A good friend, graffiti and the power of colour. Melbourne September 21st.

 Graffiti on Hosier Lane, Melbourne.
 
Glenys Mann

None of us work and live in isolation. As we go through life we make friends and contacts, some come and go, and some stick!! It is because of Glenys Mann that I traveled to Australia in the first place several years ago - I think it is 5 or 6. Since then I have made more friends and contacts down here in the Anipodes and I am building up a healthy teaching practice here. 
I have taught at 3 of Glenys's events. Fibrearts Australia is a very exciting and thriving company that holds the most amazing textile workshop events featuring tutors from all over the world and of course fabulous Australian tutors.

I am in Australia to teach - but more of that in the next post. I would like to show you what I saw yesterday. Glenys and I had arranged to meet at 11.30 on the steps of Flinders Street Station. I left my hotel early so I had a chance for a mooch around a few of the colourful and exciting streets of Melbourne.


 
 I love this image, there are still the odd corners of old and distressed buildings left in this very modern city.

 Flinders Street Station is right next door to Federation Square where I was headed for a coffee and the chance to watch the world go by.

 Bikes for hire.

 The iconic Flinders Street Station.

On the way to Federation Square is Hosier Lane, one of the main garffiti streets in Melbourne. I first saw this amazing place 5 years ago, every time I see it, it has completely changed. There are now organised tours of the graffiti in Melbourne.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 Even the tarmac is 'tagged'.

I love the energy of these alleys and streets. I look forward to seeing how they have changed and have been 're-written' on my next visit.

 
Glenys on good form!!!

Glenys wanted to show me what was on show at the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria) at Federation Square. It houses a brilliant collection of modern and old collections of art and artefacts. There is always something rather wonderful to see. This time it was the The Rigg Design Prize.

There were some fabulous exhibits in this room, two of them really stood out for me.

 

And Kate Rohde's work just blew me away - it is breath taking, hysterical and amazing all at once.


 
 
 
I just loved Kate's work.

There was a beautiful exhibition full of thought provoking work - Indigenous Art - Moving Backwards into the Future.

I particularly liked this body of work as it showed work with a limited colour palette, enabling the viewer to appreciate the marks, brush strokes and symbols used.

 

I really loved this exhibit - it's just aches to be stitched - but it is painted onto a wooden panel . . . 

A detail showing the simple marks.

I am now on the third day of this trip and will be off to the train station to travel to Geelong, the next stage of my visit. This will be my second visit to Geelong. I will be seeing friends I made the first time I taught there and getting ready to teach at the Geelong Forum next week.  I would have loved to stay longer in Melbourne, there is so much to see here, but this is a short trip - next time.

x x x

Comments

  1. Glenys23 September 2015 at 05:32

    It was indeed my pleasure to open up more of Melbourne for you! next time we will do more....Next time? Hope it will not be too long before the next time!!! Luv ya Kim...enjoy Geelong and then the Forum! xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lis Harwood23 September 2015 at 19:10

    What a fabulous looking city. Such a range of images to stimulate. The indigenous art has the look of kantha stitch about it, making marks in different ways. Travel safely, looking forward to coming along with you.

    ReplyDelete

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