Garden Sculptures - Behind the Wall

'Behind The Wall - Sculptures in a Sorenson Garden' is being held this weekend in the grounds of Mahratta - a Neo-Georgian Art Deco Mansion in Sydney.

 Whilst we had a rainy Saturday, the sun managed to shine periodically making for a wonderful walk through the garden. There were numerous beautiful sculptures ............

And some other snaps from the garden:

A Great Exhibition

We are fortunate to have a new art exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney from 8th November to 9th February 2014.

The exhibition called 'America Painting a Nation' displays paintings covering over 200 years of American art and history.

I certainly learned a lot about America from the paintings and artists represented.

The paintings by John Singer Sargent and Mary Cassatt were definite favourites for me and showed a style reminiscent of the Impressionists. 

Well worth a visit!

Sculpture by the Sea

I feel very lucky to live in Sydney.
It is a beautiful city and is often host to some spectacular events.
For the past 17 years, Sculpture by the Sea has existed along the Bondi Beach to Tamarama coastal walk. What started as a one day exhibition has now grown into an amazing cultural display extending over 2 weeks. This year there were over 100 sculptures on display from artists across 14 countries.

Most of the sculptures are huge - so the work, inspiration and effort in bringing the exhibition together is truly incredible. The backdrop of the Pacific Ocean is a divine canvas......I hope my photos can do it justice.

I had many favourites..........

The Great Bondi Sharehouse by Margarita Sampson

'All creatures need a little shelter...no matter if we have fur or feathers, tentacles or toes'

Moon Buddha by Vince Vozzo

The next 2 photos show the wonderful creation made from plywood and polypropylene named Coral by Coral Collective (artists, architects and academics from QLD)

This one is called Start by Richard Tipping....'these poetic word works are self contained 'idea icons'. Art is bursting out of its formal frame'.

 This stunning sculpture by Toshio Lezumi from Japan is made of float glass and stands 25metres high (although my photo only shows a portion):

 And the favourite - which packed a whopping visual punch as the waves moved towards the shore:

Horizon by Lucy Humphrey

'Using water as a sculptural material, the work will temporarily transform the viewer's experience of the site...'

There was also some home grown 'installations' by local residents amongst the trees beside the coastal walk path:

The view towards Bondi Beach:

...and Tamarama Bay:

Sculpture by the Sea finishes in 2 days... but there is always next year - 23rd Oct to 9th Nov 2014! 

A good excuse to visit Sydney and plan a holiday.

Murphy Adventures - 'His' Park

We had a wonderful Sydney spring day yesterday and the local park was beckoning. I take Murphy out walking each day - it keeps us both fit but in Murphy's case he also has the opportunity to pursue his obsession with sniffing. Here he is checking out a tree in 'his' park and on the lookout for action.

Enjoying - Coastal beauty

If the weather is not so nice and if I'm in need for something relaxing, I often put on a DVD.

This set of 4 DVDS was a gift and I'm slowly making my way through all the different episodes.

Each episode features stories from different areas around the UK shoreline in addition to France, Norway and far north to the Danish Faroe Islands.

Exploring the rugged beauty of the Scottish west coast has been a highlight for me so far.

If you are fond of travel, history, architecture and landscapes - this impeccably produced series is a must see.

What (..I'm watching) Wednesday - Italian Inspiration

Sometimes a piece of creativity can completely absorb and capture the imagination. I received this beautiful DVD and book as a gift and it combines my love of Italy and garden design....endless hours of inspiration and creativity:

A busy weekend - Lunch + Red Necklaces

This weekend I've been amongst my stash of red beads and made a couple of multi-strand red necklaces. The multi-strand is elegant and timeless in terms of style. This is not the best of photos but shows the 3 strands gently intertwined.

Sunday was enjoyed by Iron Cove Bay lunching with friends.

Another stunning Sydney spring day!

Visit to Organic Markets

A glorious Sydney day to welcome Spring! Sydney has some great weekend markets and today my cousin Jane and I visited the Marrickville Organic Food Market. I came home with organic fruit, wholesome bread, yet another plant for the garden (..there is hardly any room left but I will squeeze it in), a treat or two and an even deeper love of my home city. The large community space that houses the market oozes a relaxed ambience with tons of organic food options and a wide range of second hand bits and pieces for up-cycling. It has a tangible community spirit and it's own unique charm.....definitely worth a visit.

Happenings This Week - Lunch + Earrings

This photo is the view from our table at Sydney Rowers Club during a family lunch this week. We were sitting by the window and my 6 year old niece Emma snapped this photo of a quiet little bend in the Parramatta River.

Otherwise...in My Creative Space there were more earring adventures this week. These 'Candy Stripe' earrings will be perfect for someone with a love of colour.

The Adventures of Murphy

I did a Fun Run yesterday with a good friend Martina, her dog Mango and my dog Murphy.

It was a 7km 'run' (although we walked the entire way) around the beautiful Iron Cove in Sydney's inner west. The event is known as the 'Bay Run' and the 7km path follows the natural course of the cove and never really deviates  from the water. The water views are amazing and Sydney turned on fabulous weather. 

The conditions were favourable .. but despite our best efforts we came in 2nd and 3rd last in our division (dog walkers 'Pet + Owner' division). 

Murphy is not known for his speed and with his little short legs and obsession with sniffing every scent left by all the dogs in front, we moved at a slow pace and actually thought we had come last! 

Here is Murphy having a well deserved rest post event.