Artists Residency - Oatlands, Tasmania

Oatlands is a town with convict history, plentiful sandstone buildings.   The marks and stains on the hand quarried blocks of stone fit perfectly into my brief to myself to build up grounds onto which to stitch

Not all the sandstone blocks bore pick marks of of the quarryman.  Some were  smooth and eroded.  Wonderful lines of colour and texture were apparent.  The red stains are iron oxide

Oatlands is set in open plain and rolling hills.   At times you could be forgiven for thinking you were in England or Ireland

The Old Gaol walls were originally a bit over 6 metres  (20 feet) tall.  The colour of the sandstone blocks vary dependant on their mineral makeup, growths such as algae and fungus and air borne pollutants. 

The sandstone blocks in the old goal wall were varied in colour and markings.  Some had eroded over time.   Sandstone is  formed from layers of  sediment.   Some of the blocks showed the layers as they aged.

This marvelous opportunity was made available by the Southern Midlands Council, Tasmania.  They host many  artists in a 1860's sandstone dwellinh