As happy as a little bird with a big chip!
A$2,500
of $2,000 targetyrs ago
Successful on 17th Mar 2013 at 12:00AM.
In 2010 I was to travel to Tokyo Japan to undertake a research project into the honoured tradition of Japanese floristry, Ikebana. On the very weekend I was to travel, Japan was gripped by that terrifying tsunami that left in chaos. This left me in a kind of limbo for my work and my life which I had planned around this trip. I think it's fair to say I was a bit of a mess. (However in my own mess I knew how lucky I had been to surpass the natural disaster and my own mess was nothing on the scale and magnitude of the Japanese tsunami survivors. My heart will always go out to them and appreciate the strength they showed as a country.)
In 2011, after much careful planning and deliberation I decided to travel to Tokyo to complete the project. It was amazing! I learnt so much and it really was the unexpected that got me. I ended up with a whole new pathway and subject matter to develop and where better to do it that Pilchuck Glass School in Seattle. Waiting that extra year gave me the opportunity to secure a partial scholarship to study at Pilchuck under the most amazing glass scultpor, Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen. I think it is fair to say that this lady reignited my passion for glass blowing and gave me the skills needed to make my conceptual ideas from Japan come to life.
So now after my successes I thought I would keep that ball rolling and go for the big one....the North Lands residency. This will be the perfect chance to develop and resolve my conceptual ideas from two years in the making. I am so excited at the potential for my work to grow that I am almost beside myself!! (Almost.) It is such a precious opportunity for an artist to be given the time, the materials and the facilities to develop a new body of work. Whilst at Northlands the types of works I will be making are experimental hot fused work. The radishes that you see above are the very tip of the iceberg. For me these display the beauty in the everyday. They are objects that are easily overlooked and I think thats something that we easily do, forget about the beauty of the small. The power of 'the beauty of the everyday' has the potential to be amazing. It can lift your spirits, make you appreciate the small and even lead you to discover something entirely new. In a world that is full of noise, colour, sights and sound, I can find comfort and solace in the everyday. They are my 'port in the storm', so to speak.
I love being a glass blower. I love creating a piece through both fluid and solid states. It's hot, it's sometimes ridiculously difficult, it's exciting and it is always rewarding. I love to challenge myself and I feel that this residency is the next crucial step to take in my professional development. Being an artistic individual does not come without financial strain and thats why I am reaching out to you and asking for your support.
I would like to use the money to help me get from Melbourne, Australia allllllllllll the way to the tiny and isolated town of Lybster, Scotland. Travel is expensive and your generous donation would go towards helping me to realise my new body of work. Australia has a vibrant and very talented glass community but is dependant on us grabbing opportunities such as these to learn, grow and inturn contribute to the Australian glass community. Your kind donations will see me afford my flights. I will be contributing to the remaining monies needed going towards living expenses, materials and the shipping of the new works home.
This is my most exciting and challenging project to date. To be honest with you, I am both terrified and excited at the same time!! I think though deep down, that terror comes from the thought that this new work has the potential to spark a whole new set of opportunities. A whole new set of opportunities that will make me as happy as a little bird with a big chip! So thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support and belief in my work. Please feel free to drop in on my blog http://littlebirdbigchip.blogspot.com.au/ here I will be keeping a detailed diary of all my adventures.
Thank you again!
Amanda
x
A huge and heartfelt thanks on my facebook page. You are just the best and I want you to know it.
8 chosen / 42 available
Est. delivery is Feb 13
Oh my gosh! $25?! Thank you so much. You will be rewarded with big ups on my face book page AND a hand written postcard from me in Scotland. (I will also say 'hi' to Nessie for you...)
4 chosen / 31 available
Est. delivery is Apr 13
$50. Amazing. You are amazing. Thank you so much. Not only will you receive the biggest of shout outs on my facebook page, not only will you receive a post card from Scotland but you will also receive a personal email from me in Scotland which includes photos of what I have been up to.
13 chosen / 22 available
Est. delivery is Apr 13
$100 is a whole lot of loving! I am so thankful for your generosity. Your hard earned donation of $100 gets you all of the above plus a little souvenier just for you, allllllllll the way from Scotland. Thank you!
4 chosen / 16 available
Est. delivery is Jun 13
Wow. Thank you so much. $500 is ALOT of money. Your generosity will not go unrewarded. I will give you everything as mentioned above, the kudos, the postcard and the photos but I would love for you to have your own piece of my work, a piece from my most successful range, a glass bonsai.
0 chosen / 5 available
Est. delivery is Jun 13
You are the top pledger!! The creme de la creme!! Thank you for your uber kind donation and more importantly your belief in me and my work. What I would like to offer you is a one of a kind exclusive piece of glass hand made by me and representative of my time in Scotland. Thank you so much, your generosity has me speechless.
0 chosen / 2 available
Est. delivery is Aug 13