tonight at the picturing bluscray photography prize

Tonight was the opening of the Bluscray photographic prize.

I interviewed people about what learning or education meant to them.

below are some notes from this evenings interviews

Liz said: Learning is bliss

Kirsten said: Learning is about being the best version of you that you can be.

Ko said: Learning is a very personal thing, its like finding that little switch or a door that opens in your mind and allows you to see things in a different way. Its not just an accumulation of knowledge. Its having a new view on things. Those are the things that to me are learning. Otherwise its just another thing to remember.

Ali - Education, you've got to be a mug!

(I'm thinking this might be a play of words on the fact that it will be written on a cup)

Raine said: 

Education . . . 

its a pretty sure path to vacation.

Silvie said: The best students are the ones who make the most mistakes

(she entered a photograph in the competition, it is of a poster that also has a reference to teaching)

Above is the dude Ocore. 

The portrait that was taken of him

by Wirut Khemnak

won first prize !

and he arrived near the end of the evening and was pretty chuffed to find out. Then he said well he wanted it to win, but then he didn't want it to win. Then I asked him to tell me about his ideas of education and learning. Well Ocore can deliver an instant speech and so out came all of these marvellous ideas, but I was only able to gather snatches of them. (the snatches of phrases and words from Ocore's ideas are below)

You can read about it here:

 https://hydemagazineonline.wordpress.com/2016/07/11/picturing-bluscray-2/

 

more info about the prize below:

VU at MetroWest from 30 June – 23 July.

Reflections on the Maribyrnong River, street art in Maddern Square, fishmongers in the Little Saigon Market, and textured historic facades are just some of the subjects you will see featured in this exhibition, representing incredibly diverse perceptions that reveal Footscray’s unique character.

When you visit the exhibition, you can also vote for your favourite photograph in the People's Choice Award, to be announced at the end of the exhibition.

Key dates

• Exhibition launch and announcement of prize winners: Thursday 30 June, 6-8pm
• Exhibition open: 30 June – 22 July, 9am-5pm Monday-Friday

https://www.vu.edu.au/footscray-university-town/bluscray-blue-footscray

.........................................................................................................................................

Message in a cup

Messages and stories of Learning in Footscray are collected and then written onto the insides of one hundred blue cups. The cups are placed in Footscray during Blu-scray events to be found by people and taken home. 

BluScray is a collaboration between Victoria University and Maribyrnong City Council

 as part of Footscray University Town and the VU Centenary

https://www.vu.edu.au/footscray-university-town/bluscray-blue-footscray

tonight at the picturing bluscray photography prize

Tonight was the opening of the Bluscray photographic prize.

I interviewed people about what learning or education meant to them.

below are some notes from this evenings interviews

Liz said: Learning is bliss

Kirsten said: Learning is about being the best version of you that you can be.

Ko said: Learning is a very personal thing, its like finding that little switch or a door that opens in your mind and allows you to see things in a different way. Its not just an accumulation of knowledge. Its having a new view on things. Those are the things that to me are learning. Otherwise its just another thing to remember.

Ali - Education, you've got to be a mug!

(I'm thinking this might be a play of words on the fact that it will be written on a cup)

Raine said: 

Education . . . 

its a pretty sure path to vacation.

Silvie said: The best students are the ones who make the most mistakes

(she entered a photograph in the competition, it is of a poster that also has a reference to teaching)

Above is the dude Ocore. The portrait that was taken of him won first prize and he arrived near the end of the evening and was pretty chuffed to find out. Then he said well he wanted it to win, but then he didn't want it to win. Then I asked him to tell me about his ideas of education and learning. Well Ocore can deliver an instant speech and so out came all of these marvellous ideas, but I was only able to gather snatches of them. (the snatches of phrases and words from Ocore's ideas are below)

 

more info about the prize below:

Entries for the competition have now closed.

We received over 200 photographs that explore 'blue' in Footscray, all of which will be displayed in a major salon-style exhibition at VU at MetroWest from 30 June – 23 July.

Reflections on the Maribyrnong River, street art in Maddern Square, fishmongers in the Little Saigon Market, and textured historic facades are just some of the subjects you will see featured in this exhibition, representing incredibly diverse perceptions that reveal Footscray’s unique character.

Each photograph goes into the running for prizes totalling the value of $2000. Simon O’Dwyer, an award-winning photographer formerly of The Age, will announce the winning entries during the exhibition launch on Thursday 30 June. When you visit the exhibition, you can also vote for your favourite photograph in the People's Choice Award, to be announced at the end of the exhibition.

Key dates

• Exhibition launch and announcement of prize winners: Thursday 30 June, 6-8pm
• Exhibition open: 30 June – 22 July, 9am-5pm Monday-Friday

https://www.vu.edu.au/footscray-university-town/bluscray-blue-footscray

.........................................................................................................................................

Message in a cup

Messages and stories of Learning in Footscray are collected and then written onto the insides of one hundred blue cups. The cups are placed in Footscray during Blu-scray events to be found by people and taken home. 

BluScray is a collaboration between Victoria University and Maribyrnong City Council

 as part of Footscray University Town and the VU Centenary

https://www.vu.edu.au/footscray-university-town/bluscray-blue-footscray

the process of making cups

Well its all very complicated and with ceramics as always there is a waiting game to play.

you make the cup and let it dry a little,
then smooth it a bit
then paint it a little, then let it dry
and paint it a little more

drying and firing

and glazing and firing

waiting for opportunities to take them to the kiln
and bring them home

then they can be placed for people to find






each cup is being decorated very carefully and i a special and individual way, then when I get the messages from people, I will choose a cup and write the message carefully on the inside with cobalt oxide. The cups must stay unfired until I do this, so It has a better chance of having nice clear blue writing.

So if you give me a message for a cup, keep in mind it will take a while to get onto the cup, then fired twice, then onto its adventure.



And here below are some I painted tonight whilst entertaining a visitor.
I have been using liquid underglazes and blue stains and cobalt oxide. 
They will look completely different when fired, and also much more blue!
What's very special about ceramics is that you cannot predict what it will look like. You have to make something and then wait and see how it turns out.

Message in a cup

Messages and stories of Learning in Footscray are collected and then written onto the insides of one hundred blue cups. The cups are placed in Footscray during Blu-scray events to be found by people and taken home. 

BluScray is a collaboration between Victoria University and Maribyrnong City Council

 as part of Footscray University Town and the VU Centenary

https://www.vu.edu.au/footscray-university-town/bluscray-blue-footscray

defiance, feminism, empathy

Mari said:

Hey this is some Footscray statement graffiti - will it work?

When I asked Mari her own thoughts about learning,

this is what she said:

Learning doesn't just take the form of formal education in a place of learning, and isn't imparted only by those who 'know'. It can also be a moment of insight in the mind of someone who has just read some public protest graffiti or art.

I made a cup for the graffiti artist, who was definitely wanting to share their ideas, and one for Mari's ideas about learning.

Message in a cup

Messages and stories of Learning in Footscray are collected and then written onto the insides of one hundred blue cups. The cups are placed in Footscray during Blu-scray events to be found by people and taken home. 

BluScray is a collaboration between Victoria University and Maribyrnong City Council

 as part of Footscray University Town and the VU Centenary

https://www.vu.edu.au/footscray-university-town/bluscray-blue-footscray

The artist's cup!

Oh yes I get to do one too!

I spent years studying a bachelor of arts at Victoria University part-time whilst having my children. I had classes at Footscray, City Flinders and St Albans. One of the great things was that I met many like-minded people and these people are now some of my best friends. What a fabulous thing to get out of learning! 

Its where I met some of my best friends

oh P.s. now I am learning in Footscray again!

Message in a cup

Messages and stories of Learning in Footscray are collected and then written onto the insides of one hundred blue cups. The cups are placed in Footscray during Blu-scray events to be found by people and taken home. 

BluScray is a collaboration between Victoria University and Maribyrnong City Council

 as part of Footscray University Town and the VU Centenary

https://www.vu.edu.au/footscray-university-town/bluscray-blue-footscray

Learning in Diversity, Diversity in Learning

Maureen says:

Learning in Diversity

Diversity in Learning

the cup has been made and the message inscribed but it will need to dry a few more days before we fire it.

Message in a cup

Messages and stories of Learning in Footscray are collected and then written onto the insides of one hundred blue cups. The cups are placed in Footscray during Blu-scray events to be found by people and taken home. 

BluScray is a collaboration between Victoria University and Maribyrnong City Council

 as part of Footscray University Town and the VU Centenary

https://www.vu.edu.au/footscray-university-town/bluscray-blue-footscray

intellectual friendships with lecturers

When I first asked Carmen about her learning experiences in Footscray, she told me that once she was driving out of the uni car park late at night and two burly guys tried to tip her car over. She had to drive off very fast!

learning experiences???????

the lecturers were accessible, you could actually have a coffee with them.

Carmen says: I had a really good experience at VU. Because it didn't have this high reputation there wasn't that feeling of a separation between teachers and students. The lecturers were accessible so you could actually have coffee with them and intellectual friendships. For some of the kids in the west, they would have been the first intellectual discussions that we had had.

Message in a cup

Messages and stories of Learning in Footscray are collected and then written onto the insides of one hundred blue cups. The cups are placed in Footscray during Blu-scray events to be found by people and taken home. 

BluScray is a collaboration between Victoria University and Maribyrnong City Council

 as part of Footscray University Town and the VU Centenary

https://www.vu.edu.au/footscray-university-town/bluscray-blue-footscray