my January, hot, wet but not without inspiration..

Well hello and happy (much belated) new year!!

The first month of 2012 has been lovely although, pretty low key for me..

It began with a couple of blissful weeks in the mountains, soaking up the country air and catching up with family and old friends.

Christmas Day Petanque. Thongs are not obligatory in case you're wondering...

Lunch under the plane tree

My stained glass window cake turned quite well I thought..

Dad's very creative cake decorating. Cute!

We played farmers for a week too, as caretakers for my parents property. Initially a daunting task for a couple of city slickers, considering the menagerie of animals entrusted to our care, but we soon got into the swing of things.. In fact Andrew was in his element, setting off across the paddocks early each morning, on the quad bike to feed the animals and collect the eggs. I think access to the bike was definitely a motivating factor.

 Meanwhile I had a lovely time chasing Thom around the property (he's very mobile now) and hanging out in the kitchen baking bread. I rarely had my apron off...

Thom making new friends

Then it was back to the city and the heat..!

It didn't take long before we were heading for the air conditioned refuge of one of my favourite city oasis's and sources of inspiration, GOMA and The Queensland Gallery.

In my opinion, the Gallery/Library precinct at South Bank is really Brisbane's star attraction. There's always something new and interesting happening and with a lot of the exhibitions being free, it's the perfect place to grab coffee or lunch with friends and then while away the afternoon in the cool of the gallery.

It would have to be the most kid friendly gallery I've ever been to as well. Almost every major exhibition has an interactive component created especially for kids. These installations are just as fun for big kids too..

Yayoi Kusama's 'Obliteration Room' before and after..

 Photo's courtesy of GOMA

I've visited there twice in the last couple of weeks.. The first time was to see the contemporary Japanese artist with a penchant for dots, Yayoi Kusama and then I was back to see the much anticipated Matisse, Drawing Life Exhibition.

An absolute highlight is 'The Drawing Room' (and cafe), a interactive space where one could spend hours..

Easels, paper, pencils and high tech tablets are set up in front of vignettes of various beautiful objects, sculpture and even live models, all artfully arranged to bring to out the inner artist. 

photos courtesy of GOMA

Here are a couple of my attempts on the tablet.. You can email your scribbles home or to friends and then continue playing with this sketching program on your own computer. Highly addictive!!

And it's not just me that's got the drawing bug...

Thom's first 'masterpiece'. He's into dots... Very Yayoi Kusama.

And don't you just love washable markers..

Then it rained and rained and rained.., which meant only venturing out for supplies or to keep Thom & I from going stir crazy (The cabin fever was definitely beginning to set in..). 

My friends did drag me out of the house this last (very soggy) Saturday night though and I'm so glad they did! 

Thanks to a tip off on the Fun and VJs blog (which I somehow missed), they whisked me off to the book launch of Australian Modern, a local publication devoted to the best of Australian modernism. You can bye it here. 

The launch was hosted by creative director and publisher Chris Osbourne and his partner Susan at their incredibly fab house (featured on the cover).

It was really terrific night,  catching up with friends I haven't seen in years and making new ones..  I finally met Fun & VJ's gorgeous Anita in person too, looking fab in her paisley mini. A girl of many talents, Anita also did a great job editing Australian Modern. 

Everyone got in the spirit of things too, frocking up in their retro vintage best...

my mate Ange hamming it up in her mod frock...

And today, the last day of January, the sun is finally out and a coastal breeze has blown away the clouds revealing the first blue sky in what seems like ages.. 

The change in weather has me looking forward to February and what it might have in store. I've a feeling it's going to be a tad more up tempo, probably a good thing..