed ceramic material in 2007)

Update 22 April 2011

Jennifer Lewis at the University of Illinois are, what I call, "micro-clay printing" lattices of special inks (ceramic, metal or polymeric materials). containing a mixture of fast- and slow-drying solvents.

Anyone want to bet that it's got cellulose fibre (ie paperclay) in it?

Thanks to Antonella Cimatti for alerting me to this!

UPDATE: Order your 3D printed ceramic vase online! (30 July 2011)

It's happened! There is now a company trailing 3 D printing of glazed ceramics. http://www.shapeways.com provides a service where you order an object in ceramic, it's printed out, fired, glazed, fired and then shipped to you. They are trailing the service to gauge consumer demand until August 2011. Do go online buy something and help keep the momentum going, I am.

UPDATE: Others working in this area from the ceramics community 10/8/11

SOFA 2011 PR featured Michael Eden's 'wedgewoodn't tureen' (video at http://vimeo.com/12295823).

InterviewSee it at ttp://vimeo.com/11706604 on Vimeo.

more on Michael, from his Gallery's website here

Still Cheaper 3D Printers (Update 12/1/12):

www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16503443

is a BBC Story about $1200 household 3D printers likely to drop to $500 within a year
(Thanks Michael F. for the new link)

Money for nothing, and the chicks for free.... huh?

2010-06-21T23:09:00.000-07:00

I was amazed to see that on my computer I have over 10,000 contacts in the Visual Arts.

So when changing over to a new contact managing software, how do I decide whom to keep, and whom to delete?

The WA Grant recipient list is an interesting social and cultural map.

It might provide some indicator of artists who are very "serious about their art".

Anyone who has gone through the hours of writing an application and the report afterwards will know what I mean.

You have to be serious to both do the paper work, and to be given the grant. The grant system is a competitive system, officially based upon the quality of the images and art, plus the documentation you provide must indicate a commitment to art and originality of ideas.

So, who are they, these serious people?

Guy Ben-Ary
Cecile Williams
Clare Davies
David Turley
Jillian Kempson
Jurek Wybraniec
Lynnette Voevodin
Maria Madeira
Nalda Searles
Pamela Gaunt
Patrizia Tonello
Penelope Forlano
Ryan Caitlin
Thomas Edward Heidt
Trevor Richards
Tunya Versluis
Yvonne Doherty
Britt Salt
Kate Alicia Faulds
Elizabeth Delfs
Bello Benischauer
Elisabeth M. Eitelberger
Helen Ruth Smith
David (Nick) Horn
Peter Bowles
Anne Clifton.
Susan Mader
Renee Evans
Josephine Stone
Bradley Wynn
Darren Clayton
Tim Besley
Cindy Poole
Margie Oldfield
Emily Gibson
Katrina Black
Wendy Robertson
Michelle Siciliano
Susan Allwood
Olga Cironis
Adam Fiannaca
Therese Howard
Mariana Mazzurra
Nickolina Ergic
Daniel Romanin
Catherine Higham
Tony Nathan
Marilyn Robinson
Pilar Mata Dupont
Joshua Lloyd Webb
Patricia Shirley Smith
Bernard Taylor
Gregory Pryor
Katherine Thamo
Ionat Zurr
Kirsten Hudson
Paul Fields
Orion Taylor
Material Boy
Aurelio Costarella
Arif Satar
Monique Tippett
Geoffrey Drake-Brockman
Sonia Audino
Silvana Cristillo
Stuart Williams
Jennifer Cochrane
Christian De Vietri
Tristan Blair
Kristy Correy
Renee Glastonbury
Layli Rakhsha
Peter Dailey
Michael Iwanoff
Marie Hatzis
Lisa Jefferson
Moria Doropoulos
Ebony Frost
Marilyn Chester
Brad Rimmer
Yolande Pickett
Bennett Miller
Njalikwa Chongwe
Emma Louise Caporn
Jocelyn Gregson
Juliet Lea
Matthew Ngui
Stewart Scambler
Mark Anton Cypher
Oron Catts
Graham William Hay
Ashley Jangala Smith
Kristie Barnett
Pia Bennett
Tarryn Gill
Aeden Howlett
Holly Pepper
Tania Ferrier
Phil Memegola
Perette Creighton
Fiona French
Graham Taylor
JK Crabb
H Miraudo
Claude Marcos
Jessica Mitchell
Mary-Lynne Stratton
Marzena Topka
Marie Mazzurra
Iris Guilmartin
Charlie Colbung
Michael Singe
Jennie Nayton
Amanda Verschuren
Richard Munsie
Heloise Roberts
Jane (Janice?) Bailey
Philippa Gordon
Jillian Green
Leanne Annear
Ann Nie Chong
Tim Whiteman
Adam Derums
Garry Pumfrey
Kellie Rose
Joanna Wakefield
Cynthia J Verspaget
Christine Tang
Leon Ewing
Steven Pooley
Pavel Perina
Lorenna Grant
Richard E Hammer
Paul Lacey
Roderick Sprigg
Kati Esther Thamo
Domenico de Clario
Teck Weng Tan
Timothy Williams
Lou (LC) Lambert
Sally Blatchford
Lucy O'Dea
Megan Kirwan-Ward
Matthew Hunt
Glenice Matthews
Jane Pell
Sarah Miller
Joanna Capelle
Veronica Calarco
Alexander Spremberg
Ian Dowling
Caterina (Rina) Franz
Kevin Gordon
Michele Theunissen
Norma MacDonald
Robyn Templeton.
Pippin Drysdale
Louise Mann
Geoffrey Overheu
Alwin Reamillo
Alan Surgener
Rodney Glick
Sophia Louise Stafford
Jacob Ogden Smith
Caitlin Yardley
Alan Griffiths
Janis Nedela
Lisa Wolfgramm
Di Jackson
Jeremy N Blank
Diana Rose Carew-Reid / Yoka
Patricia Dixon,
Kate McMillan
Athol Farmer
Lesley Munro
Jennifer (Jenni?) Doherty
Toni Wilkinson
Ruth Tarvydas
Laura Johnson
David Thomson
Sam Abercromby
Mehmet Adil
Gary James Aitken
Mervyn Alcock
Mark Alderson
Kevin Altmann
J Ambrose
Anna Anderson
Bernadatte Anderson
Lorna Anderson
James Angus
Paola Anselmi
Richard Apel
W Archer
Han(d)s Arkeveld
Drew Armstrong
Pieternella Armstrong
Sam Arranglo
Edward Arrowsmith
Eva Asmussen
Yunnkurru (Billy) Atkins
Jeffrey Atkinson
John Austin
Elspeth Averill
Cynthia Margaret Baker
Allan Baker(retrospective)
Max Ball
Kevin Ballantine
Ivan Bannon
Maxwell Barcham
Allan Barker

Christine Barker-Malcolm
Michael Barkers
Michael Barlow
Helen Baros
Amy Barrett-Lennard
John (J) Barrett-Lennard
Marilyn Barrington
J Barwell
E Baxter
Selina Baxter
Jenny Beahan
John Beard
Ray Beattie
Heather Claire Beauseine
Steve Beeby
Marcus Beilby
Robert Bell
Merrick Belyea
Troy Bennell
Barbara Bennett
Normae Bennett
Ginny Bent
Hughie Bent
K Benterrak
Maiguta Bernsteins
Philip Berry
Nicki Biggins
Willy Billabong
Valerie Takao Binder
Wendy Binks
Zarak Binsaad
Robyn Bischoff
Brian Blanchflower
Cathy Blanchflower
Graeme Blevins
Susan Bloomfield
Julian Bloxham
R Bolleter
Mutsuko Bonnardeaux
Julie Bouffler
HR Bradfield
Ivan Bray
Craig Brent-White
Karron Bridges
Helen Britton
Anna Brockway
Janine Brody
Lucy Bromell
Victoria Brook
Celia Brooke
Judith Brooks
A Brown
Alison Brown
Amanda Brown
Mandy Brown
Michael Brown
Aadje Bruce
Peggy Buckingham
Philip Burns
Tim Burns
Christopher Byrne
Julia Calcutt
Michael Calder
Kevin Cameron
RL Cameron
Robert Cameron
Kate Campbell-Pope
M Carlin
Antoinette Carrier
David Carson
Andrew Carter
Leonie Carter
Sandy Chambers
Jeff Chand
Maxine Anne Charlie
Anton Cheney
Daniel Cheney
Gina Cinanni
Julie Clampett
Alan Clark
Coral Clark
Madeline Clear
Peter Clemesha
Erin Coates
Belinda Cobby
Mark Coddington
Craig Coetsee(Sevndesign)
Marjorie Coleman
Greg (&G) Collins
Samuel Collins
Laurice Comber
Nicholas Compton
Chris Constable
Sarah Contos
J Cook
Peter Cook
Philip Cook
Margaret Cornish
C Corvaia
Penny Coss
Thea Costantino
Henney Cote
Tara Cottam
Barbara Cotter
Paul Counsel
B Cox
Susan Creer
Julie Crockett
Katharina Cronstedt
Greg (GJ) Crowe
Colleen Cruise
Pamela Cubitt
John Cullinane
Jemma Dacre
John Dahlsen
Claire Dale
Andrew Daly
Justine Dalziel
L Danes
Margaret Danischewsky
Naomi Danischewsky
Nina Danko
Rosalind Dann
Melanie Dare
Rebecca Davey
Catherine Davidson
Jane Davies
Jim de Blanken
Arlene de Souza
Ian De Souza
Jack De Vos
Julie Deague
Rosa Della Torre
Jon Denaro
Alexandra Devitt-Lansom
Giovanni Di Dio
Frank Di Giovanni
Sander Dijkstal
Joan Dilkes
James Dimer
M Dines
Annabel Dixon
Michael Doherty
Lawrence Dolman
Anna Donald
E Doropoulos
Lorraine Douglas
Phillip Douglas
Sarah Douglas
Gladys Dove
T Dowling
Kevin Draper
Philip Ducker
Paul Duke
Elizaberth Durack
Judy Durey
Bruce Dye
Roselin Eaton
Miv Egan
Ann Eggena
Ernst Ellemunter
Michelle Elliott
Peter Ellis
Louise Elscot
Sarah Elson
Leanne Emmitt
Elizabeth Endisch
Annie English
Neil Erasmus
Dorothy Erickson
Viktor Eszenyi & Co
Robert Ewing
Robert Fairclough
Galliano Fardin
Fardoe
Nola Farman
R Faulkner
Moria Fearby
EM Feather
Carmen Feldkamp
E Fienbery
M Fisher
David Fitzallen
Helen Fitzhardinge
Gretchen Forrest
Alan Fox
Rina Franz
Frederickson
Richard Fry
Philip Michael Gamblen
Nina Garbellini
Corinne Garces
Meagan Lee Gardiner
Jeanette Garlett
Indra Geidans
Peter Gelencser
Simon Gevers
Jillian Gibbney
Richard Mark Giblett
Bruce Gilbert
Simon Gilby
David Giles
Elaine Gill
Ian Gill
Michelle Glaser
Julian Goddard
Patricia (P) Goff
Walter Gomes
Janda Gooding
Alasdair Gordon
Cameron Gordon
Cathy Gordon
Christine Gosfield
Reuben Gosfield
Malgorzata Gosia Wlodarczak-Sarnecka
Holly Grace
M Grace
Roxanne Grant
Anna Gray
Stuart Green
Barbie Greenshields
James Gregory
MF Grey-Smith
M Guelfi
Richard Gunning
Carl Guy
Chris Ha
Marie Haass
Richard Hadlow
Garth Hall
C Hansen
Vivienne Hansen
Malcolm Harris
P Hart
Bill Hawthorn
E Hawthorn
David Hay
Paul Hay
Kristina Hayley
George Haynes
Jeffrey Healy
Martin Heine
Barbara Helsby
Joy Henderson
Wendy Herington
Mark Herriman
Janis Heston
Christopher Hethey
Sylvia Heuge de Seville
Nigel Hewitt
Ann & Christopher Heyring
Jennifer Hill
Peter Hill
Christopher Hillstead
Paul Hinchcliffe
Patricia Hines
Scott Hitchcock
Thomas Hoareau
Grant Hobson
Bevan Honey
J Hook
Catherine Hope
Christopher Hopewell
Treena Hopewell
Peter Craig Hoskins
Katherine Houck
Bevan Howard
D Howard
A-M Hoyne
Penny Hudson
Marny Hull
Benjamin Hur
Andrew Hutchison
Leah Irving
Andrea Isacc
Kirill Ivoutin
Quentin Jacobsen
Dorothy Ruth Jaeger
Janice James
Shana James

Wendy Jeffreys
J Jenner
Norman Jeppe
Ben Joel
Mary Joel
Tristram John(ericaamerica)
A Jones
Adrian Jones
Cliff Jones
David J Jones
Dianne Jones
Pam Jones
Robert Jones
S Jordanoff
Benedict Juniper
Katherine Kalaf
Leon Kalamaras
J Kali
L Kan
Stefan Karlsson
K Kay
Kaye Keam
Gloria Kearing
Jeannie Keefer-Bell (Bell)
Siobhan Kelly
Alan Kemp
Jillian Kempson
Peter Kendall
Michele Keogh
J Ketallick
Eileen Keys
Jeffrey Khan
Mary Kirby
Maree Klinac
C Kneale
Torsten Knorr
Theo Koning
Leokadia Kordas
Fredinand Korwill
G Kosturkov
Eveline Kotai
Peter Kovacsy
EJ Kovesi
Gundie Kuchling
Richie Kuhaupt
Jan Kunnen
Monique La Fontaine
J Laithwaite
J Lamb
L Landless
Paul Lane
Kate Larsen
Jo/anne Law
Jerome Lawler
Simone Lazaroo
Mark Le Buse
Misha Lee
R Lefroy
Sue Leighton-White
J Lennie
Andrew Leslie
Frane Lessac
Irwin Lewis
Jeannette Lewis
Sarah Liddiard
Suzanne Lindhorst
Joan (J) Linton
Heather Locke
Pip Longley
Jennifer Loverock
Shirley Lowden
Jennifer Lowe
Cornelia Lowndes
G Lucas
Wendy Lugg
Matthew Lutton
Marion (M) Lynch
K Lyons
Linda Lyons
Emily Mabee
Melanie Mackenzie
Felicity (F) MacLeay
Graeme Macleod
Sine MacPherson
Ian (I) MacRae
Colin Madden
Maria Madeira
Paul Magalad
C Mair
Katie Major
Akio Makigawa
Carlier Makigawa
Robert Malcolm
Silvana Mancin(SUDesign)i
Robert Mandy
Maria Mann
Eric Marchello
Marco Marcon
K.A. Marshall
Mira Martinazzo
Susan Marwick
Tim Maslen
Janie Matthews
Mo (M) Maud
Bess Mavrick
Minaxi May
Gabrielle Mazalevskis
R McAleer
Ian McCann
IC McCarthy
Melissa McDougall
Monica McGhie
Malcolm McGregor
Jane McKay
Sandy McKendrick
Rod McKenzie
Roy McKernan
Serena McLauchlan
Errol McMahon
Jenny McNae
Justine McNight
Rex Meecham
Keith Melbourne
Angela Mellor
Cameron Merton
Rita Messenger
Alexander Mickle
D Mickle
Mien
Nikki Miller
P Milne
Dragica Milunovic
Jane Mitchell
Sally Mitchell
(Gian)marco Mona
Georgina Moore
Kevin Moore
Mary Moore
Max Moore
Sharyn Moore
June Moorhouse
Sally Morgan
Frank Morris
Jerry Morrison
Amelia (RA) Morrow
David Gareth Morse
Tom Mueller
Michael Munmurrie
Lesley Ann Munro
Sandra-Lee Murphy
Ann Murray
Gavin Murray
Pixie Murray
Rose Murray
Caroline Narkle
Phillip Dempsey Narkle
Arlene Nedeljokovic
Peter & Carole Nelson
Mona Neumann
Timothy Newbold
Brent Neylon
Kate Neylon
Andrew Nicholls
G Nicol
Isobel Nikoloff
Regina Noakes
Stephen Nova
Ron Nyisztor
Philippa O'Brien
Norah Ohrt
Trish Oldham
M Oliver
Peter O'Neill
Lee Ord
Irene Osborne
Katherine (Katie) O'Sullivan
Paul O'Sullivan
Elizabeth Packwood
Malcolm Paine
D Palmer
Jill Parnell
Julie Parsons
John Pascoe
Rebecca Paterson
Rosalind Paterson Drake-Brockman
John Paul
Lyn Pearce
Siglinde Pearce
Christopher Pease
Steve Pease
Marianne Penberthy
Sedon Pepper
Simon Pericich
L Pericles
Corno Pezzino
L Phillips
Perdita Phillips
Marilyn Phipps
Byron Pickett
Susan (& John) Pierce
Jimmy Pike
Simona Piscioneri
Vincent Pitcher
Gene Polt
Beatrice Poole
B Porter
Greg Potter
S Potter
Irene Poulton
Susan Pow
Michael Powney
Danilo Pravica
Gregory Quartemaine
Mark Radloff
A Ralph
Pearl Rasmussen
C.M. Ratajczak
Ann-Maree Reaney
Elisabeth Rechichi
Gerry Reilly
Jeannette Rein
KF Rendell
Andrea Rhodes
Dulcie Rhodes
Ngardarb Francine Riches
Neale Ricketts
Malcolm Riddoch
Brenda Ridgewell
Stuart Ringholt
Bree Riseborough
Carly Roberts
Christopher Robertson
Jennifer Robertson
S Robertson
J Robins
Charles Roper
Alison Rowley
Z Rubinich
Carol Rudyard
E Russell
Desmond Ryan
Greg Ryan
Ian Ryan
P Salom
Longin Samecki
Nicola Samori.
Eugena Saunders
Mark Sauvage
Maurice Sawyer
Pip Sawyer
Fleur Schell
Bo Schmitt
Zac Schonberg
Alison Schwabe
Joy Scott
Kim Scott
Pauline Scott
Susan Seaman
Sonya Sears
Nina Sellars
J Senjuschenko
Tatjana Seserko
Cloud Shabalah
Michele Sharpe
Kevin Shaw
Amanda Shelsher
Philip Shelton
Fiona Sinclair
Antonio Sita
Kirsten Sivyer
Michelle Slarke
Margaret Smart
P Smart
Heather Smedley
Mark Smitchens
Brian Smith
C Smith
Jeremy Smith
Roslyn Smith
Stephen Smith
Joel Smoker
Gillian Snaden
M St John
GL Staniford
Miriam Stannage
Maurine Stephens
Angela Stewart
Edmund Stewart
Kerry Stokes
Hilary Storey
Talhy Stotzer
Andre Stumpfel
Jennifer Sullivan
Antonia Syme
Graeme Symons
G Tait
Valerie Takao
Flynn Talbot
Michael Tanner
Carlo Tarabini
John (Jon) Tarry
Rudi Tassell
Helen Taylor
Howard Taylor
Monica Taylor
Sue Templeman
Steve Tepper
Lorinda Tetley
Marogt Teusner
Paul Thomas
Karen Thompson
Noelle Thomson
Hilary Thorn
Michelle Timms
Catharina (Cath) Titelius
Peter Toy
Paul Trinidad
Joan Tuffin
Kim Tyrer
Paul Uhlmann
Partricia Valdman
T Van Der Helm
Linda Van Der Merwe
Ron Van Der Merwe
Leonardus (Len) Van Der Waug
Brendan Van Hek
Roberta Van Maanen
Michael Vandeleur
Trevor Vickers
Lynnette Voevodin
Bilyana Vujcich
Ken Wadrop
Shaun Wake-Mazey
Peter Wales
David Walker
Rosemary Wallace
Anne Walton
Xuning Wang
George Ward
Gillian Warden
Erica Wardle(ericaamerica)
Miik Wardman Green
Kenneth Wardrop
Lyn (Evelyne) Waring
Robin Warren
Ben Waters
Margaret Watkins
David Watt
Yvette Watt
Judith Weaver
Kate Weedon
Julie Weekes
SE Welfelt
Alan Weller
Grazia Weller
BG Werner
P West
Lou Westbury
Roy Weston
Lindsay Westphal
Pauline White
Peter Daniel White
Rachael White(viaNgarinyinAboriginalCorporation)
Jane Whiteley
Jenny Whitmore
Rachael Whitworth
Geoffrey Wiese
Annette Wiguna
Pauline Wilde
J Wilford
Kerry Wilkes
Cecile Williams
Kerry Williams
Pauline Williams
Ross Williams
Timothy Daniel Willunga Leaversuch
Terry Wilson
Julie Wilson-Foster
Anthony Windberg
Heather Winter
Michael & Penelope Wise
M Wlkens
Gosia Wlodarczak-Sarnecka
Karel Wohlhick
Richard Woldenddrop
Sheryl Wong
Trevor (TF) Woodward
Leslie Wright
Leslie John Wright
Jurek Wybraniec
Michael Wylie
Marie-Louise Xavier
D'hange Yammanee
Jillian Yates
Pippa Youngs
Anna Zannella
Garry Zeck
Andrew Gaynor

(my apologies for any typing errors or omissions-particularly the latter as there is no longer a single source of this information anymore)

These are the 890 Artists and Craftspeople who were grant recipients from the Western Australian Government 1974-2009. Of course there are many professional artists and crafts people who were unsuccessful, plus many more who never applied.

What other indicators should I use for my new contact database?

Buried under paper

2010-05-28T04:50:00.000-07:00

Some wonder were the idea to carve sculptures from books and paper comes from.

Why do I build huge sculptures from paper?

I have just sorted out my current pile of books and journals. I feel I never get through them, so let's separate and see what's in the read pile before I take them out... in no particular order...

Uniview Vol. 29 No. 1. Summer 2010, University of WA, Perth, Australia (3 times a year)
de Waal, E., (2003), 20th century ceramics, Thames & Hudson world of art, UK
Australian PC Authority, November 2009, Haymarket Media, Sydney (monthly)
Macworld Autumn 2009, IDG Communications, London, UK
University of Otago Magazine, Issue 24: October 2009, Dunedin, New Zealand
Australian Macworld Mac Basics 2, Niche Media Pty Ltd, South Melbourne, Australia
New Ceramics, The European Ceramics Magazin, March/April 2010, Hohr-Grenzhausen, Germany
iPhone Life, Summer 2009, Thaddeus Computing Inc, USA
Elkins, J.,(Ed) (2009) Artists with PhDs: On the New Doctoral Degree in Studio Art, New Academica Publishing, USA
The Journal of Australian Ceramics, Volume 49/1 March 2010, Sydney, Australia
Ceramics Art and Perception International, Issue 78, 2009?, USA
Australian Macworld, January 2010, Niche Media Pty Ltd, South Melbourne, Australia
Ceramics Technical, Issue 29 2010

still reading...

Ceramics Art and Perception International, Issue 79, 2010, USA
Bachelard, G., (1958), The Poetics od Space, (Translated by Maria Jolas 1964), Beacon Press
New Ceramics, The European Ceramics Magazin, May/June 2010, Hohr-Grenzhausen, Germany

Plus two national papers every day before breakfast...

2010-01-29T10:36:00.000-08:00

What's happening right NOW in Laguna Beach, LA, in the US: Paperclay Today Conference / ArtLad/Symposium.

See you there?

Social Sculpture Ramblings

2009-11-08T22:48:00.000-08:00

For my birthday I was given a book; Simon Schama's The Power of Art (2009). What was interesting to me was how the French painter Jacques-Louis David painted That Picture of the murdered Marat in his bath (1793), but also creating the many huge revolutionary festivals and was part of the Committee of General Security which sent hundreds to the guillotined.

Fellow Thermal Shock member Bill Jeffery returned a copy of the NCECA (USA National Council on Education of the Ceramic Arts) 2009 Journal to me today. In an article titled Revisiting Basics to Behives: Three approaches to Social Engaged Arts Practice. Joshua Green summarises discussions on Artists as Social Activists. He claims the "Basics to Beehives" title was inspired by the work of Rudolf Steiner influenced German Artist Joseph Beuys.

Joseph Beuys was an ex-Hitler Youth, who creating an "Art" manifesto which became a "fundamental document for the [German] Green Party in the 1977's.

In a strange twist of fate, Beuys, who at one time advocated the Berlin wall should be make taller becaue it would look better ;), developed the idea of "social sculpture", which is now the foundation of much social activism by artists today.

It will be interesting to see what ex-actor and now politician John Hyde does over the years within the Western Australian Parliment. Or ex-Midnight Oil lead singer Peter Garrett in the Australian Federal Parliment. Or see the outcome of Bill's lobbying on behalf of the elderly.

But perhaps my own interest is more focussed/narrow, in an investigation of the social and economic basis of the Art "system"....

300 decision makers define what is "good" Art

2009-11-08T22:04:00.000-08:00

In political debate there is little discussion of how the political candidates are nominated. Who picks the candidates? No seriously, who picks the candidates that are supported by the major parties? Without this support, anyone who enters politics is only a "want-a-be". Someone with litle social-political resources.

For example, we have seen many candidates for US (and in Australia and New Zealand) elections who have burnt vast fortunes trying to buy their way into office. But money will only get you some way through the process.

So too in the Arts....

Who are the judges?

Who picks the judges?

You don't want someone who will make unpopular decisions. There has to some be recognition of the pecking order. Look closely at your local established Art or Craft Association Exhibition or Competition. Prizes go the the established members, oh, and an encouragment prize to the ocassional young one or beginner, just so they don't leave the association or critise the system.

So too the art grant system.

Our State grant panels are appointed by the Minster of the Arts. Actually s/he usually follows the recommendations of the current panel members or chairperson.

Not surprising there has been a very small group of about 300 who have sat on the visual arts grants committee over the 34 years.

What is interesting is the number of past grant recipients, who end up being nominated and appointed onto the committee. That's the 100 I mentioned previously.

But there is good reasons for this.

It's called "quality".

(Actually, I'd call it the "social pecking order and crumbs for the promising/critical"!)

No one wants big grants going to someone who does not make great Art. It's safer to nominate good artists (already making "good/quality" art) to decide who makes "good Art"...

Plus Artists Groups tend to support a system where Artists and not politicans decide who gets the grants (Which reminds me to sometime explain the links between Visual Art Professional Associations, the grants system and commercial Galleries).

The system is not necessary evil, or currupt, it just reflects the compound result of human interaction over three decades.

The Unofficial Arts Grants Handbook

2009-09-01T03:35:00.002-07:00

A few weeks ago I took time out from my regular weekly commitments to attend a forum on the the political necessity of Grants for the Art, organised by The Bureau of Ideas.

Organised by Marie Bonnal (Fiction and art writer, artist, art event co-ordinator), and Julian Goddard (Academic and gallerist).
speakers included

SHELAG MAGADZA, Artistic Director, Perth International Art Festival

JOHN HYDE, MLA, Shadow Minister for Culture and the Arts

JULIAN GODDARD, Head of Department of Art, School of Design and Art, Curtin University.

The objective was to discuss and debate "Why do governments fund art?
The most significant shift in Australian art of the past 40 years has been the massive government investment in the Arts, yet there is little debate as to why this has happened and what are the consequences of such an intervention. This forum will look at the rationale behind state funding of the arts and question the outcomes of this involvement."

Government funding / grants for the Arts has always been a professional interest of mine. See my Honours Thesis at Curtin University (1995).

What was very obvious to me was that while the speakers were willing, they lacking a framework, and because of vested interests, unable to seriously question the system. They know the system is flawed, and perhaps morally questionable, but are socially, politically and finacially reluctants to throw any stones, or prescribe the necessary medacine to cure the system. Yet they ask the questions.

Why?

Let's look at the context, these players, the system, and possible strategies.

The Western Australian Government has been been giving financil grants to visual arts and crafts people since 1974. I went back over 34 years of Reports and collected names of these receipients, removed dulicate names and discovered that less than 1000 visual arts and crafts people have received grants from the state. This a very small number of people, over such a long time.

Of these, approximately 100 of these people have also served as committee members passing judgement on their peers as to who received arts grants from the state government. That is, they received grants before, during or after they sat on a government arts grant committee.

These people know intimately why and how the system works, plus the consequences of the current system.

Why were they not invited to speak at the forum? Perhaps they were asked, and declined?

Maybe we need to look at the unknown names, those who over the last 34 years have not been sucessful. Lets guestimate the numbers... I selected 3 years at random (2002-2003 to 2003-2004) and averaged the number of unsuccesful applications for the 3 years (359). Using this for 34 years suggested about 12,200 unsuccessful applications. Even if you discount this by a silly 50% (for those who might have another go the next year and also those who keep work the precentages), then there is still around 6,000 unsuccessful applications.

That means that there is six times more people unhappy with the grants system, than those that are happy recipients of government grants.

This is an unfriendly ratio if you are going to hold a public discussion on the grants system.

To be continued....

Papercrete and Paper adobe

2009-07-30T00:44:00.000-07:00

At the Gymea Tafe (Sydney, Australia) workshop I challenged the students to look at how much clay
work they really needed to fire.
Particularly since around 80% of what they make is destined to the rubbish tip,
or never contain food or liquids, or ever to go outside.
This is the unfired clay sculpture option.
This opens up the choice to recycle the clay at a later date, when
a better form is mastered, or for alterations to be made to it a
month, a year later.
Anyway, one student (June Martin) has emailed me a great
website which documents making Papercrete and also mentions
Paper adobe. has
all the details on building houses out of the stuff!

Cassius Clay Paperclay

2009-07-29T17:19:00.000-07:00

Check out the increasing active Yahoo Paperclay discussion group. Set up in 2004.

Discussions on adding food and other things to paperclay at Cassius Clay Paperclay discussions.

2009-07-29T01:35:00.000-07:00

I've finally found the excuse for time on Facebook! A short Slideshow

2010 International paperclay conference

2009-07-19T19:13:00.000-07:00

Keep an eye on http://www.lagunabeachceramics.com/ for updating information on Paperclay Today, an international paper clay conference in early 2010.

Transfered Blog (old stuff)

2009-06-29T00:03:00.001-07:00

Art Blog

A personal diary of ideas and internal discussions.

14 September 2008

Babysitting a solo exhibition I meet so many interesting people and have some great conversations: From growing fashion from Fungi and bateria (Google Donna Franklin), to being directed to (Robert Lang's talk on New Origami" on TED, a website dedicated to the best minds and ideas...check it out.

6 February 2008

Wow! It has been a looong time since I've found the time to write here.

Another example is that only yesterday I finally used a book voucher, given to me over four months ago, to finally buy a book!

While last year was busy, the first 1/4 of this year looks even more so. However, I'm enjoying the book From Nature to Form by Rene Binet. This continues on from my previous purchase Art Forms in Nature by Ernst Haeckel (1904 edition reproduced in 1998, 2004).

Binet was an architect and successful painter, and Haeckel was a biologist, an advocacy of evolution, developer of a classification system of organic forms and outstanding biological illustrator.

They corresponded regularly, sharing work, ideas and suggested avenues of exploration and research.

What interests me is how their combined work illustrates how a detailed study of nature, informed and was informed by Jugendstil, the German equivalent of Art Nouveau. Its most public expression was the 1900 Paris World Exposition entrance gates designed by Binet, which were clearly inspired/copies from Haeckel's drawings of the skeleton of the nassellarium.

Here in Western Australia, by a quirk of fate, the state Art Gallery has an impressive collection of Art Nouveau art and craft, which I have had opportunity to study at my leisure.

Australia is well know for its usual animals, the kangaroo, the koala bear, the emu, and so on. Perhaps less known, is that Western Australia has a huge number of unusual plants, particularly wildflowers. Southern Western Australia is now internationally recognised as a "megadiverse hotspot". In one small national park there are over 80 plant species, which occur nowhere else in the world. Not surprising a large number of international visitors visit here in Spring to see huge areas of wildflowers in a bewildering range of shapes and colours.

Even an inner-city dweller like myself daily see hundreds of types of these usual plants and flowers, growing in house gardens and in the park where the studio is located. A few years ago the local Town of Vincent begun to plant more native plants, rather than the traditional UK types of plants. This was because the natives are more suited in our dry, Mediterranean climate, and because of a cultural change as a result of European and Asian immigration and a growing national pride less based upon "the mother country".

Often I find myself collecting the blossom and seeds of Eucalyptus and Banksia trees and bushes as I walk to and from the studio. So while this is not a "sit and draw" study method, it must have slowly feed into my unusual ceramic paperclay work. Given that these plants have literally hundreds of heads in each flower or seed head, and that my farm and economics backgrounds predisposed me see society as a collection of parts, it is obvious, in retrospective, to see how these two streams (images and ideas) merged in my work.

So, after many years of being at a loss when asked to name my favourite artist or artistic influences, I suppose the above is now my answer...

/12/2006

Just back from visiting a new ceramic studio opening and inspired to do a little on-line research on social new work analysis ie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network_analysis

and social capital. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_capital.

How does this related to paperclay?

How does this relate to art?

I suppose I see knowledge as collectively created, held and preserved. And I'm interested in seeing my role in the growing "rippling pool" of paperclay knowledge.

off to put a link from my website to wikipedia's section pn paper fiber/fibre....

19/4/2006

I am disappointed that the demands of making art, exhibiting, teaching and family have kept me away from the productive self-reflection that comes with writing this blog.

I was refining my artist statement, particularly the part that my art is an attempt to make sense of how the arts and crafts, and society are organised. The more I look outwards and travel, the more I see the same aspects of social organisation and human nature. I see the same things because the way I think and look does not significantly change.

Last night I attended one of the events that are part of a Muslim wedding (in Lahore, Pakistan) and begun reflecting on a Hindu wedding I attended in Madras in 1983, then begun to have a discussion about my own "Christian" wedding in Perth.

They all have spiritual, emotional, intellectual, social, sensual, financial and reproduction aspects.

From the simple building block of relationships we have with each other, families, neighbourhoods, organisations, and whole nations are built. What is amazing is the diversity of the nations that have been built on such simple (and such complex) things as my relationships with others.

Where does this leave art?

Art is part of life, an expression of my life, an expression of me.

And if those I hold close to me, those who I share time with, are truly important to me then my art must be influenced (and reflect) by these people and the quality of my relations with them.

I can’t separate in my mind the difference between and which is more important, the people, or the relationship. The tone, the colour, the texture and the structure of the relationship.

If someone I love is far away or even dies, do I cease to have a relationship with them? Do they change, if they are always in my heart?

How is the external relationship with the person connected to the relationship I have with the internalised person I have created as a result of our past interactions.

Think about how quickly you can summon up the answer to "what would my parents have said in this situation?" Similarly we can probably predict accurately how a brother, sister or spouse would do or say.

Earlier this year I attended a funeral and have since been wondering how these internised "models of other" actually influence our everyday relationships with others, and even the people themselves!

That's about as far as I have got...

25/4/2005

It seems that it is only every couple of months that I get time to clarify my thoughts via this blog.

Currently on the road again between two interstate workshops and (again) staying with fellow artists. There is something special about staying with fellow artists with inspires them and me.

Perhaps it is because, so like many others, we are so time hungry, that it is only when you are under one roof that there is sufficient spare time to have the wide ranging and sharing discussions and arguments that are so beneficial.

I’m lucky that most of my peers that I have good friendships with are open about their art, their discoveries and their lives. There is no defensiveness about protecting their discoveries, their successes and failures.

I’m a firm believer that an open and positive attitude, with a generosity of spirit is essential qualities for a happy life. Funnily enough such an attitude attracts like-minded people, reinforcing and nurturing each other.

I am happy for others to disagree, but I believe that knowledge is a collective commodity. No person can know everything, and to understand the world better we must share our experiences and understandings. In shorthand form this is the idea “that reality is collectively negotiated”.

What has triggered this outpour of optimism?

As part of a process of improving my workshops I handout survey forms. After reading them and collecting contact details, I didn’t know what to do with the rest of the comments on them. So I recently copied them out and put them on the website at www.grahamhay.com.au/comments.html. 99.9 % of them are very positive, encouraging, with many mentioning that the workshop was inspiring.

Reading these encourages me to make them even better.

So now there is this loop:

I share my experiences, my knowledge with the workshop participants.

They, in turn, share their experiences and what they know.

Watching them and seeing how they work inspires me to try new ways of working.

So I have more to share and pass on to others in future workshops.

Consequently the pool of available paperclay information at each workshop become progressively bigger.

I have been very fortunate to be part of this process of building a pool of information via the 130+ workshops since 1993.

It’s like a progressive fully paid research and development in a new technology. The challenge is then to eventually make the process completely automatic…

23/2/05

While I have been back in Perth about three weeks it has taken this long to re-establish regular routines in the studio, office and family.

Since December I’ve traveled backwards and forwards across Australia a couple of times (around 12,000 km) and I have decided, as a result of the repeated Jetlag and disruptions to studio, office and family, to limit time out of Perth (overseas/interstate/intrastate) to two months a year. Fortunately the forthcoming workshops in Queensland are close together.

The recent decisions, and definition, by the Australian Tax Office of “What An Artist Is”, make interesting reading.

The National Association for the Visual Arts have called the ruling a case for our celebration as the "The ruling is not only of interest in Australia, but is being regarded as a benchmark internationally".

A distinction is OK between recreational and professional artists, and is very overdue.

Personally I find the distinction between “professional artists and those who are simply making art for their own enjoyment” worrying. Don’t “professional artists” do it also for enjoyment? I do.

For those interested, I found the examples of actual artists in “Taxation Ruling TR 2005/1” very informative and worth a look.

Moreover, it provided a good overview of what a professional artist does, according to NAVA and the Tax Office.

Let’s look at the headings:

There is a strong emphasis on Significant Commercial Purpose Or Character
(I would call it trying to “having art and (still) eating”

Intention of the taxpayer (not starving, losing roof over head and marriage)
Profit motive (ditto)

Repetition and regularity (my emphasis, does this mean my rolling out thousands of rods of clay and cutting thousands of pages of paper?)

Activities of the same kind and carried on in the manner characteristic of the relevant industry (does this cover experimental and new art forms like mine?)

Organisation in a businesslike manner and the use of system” (my emphasis-refer to “having art and eating” above).

Size or scale of activity (the previous bench mark of around $200,000 of art equipment and assets was a laugh!)

Not a hobby or recreation (but art is good for you!-what happens if Art is your hobby and occupation?)

The Tax Office goes on to mention things like:

Building peer recognition (I call it mutual fan clubs);

Qualifications;

Public recognition as an artist (in the media, used as example by educators);

Meeting the criteria for grants, awards and professional opportunities

Appointment to a position dependent upon being an artist

Professional associations/union memberships

Reputation building activity (mutual fan clubs again)

Methods of application and time commitment to activity consistent with others in the relevant industry sector (does this cover lot’s of coffee or substance abuse?J);

Obtaining the advice or services of a professional agent (read Gallery), manager, legal or financial adviser.

Meanwhile, back to my rituals of rolling out the paperclay and article writing….

9/12/2004

The last four weeks have been a blur, a short art teaching contract with a school, plus my studio classes, plus the stress making models and negotiating via email with 5 people for a possible commission for 80 sculptures for an interstate hotel.

On top of these activities I’m still trying to finish up work arising from the Hungarian Symposium: Thank you letters to sponsors and artists who lent me images, and burning over 20 CD’s of images and information. Next come three articles to write and a grant acquittal report.

Then Christmas Cards and the holiday break…

17/11/04 4:37pm

I've been thinking about the social aspects of art.

Not just the social structures themselves.

But the actual human traits that how they grow out from.

Last week I introduced 8 Singaporian potters to local West Australain potters and potters groups/businesses. This whole process started some 5 months ago when I was asked by Alvin to organise it for himself and fellow potters.

Anyway, I was thinking about it generally.

Both Eastern and Western people have the trait, of only really trusting people they know, or people who are recommended/introduced by people they know.

I have no difficulty meeting and working with people from other countries and culturals.

Perhaps because of my travles overseas, I know how hospitality really does make make me feel at home, and welcome?

Perhaps because I am a "new Australian"?

Perhaps because our friends and our child's friends are from all over the world?

Perhaps because I believe in people's good intentions (and the future), more than others?

Perhaps because I just enjoy creating my own and helping others create their own social and creative networks?

It's all about being creative in all of my life, and not just with the clay (or on the canvus).

16/9/04 1.11am

I awake in the middle of this night.

The 19 people from 12 countries who shared in, and of themselves during the three weeks of the Hungarian symposium have had a lasting impact on me. It has been an intense experience of sharing our ways of life, lives, our souls through our art rituals and work, and eating and living together on site.

The hardest time for me was while my wife was flying to Budapest and our daughter was left "alone" in Perth.

Then we spent a week in ancient Budapest waking late, ringing our daughter in Perth (just before she went to bed), then walking the streets, driven by whim, retiring each day to a cool beer sitting in a cafe, in a park, watching the dogs and kids play, then a simple supper and bed.

Then back to work alone, an intense five days of presentations, workshops and meetings in a strange but friendly Singapore while struggling to overcome jetlag and lack of sleep.

Back to Perth for two days spending time catching up with my daughter before my wife flew in today from London.

Tomorrow I fly overnight to Melbourne for another repeat of the Singapore experience. After a week visiting artists and artists groups there I travel to Geelong for a weeklong workshop, then back to Perth.

I'm not looking forward to climbing back onto the plane tomorrow night. The separation again from wife and daughter is harder after such a short return.

Through all this I am struggling to keep physically and mentally healthy and try to keep an internal balance. Each workshop is a unique event in a strange place with completely new people, where I have to create materials, organise a new content and facilitate an experience for 8-80 people.

Why do I do this?

Through it all I'm trying to keep in my mind the different place, different time and cultural differences while I live in the present moment, yet keep in touch with my self, my family and friends. The time differences between my location and them, mixed up with continuous emails and phone calls planning other workshops in the near and far future, with people in other different locations and present times is making my mind soap!

I love it! The sense of juggling everything. Of lack of control, yet mastering just some things in the process. That it is all up to chance, trusting other people I don't even know.

I must be an adrenaline junky.

But also a sense that I am really living, that I throw myself out at life. I feel scared.....but also that it's OK.

11/11/04 6.02 AM

Having been awake since 1am due to jet lag and my usual restless mind. Finished sorting images for the first workshop in Singapore later today and need to sort my random thoughts since the Hungarian Symposium. On the flight down to Singapore I have begun to set out some thoughts for the three journal articles on the Symposium. But its has been the cultural experience here in Singapore that I need to sort out…

A vibrant community of potters and artists here who are keen not only to learn about paperclay (despite complaints that there is a very small ceramic community here, 80 came for the digital slide show last night) and to build links with ceramic communities in other countries. Perhaps as indicative of their isolation, only one person last night had made paperclay.

Some were aware of the Malaysian paperclay, but I suspect its’ cost makes it prohibitive as a ceramic medium. For the workshops, paperclay was imported by a local supplier from Australia, where they source most of their clays and equipment. Yet many draw inspiration and information from Chinese (Taiwan) ceramic journals, (and english language journal to a much lesser extent).

Yesterday I was told that they are influenced by western and eastern aesthetics, in much the way Australian potters are, but that their eastern influence is predominately Chinese, not Japanese.

Student work on display at the Kampong Glam Ceramic Club reflected these influences, with a strong emphasis on self expression and finding “one’s own voice”, very similar to what happens in Perth.

It’s confusing here, because where I live in Perth (inner city) most of the local business and restaurants within two blocks are Asian, so it doesn’t seem very different walking through the crowds on the streets. It’s been easy for me to communicate with the Singaporeans -a similar “can-do” attitude helps.

The big difference here is in the architecture, which is huge, predominately high-rise office and residential. Much higher density compared to Europe, and especially compared to Perth. This is the one big change since I really spent a week in Singapore over 20 years ago (a four hour tour two years ago doesn’t count). Eating out and shopping has virtually not changed. The same great variety and taste in the food halls (as I call them). Oh, and the places I stay (from 2nd floor backpacking “flop house” to 14 floor modern hotel room with broadband connection).

Funny how where you live influences your desires: Most Singaporeans I have spoken to love the idea of space that Australia offers, perhaps because they grew up in such a closely packed environment. While I grew up on a farm and really enjoy living inner-city were everything is a block away and there is such diversity (I once mapped where I have lived in Perth over 20 years and it’s a spiral inwards towards the centre). It reminds me of an Australian Potter who grew up in Sidney and can’t wait to get out of the city and retreat to her country property. I suspect its all in the mind-how we equate physical space with mental space or “room”. Must go eat…

16/8/04 4:37am Looking now at the resulting unfired work, I see two forearms and hands holding up a sphere, two legs walking below a belly. The “stringy-ness” of muscle and tendon, without skin, contrasting against the smooth, almost perfection of an ideal. The stability of two supports, yet the two supports are made of hundreds of rods/parts. Each rod or staff made by fibre coated with clay impregnated with fibre. Reinforcement covered in reinforcement.

A murky porcelain sphere held up by absolute pure porcelain limbs. Shades of crystal ball gazing? And what of the future? The world out there? What is real?

I was lying in bed and the title “what’s the game?” came to mind. A ball just caught, or about to be thrown?

And before all this the anxiety surrounding future workshops which may/may not happen, and behind that the constant financial worries. While enjoying this artistic utopia, protected by an administrative and physical wall from the worries of everyday life?

Surrounded by 30+ passionate ceramic artists from around the world, making, sharing and developing friendships. I’m not sure whom is more fortunate, the participating and paying artists exposed to the example of experts in a particular field, or the guest artists such as myself who can immediately see new ways or ideas that the others may have stumbled upon?

Yet despite this, the physical separation from loved and loving family, friends gives a sense of urgency, to justify the cost to oneself. The eternal artists dilemma, balancing art and love, between nurturing the self and others: Between the internal life and external life.

An ongoing discussion about the significance of this being the very first International Paperclay Symposium. The opportunity to pool almost all the knowledge and skills relating to one, new, emerging medium. Is it likely to be judged in the future as an important historical event? Performance anxiety contrasted with an almost overpowering feeling to show irreverence to this idea, irreverence towards artistic, knowledge and historical conventions.

Artistic irreverence coming from working with a new medium that allows new material and artistic freedoms. While there are new techniques to be learnt, it also deskills traditional techniques, enabling beginners an immediate degree of skill, usually only processed after many years.

Irreverence towards traditional knowledge storage and distribution systems, as a result of the new technologies. The technologies of communication (many participants found out about the symposium via searching the internet, direct email or e-newsletters) information storage and distribution (many presentations and informal information sharing were digital, via digital projector, notebook computer, replay on digital camera, and sharing of CD and Compact Flash cards). A quick search of computer indicates that I have 1300 jpg and 1000 tiff images of mine and others art works and techniques. Traditional knowledge is distributed via the slow paper editing and publishing cycle. How will the internet, and email circulation of text and image affect the distribution and building of paperclay knowledge?

Irreverence towards history, with the end of a singular narrative. Almost every country has it’s own history of how paperclay “started”. Each country appears likely to develop unique types of paperclay depending upon the source of cellulose paper used (or the quality of their newspaper or toilet paper!) and the percentage used in the clay.

Enough speculation for now……..

9/8/04 Yesterday a touring French choir treated us to a moving rendition of songs from Different European countries in different language. It take some getting used to five or six translations of the greeting, introduction to each song. What I found so refreshing was the appreciative clapping from the audience, which became a participative music event in itself with varying tempo and crescendos. Inspired I tried to quickly draw a sculptural idea before I forgot/went onto the next idea, in this case on my hand!

The interplay between the group and audience, the conductor and the choir, between the singers, and particularly between each singer and the pages of their sheet music interested me.

The holding up of open hands, palms upwards by the conductor. The folders holding the sheet music open as a valley. The imaginary musical notes lacing the folder from falling open, or burrowing in and out across the page like sewing. The same threads being a dry rod with rolled soft tips holding it all together, and whole imagery structures.

Paperclay threads, like movements of attention downwards towards the page and information in return streaming up from the pages towards the singers faces.

Rosette has the same passionate tone that I find myself talking with when I describe paperclay. The belief that its not just the material paperclay, rather it’s the artistic freedom of expression, that is the real message. The risk taking, revealing nature of true artistic work, and more importantly life. So it becomes a philosophical, spiritual journey, starting with paperclay and ending with something completely different.

8/8/04

It’s 8am on Sunday morning and I’ve just got back from an hours walk around the town/city and market of Kecskemet (about 80km south of Budapest) in Hungary. I’m here as a guest artist at the 27 year old International Ceramic Studio for the First International Paperclay Symposium, along with 19 other artists from 12 countries

Flew in yesterday morning and the jetlag hit this morning when I sprung awake at 4am, to spent a few hours replying to emails and doing the never-ending paperwork.

Yet despite this and a lingering cold, I am looking forward to the next three weeks of making paperclay art in this beautiful studio. The studio is a rabbit’s warren of restored peasant cottages and new buildings surrounding a number of sunny and shady courtyards. The style is white walls, light wood fittings and tiled roofs.

Kecskemet reminds me of Panevezys in Lithuania, an eastern European town of a similar size (+/- 100,000 people), with a worn but bustling town blending middle-ages architecture, dilapidated buses, with modern telecommunications and consumer goods.

The participants that have arrived so far, the Americans Rosette Gault and Jerry Bennett, and Frenchwoman Elisabeth LeRetif, all have that interested, open personality which seems to characterise educator/artists, particularly those who are prepared to learn/operate internationally.

Most of the studio spaces are open, clean, quiet and awaiting, let the art begin…..

28/5/04

There has been considerable debate about marketing and the development of a "brand" name by individual artists.
See www.fuel4arts.com for an exhastive list of papers and discussions.

There is a widely held belief by artists that the artwork should speak for itself. That marketing does not make great art, but great art will somehow create great media attention, and ultimately lead to social and financial reward.

This is true........ if enough people, or if cultural leaders see the work, so that word spreads.

However there is just so much art out there (at least 250 exhibitions a week in Perth, a city of a million people) that no one will come unless you invite and tempt them away from all the other exhibitions, and other recreational activites such as movies, theatre, concerts, or just a quiet time at home.

Consequently the minimum promotion any artist should aim for is to send a picture and press release to the local paper.

The other problem is that the newspaper receives dozens, if not hundreds of these each week and has only a few pages set aside for the Arts. The newspaper staff are like everyone today, suffering from too much information to read and too little time to do the work of writing.

Not surprising many artists write a draft article and send it to the newspaper, with the journalist simply editing and lodging it as copy.

As an artist I find myself, or if I'm lucky someone else, doing this work.

The result is that I am no longer inviting and promoting my exhibition, I'm now marketing my art.

But luckily there is a final reality check.

The public.

If the same people keep coming to my exhibitions, and keep buying my work, then I know its not just as result of marketing.

Its because of the art.

Because its expressive, unusal, interesting, and constantly changing and challenging.

I find the issue of art vs marketing simpler when discussing my paperclay and paper sculture workshops.

I know that most of the invitations to give workshops in Australia come from word-of-mouth, that is, people hear good things about me and then contact me.

Because of this I have become concious of my reputation as "Mr Paperclay" and have begun to build upon this.

But I should stress that my awareness has come after the fact, that it has been because people have passed on others comments to me or written flattering reviews.

While this is flattering, I also discount these a little because the processes I teach are novel, i.e. the attraction of the new.

To gain a better feel for what is happening I regularly survey participants, to see if their expectations were met, and to see how I can improve it.

So.... in both my art and workshops, I have found I was successful, after the fact!

And only once this became obvious, I then sought to do it better.

I suppose the bottom line has always been for me to eventually make a living from my art, so that I can keep on making art.

Because I just love making art.

7/5/04

A reoccurring discussion with art teachers, when I go into schools, is that they just have no energy, or creative energy left for creating studio work. After a full day teaching, particularly if they are doing it full time, there is no “spark” left for creating art.

Despite this, I know of at least one (Paul, in the Robertson Park Studio) who does combine both. But this may be the exception, that just proves the rule.

For myself, because I create and teach in the same studio space, the boundary is blurred.

The mundane studio work can be done while teaching, particularly so I don’t crowd students while they work.

However when the class size gets over four or five then I focus only on helping the students.

But perhaps more taxing on my time and energy is the administration of maintaining an interstate and international profile. The emails, correspondence, preparation of documents, slides and digital images, accounts and website consume a large part of my time.

Consequently I wonder if it is the teaching of large classes, plus the administration and politics of large organisations like schools that is more stressful, and therefore energy sapping?

25 students multiply by 5 classes per day, equals 125 people, plus other teachers and administration, equal a huge amount of social interaction. All these interactions can become individually and collectively stressful and tiring. Particularly when expectations are not being met and pressure is applied.

Compare this with my average day of may be four students and a couple of studio artists.

Moreover students and teachers “have” to come to school. Whereas my students and myself can exercise discretion.

However there is an positive relationship between stress and income. They have high stress levels and high income. I don’t (not these types anyway).

Makes you wonder….

7/5/04

This morning I was questioned about the recent record $140m +/- price set for an early Picasso painting.

It is hard to justify this price until comparing it to what peak football and basketball players are paid.

Just as in sport, there are layers of participation, from the play with balls and paint/paperclay of my 6 year old daughter and her friends, through to the thousands of teams/classes of children playing/painting/modeling. On top of that is the increasingly competitive higher grades or levels in the field and classroom. I know that for final year high school art students art is the one subject they have to spend the most time on. Similarly the top school sports teams train very hard and are very competitive.

After that there is local, university, state, national and international competitions, be it on the field or in the gallery.

As well as complete dedication, outstanding ability and chance all play a part in success. So that the best in both art and sport are truely the best (and maybe luckest).

They become symbols for the thousands of young players/artists and their coachers/teachers. Images and stories/articles/books are published about them, so that their reputation spreads. Recreational sportspeople and artists become fans who come to see them or their work.

The premium price or fees in arts and sports reflect not only these pyramids of social activity, but also reflect the cost of creating maintaining these artworks or sports people. For the Picasso painting there are conservational, housing, security and insurance costs which must be astronomical, given that the painting could never be replaced if damaged, stolen or not maintained. Similarly these artworks are often lent to international galleries for select exhibitions, therefore the artwork can produce an income stream. Just as a sports person may endourse a commercial product.

So in addition to their cultural value as symbols of creatively, orginality or physical ability and skill, art and sport icons have social and economic value.

23/4/04

>One of my biggest headaches is juggling timetables of different groups for paperclay and paper sculpture workshops in Perth, country, interstate and overseas. As their organisational timetables change then I have to go back to other groups to see how flexiable they are...consequently I spend hours each week writing email and phoning people. And I thought being an artist would be a quiet life in the studio making art with a major exhibition every couple of years! I don't know about other artists but I spend 1/3 my time in the studio, 1/3 in the office and 1/3 giving workshops/teaching in the studio... Not surprisingly a number of people have commented that I have good right & left (creative & logic respectively) brain development.

20/4/04

The myth of the "artist as hero"
or...."no one can make a living from art, but bugger it, I'll try".
after over a decade of struggle and the need to cover increasing art and home costs I wonder if it is actually possible without a "daytime" job. I'm reading a copy of the National Association for the Visual Arts latest survey of artist incomes etc, maybe it'll be more encouraging that the result of the last one which saw a big drop in incomes.

I'm very grateful for the other artists and students that have bought my artworks over the years-often just as a large bill comes in...

20/4/04

Inspired by two articles in a copy of Internet magazine (Fed 2004) read at the local library, I put this web log page together. Inspiration one was a band which uses it's website (ween.com ?) to freely distribute it's music because they thought the web might benefit them artisticly rather than financially(sic). Inspiration two was another article on "Blogging for revolution".

A visit to www.rebeccablood.net provided links to advise, which I have completely ignored :)