Monday 20 August 2012

Guitars and Peacocks...

What a lovely weekend! 

Mr Tara and I went to the artist colony Montsalvat on Saturday to see the handmade Guitar exhibition (amazing!) and to stalk the Peacocks (worth getting my boots covered in mud).  We then went back on Sunday night for a Guitar concert.  Set in a lovely mud-brick and exposed beams hall, the concert was such a good showcase of many types of guitar music - from Classical, to Pop, Gypsy and more...

The highlight of the evening was when two guitarists played Minor Swing, which many of you may recognise from Chocolat, when Johnny Depp played it (swoon!).  You can listen to it here and also have a little swoon of your own over the lovely Mr Depp.  To hear this piece live was so inspirational and stirred my Gypsy soul!

It was the first time to hear guitarist Jenny Biddle play (on a guitar she handmade herself).  She too, was amazing and I would love to hear more of her music.  Not only was she a great guitar player, but she had the gift of entertaining a crowd, a cheeky grin and a booming voice for such a little person! 
You can check out Jenny's cover of Billie Jean here.  This was from another concert but its worth having a look.

Mr Tara starts his guitar building course in October, (he's itching to get started).

Here are the pictures we took...
 Beautiful native Australian timbers are used...

 This one was used to play minor swing...
 Stunning Sassafras wood...
 Peacock stalking...
 There was only a little bit of this....
 not quite the full fan...
 Montsalvat's charm...
 I just wanted to knock and see who was there...
 A pea-hen...
 A gaggle (!) of geese...
 Quick...he's getting away (I was in hot pursuit...ok, well a gentle hot pursuit)...

This is me trying to coax the pea-hens down off the roof.  There is no way they were listening to me...
 The grounds of Montsalvat
 Pea-hen strolls past...
 Striking a pose...
 Is he checking me out?
 Weather vane and pea-hen...
 It must be time for tea...
Back home, I've got my peacock coloured pens out for a spot of coloured henna drawing (normally I only use black pen, but these beautiful birds have me trying something new...)
Well thank you for staying right here to the end...

Tara

3 comments:

  1. Montsalvat is such a lovely looking place and the guitar exhibition would have been fantastic, not that Brian needs anymore guitars but if he's up to making his own what the hell, that'll add another string to his bow (or guitar) LOL!!!! Next time we visit we're going there,are there any tea shops nearby?

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  2. Sluggie! It is a lovely place, and Warrandyte is not far away, which has many lovely tea shops (W/dyte is the little village you pass on the way to St Andrews Market). On that note, I'll put the kettle on...

    Tara
    xx

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  3. Tara, perhaps we could take a trip out to Montsalvat when we see you and Mr Tara at the end of THIS YEAR?!! It looks like our kinda place :-)
    Kim

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