It really seems like just the other day that I was telling you that I was off to do an Artist in Residency Programme at Mountain Seas Resort on Flinders Island. Here I am, home again.
As to be expected, the weather as we were leaving Flinders Island was just perfect — no wind, clear, sunny skies. Perfect for takeoff. I also see it as the Island telling me that this is how it usually behaves, telling me to come back. And I will. (You should visit too!)
But don’t think that I am whinging about the wild and wooly weather we had. According to locals it was the longest blow they have had for quite a few years. I didn’t think I liked wind, but this was exhilarating and invigorating. Sketching was fun, as long as I was rugged up and sheltered. There was a bush walk around the edge of the property, protected by the tall gums for most of the way. I only felt the force of the wind as I came up from the stream. The rain was squally, pelting down and then blowing onto somewhere else.
I love being in the mountains, but miss the beach. When I am at the beach I miss the majesty of mountains. Flinders Island has both very close together. Perfect.
So I landed back in Melbourne, back to the reality of big city life — traffic and traffic lights, washing and shopping, and grey skies (although today, Sunday is a beautiful day).
It is not all bad, of course. I love Melbourne, and my part of it has a little bit of that small town feel about it. I love that I can easily upload my photos to show you — almost an overload in this post! And I want to get stuck into my art. Ideas are swirling around in my head and I want to start to get them onto paper.
I am mentally scheduling lots of posts for you — more photos, info about the Island and Bass Strait, mutton birds and of course, updates on the progress on my art work. Just let me know when you are sick of the words “Flinders Island”. I am not sure that I will ever tire of them!
Anne Lawson Art 
14 replies on “Home again (sigh)”
You have some wonderful images there, it’s no surprise to me that you were sorry to leave. But coming home is blissful too, isn’t it? One of the photos you posted today is giving me an idea for a possible quilt. It’s the one titled ‘The Strzelecki Range from Trouser Point (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson, 2015)’. May I use it as the basis for the design? There are some wonderful muted colours and fabulous textures in it, and the part of my brain that sees quilt designs in everything sat up and went ‘ding!’ when I saw it.
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Kate, I would be honoured! I have some more coastal heath from the same walk. I will pop them onto a blog post later today. Use any of the images that fire your creative juices. I would love to see how you go about taking the image and making a quilt.
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It’s the soft colours and the layering and textures that first caught my eye. A quilted landscape would be really interesting to work on. Something to put in my ideas folder, for an art piece rather than a full sized bed quilt. I’ll keep an eye out for the rest of the photos too.
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Welcome home Anne. How was Lady Baron and the trip north to Killicrankie? It’s a place of glorious contrasts, glad you enjoyed it. Lots of archaeology for me here at the moment xx
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The Ancients of Pompeii and the ancients of Killiecrankie. It was beautiful up there. Looking forward to sharing when you get home.xoxo
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Hi Anne, Looking forward to lots more information about Flinders Island and your art. I am especially intrigued by the photo of The Strzelecki Range taken from Trouser Point. You mean you stand at Trouser Point with the sea behind you and look inland to this range. I can see what you mean about the mountains and the sea existing together; a beautiful wild environment.
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It is a very wild environment — and I am glad that you are looking forward to more. Let me know when you are bored! The mountain/sea thing makes mor sense when you understand that Bass Strait used to be the land link between Tassie and the mainland. The mountains here were originally mountains in the middle of the land mass.
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Welcome back! Looks like you brought the good weather with you. 🙂
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Huh, until today Tuesday — grey and raining!
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-giggles- Yeah but… it’s Melbourne!
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Wonderful images. I love experiencing Flinders Island vicariously through your eyes and words, and hope to see it myself one day.
Like Kate, I love the textures and colours of The Strzelecki Range from Trouser Point”. It would as Kate suggests be a wonderful quilt design. I can see it as a weaving.
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It’s interesting how different people interpret it differently. I had never thought of weaving, but it would be fabulous. I hope I get the privilege of seeing how Kate turns it into a quilt. Of course I see it as a painting, but also as a tapestry. It is the colours, textures and the rhythms/patterns that appeals. I wonder what writers see?
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Welcome home, Anne. I’m so glad your visit was worthwhile and that you’re home, inspired and ready for more artistic pursuits.
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My brain is buzzing with ideas, sometimes keeping me awake at night!
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