Wishlist

I did some serious damage to my wishlist yesterday. I made a routine trip to the haberdashery warehouse to buy a small number of items. My strategy on these trips is to go with a very definite list. Otherwise the showroom can be overwhelming and all sorts of purchasing accidents are liable to occur. I have been wishing for a proper worklight for I don't know how long. A Daylight company lamp is what I really wanted. I'd decided to start comparing prices and models with a view to buying one soon. When I had dealt with my list, I started to check costs, features and accessories. Then I noticed that the model I wanted was on clearance: 25% off the wholesale price. I took my time making up my mind, but yes, I came home with my dream lamp. Now it's set up and in use.

It's one of those super-hot Melbourne summer days. Closing the blinds helps to keep out the heat, but makes the room too dark to work in. My old halogen light produced a fair bit of heat too. Now I can have cool light and colour accuracy. I'm so happy with it!

Daily Challenge

I have a new daily challenge to add to my routine. For the last few weeks of our Drawing subject, we've been asked to do a drawing a day. Here are some leaves I picked up this morning to have a go at. On friday we did an exercise in depicting tonal differences with torn paper. We had 9 shades to choose from. Now to see whether I can see light and shadow more accurately for the practice I've had.

Morning Light

I've been tidying up the kitchen--again . . . still . . . it's one of those perpetual tasks. I came across this little straw flower. I was about to toss it in the bin--it was dry and dusty--but then I had another look and decided to see what my macro lens and a bit of morning light would do. Now it seems to be glowing with life and I'll hold on to it--at least until the next time I tidy up.

Light

It's still incredibly hot.

In Melbourne incredibly hot comes with a hot wind, so I have to shut up the house to try to keep the heat out. That makes a strange half-dark sort of atmosphere. But as a little bonus this caught my eye:It's a stained glass window which I haven't had installed. It sits on the pelmet above my North facing front window. And usually I only see light reflected off it's surface. But this is a little bit of light which is finding it's way behind the pelmet and through the glass. In this half-dark intense summer day I can see it.

Whenever I think of trying to capture light in my textile work, I think of silk--that incredible lustre that only silk has. It captures my eye and in this case, my minds eye.