Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Featuring - Annemeike Mein

Hope you all had a relaxing and fun Mother's day. Us girls (Mum & Sis) spent a few hours lunching and trawling antique shops in a nearby town which was so much fun, especially for them, cos for some reason they were doubled over laughing when they saw me running up the hill to catch up with them, carrying my new prize of two pink flamingoes. Since it was sunny on Monday l thought l'd take some snapshots, to share with you, so pleased with them was l. ..... looking awesome on the front lawn...  







Pink plastic flamingos were hugely popular in the US and were designed in 1957 by Don Featherstone. They even won him the Ig Nobel prize for Art in 1996.
While we were in a shop a lady noticed l was carrying them and told us that she used to do parties for people where she was asked to put them on their front lawns in the middle of the night, the amount of flamingos for the age the person would be. How weird is that.....












l've recently had the watercolours and fine liner out again.......... some more Oriental style paintings. The flamingos made me think of putting these on to share. (cos of the cranes).If you would like to know how they're done and see a couple more visit here.

This week l'm sharing with you a wonderful textile artist, Annemeike Mein. l found her incredible book called "The Art of Annemeike Mein" in my local library and was stunned at the beauty, workmanship, and attention to detail of her art, and have since borrowed the book a number of times. 










Annemeike was born in Holland in 1944 but came to Australia with her parents in 1956 and was schooled in Melbourne, after she finished school she decided to become a nurse where she met her (future) doctor husband Phillip, and relocated to Sale (Victoria), where many of her works are on permanent display . Above right is a snap of her in her studio.







Annemeikes' work includes many mediums and techniques including paints, dyes, machine embroidery, pleating, felting and beading. Also a number of different materials including felts, silk, wools and furs.








































Annameike was fascinated and inspired by the diversity of the Australian wildlife and collected as well as sketched insects and learnt to raise and breed butterflies.












Her work became well-known and she is thought to be one of the world's foremost textile artists. In 1988 she received the Order of Australia Medal for services to the arts.






























































References for these images are www.insects.org               
Annemieke_Mein    and  Russian Website



Also for anyone that's interested.... the Ararat (Victoria) regional art gallery is having an exhibition of Annemeikes work from the 19th of May until the 3rd of July which would be well worth a trip.......    ararat.vic.gov 


l've loved putting this post together and hope that you've enjoyed it as well.


Bron.

5 comments:

  1. Bron lovely post. Loved the story about the flamingo lady! The strange things we do! Your cranes are just beautiful, I envy and admire your artistic talent.
    Thanks for sharing Annameike's work. Isn't she just wonderful. It's been years since I have seen anything of hers, thanks for the reminder of this amazing artist.

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  2. Hi Bron.....I love those pink flamingos.....we travel in a motor home and I have wanted a set to put out front when we stay in a park....but HUBBY SAYS NO!! Can you imagine....we would be the talk of the park. (O:(O:

    xo

    Jo

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  3. The flamingoes, don't they look fabulous!...and right at home on your front lawn. Your watercolours are incredible bron, gosh you can draw and paint sooo well. and as for Annemeike... well I can feel another girls day out coming on!

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  4. Yes, you make me laugh, too -- from running up the hill with the pink flamingos to startling your husband by hanging the great silver ball in the yard. Very, very funny.

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  5. For fun, I am a huge fan of the vintage pink flamingos! Such cultural nostagia! And, the art collection is astoundingly beautiful!

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