Ocean

I am back in the studio now after a recent 8 month stint overseas, living and working for the most part in Greece. 2 out of every 12 days, on average, I would find myself on the party island of Ios. Deprived of forests and trees on the islands, I had little wilderness to get lost in during my free time.

The Aegean is not quite the wilderness of the southern Oceans, having been fished for centuries and the local communities consuming much of the marine inhabitants for lunch. (I must admit, I too am guilty of this). However, when I did have a few hours to spare, I indulged my time to join in the local Ios Dive Centre and explore the world underwater.

3 months since I flew out of Greece and 2 weeks being back in the studio and the work I have begun to create, is mostly inspired by the ocean. Whilst I am trying to shy away from being literal in my representation, you cannot deny the source of my textures are based from coral and urchins. Both of which I collected on the beaches of Tasmania on my many beach combing expeditions.

It occurred to me to listen to one of my favourite John Butler songs whilst in the studio today. Ocean. A song it seems to get better with age. The link below is a recent studio recording which I found. ENJOY!

A Hippy Grinchy Christmas!

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more. - Dr. Seuss

Gotta find my dance!

“An aboriginal man once came backstage after a show and said to me in a kindly voice, “Where’s your dance? I used to like your dance, you’ve lost your dance mate, you’ve gotta find your dance.” So, I set out in search of it, looking here, there and everywhere in all corners of the globe. Quite soon I realized that “finding my dance” is an inner search, and that whilst I may never truly find it, it matters not. What’s important is to keep searching, and in the process, refine and simplify the steps.”

Colin Hay

Jack London is King

To take a quote out of my current read ‘Jack London is King’ -Alexander Supertramp

This is what Chris McCandless carved into a piece of wood discovered at the site of where his body was found in 1992, along with that a pile of books and few other possessions. I wholeheartedly agree with this claim – the world London creates is a romantic emersion into the wilderness. (and yes, i am indulging in ‘INTO THE WILD’ by Jon Krakauer.)

What i am enjoying most about this read are the short excerpts taken from the books found with McCandless in that bus in Alaska. So many of these short snippets of literature put you in the head space of where someone who feels life is only pure when in the wild and all else is excessive. Whilst I appreciate these ideals, I don’t think i could fulfil the desire to walk into the wild as he did.

I just settle for the wilderness of Tasmania from the safety of Launceton.

This particular excerpt is such a visual and romantic idea of the wilderness, I thought I would share...

Dark spruce forest frowned on either side the frozen waterway. The trees had been stripped by a recent wind of their white covering of frost, and they seemed to lean toward each other, black and ominous, in the fading light. A vast silence reigned over the land. The land itself was a desolation, lifeless, without movement, so lone and cold that the spirit of it was not even that of sadness. There was a hint in it of laughter, but of a laughter more terrible than any sadness – a laughter that was mirthless as the smile of the Sphinx, a laughter cold as the frost and partaking of the grimness of infallibility. It was the masterful and incommunicable wisdom of eternity laughing at the futility of life and the effort of life. It was the Wild, the savage, frozen-hearted Northland Wild.

– Jack London ‘WHITE FANG’.

Getting lost in Les Arts Decoratifs, Paris

Today was a special day.

Today, I took my mother on a visit to the bijoux collection at Les Arts Decoratifs in Paris to say thankyou. Thankyou for teaching me about Art Nouveau when i was a child. Thankyou for supporting me through art school and all the crazy ideas before I finally made the decision to be an artist. Thankyou for understanding that sometimes the paths we choose in life have to be taken - even if they are not the most financially successful.

Her passion for Klimt and all things Art Nouveau when i was a child, sparked my obsession for nature inspired arts. It wasn't until my move to Tasmania, that the direct artistic influence and natural inspiration came together.

Nothing has ever come close than the contentment i have felt this week. I stood by as my mum finally saw the original artworks we drooled over since I was a child.

Some of the designers include:

Rene Lalique, George de Ribaucourt, Paul Vever and George Fouquet (just to name a few).

In addition to the jewellery collection we got to enjoy - there was a temporary exhibition of Van Cleef and Arpels.

Not being a fan of expensively sparkly jewels that would drape Elizabeth Taylor - I was not as excited. However, today i got lost in the bling of it all and my jaw dropped at the technical precision of these hand crafted works. I watched a documentary on their processes and was followed by rainbows across the gallery floor from the multitude of diamonds that were squeezed into every crevis of gold on display.

Today - I appreciated bling!

a night of folk...

What better way to spend my first night back in Brisbane (after 2 months back in Tassie) than with my bestie, red wine and a live music gig.

I was blindly led to the Black Bear Lodge last night. Paid my $20 at the door for the line up of:

Microwave Jenny



and the mesmorising
KIM CHURCHILL

A happy swing and a pretty tune...

I have only a few days left in beautiful Tassie and I finally found a tree that a dear friend showed me when i first arrived back. A simple detour off the zigzag track - a track i've walked hundreds of times. And here it is... A happy place on a swing enveloped in a beautiful old tree.

Last night I found this beautiful cover by Bon Iver.
Thought i'd share...

Sculpture Symposium brings art to the people

Sculpture Symposium brings art to the people - ABC Gold & Tweed Coasts - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Jóhann Jóhannsson

When i was a child, I would fall asleep under the piano as my mother played. Since then, I have always enjoyed sleeping and getting lost in thought to piano. Jóhann Jóhannsson is no exception to that dreamlike state I find myself in when I listen to the contemporary use of piano and his atmospheric sound.

My favourite...


And another one...

Bandcamp hunter

A random stop at a winery in Tasmania, led me to meet a stranger to the island. After a meal of squid, a few local beers, a much heated debate over Michael Jackson, I later discovered he is one of three inspiring individuals who are responsible for this blog...

http://bandcamphunter.tumblr.com/

As a fan of folk, i've enjoyed the posts I have found and thought i'd share...

ENJOY!

Sculpture from the Gorge

My first week at the Cottage, I did a 5mins interview with Tim Walker from ABC Radio. I was only 1 week into the residency and the work was somewhat unresolved but I was very much in the zone of production.

If you listen closely, you can hear the boys jumping off the Kings Bridge whilst we were sitting outside on the balcony recording the interview.


http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2012/03/05/3445633.htm?site=northtas

Gathered Exhibition @ Sawtooth

You are warmly invited to my exhibition:
GATHERED
2 March – 24 March 2012
PROJECT GALLERY


GATHERED is an exhibition of the works created at the King’s Cottage Artist in Residence Program in February 2012.


Cocoons vary in transparency, texture, material and form depending on the species of insect within.

Molin has worked with this ethos to create three large scale sculptural works, each with their own character, material and form.

Each cocoon is constructed from different species of fallen twig, gathered from various locations within the Cataract Gorge Reserve and created within the King’s Bridge Cottage.


COCOON 1. (Twigs, Screws, zip ties, copper wire, staples. 2012)
gathered introduced and native species twigs from the Trevallyn entrance to the Cataract Gorge.

COCOON 2. (Twigs, Screws, zip ties, copper wire, staples.)
gathered twigs from the Zig Zag Track, Cataract Gorge.

COCOON 3. (Twigs, Screws, copper wire, staples.)
gathered native gum twigs from the Trevallyn entrance to the Cataract Gorge.


www.marisamolin.com

Tassie trees on death row - The Wilderness Society

Tassie trees on death row - The Wilderness Society

Papergirl Brisbane Submission...

Papergirl is a fantastic concept that spreads art to the people. What started in Berlin, has now reached Brisbane and these are 2 of the 3 sketches i have sent off to Papergirl BNE as my submission. These as well as thousands of other drawings, prints, photos, poems etc which will be distributed 2-4th Feb 2012 around Brisbane. To learn more or get involved yourself - checkout the Papergirl BNE Website: http://www.papergirlbne.com So if you are keen - send something in and spread art across Brisbane :)

Murmuration

2 girls, 1 camera and a collection of starlings = a murmuration captured!