Recent News
Latest Breaking news........
Date: 26 November, 2008
13,000 bonnets will be shown in Birmingham, England as part of the Festival of Quilts in 2010.
Meanwhile Norma Bean and her partner will be at a booth at the NEC Show Birmingham in August this year to publicise next years installation of bonnets.
Norma Bean belongs to the Embroiderers Guild and there has been strong interest for Roses from the Heart(tm) from members of this Organisation both locally and Nationally throughout the UK. Christina is very appreciative of this support.
Recent News
Latest Breaking news........
Date: 26 November, 2008
'Voices in the Dark', the DVD detailing the Roses from the Heart(tm) journey is now available and can be downloaded from my website.
Recent News
Latest Breaking news........
Date: 26 November, 2008
'Voices in the Dark', my first documentary DVD is currently in post production and will be available early in the New Year.
Pre sales have been great and for anyone who wishes to help us with our fund raising in this way the price will remain at the wholesale amount of $22.95 (plus postage and handling). The finished DVD will retail at $34.95 (plus postage and handling costs) and comes with many wonderful features including the main presentation of the journey so far, full length interviews, still slideshows capturing some of the many thousands of people around the world who like you are contributing to help Roses from the Heart(tm) reach its goal and much more. Please download an Order Form for details - in the Download Section of the website. Your support is greatly appreciated in helping Christina take her Roses of the Heart(tm) exhibition around Australia and back home to the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and who knows where else.......
Irish/Australian musician Vince Brophy's music is show-cased in the DVD, 'Voices in the Dark'. His '900 Bonnets' song written in response to my 900 bonnet installation, 'Departures and Arrivals' and also his 'Christening Gown' song written to tell the story of the convict made christening gown owner Margaraet Goode allowed me access to photogram will be included in the footage. This special gown now belongs to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery costume collection.
Date: 25 November, 2008
2009 is going to be an exciting year for Roses from the Heart(tm) with a number of 'Blessing of the Bonnets' Ceremonies, Exhibitions, Displays, Musical Performance and bonnet making workshops.
On Australia Day, 26 January, 2009 I will be displaying a number of bonnets at the Baulkham Hills Shire Council Chambers in Castle Hill, New South Wales. Bonnet making workshops will also be held as part of the Australia Day Festivities.
Fred Rea, creator of the 'Irish Scene' Magazine is hard at work supporting my visit in February/March to Western Australia. Along with highly regarded musicians such as Bernard and Eleanor Carney I will be involved with bonnet making workshops and exhibitions at the Nannap Folk Festival (Friday 27 Feb - March 2). The versatile Eleanor Carney has been busily making and encouraging others in WA to make bonnets for entire ship loads of women. A 'Blessing of the Bonnets' ceremony will be held at St. Patrick's Bascilica, Fremantle on International Women's Day, Sunday 8 March, 2009 at 2.00. The following week there will be a bonnet exhibition at the Fremantle Prison Art Gallery which will showcase a number of bonnets for an extended period.
It is an honor to have Irish/Australian sean-nos musician, Mossie Scanlon, being involved with his recently released tribute to Irish convict woman, Mary Walsh. In his CD, 'The Bells of Ireland' Mossie brings a very heart rendering interpretation to Irish legend Pete St. John's song. Mossie will be performing 'The Bells of Ireland' at the 'Blessing of the Bonnets' service on Friday 1st May at 2.00 in St. Peter and Paul Church, Melbourne, 2009.
On Sunday 2 August at 2.00 a 'Blessing of the Bonnets' will be held at St. Matthews Anglican Church, Windsor. This service will be highlighting all convict women transported to Australia, but special attention will focus on the convict women who lived in the Hawkesbury area. It is a pleasure to have local historian Jan Barklay Jack's involvement in the Blessing ceremony. Jan will be releasing her book on convict women from the Hawkesbury area in 2009. Following the Blessing Service the bonnets will be exhibited at the Hawkesbury Regional Art Gallery and also the Hawkesbury Regional Museum for a number of weeks.
In Queensland there will be an exhibition at the Centre for Arts and Culture, Beaudesert 18 July - 30 August and I will also be holding a number of bonnet making workshops in Beaudesert May 4 - May 11, 2009.
In Adelaide a 'Blessing of the Bonnets' Ceremony will be held as part of the International Embroiderers Convention in October - 'Beating Around the Bush'. This major event will be organised by Country Bumpkin. 5 – 9 October. Margie Bauer, 'Inspirations' Magazine, owner/editor and I will be involved in making this a very memorable event. More about this in the coming weeks.
These are just SOME of the events in 2009.
I look forward to meeting with the thousands of bonnet makers without whom Roses from the Heart(tm) would not be possible.
News from Parramatta:
Chinese born Australian artist Zhi Ting Qiang is painting a portrait to highlight my art and it's focus on the lives of convict women. He intends entering the portrait in the 2009 Archibald Prize.