Robin is one of a collection of 6 characters that arrived on my page in December, 2012 - although people often perceive Robin as a girl - which is ok as having your own interpretation is what art's truly about. The name 'Robin' works with both sexes too. A bit about his/her history. Although inspired by the Super Hero of ancient times, Robin Hood, Robin Small is less of a crusading sort - more an outsider who is simply heroic in his own time. And time he takes ....which makes it so nice to have him (or her) around.....he's available as a card collection, hand-made book, dry-point prints and silkscreened linen t-shirt patches in the website Gallery.
Nice Idea: The cards look pretty special pegged to a nice thick cream twine.
Sometimes Rose couldn't account for the hours in her day.
Although Rose meets each day with a slight brief, she often drifts off, leaving her with no recollection of time gone astray - and where she was when it went. She relishes this sweet form of freedom and the fruitful outcomes that arise from times when she does nothing of great significance at all - except maybe concentrating on her breathing. Long live Rose.
Footnote: For those of us who feel a touch guilty when we're not busy working through the 'to do' list.....this Rose is one to hold close. You'll find her and a bunch of other Roses in hand-made book form here. It could be just what you need to get you through the silly season.
Like getting out of bed in the morning… making a long put off phone call … taking the next step … or a difiicult one … venturing into unknown or familiar but rather not go places … facing a lurking fear … a dreaded occasion … but always, always well prepared for the consequences of her actions … or that which might be thrust upon her by those both, unexpected … and expected that could happen at any undesignated moment in time. This made her relatively secure in the knowledge of all subsequent happenings. Phew. Welcome this 'Ink' into your world in postcard form - see Bookshop/Gallery.
Here's a look at the process of creating dry point prints (available in website gallery). First the image is scratched into a plastic plate with a fine tool. Ink is applied to the plate and wiped back using torn up phone book pages (the ink doesn't leach from these).
Lovely thick art paper is pre-soaked in a trough of water and pat dried between paper sheets just prior to printing. The plate is then placed on the printing press, paper is laid over the plate and thick felt rug goes on top...
...then a large wheel is hand-turned taking and plate and paper under a heavy roller, pressing the ink into the paper with the plate creating an embossed edge around the print...
...the felt blanket is then gently lifted off to reveal a new little life beneath. The print is then placed under some heavy books so that it dries flat - this takes a couple of days. This process is repeated to create limited edition prints. It's a heavenly process made more so because it takes place in the printing room at the Fremantle Art Centre - a unique and special place.
Although an underachiever in academic fields, Rose is a star in self development and a high minder of her own identity. She has made outstanding progress in finding for herself a sense of quiet achievement and direction - despite constant interruptions. She is also dedicated to researching sources of content other than incoming gratification - and acknowledgement from adult figures or male dominated establishments.
Rose exhibits no desire to possess parental powers of manipulation, authority or control, or the conservatism that comes with maturity - all of which would spoil the spontaneity she is free to leap into at any unguarded moment. Rose continues valiantly reaching towards newly found desires and pickings ripe for her own taste, mostly of the underground and obscure variety - which appear to mark her path to somewhere different to where others would like her to remain.
Long Live Rose.
Footnote: What I admire so greatly about Rose is that she is, 'a high minder of her own identity'. She's not governed by the approval of others. She's so resilient (or oblivious maybe) to any form of negative influence. And she's fresh and spontaneous -and weird in a warm way that makes you want to embrace all your own weirdnesses and go your own wonderful way.
You'll find her in the little handmade book called 'Wisdoms of Rose' here.
Silk screening a small batch of Robin t-shirt patches for a group of Robin lovers.
These look great loosely stitched onto a t-shirt, a cushion, pillow, bag .... the beauty is, that you don't have to be good on the needle as the most random of stitching adds to the look - and the originality. TIP: Gently pull some of the threads from the edge of the patch and thread into a needle with a large eye to create a matching linen stitch. Available in the Bookshop/Gallery here.
.... with how Clunk & Jam comes artfully posted to you with a freshly stamped hand-cut card block - nice simply displayed on a shelf or used as a bookmark. You'll find Clunk & Jam here.
Like Rose below, I too like saving the flowers from dying - or keep them in their new dried form.
Another way I save Roses is to snip them at the base of the bud and place into a small bowl. Once the water has run dry (and the Rose), its shape is held for keeps within the support of the bowl. You can also float them in a larger bowl too. Enjoy saving the Roses - and maybe share this idea with your flower and art loving friends.
Rose enjoys rendering her world with things of great visual delight. She spends lengthy periods absorbed in personal and worldly examination, surround by things of great beauty, interest and pleasure, all of which assist in easing the trespassing of time - and the invasion of unfortunate thoughts. Long Live Rose.
Footnote: Some wonderings from me about this Rose .... The flowers? I think that's about the transformation of things. The possibility of taking one thing and turning it into something else and in doing so preserving something of it. Like a daisy chain. Arranging picked flowers in a vase. Petals tossed into the air - sprinkled over a bride or a special place. The transformation and preservation of flowers is perhaps a metaphor for the transformation and preservation of the 'self'? Personal possibility and peace I feel in this Rose too. You'll find her in the'Wisdoms of Rose'book - along with 16 others Roses.
