PIECE OF PLACE/FINDING OUR WAY HOME

Lizz Murphy/Kate O'Connor opening Friday 6 pm

'Here we are/where are we?' an old regular would frequently say at the local pub, on his visits to Binalong. I'm thinking it kinda sums up what Kate O'Connor and I are exploring in our linked exhibitions Finding our Way Home (Kate) and Piece of Place. They open together on Friday, November 4 at 6 pm — no formalities — just wine, nibbles, pizza pieces in The Hive at the rear of Café on Queen, Queen Street, Binalong. We have each painted over thirty works most of which are just 10 x 10 cm or 15 x 15 cm. It's a buy-and-take-away scenario — and we hope you do!

Working in acrylic and paint-pen on tiny canvases, Kate has created paintings, maps and verse — landscape, abstracted imagery, coded poems, landmarks and memories — helping her map 'the way home.' I track, I trace the outline of a past I cannot place/I make histories in the clouds/The branch, that one bird song at three — Finding our Way Home is supported by the Yass Valley Arts Trail.

I have worked in acrylic paint with found text on canvas, capturing vintage objects (and memories) from over the years and also created a sequence of Tree Haiga — close-ups of bark and leaves with haiku poems representing my place. roots run deep/knot old and new/rephrasing/the song of you — Piece of Place is supported by a Southern Tablelands Arts Micro Grant (a Covid initiative).

The exhibitions continue over the weekend from 10 am to 4 pm as part of the Yass Valley Arts Trail which is responsible for an explosion of art across the region November 5-6. Visit their Facebook page to find out more. 

More Yass Valley Arts Trail events in Binalong:

Same venue — still a space or two in Poetree my tree-themed workshop, Sunday at 10 am — contact me on lizzmurphy7[at]gmail[dot]com And in the afternoon all are welcome at Binalong Arts Group's pop-up Brush with Poetry (coordinator Robyn Sykes) featuring Sarah St Vincent Welch. Includes tree themes — join in the open mike with a tree poem (or any). Sunday 2-4 pm. Visit nearby exhibitions/open studios at the Old Bakery Gallery and Peter Minson Art Glass.

I SPY A POETRY READING

Truth © Lizz Murphy Mixed Media work in progress

Long time no see. I haven’t been on strike — just not been keeping up! Started this mixed media work (20x25 cm) recently with a random bird image and found text which took me one way or another into internet espionage. More concerned with government control and censorship. It should become a poem or two. Meanwhile while wondering what the bird had to do with anything, I discover that 'bird' is the back end process behind iCloud. No I don't know what that actually means yet but hey. Makes the bird image relevant  With many thanks to the inspirational Kate O'Connor for her Painting at the Pub workshop held in Binalong last weekend — part of the Binalong Arts Group’s ongoing program.

 

I don’t have any readings coming up myself which is fine as I’m meant to be head down writing and painting, but you might like to attend these if you’re in the neighbourhood:

That Poetry Thing that’s on at Smith’s on Monday Nights continues to deliver a dynamic program. On March 2 (tonight!) it’s Mirsad Ramic & Alasdair Carter and March 9 it's Sarah Rice & Claire Albrecht. Starts at 7.00 pm. Smith’s Alternative in the Melbourne Building, 76 Alinga Street, Canberra. Watch for more poetry events at Smith’s including the launch of two poetry collections That Other World & People by Yass Valley's Jane Baker on March 30 at 5.30 pm. Have a gourmet sandwich and drinks after and stay on for the regular That Poetry Thing. Actually I think it’s a Not Very Quiet reading.

Geoff Page’s monthly poetry program has moved from University House (ANU) while they renovate, to Beyond Q bookshop another great venue in Weston ACT. Masses of second-hand books, meals and snacks. Note: BYO. Don’t miss Jessica L. Wilkinson of Melbourne, the main feature at the next reading on Wednesday March 11 at 7.00 pm.  The evening will begin with a tribute reading for Gwen Harwood’s centenary by three well-known local poets: P.S. Cotter, Penelope Layland, Russell Erwin. Bookings are not necessary, but you will cheer Geoff he says if you let him know you’re coming, on gpage40[at]bigpond[dot]net[dot]au

Binalong Arts Group’s Brush with Poetry kicks off this month at its current delightful venue (as opposed to former delightful venues), Café on Queen, Queen Street, Binalong with a shared mike on Sunday March 29 at 1.30 for 2.00 pm. Arrive any time but getting in early with your first coffee orders is a good idea — arrive even earlier and have lunch! BYO. All styles of poetry — serious, intense, hilarious — plus music and song very welcome. Coordinated by Robyn Sykes: robynsykespoet[at]gmail[dot]com and co-emceed by Robyn and Gregory Piko. This event is held on the last Sunday of the odd months from here on.

I’ll be back with more.
 

ONE SKY — ADD A POSTCARD

This is where my One Sky Many Stories is up to (at October 12). Some of the early puddles have come down, and the micro poems and found text now make up a second arc (reminiscent of The Milky Way from above). There is quite a bit of reading (about 15 poems of one kind or another). I think I might aim longer term for one strong poem arranged in a similar way but line by line in large text. 

Meanwhile a trickling in of delicious 'Postcards from the Sky' to add to the wall (far left): poems by Kathy Kituai and Sarah St Vincent Welch. More to come in including images by Deborah Faeyrglenn. See also a close-up of another art & text piece below.

POETS & ARTISTS DROP OUT OF THE SKY

A spirited morning of discussion on the skies, poetry and visual art in the One Sky Many Stories Living Studio at Belconnen Arts Centre, with good friends and colleagues Sarah St Vincent Welch (writer and photographer) on the left, Deborah Faeyrglenn (installation artist and writer) and Chris Mansell (poet and publisher). Sarah and Deborah have been hoping to drop in for a while and Chris who lives in Berry NSW happened to be in Canberra — serendipity — they all dropped in as if from the sky. (Not quite.) Add to that the Highly Creative Moni McInerney, Creative Director, who of course is never far away.

It was a quietish day until they got there. So many personal stories about constellations, mythologies, other works on the theme. Inspiring. Passionate. Much laughter.

And below is another found poem/micro poem from my growing installation (as it's shaping at the moment). 

One Sky Many Stories has been extended until late November. Thursday morning is my most regular time if you want to say hallo or to add something to the project.

 

ONE SKY: FOUND POEM

Learning the night sky ... is one of a few found poems I've created as part of One Sky Many Stories. The main gallery in Belconnen Arts Centre has become a poetry refuge when I can steal a couple of hours from a busy schedule. Always hankering after something more in-depth I continue to scud through the topic and to write or make micro poems. So much fun though.

ONE SKY — A WINTER RIVER

A winter river

carries into the lake

The sun repeats itself

Whirl and twist

perfect stillness

found text Cosmos & New Scientist

Another fragment towards my 

One Sky Many Stories project 

MIGRATION POEMS & ESSAYS

Other Terrain Journal Issue 5 online now

 

‘How could you do this to us?’ tells of the resolve needed to access Manus Island’s mothers and babies, Christine Hill’s attempt to bring the joy of play, the way undetermined detention time seeps all hope out of the mothers, how this becomes so sadly reflected in the wellbeing and behaviour of the infants. A birth in detention, by the way, is officially described as an ‘incident’ and the baby is given a number.

This moving, prize-winning essay by Christine Hill is published in issue 5 of Other Terrain Journal just released by Swinburne University.

In ‘Making a Stand’ fantasy writer, Isobel Carmody, describes how her initial involvement with a protest outside Brisbane’s Lady Cilento Hospital to prevent baby Asha being sent to off shore detention, lead to an empowering and inspiring, daily solo protest against off shore detention in general, wherever she might be. She becomes more confident, more informed, more determined. She thinks all the while about refugees and leaves us believing we should do the same.

There are not only essays, but also creative non-fiction, reviews, images and poems. Michelle Cahill’s Exile is lush in its use of nature as metaphor for displacement; Eileen Chong’s Black Sun instills the fear of being left behind; Jordan King-Lacroix’s Politics questions our silencings; Lorne Johnson’s Only some things is powerfully succinct; S. Nagaveeran’s (Ravi) I was on the boat, now I am on the road is raw and personal.

My own contribution is a found poem titled Asylum and the ekphrastic sequence of micro poems Syria’s Children. Extra thanks to the editors for including the full sequence of Syria’s Children as I've only had excerpts published previously. I’m incredibly pleased to be selected for publication in this insightful migration issue of Other Terrain.

More migration poems and essays at Swinburne's Backstory history journal. I'm heading there shortly — and yes — delighted to have poems published there too.

ON THE GUILTY PURSUIT - POETRY & ART

Media: Oil pastel, collage, found text on paper. © Lizz Murphy

ON THE GUILTY PURSUIT

Back at the wharf,
on the guilty pursuit
I sallied forth
With the sun dipping low

Each time, the story deepens,
"Older thinkers had been wiser
Myth was no mere
stoush

Mystically I offer
years of human history
suspect of sins.
handle it.

In my life, I have had opportunities
"I am very grateful for that."

                         Several steps more


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This is not an ending, this is a beginning. Thank you Kit Kelen and all the Project 365+1 contributors. It's been wonderful - even the days that had me cursin. Happy new year. 
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Above is the last of my posts in Project 366. Some of the poets and artists are continuing on into 2017 such is their passion for daily making and posting, so the blog is still live and vibrant. I need to take stock. I know I gained so much from participating in the project not the least of which was being in that creative and supportive space with other poets for the whole year. Indebted to instigator/coordinator Christopher/Kit Kelen. 

See some previous posts for more about how I survived. There are also three pieces at the project's metablog: click here for In for the long haul; here for Bungee jumping: A response to Kit Kelen’s upside down meditation on daily practice; here for Get over yerself (my response to questions posed by Kit).

A number of the other participants have also posted about their experience and it's interesting reading indeed. Kit Kelen's Rather a long rant about it all is a terrific discourse which includes the background to Project 366, contemporary Australian poetry and publishing, the 'star system,' funding, community, Kit's own creative process and more ... Pour a glass of wine and settle in.