November’s been a great month for gardening, my partner Elly and I have been getting out there and growing alot of food. Elly had planted several tommy tomato plants that have gone completely crazy, and i’ve had to tie them up repeatedly as the plants would have reached about 12ft high by now at least.



I’ve had some interesting interactions via artistic collaborations in my studio this month which has been great! I have some teaching work coming up next month too and its gearing up to be a very busy December!!

So after receiving confirmation of my Quick Response Grant from Regional Arts NSW, I travelled by train to Sydney to attend the Robert Mickelsen workshop which was very fun and educational. As I mentioned in the last blog post, I had wanted to learn glass techniques from Robert for many years so I enjoyed the experience a great deal!
I also had a chance to make some new glass nerd friends in the workshop and meet and hang out with Loren Stump which was very fun.

Overall a great experience and thanks so much to Gail Oldroyd at GoGlass and her family for opening up their home and making us feel welcome!



Here is a grasshopper I made over most of the day on the day we all made glass insects. It was quite challenging, though rewarding to finally finish it.

I decided to apply for the Regional Arts Quick Response Grant this month so that I could travel to Sydney to participate in a workshop with Robert Mickeslen - a well known and experienced glassblowing professional from the United States. After receiving letters of support from the Lismore Mayor, Jenny Dowell, Jyllie Jackson from Lightn Up, and Serpentine Community Gallery, i’m proud to say that I was awarded the funding!
I had always wanted to work with Robert Mickelsen, so I was very excited to have the chance to work with him for five days in an intimate group setting at GoGlass studios.
I decided to also be a part of the Flame On fundraising event at Pittwater in Sydney, which was two days of glass stalls, demonstrations and fund raising events, raising funds for Spinal Injuries Australia.
Thousands of dollars were raised, and thanks to the organisers for such a wonderful event.
I had great feedback on my work and met a lot of other glass artists, appreciators of glass, and had a chance to meet other young people working in the medium and other glassblowing friends that I don’t get to see very often.


Another great thing that happened this month was the invitation to be involved with the Cultiver shop in Ipswich- A shop dedicated to showing handmade, eco friendly products.
The Con Artists Market was invited to have a place in the shop, and from all reports things are going well.

In August I applied for the Rocks Pop-Up Project but missed out on the opportunity. Artists were allocated subsidised spaces at the rocks to showcase their work and engage with the public. I had planned to move a simple version of my studio to the Rocks and continue blowing glass in a shop front window so that passers by could see me working and come and interact etc. In the end I was kind of relieved that I didn’t receive it as I had to prepare work for the annual Kirra Galleries “Flame On Glass” exhibition.

My band Swamp Town played at the Splendor Think Tank Dinner which was an interesting event. We had a chance to perform some of our new material and had a great time!

I made up a batch of specialty glass apparatus for the science department at Southern Cross University, which is always interesting. It seems to weigh lighter on my conscience to produce specialty functional objects that also serve potentially important purposes.

Lastly, below is the poster for the August Con Artists Market. Its always a great event!





ust

July was a busy month, we moved into a new house, started a vegie garden and decorated. It was an easy move and we love the new house.

The beginning of July saw another beautiful sunny Con Artists Market at the Lismore Conservatorium, which was also having its open day that day.
There was a fine display of work and great vibes as usual.