On the Move, again

Yup poppies are on the move again.

After their lovely appearance at the Drum Theatre in Dandenong we will be bumping out on Tuesday and will reappear as a ONE DAY ONLY exciting installation elsewhere this Sunday,

                                                                                        more on that later...........

The Poppies for Peace community project in Dandenong was designed to be versatile, each installation adapted to each location so the community who helped create them can continue to enjoy them.

The Drum Theatre in Dandenong is a fantastic location - lends itself to all sorts of ideas.  In fact our imagination has run riot with future possibilites, BUT for now its poppies.

First of all a trip from Dandenong back to base for some floral arranging........

The squishing into the car for the journey back to Dandenong.......

The exploding out on arrival

We've always wanted bigger and better 3d opportunities,  several hours later and this chandelier just about satisfied our joint megalomania........for now

Now I'm terrified of heights so once again I was delighted to hide behind the camera whilst  Margaret braved the lift and made a few adjustments  

Stewart from the Drum was inspired and found some lovely red led lighting........ 

Now for the walls.......

by day......

By night...... 

From above......

From below...

So our megalomania was encouraged.......... and it was so very, very much fun!!!!!!

And next, well here's a little photo of a test to see how to attach a couple of  poppies to a well known balustrade........before we install FORTY!

Yes folks, Montsalvat is our next floral arrangement - for ONE DAY ONLY - come and see it, and more,at the inaugural Montsalvat Arts Festival this Sunday, September 13 , lots and lots of art and activities - have a look on 

www.montsalvat.com.au 

A Community Remembers........

A  story of how the community of the city of Greater Dandenong remembered this Anzac Day by creating and then planting a garden of giant "Poppies for Peace" 

Bravo Dandenong

Tomorrow is two months to the day since the last blog.  Bad blog behaviour! But of course there's a very good reason (isn't there always?).  The reason is the poppy project which for Margaret and myself has been overwhelming.

 As tomorrow is Anzac Day  today just happens to feel like the best day to write this blog

Part one of the Poppies For Peace project is now finished.  We have loved every minute of working for the City of Greater Dandenong.  Such an amazing community of so many nationalities .  We had so much enthusiastic help. Fifteen wonderful workshops with schoolchildren, fantastic teachers and  amazing community groups with wonderful and caring leaders. Everyone keen to help make a giant poppy.  All aware that each of our poppies represented a life lost from the country town of Dandenong during the Great war. 

Being involved in a project like this inevitably  becomes a very emotional experience. The Gallipoli centenary is by its very nature distressing so to spend two months working with so many different people from all over the world,  all  wanting to contribute to something they see as important as part of their life as an Aussie, makes for a pretty impressive experience. 

Pictures are far better than words at telling a story so today its the movie.

  Tomorrow, to mark the actual day it will be the story in stills.  

Next week  -   behind the scenes and hows and whys of the poppy design and construction.

We are sooooo excited (again)

There's nothing like a new community project for workshops and a public art installation to build excitement, maybe induce a touch of meglomania, but certainly to create new challenges for Margaret and myself.  

We had an amazing  time yarnbombing the City of Greater Dandenong Civic Centre with the community for the month of Cultural Threads last year.  We are really looking forward  working with the community there again on a new project .

This is a rough representation.............. 

Together we will create oversize poppies to be installed in the Civic Centre lawn as a tribute by the community of the City of Greater Dandenong for this year's centenary of Anzac Day.

 We aim to install forty poppies, one  for every  volunteer who died for King and Country in the Great War from what was then a small but important country  town, Dandenong. 

Prototype flower, fourth attempt, more refinements have been made since- after all they have to be easy to put together and relatively quick to make. 

The inspiration for materials and style came from cards my grandfather sent to my grandmother when he was stationed on the Western Front in France. The cards feature embroidery with  net  and silk decoration.  

The poppies are made from satin, tulle and synthetic knitting wool - more details as we go.

The subject may be serious but creating it is going to be lots of fun.   Making something beautiful is always fun, but sharing the experience is just so much more fun. 

And the challenge?  Well we start next week and the installation will be during the week of April 13th!  Wow, so soon!  Will the two of us and the wonderful and welcoming community of Dandenong make it?  Betcha we do.  You'll just have to watch and see. 

And we make three more prototype poppies this weekend - whoopee!!!  


Postscript
 An explanation for all our wonderful bloggy audience  outside Australia,  the 25th of April,  Anzac Day, is a national public holiday which  commemorates a First World War battle on the Turkish coast.  Troops from Australia and New Zealand fought a dreadful  battle for the British Empire. Their courage and losses are legendary.  Over the decades it has come to represent the moment when Australians and New Zealanders took pride in having a national identity.  The poppy symbol came from the Flanders poppy which has long been used for Remembrance Day, the eleventh of November, in the UK and Australia.  Many, many more Australian troops were lost on the Western Front in Europe. In Australia the poppy has become a tribute symbol for both days. 

 This is a simplistic description, to really understand what it means  to Australians today, especially on the 100th anniversary, you need to explore "Anzac Day Centenary"on the internet.

Couldnt help this - but I discovered this on Princes Bridge on Friday last - I'll send a knitted something  to the first person to tell me exactly where on the bridge it is.

Maybe it just caught the light but I think my mind was focused on textures after leaving the Jean Paul Gautier exhibition at the NGV  St Kilda Road.  That carving has always been there, I just havent noticed it before. 

The blockbuster exhibitions just go on getting better and better and become more and more overwhelming.  Still kicking myself that I left it so late I couldnt go back a second time.  

And that folks is a knitted dance costume.  Soooo brilliant.

So maybe I  was influenced by the poses of the models , but suddenly I noticed statues that had never really come to the front of my mind - or once again was it just the way they caught the light.

   

So walking around to the front.....

Not just textures but all those vertical lines.

Just love a gallery visit, always kicks the brain over!

Hi there Australian Quilters Association

Welcome to the New Year folks. 

Sorry about the long gap of nothing - we had a 92 year old in hospital with a heart operation that suffered complications and it was touch and go for too long - just didnt feel like blogging then.  All is well now, miracles do happen, she's 93 now, back in her home and reasonably independent  so its feeling like a happy new year now.

What better way to start the year than by giving a talk to the Australian Quilters Association - it was there many years ago  I got my introduction to art quilting and they were the beginning of so many wonderful friendships.  My very good friend Dijanne Cevaal will be introducing her beautiful new book - come and have a look. Its going to be a great day.   

My subject is "The Importance of Being Earnest - a side effect of community and textiles".  I hope there's a few surprises there.

I'm bringing along a few friends too, meet Hairry Flamingo

He has a friend,  Princess, with hairy legs

Possibly purple leg warmers for dancing practice.  They have a smaller acquaintance
Violetta De Lórange

Vi has lots more friends which she has invited to come.

We are going to have fun!