Prada A/W 2013.

 I try to avoid Prada being one of the only collections I post here, but really how can it be helped? How does she get it so right? The luxury leather in pop colours. Combined with textured tweeds and the modernised retro cut of the jackets and skirts. The turquoise, the brilliant red. The fur, the gingham. The lot.

Have I mentioned that I love art? When it comes to the blues, being sad, bored or any kind of suffering I never cease to be amazed at the power art has to lift me out of myself and place me back down - almost spontaneously - somewhere better: restored, grateful, awed and inspired. To begin with today was one of those days in Canberra, the ones without the sun. Canberra, to me, can be hatefully, impossibly, miserably  cold but more often than not it's winter days are graced with a glacially sharp type of sunshine able to seek out the darkest corners of a bleak wintery soul. And yet when absent....

This weeks immunotherapy was really tough. A step backwards - tweaking the formula somewhat and changing 'brands' - something meant to lessen the side effects, not increase them. So when I woke up this morning with a fresh cold I was........not happy.
it took four hours of saying I was going out to pick up some buckwheat flour to actually making that happen, the dark cold outside the door that uninviting. Eventually though, out the door I got, my smallest companion in tow.
An excursion centred around purchasing Buckwheat might sound unexciting but the shop itself is in an older part of town, where the streets are especially pretty and, as everything is bought in bulk, they sell chunks of organic chocolate by the gram. Why that is how I get my smallest companion in tow of course.
Enlivened then by the bustling inside the shop and the smell of wood fires burning I made a decision to stop off in the next street at M16 Art Space to see the exhibitions. I'd caught sight of some photos of an exhibition by Elissa Crossing on photographic magazine Life in Canberra - beautiful paintings that had immediately enchanted me with their 'through the looking glass' kind of quality (no small due the also enchanting secondary interpretation through Andrew Sikorski's photographic lens, below) and felt it would be worth my effort making it in. And it was. I adored Crossing's use of circles and ellipses as canvas alluding to the perspective of a glimpse taken and of the viewer receiving fragmented views of a private space. The muted palette with small accents of red or mustard were moody and full also of the shadowy atmosphere and mystery of private spaces. Verdict? Will buy scratchie on Monday, win and purchase the lot.

The second main exhibition at M16 were some mesmerising photographic prints and tapestries by Tim Gresham. At first that combination - photography and tapestry - seemed a bit odd. But as i went through the works and begun to appreciate what he was highlighting in each subject (it wasn't always possible to identify the subject outside of organic and inorganic) i got an appreciation for the connection. In fact Gresham describes this perfectly on his blog:

  "Suggestive of music, the rhythmical imagery in both the photographs and tapestries reflect similar ideas of repetition and subtle disruption of pattern. I enjoy the contrast between the two mediums; the introspective, time consuming weaving, and the instant capture of photographic observation."

This above my favourite, the repetition and disruption, both meditative and mesmerising in effect. Really fantastic and worth seeing them all. Also worth checking out his blog if just to witness the like minded process involved in the tapestries.

Unfortunately I didn't have my camera on me as the members exhibition down the corridors of the building (and this seems always to be the case at M16) was just as engaging. Beautiful, varied works in paper, textiles, acrylics on wood, artists books....and only open for one last week. So much great art in Canberra and a good excuse to get out (and in) from the cold.

Designgate.

Bit of a yearly low point. At least I hope it's the low point - in bed all week with bronchitis then woken up this morning in excruciating pain with stiff neck and shoulders. Ugh. Useless to all, my only friends Voltaren and chocolate chip cookie. Am now contorted into the only position I seem capable of, stiff arm over the key board so to blog about better times. Here goes....

Last week R's jazz band was playing at a college over Northside. I didn't know what for so I assumed open day or something. C dropped us there at 9.30, doing the one-car-family shuffle, back to the other side of town for A's soccer match in the rain.  I do not know what made R neglect to tell me college event was Designgate craft market. Every one knows I live for vintage, upcycled, hand made moments like this. I had $1.20 in my wallet. Not even enough for the freshly brewing coffee or baked goods.
Lots of great stalls though as you can see. My favourite was The Glory Box with her porcelain jewellery.
Other stalls I would have liked to have spent money at were Honi and Lemon with their re-done lamp shades, and Rosefinch & Belle with her laser cut cameo brooches. Sadly no money but  nice surprise of way to spend a rainy Saturday, listening to live Jazz and trawling hand made.

Recognise these landmarks? Recently we took a trip up to the Westmead Children's Hospital to see the Pediatric Orthopedic Specialist and get A's Perthes' checked. We might have done that at home if his specialist hadn't been in the papers all year for serious surgical negligence, recently suspended, with more news coming out a couple of weeks ago of unethical experimental treatment on a nine year old (seriously, what a creep!). So we did what so many families have to do to get specialist medical treatment in this country - travelled interstate. Luckily we have my sister in Sydney, so somewhere nice to stay and visit and then blessed with the perfect weather. We spent Saturday catching a bus down to the Rocks and then the Manly Ferry out to the beach. Not that we swam, maybe not that warm, but t-shirt weather.

The biggest blessing though is this: A's bone has made a full recovery since diagnosis six years ago. The amount of bone growth in the last 18 months has been astounding with complete regrowth of the femoral head and close on the original shape. I guess it shouldn't have been a surprise given how much he has grown in general (and how much he eats!) but at no point were we led to expect an outcome quite this good. I nearly kissed the doctor.....and again when he gave A these three pieces of parting advice:

1. Listen to your Mum and Dad.
2. Work hard at school.
3. Enjoy sport.

That alone was worth the $270 bill.