Stills Play

The past few days I have finally learnt how to capture a still image from the actual video. From the Silencio Sleeps video I am now able to explore further only to find that I want to learn more about this stuff of an emergence of something so new to me. It is exciting and challenging at the same time.

These images are photographs of peeled back posters from my walking around Berlin and layered with the moving image.

Working hard in studio

It's been four months back from Berlin and I am now working steadily towards a solo show at the Belconnen Arts Centre in October this year.

The video works are exciting me right now but more importantly I am enjoying drawing and painting out the experience of berlin.

It's like the flow has suddenly started to surge and it feels so good again to enjoy the process of making, experimenting and seeing where it takes me again.

Home and hairdryer

Well I have finally arrived home again - very much jet lagged but glad to be here and with John again. Very important too as I now have my hairdryer after five weeks of scrunching my hair it is good to be a bit more in control of those blonde curls.

The visit to Wedding to meet with American artist, Jeannine Baldomero in her studio at Wedding was also very interesting. Just to see the space and to find that there are over 70 artist studios in the complex and to discuss arts in general with On (from Roof Top Studios) was a treat. Jeannine is now in New York city for over a month working in a printmaking studio. I was able to get a little bit of film footage and will edit soon. My head is still a bit scrambled so will wait for that fog to clear before putting on blog.

The last few days in Berlin were spent just soaking up the place as a tourist and showing my husband's niece and husband around the city. Thursday was time to fly to Frankfurt in readiness for the return trip to Sydney via Seoul again. My poor feet started to swell after arriving in Canberra and I am keeping an eye on them too. If they are still up tomorrow it is off to the doctor for a consult.

Now my work really begins...............

Potsdam Highlights

It was a delightful day in Potsdam yesterday just purely hopping on the tourist bus and seeing the best bits via a 3 hour tour followed by a walk around the town and lunch in a quaint pub. I am glad I decided to visit. The first place in the video was Schloss Cecilienhof, followed by Schloss Sanssouci and then the Brandenberger Tor in the old town where I then just happened to find some street art again. Great story telling by the guide with snippets about the Prussian Kings, Frederick the Great, KGB, Winston Churchill and much more.

The feelings are starting to well up in me now. The last few days here are quite strange after the month of finding my way and then settling into the rhythm of actually being here.

John's niece and her husband Matt arrive this afternoon and we are meeting for dinner in the city. Time for a bit of fun I say. I have made up three DVD's for them to take back to the UK for family.

This afternoon I am meeting On from Roof Top Studios and will visit an american artist - I will follow that one up tomorrow as I attempt to pack.

Berlin Mornings

This is just one of my typical Berlin morning outings. Catching the bus into Zoo Station then S Bahn to Friedrichstrasse and a stroll in Mitte along Unter den Linden and back into the city again. It feels weird that it is my last few days here in Berlin.

I am about to head out to the city and check out times to visit Potsdam - hopefully today. It is an hour by train so I had better get going. More of the typical old Germany - video is ready!

One of those days

I had a good day until I dropped my bag as I was putting it into a locker at the Gemaldegalerie this afternoon. I thought it was pretty sturdy but once I returned after viewing the Rembrandts etc I decided to sit down for a while and look at the 150 plus pictures I had taken during the day. I was quite upset to realise that my camera is now not working and the memory card is locked. It had been a great day up until then.

The morning started out with a visit to another favourite cafe near Friedrichstrasse S Bahn - a delightful place called the Chagall Cafe. I did take a picture but.......... Anyway I then set off to Alexander Platz and an amazing time taking heaps of photos and seeing a demonstration, recording some great sound-scapes etc. Then walked all the way to Potsdamer Platz and then onto the Gallery.

By the time I got back and was tired but upset about the camera. I then tried a spare memory card and this said memory card locked too. So maybe there is hope yet. I then put all my energy into making another short video that can now be seen on facebook. I am trying to upload that but now having trouble. I did have to put another soundtrack to it so that could be a problem. It looks good on Facebook so look there for those that can.

It's now 9.30pm and just having dinner with a chardonnay.

Berlin sketching

My tummy bug has pulled me back a bit this week but I started to feel better today. I did a bit of shopping - family stuff - but wore out fairly quickly and set myself back to the apartment and ended up drawing all afternoon. The work above was one of a few that I resolved - meaning one that did'nt end up in the bin. It's hard trying to work in a very clean 'uber' space.

I had filed away most of the work in a folder and reviewed what I had produced so far this afternoon. I feel it has been good to put them away for a while. Time will tell when they are reviewed again on my return.

I now have a good beginning of work to start with when I get back. None of these are resolved at all - just quick impressions about the place and what I have been exposed to. There are remnants of shows that I have seen and I know where the influences have come from. The real work will start once I am back in the studio again.

I was thinking about going to Hamburg but now I am wondering if I went there I would start on a whole new body of work with a different feel to that place and now I feel like I need to just soak this place called Berlin into me a bit more. The set back with being sick has'nt helped. There is still a need to return to a few places and work through a few issues that I have encountered since my arrival. It's more about sitting here and being with this place and lingering longer rather than going to a new place. There never is enough time but I want to make the most of what I have now.

This is my last Friday evening here in Berlin and it is starting to feel really strange knowing that it is coming to an end.