On being a City Gal at the weekend

I visited Mum two days in a row then took Sunday off to do urbane things.  In the morning I went to the Art Gallery.  I found the Ramsay Art Prize 2021 entries disappointing, so thought I'd treat myself to some Aboriginal art and stumbled into this:

I was bewitched by the upside down tree.

fell in love with this shirt made from eucalyptus leaves

love this work which makes me think of cows, and also reminds me of drives through far western NSW and largely deserted towns

some of you will recall my Margaret Preston phase and the copy of this work in our kitchen in Wentworth

I suspect none of you will recall the dress like this (but without the fringed shawly bit) I made in the mid seventies

And then I found myself in this gallery.  I was intrigued by the effect of the mirror placed between 2 rocks of different geology - a possible garden idea?  The black and white work you can see is on the opposite wall but reflected in the mirror.

For some reason I love this work.  It is paper with burn holes and scorches, but makes me think of the universe, the sky at night.  Having taken in all the culture I can in one visit, I had lunch somewhere and then set off for the Botanical Gardens.  I checked out all my usual haunts:  the Ginkgo Gate, the medicinal garden, the veggie garden, Diggers shop, but these are the images that stay with me.

the arbour, I think laburnam, with its string of lights

the bamboo grove, which I'd never walked through before, and the graffiti left by generations of visitors.  It is an artwork in itself.

The Gardens were being wired for 'Illuminate Adelaide' festival and there were strings of lights everywhere being tested for the big event - which, sadly for me, started the day I left.  I think it will be beautiful.  The City of Colonel Light.