ART, SEWING, GARDENS - WHAT'S NEW?

Kaapay and Kuyan, Rosella Namok, b. 1979.

When I was in Emerald last week, I was delighted to spy this painting, which belongs to their City Art Collection.  I knew at once it was by the exciting Rosella Namok.  Lucky Emerald City acquired it when Rosella won their Acquisitive Art Award a few years ago.

Indigenous artist Rosella who now works in Cairns, was a founding member of the Lockhart River Art Gang, formed in 1995 at Lockhart River, an isolated community on the Eastern Coast of the Cape York Peninsula.  It is composed mainly of young artists working in a contemporary way, in contrast to the art of Australia's central desert where the older members of the community led the development of art centres.

Kaapay and Kuyan are moieties, a term used in the social organisation of Aboriginal Tribal life.  Rosella seeks stories from her older relatives, and her works reflect the experience of fishing and women's lore and culture.

She paints with her fingers, in brilliant thick acrylics on canvas, as in the sand drawing she was taught by her grandmother.

This painting appears to me to be a contemporary reference to the famous Rainforest Shields painted by indigenous artists of North Queensland:

Maybe...

Rosella Namok has won many awards throughout Australia and is represented in the National Gallery of Australia.

I also found Emerald Fabric Boutique, and came home with this:

and this:

and this:

and I really must get myself into the sewing room again!

Spring is just around the corner, and we had lovely sunny days over the weekend.  Mr C was out in the garden spreading mulch...

I bought a new pink rose ..

and added some blooms to the sun-deck..

The lavender is blooming..

jasmine is bursting forth..

and a little pink petunia managed to self-sow in a crack .. well done, Petunia...

Oh, and there are fairies at the bottom of our garden...

Have a great week!

XXXX