Travel | Judy Dominic Fiber Artist

May 4, 2014

Back to Perth…

…for the next phase of this journey.

The second day of mudcloth went well and everyone seemed happy when they left. Some lovely work was created with an array of amazing colors of the earth. (Pics up when I can!)

Actually got to see more than just the town after class. Kerrie led a few of us to her farm outside Lake Grace. Lots of acreage which included crop fields (they raise wheat, barley and rape seed, rotating the crops annually) and lots of the remains of ancient sea beds which are now salt lakes – all of which are dry and crusty on top/body-snatching muddy underneath.

From the house she drove through the bush to a reservation that borders her property. We parked next to the dam and walked up to the top of the rock from which we could see just about forever. No sunset to view due to clouds, but the chilled wine was good.

The rock, called Moon Rock, has something in it that reflects moonlight – which we also were not able to see tonight. But it was still, desolate, full of lichens and bush that will burst into color as soon as the rains come in earnest. Absolutely gorgeous in it’s waiting state.

After a full night of welcome rain (their last rain was October!) I am saying goodbye to Lake Grace early this morning – well, actually saying see you again as the invitation has already been extended to come back. Lovely spot of earth, rock solid people, abundant spirit – I will be back!

Map of Lake Grace hanging in the Inn.

Main Street Lake Grace looking due east.

May 3, 2014

To be or not….

The play definitely was the ‘thing’ last night!

After a full day of playing with mud, eating, laughing, eating some more (I quite like the custom of tea time mid morning and afternoon complete with sweets, savories and fruit and squeezed between breakfast, lunch and suppa) we took in the local production of ‘Harry Potter and the Total Ripoff’.

Performed by a traveling band of six thespians, they were aided by seven cute and talented local girls and boy, ages maybe six through eleven. A play within a play, it was a semi musical spoof on the Potter series with some Dr Who, James Bond and generic murder mystery stuff thrown in. What a hoot! Lots of cliches, sub texts, audience participation and one liners (the ‘cat scan’ by a stuffed cat was classic). The singing was terrifically terrible as was the portrayal of some of the characters. We just about laughed our socks off!

Plus, as it seems to be quite the custom, everyone brought food to share and there was a feast before, during and after the production.

With warmer air temps as night fell, it was a most perfect evening!

May 2, 2014

Seems the police…

… were just in for the day as they were doing random alcohol testing on drivers going through town. First time ever according to one source. They headed out early Friday morning and vacated the unit at the Saltbush Inn. Sigh. We had such a fun rumor started about drugs and red lights…

My newest neighbor is a gal who has come in for the mudcloth workshop which starts today. A number of the students from yesterday’s gut class are staying on for mudcloth.

Everyone had a good play with the gut. We had a couple rinsing stations set up outside the Art Center, which is upfront and center in downtown Lake Grace being a renovated (and still in process) former grocery store. Lots of community members stopped by to check out the action including the local butcher. He seemed a bit taken aback when he realized what we were working with but quickly recovered to say he would be expecting a run on casing!

Dinner last night was at the local sports club which has field and court space for bowls, footie, tennis and basketball. The bar serves up great fish and chips on Friday nights. Entertainment was our group jokes and conversations, although one little tyke stole the show when he dragged off his dinner order across the floor.

Not sure whether it is the water, the excess salt from the surrounding lakes, the flocks of gullahs winging around, the brilliance of the stars or what, but I have been having extra vivid dreams here. Lots of familiar faces in very strange locations and activities…

May 1, 2014

As I write this…

… it is just about 5pm in Western Australia, the sun is on the wane, a chill is creeping into the air, and Ollie has just delivered the continental breakfast I ordered (for tomorrow morning) to the door of #8 at the Saltbush Inn in Lake Grace.

There are only seven other units, most of which seem empty, and a police car is parked outside the one next to me. Huge pink geraniums are potted around my unit. The laundry room is next to the policeman’s room.

#8 has a comfy looking queen sized bed with a light blue quilted coverlet that has silver geometric patterms on it. A desk, luggage table amd dark wood wardrobe line the wall by the door. A small kitchenette is across the room, complete with microwave, toaster, electric kettle, small fridge and the expected trays of cups and packaged coffees, teas and hot chocolates mixes. The fridge comes complete with chilled wine glasses and little creamers. A sliding door across from the bed opens up to a small bathroom wih all the standard amenities.

I am home for the next few days!

The trip from Perth to Lake Grace was pleasant and sunny and full of construction work. Very little traffic on the two lane highways and very few towns to pass through. The scenery went from low mountains with lots of bush forests to rolling hills with sheep and cattle farms to hardly any bush growth and wheat fields spreading out to flat salt lake areas and scrub plants. Most everything is dry and brown – the winter rains have just started and I expect it will be a while before things green up.

We did make a stop about midway in the town of Williams for a potty stop and cuppa with two artist friend of Martien’s. A painter and fiber artist – both very wonderful work!

We also did a lunch stop at a park in Wagin that has the absolutely best public park toilets I’ve encountered: flush toilets, plenty of paper, running water – both temps – plus soap and thick paper towels! Lovely!

And now I am taking advantage of some quiet time before going to dinner with Tania et al. Martien just very kindly dropped off a cold bottle of riesling and the little heater is chugging away warming the room.

All is right wih the world.

April 30, 2014

Passing days…

… here in Perth have gone quickly.

The weather has decidedly turned to fall with a crisp, cool note in the air. We had a lovely day of rain on Sunday that filled the water tanks.

Two days of mud play with 14 lovely ladies resulted in some marvelous work accomplished. Since Perth is predominantly on sand, some creative collecting was necessary to have mud/dirt that was suitable to use. Wound up with some really lovely colors.

On Monday Wendy, owner of the big copper pot, arrived. We filled both the copper and stainless steel/rusty nail pots with cold rainwater, kept a fire going under each pot and had 17 pieces in each pot by the time we were done bundling. Some did go into pots as free and easy cloth, no wrapping involved.

Tuesday was the grand opening of the bundles. The copper pot did well – a nice reddy brown achieved with the addition of eucalyptus tree bark in the yard. The stainless steel pot did super dark stuff as it had been sitting almost a week with things rotting in the pot’s water.

Still not getting many actual leaf prints, but the colors we are getting are lovely. The currajong seeds left a very yellow little spot! Pics will be posted, just not sure when.

Martien and I leave for Lake Grace early tomorrow morning. Will be doing mud and gut workshops there, too. The social scene in the evenings sound really grand: local pub for fish and chips on Friday and watching the local thespians produce Harry Potter and the Terrible Ripoff on Saturday. Can’t wait!

And I will be wearing my newest op shop rearrangement to the play!

Detail of the top half of the garment – made from the polyester lining of a silk dress that Martien is using plus a tan silk blouse that I found. Rather stylish overall!