bentenlaughing

  Janice: Before you've put pen to paper or whichever medium you're working with, do you have a good idea of the end result?   Jan Melville:  I do not always know the end result of some of my works, mostly the ones that I know are my etchings as I do sketches of the ideas before making the plates to work on. I seem to get the ideas in my mind and when working them up into sketches, I can change parts of it as I go. Or even start all over again if not happy with how the end result is looking.  Janice: Which are your favorite mediums to work with?  Jan Melville:  I like to work with collage, mixed media and etchings. I like the freedom that say collage and mixed media bring. When working with them they allow me to be a lot looser when I work, as against when I work in printmaking I get tighter as there is only the one go to get the work right.  Janice:  Your work resonates with a connection to nature. Has this always played a part in the themes...

  My love of art began as a small child; where I would copy favourite characters and enter into Sunday Paper competitions. My dream was to be a painter but life took me in another direction into the music industry.   Over the years I've dabbled away with drawings and photography and slowly gained more confidence.  I love taking photos on my walks in the Blue Mountains.  Here is one from a few years back but reminiscent of now as we head into Winter in the Southern Hemisphere.  When you can have a look at my work on Saatchi....and thank you for doing so! https://www.saatchiart.com/janicepslater

I've been thinking of learning a new language Something different for the new year . It's never too late to learn Or change , To rewire the neural networks Inside my tired aged brain. I thought I might start with Blackbird Or Crow Perhaps the busy speech Of the honeyeater or silvereye But I'd have to be quite quick. I can pick out a few words Here and there From the river's urgent rush Hidden in the valley's green Replete from the rains wash. A bowerbird spoke to me In the shortened form Of glances and wing's Brushing the morning air But I missed the meaning Before I could ask her to explain. Some cicadas became vocal When the dappled sunlight emerged And shone on the eucalyptus High above. Then stopped again at the sound Of the breeze's whispered breath. And the peeled back bark Of the mountain ash Revealed some secret script Against the naked shiny trunk, Obscure and incomplete. I have little time To waste however With the angry mosquito's buzz...

A note on climate-change and music composition. This morning ash and charred leaves fell as I put shade cloth on my vegie patch (while wearing a mask).  I am living in a poorly insulated rental property which seems to heat up quickly and cool down slowly, and I have a chronic health condition (ME/CFS) which is exacerbated by the poor air quality. I don’t feel the need to ponder the intricacies of climate change and its causative impact on the current fire situation and impending heatwaves in my local area. This is not my area of expertise. But it appears (in addition to my somewhat disturbing subjective reality) that the science is in and there is no room for dispute. I will instead focus here on the relationship between music composition and climate change, as that is something rarely (if ever) considered. What is the relationship between climate change and our current way of “doing” the arts in general and music composition in particular? I would have to argue the ...

The present Not a line one can put a mark on easily described I keep the fire burning.  Fan the flames & tell of things transforming Acts of improbabilities Acts of opportunism A decisive dance of daring Of the undutiful A collection plate of profferings Rage fury fight still igniting discontent Of the gold and glitterings Of the want to be better thans Forgettings of We'll abide with thees Of climbing roses Where does it lead? A leash on the heart on the path of wisdom? Seiza Janice Slater (c) 1980 photo: Janice Slater (c) 2015 Blue Mountains NSW Australia