The Ramblings Of Linden Langdon
skip to page linksCards
Wednesday 30, November
I've taken the plunge and put up a selection of cards on my site. Its not so much about trying to make a profit as being able to pay for the paper and inks I am using for my masters degree. So if your interested there is a link to the card page under the mountain link, or here! I'm restricting them to limited editions, to keep me on my toes, and at the moment there are lithograph, etching and some digital prints to choose from.
David Stephenson
Monday 28, November
Drawing Time is the latest exhibition for David Stephenson. Featuring his poignant photography of Tasmania - often in crisis - the exhibition can be seen at the Boutwell Draper Gallery in Sydney until the 17th December. There is a selection of work to see at their online gallery as well. If you select the 2004 link as well as the 2005 you will get an interesting contrast in styles. Personally I am still all for the elegant black and white that allows you to read into the image, but the colour work makes it impossible to deny what you are seeing.
Bindi The New Idea Horse
Monday 28, November
Part of my childhood was spent on a farm on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
My sister and I were introduced to the 'joy of horses' as teenage girls with the idea that they would distract us from making rash and erratic choices. I think my sister was listening...
Our horses were picked from the many you see standing neglected and forgotten in padocks with every problem they can muster. Usha, the feisty arab mare with a mouth of iron, Nimbin, the gentle soul who barely survived his illness which he had when we found him and never managed to
achieve more than a trot, Zorba, the beautiful beast who taught me the meaning of the word pigroot, Tolka, the retired race horse who didn't know the meaning of the word 'retired', JB, Sita and more. My sister moved to a property with space for horses a few years ago and had started a collection of mishaps
and rejects, but following a particuarly nasty fall that saw her body pinned together with surgical steel, she has opted for caution and education. Bindi is the most recent choice for the Palmwoods home, and hasn't she got the most beautiful gentle eyes? Good luck Suze, maybe the
times have moved on...
Incarceration And Suicide
Saturday 26, November
My honours project focused on the sometimes difficult subject of incarceration, and specifically of male youths, and suicide. It is an issue that is easy to shove into the too hard basket as our society is structured to remove any elements that disturb the sense of social norms as determined by political and moral guidlines. We (collectively as a society) dont want to see the results of our legal systems' punishments, so it is efficiently sanitised for public consumption. In todays political climate, where our rights and freedoms are daily diminished by shifting guidlines, the pressure on the legal system to tighten in accordance is ominous and worrying.
Moving into my masters I find it hard not to keep being drawn back into cell, but the personal energy it takes is too much at this point. It is also hard to break into the gallery circles with work related to issues that society would rather ignore the existence of. So in a political climate that is fueling increased detention, punishment and the death penalty (a brief pause to consider the number of innocent people sent to the rope) perhaps a moment to consider the motivation for my prints from last year is an valid one.
Craig And Ireland
Friday 25, November
There has been a bit of internet research going on in the Crave household. Its good to see a 'hesitate before you leap policy' in the investment department.... It is interesting to look at the depth of history of the European countries compared to Australia, still developing a historical base. Our family had a bit to do with very early settlment, and Craig recently worked on a site which was owned by our relies in the late 1800's. The sign, photographed by Craig, details the history of the site in brief, including the sale of the property to Charles Parbury around 1870, stating that he owned other properties in Dawes and Millers Point. He sold the property to the Government 30 years later.
New Tassie Blog
Friday 25, November
There's a new Tassie blog thats getting a fair bit of attention. It seems to cover a broad range of issues concerning Tasmania, and frequently political. But if your interested in 'things Tasmanian' then this blog is a good place to have a look. They are also a group of people posting, so it is quite active. Tassie.com.au.
Travis Tiddy And Lake Margaret
Thursday 24, November
Travis is one of the honours students currently showing at the Plimsoll Gallery. His work has been developed around a trip to Lake Margaret, situated near Queenstown on the West Coast of Tasmania. A hydro electric scheme was completed in 1914 and still runs today - reputedly the second oldest scheme in the southern hemisphere. I had the opportunity to visit the lake as well, and I can understand his urge to develop a body of work around it. It is a stunning place. The remotness ensures that there is a strong sesnse of stillness and quiet, yet as with all remote areas in Tasmania you are aware of the dangers that come with such exclusive environments. The small township is reduced to vacancy, and it is impossible not to imagine, even for a split second, life in a home nestled at the base of the pipes that feed the power station, living for the flow of water and turn of the turbine.
Travis writes: "...Interpretation of Lake Margaret Hydro Electric Scheme... using mixed media which attempts to capture the essence of this place in a way that is provocative and informative...but site specific...landscape and cultural..."
My photos from the Lake trip (from a few years ago) centre more on the fantastic wooden pipeline that the water flows through. It is awsome and on a still day the sound of water hissing through small gaps is all you can hear as you walk beside the pipe towards the lake. The 2.2 kilometre wooden section of the pipeline was originally constructed with imported Canadian Oregan Pine, but after 24 years was replaced with the local King Billy Pine. Its future hangs in the balance as the wood decays with time.
Some of the information here comes from Travis' Lake Margaret companion guide, which he published as part of his honours project. Its a beautiful little booklet, and well worth getting a hold of if you come across it. And the walk is well worth the effort!
Some Odds And Ends
Monday 21, November
I can't say I have anywhere near the skill or experience of Andy Clarke when it comes to websites and accessibility, but I see from a recent interview that he is a Printmaker! He says, " First and foremost, I'm a designer although I have never taken any formal education in graphic arts. At art school I studied painting, but soon became aware that I did not have the patience to paint. I spent most of my degree years in print-making and I have realised since that it was the 'process' of print-making which absorbed me."... Oh how I have uttered words to that effect... I can't help but wonder if he still does a bit of printmaking and what methods he uses!
Well I did make it into the Mercury newspaper, and its a nice little article which is up on their website.
Also featuring in the paper was Allan Moult, who runs the Leatherwood Online website. He has an interest in blogging, and in Tassie which motivates his site.
And I managed to get into the printroom today and it was just bliss! Such a relaxed atmosphere with just a couple of people getting into their work and no pressing dates for judgement and crushing reviews hanging like boiling water over the work benches and presses... just calm, peaceful space! So now, as the year winds up for most, I get started...
Athletic Development Basketball Program
Sunday 20, November
Abi has been going to lessons with ADBP for the last couple of years.
Basketball has had a gradual rise in popularity and the aim of this program is to teach kids from an early age the finer details of the game tactics, rather than letting them develop habits that
don't fit with the team spirit of the game. The framework for the levels at ADBP is based on the kids school grade, which is excellent as it offers no favouritism.
Andrew Gaze is the Patron for the program and Cosy Cabins has been fantastic with their support as well.
And of course Abi is out there having fun and learning all sorts of great stuff about basketball and how to get the ball into the hoop!
All Good
Sunday 20, November
All our problems have been solved - code amended for the gallery and contact forms - so everything is functioning as it should be now! This is one of the issues of building hand coded sites, as opposed to using one 'out of the box', but for the hassles I think it is worth it. A hand coded site allows you to make the changes you want, control and learn about the code and also completely alter the site structure if needed to suit the material. From a blogging perspective, the free site offer a fantastic and easy way to get a site up and running, but bloggers need to be aware of things such as the width of their photos to prevent the site breaking. So often I have visited a site with the menu mysteriously dropped below the the bottom of the articles because an image has pushed out the site limits. So while hand coded sites have their issues, like being a bit harder to find, I wouldn't switch to an template site as I really love being able to use just a little of the coding skill I have learnt over the last couple of years. So apologies for the website issues; its all good now! Oh and as a p.s. my Mountain site is actually a wordpress template site, which is a free option when you have your own domain name and hosting.
Server Issue For PHP
Saturday 19, November
It seems that most of the problems we have been having with the server upgrade have been solved, except the PHP one. My gallery functions using PHP, and the upgrade seems to have lost something vital in the transfer of info. So my apologies to anyone who has been trying to access the gallery on my main website, and hopefully it will be solved soon.
Diane Foster
Saturday 19, November
"Bang",(detail) lino cut and digital pigment prints, 133cm x 318cm, Diane Foster, 2005
Diane's "Bang" is a dramtic piece of printmaking which well and truly explodes from the wall and fully expresses her theme. Diane's story is about her grandfather who used to work on a small island called Goat Island off the north coast of Tasmania. He was a powder monkey and the rock he blew up created quite an impression on the island (hill to hole) and in Diane's eyes. The honours exhibition is open at the Plimsoll Gallery, Hunter Street, Hobart until the 27th of November
Troy-John Emery
Saturday 19, November
These amazing cats are part of the honours exhibition at the Plimsoll Gallery. Troy-John calls his work "These unlikly circumstances have allowed us to be together" and I think you can read that in several different ways! The crowds were too intense to read his whole rave, but I may go back just to see what his drive was. That could be a pun too - since these cats are freeze dried, as are the birds. I overheard someone explaining that they were road kills, or perhaps in the case of the birds a not so harmonious circumstance of togetherness? They are very dramatic, and speak loudly to me of environmental issues. Bejewelled cats...mmmmm
Forty Faces
Saturday 19, November
Now here's a funny thing.... Its a website which shows your photo whenever you subscribe, as long as you have your RSS working. Its a bit of fun and Philipp does a great job of making your pic look as nice as everybody else's! Of course I dominate the screen shot here... Forty faces is also a great way to check out some new blogs.
Gentle Methods
Friday 18, November
I've gone back to some simple forms of printmaking while I'm recovering from the car accident. My litho stones are just sitting there at uni - gathering dust and looking all lonely and unloved! I will be able to work up some images on the stones, but unless someone helps me with all the heavy stuff - lifting (sliding) limestone blocks - and even the rolling of ink would be hard at the moment; then its sticking the gentler forms of working up images. Of course there is the digital. Now there's a thing. I haven't really worked with the digital much, as a choice more than anything. It has always been the tactile properties of the traditional print that attracts me. In a way it tells a story of the process and the person who has poured their time and physical effort into making the marks, processing the plate, inking.. wiping, then printing. It shows in the little errors, the slight inconsistency of ink tone and of course the impression of the plate. The emboss takes that to another level of course. So, with a digital print the qualities are different. Thats not to say that they don't have a place, and recent work I have seen which combines digital and, for example, lino cut can create a superb marriage of methods that bridges the issues. So thats where I'm at. Working up the courage to press the print button on the computer, deciding which paper works best, and working on etchings, collagraph, lino cut and drawing to fill the healing days.
Gossipy Bits
Thursday 17, November
I can see my website! This is great news (for me), but I still can't upload, so I'm still writing in advance ('cos I have a hand coded site and so I work in my HTML kit). Sad you may say.. The problem is, that since my little car accident I have been restricted by the whiplash injury, so no heavy lifting or doing anything much at all really. I did make the effort to ask the doctor when I was in there for the whiplash injury about my ankle (which has been causing grief for more than several months) - he looked aghast and said - you have a torn archilles tendon! Well yes, I think I know that, and avoiding the issue hasn't seemed to heal it. Take pain killer and rest he said - no thank you. I don't take pain killers - one of my little weird things - and rest? How do you do that? I'm a printmaker!
Anyway, another little bit of gossip is that I hear vicious rumours that I am to be featured in the Sunday Tasmanian (Mercury newspaper), so check it out if you have the chance! Or maybe not - who knows whats in it... maybe I shouldn't mention it...mmmmm...
I've been working on the Hunter Island Press website a bit, so check it out for some new pages about John Robinson and Jane Tyler.
Jane Tyler
Wednesday 16, November
One of the third year graduation students is having a solo exhibition called "Inside Out". Opening tonight at 6.30pm, the exhibition of lithographic and digital prints exlpores the abstract concept of borders.
Jane's exhibition runs until the 25th of November at the Entrepot Lounge Gallery, Hunter Street, Hobart and the gallery is open from 10am till 4pm. Jane is also a member of Hunter Island Press, so when the server
fixes its bugs and I can access the site again I will put a page up for her and link to it so that you can see some her fabulous work. She really does work well in litho, the washes in particular absorb her creative energy.
Honours Exhibition
Wednesday 16, November
I still have no site up, but I thought I would put together a couple of posts ready for the moment that it appears!
I must say that I would highly recommend a visit to the honours exhibiiton at the uni this week. The opening is at 5.30pm on Friday the 18th and the exhibition will continue until the 27th of November.
Each participant (ninteen by my count) will have a major piece of work in the Plimsoll Gallery, which is located at the University of Tasmania School of Art in Hunter Street, Hobart, and the bonus is that they
will also have a display of further work in an allocated area in the university building. This is also accessible to the public during the show, so its worth having a wander about. There will be a number of
disciplines represented, and several printmakers of course! I'll get down there with the camera so that you get a taste of the newbie honours work...
Server Upgrade
Monday 14, November
Apologies to anyone not being able to get the website up over the next couple of days - the server is being upgraded to a faster version, so hopefully in the long run it will be a better site!
Suzi Tyson And Tess MacGregor
Sunday 13, November
Suzi Tyson has been working with some of the most beautiful earthy tones I have seen in print. 'Conglomerate 1' is a drypoint and etching combination that that gives a realistic sense of being close to this rock face. Tess MacGregor has gone for innovation, printing on dressmakers patterns to produce gentle fabric like work. Delicate and highly patterned, they are feminine and proud of it. Both these ladies are garduates from Tas Uni this year.
Suzi Tyson, 'Conglomerate 1', 2005. Tess MacGregor, 'Untitled', 2005
Charles Pohl
Saturday 12, November
One of the graduate students from e-media had a really catchy piece that showed an understanding of his medium and of viewer interest. Its hard to stand out and make people stop in an exhibition which has a multitude of mediums and scale. His work was set up on 4 mac computers, each one timed to run through a short animation and restart at the same time. I couldn't get a picture of the yellow one - the moments that the figure was up close (scary screamer) were too brief for my camera to capture! They are a quirky bunch of clips that for me portray a lot of frustration. Seriously funny but dramatic too!
Car Accidents (I've Been In A Few)
Saturday 12, November
I guess its the same old saying - every day you get in a car you are placing yourself in danger. I have managed to stay out of the line of fire for a good many years, but time caught up with me yesterday and an absent moment for another driver meant I got rear-ended. I thought all was ok, but again time got me and a visit to the doc today means x-rays and looking after oneself. Boring... At least she (in her absent moment) knew that she was in the wrong and has quickly got the ball rolling for car repairs. Anyway, I started to think about the accidents I have been in, so here's a brief summary!
One At the ripe old age of sixteen I had a stunned moment when as I was getting into a car and another car backed into the door which subsequently tried to close on my foot. I was wearing the fashion of the day - wooden clog type thongs, which no doubt helped to save toe one and two, but three was just too soft. These days of course I would have been rushed into micro surgery and no one would know the difference, but back then I was just an out patient at the local hospital who was lucky enough to get a bit of local anaesthetic after being ferried there by the absent minded driver, and then deserted for fear of persecution. They stitched my toe back on, but it went blacky green and they cut it off two weeks later, again in out patients with a local anaesthetic.
Two, three and four It seems that getting about with a brash driver didn't connect the dots for me, and while my foot was healing I was in a slow head on - because the other driver (and mine) refused to back down on a one way bridge crossing (the other driver was right and my foot slammed against the floor - ouch), an 'I'm a fantastic driver, get of my way' rear end (this time I was in the harrassing vehicle) and a 'showing off to the mates look how fast I can take this corner on a dirt road' fence and gutter crunch. There were other little ones, but enoughs enough of them...
Five This should have been the clincher for never getting into a vehicle with a driver who thinks that good driving equals bad driving. On a windy mountain back road driver decides to be funny and swerve from side to side. Not funny I say. Especially with a big fat tree rapidly approaching. Swerve, bang on my door, roll, split second gentle frozen moment, then slide and ROLL, roll roll down, then thump and I fly free like nothing I have ever experienced before or again (or want to). I think I am dead, there is nothing but black and air all around then, crunch, face first into the ground. My first memory on waking is the flicker of beautiful lights way below in the valley (its Lismore) and I am sure I'm dead. I try to move, but only my arms do, then I realise I'm not dead.... but I am paralised. I am dragged to my feet but struggle to stay up and lie down. "Let her lie down!" I hear someone say. But I'm in and out of being there in that paddock, on the hill slope. Next thing I remember is a man leaning over me, and several other people, he says "Not much hope for this one" and I curse him in my mind and drop out as they slide things under me. Then the ambulance, then the hosital where they cut my satin shirt from my body and my peaches jeans (I loved that shirt and those jeans!) and I stay in intensive car for three days with nurses stroking pins across my feet and asking if I feel it. I do. I am lucky. My feeling comes back, it was spinal shock. I find out later, much later, that I had been in the paddock for about 2 hours, as the driver wanted to get his blood alcohol level down before getting help, and help was hard as they had to cut a track through the bush to get to me, and get me out.
Six Which brings me to now, and why my back hurts as the accident yesterday roused the old injury, and the absent minded driver who looked the wrong way at the wrong moment and ran into the back of me gving me whiplash. Bugger.
Grad Show Opening
Firday 11, November
The graduation show is opening tonight at 6pm, but I had a little look today! Here are a couple of photos from the sculpture department - apologies for the lack of names and titles, I couldn't find a pen in my volumous handbag! I will amend the oversight tomorrow after another visit... In the meantime its a good taster for what is about the arts school, so the opening is at 6pm, with music and lots of people, then the Hunter Street campus (Hobart) is open from 11am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday. Then all the work comes down in a hurry and the honours or masters students go up!
A Few Websites
Thursday 10, November
My favourites lists are growing huge and so I paused for a brief moment to have a look at what I have been putting in there - here are a few arty ones...
- Anna L. Conti
- Nature Printing Society
- David Bull - woodblock
- James Vaughan - sculptural furniture
- Lily Hibberd
- Handprint - a UK studio
- Dawn Csutoros
- Tasmanian University School of Art homepage.
- Post Secret - a bit of fun
- Leatherwood Online - about Tassie
In no particular order and please excuse me if there are some repeats from previous posts!
David Austin Roses
Wednesday 9, November
Roses aren't a flower I strive to possess or allow to possess my every garden moment. But the couple that I do have seem to deliver the promise of perfume, colour and liviness to the garden. I found the David Austin roses a number of years ago, and have managed to keep two which I moved from my last garden (isn't it always the case that it is the garden that is the hardest to leave when you move? - well maybe sometimes...). The 'Pegasus' rose was planted when my youngest child was born, and I kept it potted for a number of years after moving. It is showing its appreciation for being allowed to spread out its roots in the active soil now, and this year has produced the best show of flowers in its 11 year history! These roses tend to be quite hardy as well, which is probably best for a non-rose gardener like me!
Congrat's Anthony!
Tuesday 8, November
After TAFE training and all the stress and drama of job hunting, Anthony has an apprenticeship! So congrat's to you and I hope the job (renderer) leads to plenty wealth, health and happiness!
The job hunting game can be so gruelling on your self-esteem, so in todays competitive climate of low employment it is especially good to get the break and move forward. Can't wait for the 6.45am starts...!
Getting Into The Print Zone
Monday 7, November
The energy and mental commitment it takes to get prints working and repeatable never ceases to amaze me. I guess its the same for other creative industries, and hard to understand when you aren't doing it. There are so many little bits and pieces to the process, each one vital for the print to succeed, that without being focused on every step means disaster at the end. Yes, I stuffed up. Oh well, tomorrows another day. And on a brighter note I muscled my way into the now empty and unclaimed spaces in the print room and claimed my summer spot! I have accumulated three good stones of even size and texture (the grain is nice a fine) and a couple of odds and ends stones. I also positioned myself in the corner with a fabulous view of the mountain in one direction and the harbour from the other window. So now its up to the creative energy to kick in and the mental faculties to pull themselves together and maybe all the preparation work I have been doing will come to light!
Recherche Bay
Saturday 5, November
One of the hot debates on the environmental front at the moment is the fight to keep Recherche Bay from being destroyed by bulldozers and loggers in the not too distant future. This stunning piece of Tasmania is the site of landing by French explorers in the late 1700's and subsequent establishment of a garden which was developed as a testing ground for suitablity for growing European species. The French were fantastic in their documentation, drawing and generous spirit they showed to the Lyluequonny people of the area. Pondering a possible alternate future our state would have experienced should the French have decided to follow through with colonising the area is a recurring theme for artists and academics alike. However, history has a way of dealing out its hand at a steady pace, and gradually the future of the site has been unravelling to now become almost entirely threatened by logging. The small concession by the land owner to preserve a shell of bush around the peninsula is in itself a thin veil disguising the destruction caused by logging. The Recherche Bay website offers plenty of photos of the area, and information.
A protest today gradually gathered up apporoxmately 5,000 people on the lawns of parliament house
The continued logging of old growth forests and historically interesting places in Tasmania is beyond any comprehension of sense and falls directly in the realm of greed.
Graduation Exhibition
Saturday 5, November
The Tasmanian University School of Art has been celebrating the graduation of its students for a last few years with an exhibtion. This is a big event and the whole site (the old IXL building in Hunter street, Hobart) is opened up to the public. Work is exhibited on all the levels and it really is a fantastic way to see whats happening in the current local art community. The opening night is November 11th at 6pm and then the building is open daily from 11am to 4pm until November 13th. Of course there is a fabulous display of printmakers work, including Helena Demzcuk who is a member of Hunter Island Press.
Two For One
Thursday 3, November
There is an opening tomorrow (Friday 4th) at Entrepot Gallery, Hunter Street, Hobart. It is in the smaller back section of the gallery, I think they call it the lounge, which perhaps accounts for the dark purple walls.... Anyway, paint choice aside, The exhibition filling the space is quite dramatic. Two graduating Bachelor of Fine Arts students have joined forces to create a very harmonious display. "This Life", mixed media work by Marie Howard, catches your eye with the large display lit up like a street sign. Consisting of a solid (yet translucent) colour on the back and a collection of prints on the front, it is an effective work. The walls boast a series of photos by Rebecca Adamczewski, "This Road", the rich glossy black contrasted by the brightly coloured flowers. The exhibition opens at 5.30, and with no end date on the card, I guess you'll be safe to make a visit in the next week at least.
Marja-Leena Rathje
Thursday 3, November
If your in Vancouver, anywhere near the Studio Art Gallery at Capilano College, then Marja-Leena is having an exhibition from November 16th to December 7th. "Silent Messengers" is a recent collection of mixed media prints and you can see some samples of her work on her website. The opening is at 4.30pm on the 16th. Good luck Marja-Leena!
Texture
Thursday 3, November
Another invitation in my uni email - Texture, an exhibition of crochet by Tomoko Taira. I like that people are taking up what has been traditionally deemed 'womens craft' and taking it into the realm of art. It flys in the face of many a parochial person of power... The opening is on Firday at 6pm and the exhibition continues till the 14th December at Bookamores Cafe in Hobart.
Recycling
Wednesday 2, November
Economy and ideas - they both get a regular shake up in my house. The act of pulling together new themes is usually rooted in the past for me, so pouring through the books, journals and writing from the last few years has been keeping me busy. This is happening while the uni is pre-occupied with itself as everyone charges towards the finish line with their ideas in tatters and self esteem at an all time low - hence my absence from the printroom. Anyway, after reading interesting bits and pieces on the net I have started recyling my old plates as well. I must admit that at the moment I have the luxury of using the backs of the plates, so its just a matter of trying to take out all the marks from the abasive accidents that happen when you drag bits of metal around. But, I am inspired to play with working plates back to leave just a few marks from the past to come forth to the new image. Not being a believer in perfection (it is in the eye of the beholder after all, and the beholder has to answer to their lifetime of influences) it is kind of controlled random effects, as opposed to just random efects! At least thats how I'm justifying (post) my approach to being economic with my art!
Senses Of Place Conference
Tuesday 1, November
The uni is hosting a conference in April next year and are currently calling for papers. Its a great location (held in Tasmania) for the theme which explores concepts and expressions of place. If I had my paper together a bit more I would probably fit into the community, place and change theme category with my project. But alas, I think I will have to let this one go by (anyway I tend to do that fainting thing in front of crowds...). Its shaping up to be an interesting conference.
