Week 23: 15 - 21 October 1787

Drawing Prize at ANU

I am currently a Visual Art student at ANU,

and my supervisor has encouraged me to enter the annual drawing prize.

If you have a favourite drawing (or two), let me know.

Week 22: 8 - 14 Oct 1787

Artline pen

Week 21: 1 - 7 Oct 1787

My rope is large, heavy, ponderous

It is a superstructure like the ships

also like the journey itself

The women,

forming themselves into knots

of friendship

and survival

tied the essence of the journey together

they were fragile

and you had to look hard to see them

but they were there

binding threads

rope in the flesh

This pic shows very clearly the change in rope making style

at the bottom, each fabric strip was being twisted and twined independently

top of the pile, the fabric strips are twisted in groups of 3 or 4

then the 4 more complex strands are twisted together.

My current technique makes a more standard rope.

Week 20: 24 - 30 Sept 1787

I have had an epiphany

My rope is spectactularly masculine.

I had always intended it to show the voyage of the women of the first fleet.

But there is nothing feminine about this rope.

But that doesn't matter, it is actually better this way,

and it allows me to make better sense of everything.

The women wouldn't have come to Australia

if they weren't brought by the men.

The women were virtually invisible, their purpose would begin

once the fleet arrived in Australia

Week 19: Fleet time 17 - 23 Sept 1787

I put the texture/patterning on first

then added the shading

This rope pose is quite a tight knot - I found it hard to get the definition of front and back. My daughter commented that while I am getting good at shading the individual elements, the overall balance of grey scale is very similar. This brings up the thought of my reason for doing these drawings - 1 each week for 37 weeks - the time it took the first fleet to sail to Australia - or the gestation of a premature baby. The 'work' of being a woman and mother has no rules, there is no initial tuition. Our parents teach us the being a girl (hopefully they teach us how to be a confident girl). But being a woman and a mother is learnt on the job. Women form themselves into clusters or knots of friendship and shared experiences. we learn from those around us. My daughter is within one of my knots, so I will endeavour to apply her suggestions.
My actual rope twisting/twining has gone quite slowly over recent weeks as I struggled with my sore wrist, elbow, shoulder. I figured I may have died on the first fleet, as I wasn't able to continue and complete my task. Anyway, I have developed a slightly different technique, so am back to it. The rope is lengthening as the days at sea ebb and flow.
I am currently reading Tim Ingold 'Life of Lines' isbn 9780415576864, so very inspirational as I make and draw rope. And with receipt of a beautiful handbound book 'Writing + Drawing' Ed Ruth Hadlow and Marienelle Basson isbn 9780992524623, I intend to write as I draw and make. Maybe to share here? or not? I'll see.