If you have come this far into the post and are not sure what you're looking at yet then you probably don't know me personally, I have wanted to make some work around my life with Endometriosis for many years now but I have never been able to do too much during the worst of it each month... during those days I can't really focus on the approach, let alone the execution of making art. I do have about 5 pictures from 2009, some self-portraits and some images from the darkened room I would make for myself during my monthly, self-imposed confinement. Those shots were taken on a DSLR and honestly, it's a hassle thinking about getting the 'big camera' out... the pictures you see here are phone-cam pix...
A twenty-two day cycle isn't the shortest cycle I've ever had but it still feels too short. It wasn't even the end of January and I was into my second bleed for the year. I have been tracking my cycle closely this month in an effort to understand myself better and pinpoint the times when I have more energy and when I need to get more rest and it was really helpful. It's always really helpful and I really recommend all bleeding womyn do this, Anyway, once again, what came from the shapes left on the sheets were pretty funny. Endometriosis is not fun, sometimes menstruation isn't fun but this little project is FUN! If you have come this far into the post and are not sure what you're looking at yet then you probably don't know me personally, I have wanted to make some work around my life with Endometriosis for many years now but I have never been able to do too much during the worst of it each month... during those days I can't really focus on the approach, let alone the execution of making art. I do have about 5 pictures from 2009, some self-portraits and some images from the darkened room I would make for myself during my monthly, self-imposed confinement. Those shots were taken on a DSLR and honestly, it's a hassle thinking about getting the 'big camera' out... the pictures you see here are phone-cam pix...
So, now that I find myself having a tough time of it again, I thought I really should do something with all the bloody, BLOODY towels. Each month there are so many flippin' towels and when they are unfolded they reveal such brilliant patterns. So there it is... the blood made the work! HA! I didn't actually have to 'do' anything... but bleed... the blood made the art and the art is much less serious than I thought it would be, or should be... but it doesn't have to be does it? Endometriosis is finally getting the attention in the press, and in federal parliament that is deserves... well, the attention that the womyn who live with it deserve. So here are just some of the towels and patterns from a morning of bleeding like a motherlover on New Year's Eve 2017/2018. I'll be back next month and every month this year to show you what the blood shows me... and for once, I plan to have a little fun with the dysmenorrhea. NOTE: THE NEXT COUPLE OF IMAGES ARE OBVIOUSLY BLOOOOOOOOD, but it's menstrual folks... either way, you've been warned! A perfectly crafty juxtaposition: Inspired by the really great men and the really 'not-great' men!14/9/2017 FOR THE REALLY NOT-GREAT MEN! FOR THE TWO BEST DUDES I KNOW! LOVE SUBVERSIVE CRAFT! HOW PRETTY... THEN... POW!
Using scrapbooking supplies, I crafted up some lovely yoni art for a room in my new home that I am going to dedicate to art that honours WOMYN. One yoni is called the THE ADMIRING YONI, she enjoys complimenting womyn; 'HELLO BEAUTIFUL' she calls out! Then there is THE YONI CARMEN who is sporting a headdress reminiscent of Carmen Miranda's fruit head dress. She too is full of positivity, calling out 'SMILE' and reminding me to STAY AWESOME!
If you're not a baby in our house you have an inspo. board. A cork board, a place to stick your favourite cards and pictures. Here's a look at the big kiddo's board before she gave it a spruce recently: And here's how it looks now... great work kid:
'Recognize that the very molecules that make up your body, the atoms that construct the molecules, are traceable to the crucibles that were once the centers of high mass stars that exploded their chemically rich guts into the galaxy, enriching pristine gas clouds with the chemistry of life. So that we are all connected to each other biologically, to the earth chemically and to the rest of the universe atomically. That’s kinda cool! That makes me smile and I actually feel quite large at the end of that. It’s not that we are better than the universe, we are part of the universe. We are in the universe and the universe is in us.' I am cutting out fabric squares from my son's clothes as he grows out of them and adding them to a quilt I am making for me. I give so much to good will and friends but there are just so many baby garments that I feel sentimental about and don't want to part with. This was the best idea I could come up with to put the clothes to use and give them new life. My big kid is using the extra scraps so we are trying to use up as much of the fabric as possible. Will keep you posted on the progress! :)
Well, what a flippin' year it has been folks! Most of 2016 was taken up with pregnancy, the lead up to birthing, birthing and now caring for a delightful newborn who is making my heart full and my eyes heavy. And although this year my activism fell by the wayside and my contributions to The Ballarat Craftivist Alliance were few something quite incredible came out of those months trying to just get through the challenges of my pregnancy. For the first time in my adult life I was able to carve out a daily practice with my music. I worked daily on three seperate digital EPs, noting down all of my thoughts and developing the over-arching story of each project whilst bringing each song or arrangement to a point that is ready for recording. I haven't worked this way on my own stories in about ten years, when I was first starting out. Blimey! TEN YEARS since I fell out of the groove that I was forging for myself in my early 20s. :( The project that came together the quickest and I am hoping to have recorded first was about the making of mothers. About the enormous transformation that occurs during pregnancy, childbirth and as we find our feet as first-time parents. These songs focus on the stories of women who are trying to put themselves back together, either due to trauma experienced in the lead up to motherhood, during labour and/or birth or in the months immediately after. I recently shared some notes and lyrics from one of the tunes from this still nameless EP in a zine and will share them again here. Why not hey? The work is unfolding in stages and perhaps a nice way to move forward with work that is deeply personal is to bring the people who may be interested along for the ride: This year I also kept my hands busy sewing, I was nesting after all but in 2016 I REALLY enjoyed myself with paper craft and memory-keeping. I was telling a friend recently how much happier I am working on my songs knowing that I have this hobby to work on too. There's no presure! Everyone needs a hobby don't you think? It doesn't matter what you're doing in your professional life or what your daily work entails, hobbies and interests = self care and down-time... a luxury for many really but important... for me it's vital. It's taken some years to work it out but I need this time, it has to be factored into my week and if other things have to be missed to make it happen then so be it. As I get older, seeing my peers take so many different pathways on their creative journeys and seeing careers really taking shape, I am realising that creative folks inparticular need hobbies... an activity or interest that doesn't dwell in the same space as the vocation. Space to exhale! My hobby keeps my hands busy, is something I can do with my kids and I get great satisfaction completing projects using materials I love that are keepsakes, telling the stories of my family as my kids are growing up. This year it was all about the baby ofcourse and I was gifted some great crafting materials: But back to writing... I also want to share some thoughts about another 5 track I put togther this year. The EP is called Bloodlines, the image below is a mock-up single cover for the track In The Next Room. I am keen to use the design but I think I'll drop the snowflakes. The image was taken in the hills around town out here in the Western Highlands. In this spot the bush is coming back to life after some small fires from last Summer. It felt like a fitting image because although these songs were inspired by loss I was pregnant with my son. So Bloodlines is being recorded at my home in Ballarat and will be produced by myself and my husband, guitarist Jeremy Rough. It comprises of two original tracks, one traditional Irish lullaby and two folk anthems, one of which I reworked entirely.
As I touched on above, this humble project came to life during a period of great change for myself and for my extended family. The original tunes were written as my family were collectively experiencing loss and a painful reconciliation with the past. Each song tells a unique story and yet marks out a chapter in a much bigger story. The bigger story is inspired by the recent history of my mother's family and so I will most definately be dedicating this project to them. I can not wait to get these projects published and will continue to share the stories that inspired them. Getting these songs down during such a physically and mentally challenging time was such a revelation to me and I hope I can hang onto the habits that allowed me to develop so much work this year. With another babe on the scene it will be interesting to see how I go but I feel like I am definately coming back from something , coming back from somewhere perhaps? Not just moving forward after a very difficult pregnancy but coming through a fog that has been hanging around my head for the best part of the last decade. I recently posted some words and picture on Instagram as part of that silly 2006v2016 thang and after writing this up I have realised I was gearing up to take a journey as a songwriter back then... but then quite a different journey started. I want to write more about this soon I think because the themes of the last decade are definately coming out in my songs now. Anyway, here's to 2017! Sláinte! Siobhán I organised three very different community groups to participate in Michelle Hamer's workshops at The Lost Ones gallery in the lead up to her exhibition and it was wonderful to also take part myself. I loved the premise of this work and what each group came up with using Michelle's 'flashcards' in the workshops. Simple stories, told with four cards, captured in four frames in a photobooth. ‘There are no Words’ explores the gaps between what words mean, how language is used & the ways in which this both facilitates & inhibits our understanding of each other.
I love the work of Suzanne McRae of Hip Hip Decay. Say hello to Nelson, the whippet Suzanne built specifically for Found at The Lost Ones Gallery; the gift shop I recently established. What a character he is! He is part of the 'whippet story' we are building; living whippets and non-living! Thank you Susanne! Find more of her work on Facebook HERE
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