LADY ANNE
Lady Anne was invited to Manila for breakfast
Famous Anne, elegant Anne.
She flew in from Dubbo for Peter’s birthday
Designer Peter, amusing Peter.
Peter is sixty. Lady Anne is much older.
They have a shared history.
Have faded past glories.
Whispers of intrigue draws a curtain around them.
A fabulous Lady, who holds her style gracefully.
She wears her splendour tied up with a ribbon in her hair.
Manila sparkled with renewed vigour.
Welcomed the Lady back to her palaces.
They wander the Casa, so steeped in history.
Spanish rule dominated for five hundred years.
They slide into shadows of Chinese Cemetery,
An unusual choice for a sixtieth celebration.
At walled Intramuros, that infamous prison
In the footsteps of Dr.Rizal they follow.
A party of difference
To learn of rebellion and freedom’s dream.
They question the safety of riding a jeepna,
Especially one called 'Chariot of God'.
It was a day to remember
A gossamer birthday.
'Peter is sixty.
Lady Anne much younger now.
Petals of friendship'
DESERT WEAVING.
“IN HONOUR OF PIPPA”
I named Pippa Miss Universe when I first met her in the desert. She was dressed in white, a slender frame carried with elegance. Her high cheekbones and polite conversation delivered with an exotic accent suggested ladylike tendencies of a European nature. Only later did I learn that she was of German extraction from Dorrigo. Our connection was casual, but deepened dramatically when we worked together on a project that I called “the bubble incident”.
We had said our goodbyes to the Finke River Camp. A bus had arrived to take us back to the Alice. Unfortunately, the river sand was soft and the bus bogged down deep into the earth.
The desert sisters formed a circle and started a chanting. They were chanting a “bubble” around the bus so that it would move. This was too much for some of the party. They realized that no amount of song wishes would move a bus. Why would it? Physical strength and practical knowhow was needed. About eight sisters extracted themselves from the circle and started working. They piled stones under the wheels of the bus, building a solid path for the bus to try to back up on. Pippa was one of these people. We worked like navies till the bus moved.
Pippa and I were invited to ride back with one of the tour men, Ron, in a jeep. One the way we stopped at Simpson’s Creek, and Ron “painted up” Pippa and myself with the ochre from the surrounding clay pans. It was a joyous connection for Pippa and myself. I didn’t wash the ochre off till morning.
The next time I felt Pippa’s spirit was at the Memorial Gathering held at Ulli’s home. I remember the photo displayed on a sideboard, surrounded by candles, offerings, and friends. In this photo, Pippa lay in state, encased in white, eyes closed by death. She was just like Miss Universe, a queen in heaven, God bless her.
Virginia Jean Gow
27/09/10
Thursday, September 16, 2010
BIODIVERSITY IN COLOUR
Science Week was celebrated at Manly’s North Head, “Sunday at the Sanctuary – a living lab” on Sunday, 22nd August.
Several artists were invited By Manly Environment Centre to contribute to this celebration of Biodiversity by creating visual images in a range of diverse media.
As a participating artist my response to the concept of biodiversity was to focus on the brilliant colours that surrounded me.
These brilliant colours from Nature’s bountiful palette represented a challenge for me.
Our Australian bush is so rich in subtle shades and tints that the eye is dazzled by the diversity of greens and the richness of browns and ochres.
Everywhere the complementary pairs of red and green, blue and orange, purple and yellow were caught in the interplay of light and shadow.
Beyond my easel a brilliant blue sky contrasted with the vivid orange of a gravel parade ground.
I selected Cerulean Blue as my main primary colour and Cadmium Orange as the complementary secondary shade.
By mixing and tinting with a dash of black and a pinch of white my palette became a diverse blend of warm and cool, light and dark, rich and subtle.
From the brightness of fern to the silver green and pink foliage of new gum leaves colour danced across my eyes.
I felt very privileged to be sharing this celebration of biodiversity with fellow artists who each expressed a unique response to our site.
Our site symbolized for us the endless variety of Nature’s creative life force, her bountiful expressions through form, texture, colour and light.
As we artists’ worked our own creative magic I felt a surge of grateful wonder at the visual splendor of Nature’s canvas.
