Perth Craft & Quilt Fair May 2015

 I arrived at the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre to find my space - after about 8 hours work it turns into this. Two and a half hours more and it's back in the box.
 For the five days of the show, I talked to many people about the work that I do and the wide variety of techniques that I use. I mainly demonstrated leather working techniques, and greatly enjoyed witnessing the wonder on faces as they learned about what simply leather and water was capable of doing, with a little guidance from nimble fingers! The same goes for my demonstrations of kumo shibori shaping techniques. This 'Golden Lobster', a 3 metre length of gold lamé, has had four rows of spikes bound into it, and will be boiled to heat set the shapes before being unbound.

Wonder was also expressed at how I fit everything into a crate for travelling - this is partly possible due to five inflatable mannequins. However, this was not entirely successful: one of them had an undiscoverable slow leak, and would need frequent CPR to keep upright!

Many, many questions were asked about where such garments might be worn, and I explained that some of these were not intended as normal garments, but as sculptural pieces which use the body as a framework.  Most people had not heard of the World ofWearableArt, so I spent a great deal of time talking about that, as it has become a huge part of my life and my work over the past seven years. Some of the works are more wearable, as they are more along the lines of haute couture, and yes, could be worn to gala events. I do understand people's puzzlement, as it is only natural to make the connection between body and clothing.

I enjoyed some media coverage during the week, being interviewed for ABC radio, and providing the backdrop for the Perth Metro Whip-around on The Project on Friday night. Here's a video of it that I shot on my camera whilst watching it later that night in my apartment, due to the 2 hour time difference!

Each glorious morning I would walk around King's Park, and on Sunday I treated myself to breakfast at the café there, as my supplies were running low. What a magnificent view from my breakfast table! It is again another beautiful morning as I pack up and make my way home to Brisbane. Sadly, my suitcase is 5kg overweight, which has cost me $70 - rookie error. Should have known and prebooked a second bag..... at least Sean Sheep got to get swabbed for explosives - highlight of his life, I'm sure - and lots of love from the airline staff! He wouldn't have experienced that if he'd been packed in that second bag.....