Express Yourself.

Whilst I haven’t been producing much work recently, that’s not to say my reasonably limited talents have been going to waste. I have been having a great time working with public programs at Newcastle Museum assisting with the promotion, development and delivery of holiday workshops and activities.

The museum had some amazing railway themed photography exhibitions on display so we decided the activities we offered should reflect this. I drew a very rushed picture of a train and the design wizards at Headjam made it look amazing.

One of the programs we offered was a railway photography workshop. Kids brought their own camera and got to play around with lighting and coloured filters and all sorts of other things. I supplied some of my toy trains for them to photograph and they came up with some wonderful results.

On Fridays we were making T-shirts. I did this during the summer holidays with Dinosaurs (Unfortunately I didn’t get any photographs of the Train themed ones we did this April). Kids love designing T-shirts. ( I don’t know why)

We ran drop in craft tables on weekdays; I provided some drawings to turn into colouring sheets and badges and also helped run the table. Matthew (a fellow train fanatic) participated in all three programs and drew me this wonderful picture. It’s now on my fridge.

It was a pretty fantastic project to be involved with. I also got to dress up as a late Victorian era locomotive driver to run the programs which was a bonus for everyone (thanks to Beth Davidson for the photograph)

Trams

Magnets

Passport Stamps.

Your primary school aged child could come to Newcastle Museum with their school and get a passport with stamps made by me.

Betty Buck

Cars

Doctor Who

Good grief, he is back.

Black-the coal case.

Marjorie-Again

I have finally had a bit of time to go through the photographs of my installation on Marjorie. There were over 500 photographs taken that morning, as well as over an hour of video footage. I am hugely indebted to photographer Amy Hill, curator Todd Fuller, and Dom Kelly-both an excellent filmmaker and squire. I am proud to have worked with them on such an exciting project.

I also feel so privileged to have been granted permission by the Richmond Vale Railway Museum to use something as valuable as the only operational steam locomotive in their fleet. The collection out at RVR is precious to me; it was visiting the museum and places like it that cultivated my interest and passion for steam locomotives as a child. I’m now building a career out of that childhood obsession, simply by sharing the drawings I’d be doing even if nobody wanted to look at them! I’m not sure if I look like it, but I certainly feel like the cat that got the cream.

If you get a chance you should visit Richmond Main, far from just being precious to me, the rolling stock collection, railway and the site itself are not just of local significance, but national and international importance.