I am alive and well.

Sorry a bit of an update of the past week:


6th July
Had a bit of a to do with my luggage somehow it has become heavier and more cumbersome despite me purchasing a sports bag to store everything together – over my limit at check in but luckily they were running late with check in and let it go.
Met by Gary and Chris at the airport and then back to the hotel in Alice and a meal out before heading out the next morning. Stopped at Coles to get supplies – in a bit of a daze while shopping so bought lots of things to make soup with…for some reason… Ham bones for pea and ham soup.
Had rained and rained – so roads wet and muddy but Gary had some new Wiz bang tires so we ploughed though. Very pretty place – Amazing hills and amazing colours, the night sky is wonderful and you can see the full Milky Way.
It was VERY cold when I arrived – the coldest day on record. Got the key for my accommodation which is nice. Realized today when Paul and Sophiere two optometrist that were stopping by for the night that the key also opened the other building which is much posher AND has Austar – where as my TV only has the shopping network so moving in there tomorrow. Have a washer, dryer TV DVD fridge. All very nice.
Had my first day in the arts centre today where I met some of the artists that worked there and there was talk of heading out with the women one day for a bush outing which will be fantastic. The art centre is very neat – not like my honours studio at all. Spent the day battling with the art centre computer system – AMS which is a system that allows all the centres to catalogue all the information that they need for each painting. Create invoices and also among many other things print out certificates of authenticity. Once a painting has been finished it is catalogued and then (if it’s not going to a client or exhibition where it needs to be stretched) pulled off the stretcher so it can be used again.
Roast dinner at Gary and Chris’s and then back to find the two optometrists there had a nice chat and as I mentioned earlier that they had checked out the other house they watched the Netherlands v Spain match and I read some trashy mags.

9th July
Spent the morning at the centre priming canvass ready for the artists.
After lunch we drove up to Paypanya – which is another community about 40ks north that has an art centre also.
There we met Cassie – who was one of the mangers there – she was about my age and had been there for 2 years. We were introduced to her art centre workers Isabelle and Patrick who both work at the centre as part of a paths to work programme. It was an impressive centre with some great artworks. We also went to check out their hanging system – at the moment in our centre we roll everything onto big rolls which makes it hard to find anything without pulling out the rolls and unraveling everything.
Papunya has a hanging system with racks and hangers which makes it easier to flip through all the paintings that they have.
Spent the evening in my new digs but slept in the old lodgings.

10th
Had a morning filled with ideas but haven’t really got to doing any of them.
Moved everything into the new place – the only real issue with it is that it dosen’t have any big windows unlike the other. I went for a walk to the shops to get a pepsi and it was packed with people. The shop is small and expensive – it’s a completely forigen environment and I’m a little perplexed on how to approach people as there is a bit of a language barrier and of course a huge cultural barrier.
Gary did warn me that people were shy so I am guessing that it will take a little while to get more friendly with people. While I am missing Ryan and everyone else – it’s nice to have some time alone.
Went for a little walk sketchbook in hand to do some drawings but as I sat down to do a lovely landscape and it started to rain so back home.
11th
Went for a walk with Chris around the town checking everything out – its pretty dead round here at the moment got chased by some small jack russels – lots of the locals here have dogs which tend to run in packs which even though they were little it still was a little bit scary – so knowing which area is their turf and where I can and can not go – there are certain parts of the local area that are for “men’s business” only so can’t go there.
It’s been pretty warm here – I think the locals find it very cold – Gary and Christine are from Darwin so they aren’t used to the cold but it’s a nice temp – no real need for all my thermals that I bought.
Ken Duncan – the landscape photographer that does all the diarys and prints is bringing a tour though on Wednesday so tomorrow will be making more canvass and getting ready for the tour.
In terms of artwork I had a bit of a doddle in that respect – I drew some of the dogs that chased me – all be it more of a caraiciture the little bruts. Thinking of doing a series of works based on all the telegraph poles and man made things that protrude into the sky and ground.