Melbourne part two

It is taking me such a long time getting my blog up to date, so sorry, but you know, work gets in the way. Following is where I stayed when I went over to the Golden Workshops in Melbourne.

Magnolia Court is where I slept and had breakfast, it was a lovely hotel for the time I spent there, walking distance into Melbourne city, down the street is the MCG where the AFL first of the finals was held on the Saturday after I left.This was the view across the street from Magnolia Court Hotel, very pretty, terrace style housing, probably for the more affluent Melbournians.I had two full days to myself before the workshops started on the Monday, therefore I spent a lot of time walking and taking photo's, which I love to do when I am away.I loved the sound of horses clipclopping around the Melbourne Streets, such a comforting sound. I will share more photo's with you on my stay in Melbourne on my next entries.

Jacky

Golden Teachers Workshop

Well I have finally got to sharing with you my trip to Melbourne and the Golden Teachers Workshop with Patti Brady. It was a wonderful week of art, at the workshop, walking in the lane ways of Melbourne and Fitzroy.

The workshop was held over 4 full days at the beautiful Abbotsford Convent, it was like a little piece of Europe. We where on the ground floor, lovely big room with massive high ceilings.One of the cafe's in the grounds, could have been the old bakery, we had lunch each day, yummy food. Old buildings on the grounds, from another time.

View of front of Abbotsford Convent. The convent 1863 to 1975 is now an Arts and Cultural Precinct, is only 4 km from Melbourne CBD, has 11 historic buildings and covers over 6 hectares. More information on www.abbotsfordconvent.com.au I would recommend a visit if you are in Melbourne, it has a farm as well which I never got to walk around.

Patti Brady our teacher for the four days, we had a trestle each thankfully, as we where slapping paint around everywhere, some of our samples had to be laid out on the back trestles to allow them drying time, the whole four days. David Cole did a great job looking after us all as well as setting up our workshop, plastic sheeting underfoot as well as covering all our trestles. We did heaps of samples and learnt to use all the products to enable us to teach in workshops ourselves. I had learnt quite a lot about Golden Acrylic products but this was from books and Golden's website www.goldenpaints.com which is a very informative website but there is nothing like actually having someone show you and then doing it yourself. The products that just blew me away were the Open paints, bead gel doing the skins to be put through the printer. The airbrush paints where new to us, but unfortunately this is not carried in Australia as yet, but who knows if there is enough demand I am sure it will be.This photo was taken from the back of the class, can you see our sample canvas's at the bottom of the photo, these took ages to dry as we where advised to put them on really thick.Ten Golden Artist Educators with Patti Brady behind the red bag on ground, we are all now certified Golden teaches the first in Australia and from all over Australia, what a privilege. We where wined and dined by Golden, beautiful evening meals at lovely restaurants each night, I don't think we got back to our hotels before 10pm each night and the last night a few of us (the oldest ones I might add, no staying power these young ones) got back about one am. I left feeling so motivated and inspired it was wonderful.

I couldn't resist adding this photo taken at Abbotsford Convent, lambs ears look as if they are coated with sugar. Well this has taken me a few hours so I will do another entry of the rest of my stay in Melbourne.

farewell dear friend

On return from my week in Melbourne, Alex our much loved Airedale had deteriorated and we had to have her put to sleep. I want to share with you some photo's of Alex, she was so much fun, a clown of a dog. Loved all other dogs, never heard her growl at another dog. She especially loved little dogs but i think she terrified them when she charged up to them and then towered above, but she would hanker down to their level to say hello. When we went out anywhere the first thing we would do was to see where Alex was, she slept inside up until about a year ago, was terrified of thunder, in her last couple of years though she went deaf and could no longer hear the thunder. She was friends with everyone, and especially loved Tess (Kirsty's deceased now, border collie), Tess hated all dogs and thought Alex was a particular pain, she would get in Tess's face and when Tess bared her teeth at her she would just swing her back end into her as much as to say come on, get over it princess....She looked such a noble beast just after being bathed and clipped, probably lasted for about a month before she started getting woolly again. This was her come play look. With Joanne, gee this was about 10 years ago, how time flies......And mum's girl, she was my constant companion, just looking at these photo's of her has brought a lump to my throat. Yes she was spoilt, but that is what you have pets for. She would have been 14 next month which is quite old for a big dog, and up until about a year ago she still thought she was a pup and acted like one. She hated being slowed down with her back legs slowly paralysing. Now she's in heaven, and Tess is probably thinking "Oh no, I thought I'd got rid of you" R.I.P Alex we miss you ....

I will get back on my blog in the next few days and share with you my trip to Melbourne and the Golden's Teachers Workshop. I had a ball.....