Fern Print

The print was created using the same technique as described in a previous post – Print making with Plants at a nature printing workshop conducted by Rhyll Plant.

Wintry Indian Bean Tree

This Indian Bean tree – Catalpa bignonioides – is one of the significant trees of the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens.

Right now, the tree is still in its winter aspect with impressive bare branches stretching up to the sky.

The bark is heavily textured.

I love sitting under the tree and contemplating the sky through the tracery of branches.

Snoozing Cats

In the warmer months, the cats normally spend their day outside. Winter time is spent dozing in the cosiest spots in the house. Arlo and Belle are quite elderly now. Neither of the cats has shown any sign that they have noticed Katie’s absence.

Fragrant, Pink Lilies

The lilies in Katie’s bouquet are now blooming.

They are the most gorgeous shade of pink and their fragrance is delightful.

Flowers for Katie

My Katie died Sunday and today I received these flowers from the Visitor Information Centre where I volunteer weekly. I am very touched by their kindness.

Goodbye darling Katie.

Print making with Plants

This post illustrates another technique I experienced at the print making workshop conducted by Rhyll Plant.

Rhyll gave the class cardboard plates which had been made by using a printing press to impress the shape of a plant into the cardboard. Tough, fibrous plants were used to make the plates.

The aim was to create a print which had the same orientation as the original ie. the printed image was not a reverse of the image on the plate.

Firstly, the plate was inked and plastic, stretched over an embroidery hoop, laid on top. The back of the plastic was carefully rubbed so the ink covered the underside.

The stretched plastic was then placed ink side down on paper and again carefully rubbed to create a relief print of the plant.

I created a grove by making multiple prints on the same sheet of paper.

Print making – Feathers

On Sunday, 8 May, I attended a Nature Printing workshop conducted by local print maker, Rhyll Plant, at the Newstead Arts Hub.

In the past, I have purchased one of Rhyll’s feather prints so I was eager to learn the technique for making my own.

A feather is placed on an inked plate with a sheet of paper on top and rolled through the printing press. The inky feather is then placed on another sheet of paper and again put through the printing press so the ink from the feather imprints on the paper. I am amazed by the level of detail produced.

Sunflowers Print

Throughout the year art workshops are conducted at the Newstead Arts Hub.

On Saturday, I attended a relief photopolymer print workshop conducted by Dianne Longley , a print maker, who lives in Trentham in the Central Highlands. This technique was new to me.

Using a black pigment pen, I drew the sunflowers onto translucent drafting film. The drawing was placed onto a photopolymer relief printing plate and exposed to the sunlight so the image was imprinted on the plate. The plate was then washed in tap water, dried and hardened in sunlight or a UV light unit.

The plate was then ready to be inked and put through a printing press using dampened print making paper to produce the relief print of the sunflowers.

White Hills Cemetery, Bendigo

From time to time, Katie and I visit the historic White Hills cemetery in Bendigo. We were there today. The photographs were taken today and on a previous occasion.

This memorial honours the service of the men and women in Australia’s defence forces.

Whilst this memorial pays homage to the women and children of the goldfields and the hardships they endured.

The Menorah marks the entrance to the Jewish section of the cemetery.

There is a sizable Chinese section with its burning tower.

Strangely, the ground around the graves is bare of vegetation.

This impressive monument to a military man dominates the cemetery from its site on the top of a hill.

These people were rather more humble in their origins but no less interesting.

A number of the older graves are in a ruinous condition.

There is plenty of colour in the modern lawn cemetery. This is a particularly fine example.

Coliban Springs, Redesdale

Today was a glorious day to visit Coliban Springs which was open as part of Open Gardens Victoria this weekend. The 5 acre garden is surrounded by farmland which has rolling hills, granite rocks and mature red gums.

The main part of the garden slopes down to a small lake. The garden is mainly planted with evergreens with ornamental vines providing a splash of autumn colour.

The rosemary bushes were alive with bees and clouds of small, bluish butterflies.

Some areas of the garden are devoted to roses with yellow and white predominating.

The vegetables are grown within a netted enclosure to protect them from marauding wildlife.

Gravel pathways meander through the garden planted with hardy natives and exotics.

The 16 year old garden has survived drought, flooding, rabbits, hares, kangaroos and locusts.

Various pieces of garden art dot the garden including these sheep skulls artfully piled on an old stump.

The lake is a real focus. I walked around the perimeter taking advantage of the various resting places and observing the birds using the lake.

This grand old gum tree is magnificent with its broad branches, hollows and scars.

Someone with a sense of humour has placed this sign in an entertainment area overlooking the lake.

In addition to the garden, I was able to enjoy morning tea and lunch as well as bring home a couple of hardy plants.