The Start of the Cleanup
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I drove up to the Big Fag Press today as I had offered to take a big pile of paper to Bowers which is right next door to Reverse Garbage at Marrickville. Marnee and Diego arrived around the same time as me, so we loaded up the car straight away, and Marnee and I headed over to Bowers. I have always wanted to go to Reverse Garbage and had only just found out about Bowers, so was very excited to get the chance to have a quick look around. Those places were amazing, I could spend all day there amongst other people's junk. If ever I want to do a sculpture project I will be looking there.
After we got back from Bowers, people started arriving slowly. Eloise and Mick came together, Lucas arrived with his trailer along with a friend, Anne. And then we started the big cleanup. Anne and I dismantled some hugh bright yellow shelving which was filthy from printing inks. I didn't think we could do it, but there I was with a spanner in my hand and between the two of us it didn't take that long.
The Big Fag Press has been storing artwork created by a friend and artist, John ......, who sadly passed away over a year ago??? There was so much of his stuff, so Anne and I had the job of wrapping it all up and getting it ready to put into storage.
It was so good to see everyone pitching in, great to see that everyone cared about the Big Fag Press. It was a lot of work, and we all sat around a small table and everyone just put what they had brought along with them on the table to share for lunch. I only had a mandarin, but that didn't matter as there was enough for everyone. So we dines in our dirty clothes listening to opera music.
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I really felt like part of the team today - maybe I am finally settling in a bit which is a great feeling. I love being up in Sydney, so close to everything. I stopped at Barnes at Newtown on the way home to get some silicone and plaster to help my daughter with a major work for her art subject at school. I used to live at Marrickville and Stanmore, so I feel right at home around that area.
I received an email from Eloise saying there is some exciting stuff happening at the Big Fag Press next Thursday. Apparently two of her friends are coming along, both art school graduates who are keen to join the group, so they are coming for lunch and a chat. Eloise also talked about doing some prints together for an Art Book Fair coming up in October, where we will be having a stall. I'm really excited about that - finally get to do something that I love - printmaking! Looking forward to next week.