Elizabeth David's Table

"There are of course ways of making good food look especially beautiful. The colour, size, and shape of the serving dish is obviously important; food should never be crammed into too small a dish; serve rice and pilaffs on large shallow platters, not pressed into a deep glass casseroles. See that dishes are appropriate to the food. Peasant and country stews of beans or lentils, deep brown daubes of meat and game, onion and oil flavoured ragouts of pimentos or purple skinned aubergines lose some pf their particular charm (and also get cold) if transferred from the earthen pots in which they have been cooked..."
South Wind Through the Kitchen-pp49-50


Elizabeth David was an English food and writer. Born in 1913 she led a perapetetic life, living in Greece and traveling through the Mediterranean in her 20's. Depressed by the food of post-war Britain Elizabeth David began writing pieces on the fresh, produce driven food of the Mediterranean. She is one of my heroes (though I suspect that if you ever met her she would be difficult to get along with) Elizabeth David was a woman of strong opinions, and strong appetites. She is often praised for being responsible for inspiring British cooks to use fresh, untainted food, and quality French and Italian kitchen ware, which she sold in her shop in London.

Elizabeth David always wrote her books and cooked on a table she bought when she first settled down in London after the war. This table, along with the rest of her kitchen was sold at auction after her death. I'd love to have Elizabeth David's table. I feel as if somehow her courage, wit and creativity would have marinated this piece of furniture. Having a cup of tea at Elizabeth David's table would lead one's thoughts into unexplored byways bringing fresh, observations to the surface. But anyone's table could have been the scene of great inspiration, anyones old teacups the catalyst for exciting discovery. That is why I like second-hand things, and handmade things. It is important for me to be surrounded by the marks of others who have gone before. It connects me to my family, makes me part of a community both literal and metaphorical.

budding & blossoming

Last year with the assistance of an Australia Council New Works Grant I began documenting a local magnolia garden.

The process of documenting a garden through the seasons is profoundly moving. The leaves yellowing and falling leaving twisted branches, growing tiny, furry buds and finally one day, bursts of magnificent, extravagant blossom. It made me laugh out loud. This is what nature is for, the blossoms are meant to be suprizing and delightful to attract the pollinators. Watching the slow growth and blossoming of the magnolia’s, knowing that the small shrubs will one day grow to be tall trees, branches twining overhead to create a dappled wood expresses the powerful cycles of life and death that move through the world.



“The Magnolia Project” follows the ancient magnolia tree through the seasons expressing the power and fragility of the blossoms through a series porcelain vessels. The solo exhibition is opening on March the 8th at Salmon Galleries in Sydney.

I'd love to see any ceramicists or readers of "Strange Fragments" who live in Sydney there.



Photos by collector modernist scholar and culture vulture Chris Osbourne.

Fit for what?

Being a mother, artist and trying to look half way decent is nearly killing me. I'm not totally vain but I have started yoga classes in the vain hope that by doing exercise once a week I'll return to my former skinny self-(I know this is not the point of yoga.) I like to get there early so I can get a position in the corner of the room and no-one can see me. Today I was in a Very Good Discreet Position until the teacher moved to the side and then I was in a Very Bad Position right in front.....
So instead of thinking about my prana and breathing peacefully I was wishing that no-one was behind me, looking at my butt and watching me wobble all over the place.( I know this is very egotistical and absolutely not the point of yoga, but between remembering my breath, trying to ascertain left from right and wondering how much longer I can hold the warrior pose, egotistical thoughts just slip in!) Shula has a very funny blog Poppalina and is a yoga goddess.


Sometimes it seems to me that spending half a day on this is wasting good working time. I think it is really important though both for back health and mental health. When you are self- employed you have to take very good care of your physical being as there are no paid sick days, and potters especially have to watch their backs.

I have the first images of "The Magnolia Project" The full exhibition will be at Salmon Galleries n McMahon's Point, Sydney from March the 8th.


....More pictures tomorrow

degustation

Things I'm loving on the Web right now...
Lebouton's beautiful clothes and Lisa's blog.




Abigail Piercy. Glasgow jeweler and nature lover. I think her pieces capture both the delicacy and strength and fecundity of nature. Horse Chestnuts are a tree I have very fond memories of. I saw the Horse Chestnuts flower three times when I lived in England and the cycle of the sticky buds unfurling upward and one day, suddenly flopping out in an extravagant green tutu marked the passing of each year away from home.





Mia E Goransson. Swedish ceramicist.




Gesundheit- Martina Thornhill's beautiful kids clothes.

6 o'clock Monday night

Around our place, 6 o'clock Monday night......



Thinking about The Necks waves of sound, Trev and I went to see them last night. We had a Persian meal (no kids!!!) at Zafron in New Farm. The food reminds me so much of our friend Farideh who is the chef. It is comforting and glamorous, the warm spices wrapping themselves around your palate like a beaded, shawl.



I had a good day decorating today. The Magnolia Project is under way and I'll have the first images soon...
It is still raining