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A Chinese treasure trove, ceramic horses,chainsaws and slow combustion stoves. (Not necessarily all at the same time though.)

I have had a very busy week. It was the first week of the Tasmanian School holidays and I have been flat out. Busy, busy, busy.

But, I have been doing stuff for myself for a change.

I went with my friend Sue, to see a magnificent exhibition at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.

Jao Tsung-i has been described as a  Chinese National Living Treasure and this exhibition of his work is just wonderful. I was so impressed by his work that I actually bought the catalogue so that I could refer back to some of his paintings that had particualrly inspired me. The emotional impact of walking into a room hung with huge scrolls of Chinese text was amazing. We really undervalue text as art here in the west. I am having difficulty articulating the impact Jao Tsung-i’s work had on me but I am sure his influence will be seen in my future work.

If you are in Hobart anytime up until  November 15, I highly recommend going and seeing this exhibition. It will make your soul sing.

Everytime I go to the Museum, I think to myself, “I should come here more often.” I had enough time left after seeing Jao Tsung-i’s work to go and have a quick drool over the Chinese ceramics collection.

The ceramic horses just do it for me everytime, sigh.

Ceramic-A-Black-Horse-

After leaving the museum I actually made it to the opening of Osmosis 2009 An exhibition of artworks by twelve Tasmanian women made in response to Bruny island. This exhibition is on at the Sidespace Gallery in Salamanca until the 21st of September and is well worth a look.

The spouse has been saving for a new chainsaw. A chainsaw is an essential piece of equipment for us, it is the most important tool we possess.

So can you imagine my delight when The Spouse used all of his savings to buy me a second hand Slow Combustion Stove. I have been jumping up and down with excitement for days now, hugging myself and chortling quietly to myself with glee. I have been waiting for twenty years to have an oven in my kitchen and now it looks like I will have one very soon yay yay yay..

I had a combustion stove ready to go into the kitchen about ten years ago but we needed to put a toilet inside the house or the council was going to evict us from our property. So I had to sell the stove in order to raise enough cash to buy a septic tank. It broke my heart, but the council were happy and issued the necessary permits and just quietly a flushing toilet inside was rather nice, especially in the winter.

I have a very busy week coming up, we need get Mum’s house ready for an open home next weekend.It is going to be horrible having strangers traipsing through Mum’s house stickybeaking about the place.I am trying to keep so busy with my ceramic work that all the day to day stresses of reluctantly selling Mum’s house are soothed by the clay’s magic.

Here are two photographs of Black Cockatoos. I took these photos in the very early morning, just before the sky started to colour up. I am thinking that the second photo would look very nice on a plate.

Black Cockatoo.

Standing Watch.

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Mrs. C September 13, 2009, 1:14 pm

    Yodeling outdoors during open houses should dissuade all the buyers you don’t want. Anyone who puts up with yodeling next door during showings is probably not one that will give you trouble and may appreciate the property for the asthetic beauty of nature around it etc.

    You couldn’t just grab your Mum’s stove while no one’s looking? Gracious, she’s not using it and I think she’d want you to have warm biscuits fer crying out loud.

  • lceel September 13, 2009, 2:35 pm

    Yes – that would look VERY nice on a plate – but that ceramic horse is just stunning.

  • river September 13, 2009, 4:07 pm

    I think the first cockatoo would look nice on a wide shallow bowl.

  • Linden September 13, 2009, 6:40 pm

    lovely photos – and thanks for coming along to the opening – was a good night! I can relate to your loo tale as well – did without one for about 5 years and it was a very nice day when the first flush was heard! I’ve always thought a print story of Tassie bush loos would be quite enlightening for the many who have never experienced these moments!

  • Jientje September 13, 2009, 7:15 pm

    Yaaaay for that stove!! I’m so happy for you!
    I love your pictures Kim, and they both would look nice on a plate.

  • Mistress B September 14, 2009, 12:27 am

    The second photo would look very nice on a plate 🙂

    Yay for a stove!!

  • Mrs. Oh September 14, 2009, 3:50 am

    Stunning!!

  • Tanya September 14, 2009, 6:47 am

    I love exhibitions. Did you see the Patricia Piccinini one? It was the best I have ever been to.

  • Pixie September 14, 2009, 11:23 am

    love the photos.must show DH he is very partial to black cockatoos!!!

  • Sharon September 14, 2009, 5:33 pm

    I do hope that the eventual new neighbours are nice people. It’s such a heart-wrenching exercise to have to go through though.

    Congrats on the oven. I cannot envision living without an oven – or a ‘proper’ loo. I shudder at the thought of using an outdoor plumbed loo.

    Photos are gorgeous, especially love the colours on the second one.

  • Hyphen Mama September 15, 2009, 6:55 am

    That stove is a beauty!!! What a good spouse.

    The photos are gorgeous! Great inspiration for clay.

    Have you thought of doing some sort of photo note cards with your photos? They’re lovely and I bet people would pay you for them. If you were so inclined…

  • Hyphen Mama September 15, 2009, 6:59 am

    p.s. did you know that in the US it’s prestigious to have a gas stove? the very best chefs and cooks ONLY use gas stoves. I’ve always HATED gas, and my kitchens have always used electric stoves–still not perfect by any means. SO–when I went over to check out your new wood burning stove I found exactly what I’ve known all along… this page on that link tells why GAS stoves are SO BAD to have in one’s house!

    http://www.woodstoves.com.au/html/gas_-_how_bad_.html

    your site is like one big Public Service Announcement!!!

    Thanks Kim!

  • Polprav October 23, 2009, 5:14 am

    Hello from Russia!
    Can I quote a post in your blog with the link to you?