Live! at the Wetlands

It will be a rare public performance for me this coming Saturday, 6th April at the Hunter Wetlands, Shortland. We’ll be welcoming back the “Sounds Sights Textures …etc…” exhibition to where its seed first germinated. The exhibition will run for the month of April and the official opening on Saturday will be from 3-5pm. It will be a lovely way to spend an afternoon if you’re in the Newcastle region; a chance to see a unique Fibre-Art exhibit and talk to the artists; spend the afternoon on the deck, overlooking the fabulous Wetlands and listening to some nice music from the album “Song of the Wetlands” – the inspiration for the artists’ work; as well as grooving along to an Open Jam where local musicians and singers will be joining in to share a ‘free’ music session [anything and everything goes] . No cost to come along to the exhibition and all are welcome.

This is Scottish Piper Ian Innes playing on the lower deck recently – serenading “Pi” the resident orphaned Magpie Goose who was raised at the centre by volunteers. One of the tracks on the album is titled “In Love With a Magpie Goose” – it wasn’t Pi but it could have been! he thinks he’s human. You can listen to the track here: https://maureenobrien.bandcamp.com/

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LOOKING AHEAD

Now that the first exhibition for the Wetlands Project has finished, it’s time to start looking ahead to the coming year – and what’s on the drawing board for 2024. #Note, if you missed the exhibit at Timeless Textiles, a smaller version will be travelling home to the Hunter Wetlands in April. I’ll keep you posted

With all the “creative bones” working again – thanks to that incredible project - there’s new compositions waiting to be written and, of course, recorded! So stay tuned for two new EP’s to be released in the second half of the year. I’m also keen to have the choral work from “Song of the Wetlands” worked on by a larger, established choir, then recorded and video’d. (and if YOUR choir would like to participate, let me know!)

One of my new year resolutions for 2024 was to finish my second novel “Between the Lines” and I’m tickled pink to say “I done it!” – completed by the end of January! Go me! So I’ll be looking for a publisher and if I’m not successful will take it – and “Table Manners” – to Ebook format this year. I’m also keen to write a sequel to the first novel [Table Manners] so that may get off the drawing board – or doodle pad – and on to the computer later this year.

Fingers crossed I’ve got enough puff left to get through 2024!

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SOUNDS, SIGHTS & TEXTURES

CONNECTING THE HUNTER WETLANDS T O MUSIC AND FIBRES

I think it’s fair to say that the opening of this exhibition was something of a triumph! 

On a brilliant summer evening, the Timeless Textiles Gallery was packed like it’s never been packed out before. Spilling out on to the footpath, guests were woo’d with delicious wine and canapes, some lovely live music, and …the artworks! O.M.G. the artworks! They are simply OUTSTANDING. The Artists have done an absolutely awesome job interpreting the music that was created. 

Here is the link for you to see the pieces and listen to the song that inspired each; https://timelesstextiles.com.au/events/sounds-sights-and-textures-connecting-the-hunter-wetlands-to-music-and-fibres/

Of course, an online viewing is lovely – however, there’s real magic in seeing the exhibition in real life. And if you’re in the Newcastle Hunter region, I strongly encourage you to do just that. The exhibition has just another 10 days to run. A smaller exhibition will move to the Hunter Wetlands, Shortland, in April but being a smaller space, it cannot accommodate the larger pieces in the collection. 

And of course, don’t forget, you can go to my Bandcamp page to listen to the album – https://maureenobrien.bandcamp.com/ - just click on Song of the Wetlands and listen free. You can also purchase the full album or individual tracks

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OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED

“Song of the Wetlands” has set sail in fine and cruisy style and is now available to listen and purchase at https://maureenobrien.bandcamp.com/ … that site has information about the album and each individual track and I do hope you enjoy a little meander through the Wetlands. Should you prefer a CD or Flashdrive, please contact me direct to get your copy post-free.

The first exhibition … Sound, Sight and Textures : connecting the Hunter Wetlands to music and fibres … opens at Timeless Textiles in Hunter Street Newcastle on 10 January – 11 February 2024 . The works of fibre art, from over 20 artists local, national, and worldwide, are based on the music from this album and from the sneak peek I’ve seen, it will be a fabulous exhibition. A smaller exhibition will return home to the Hunter Wetlands in April 2024.

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ALBUM LAUNCH

ABOUT “SONG OF THE WETLANDS”

  Well here it is folks, what you’ve been waiting for since September 2022! This is Phase One of the project.

I was invited by the Curator of the Wetlands Gallery space to compose a soundtrack of the Wetlands which would become the inspiration of participating artists for a new and unique exhibition.  I embraced the challenge and began composing in September 2022.     The first of the exhibitions was scheduled to open in January 2024 at the Timeless Textiles Gallery in Newcastle, with a smaller collection opening at the Hunter Wetlands in April of ’24. 

   Whilst the majority of exhibitions based on the Wetlands focus on mediums such as oils, watercolors, pen&ink, photography, and similar,  what made this concept stand out is that Artists were required to create their work based – not on what they SEE in the environment, but what they HEAR.  And of course the music needed to reflect that environment to inspire the Artists.  Secondly,  the participating Artists were to be recognized as Fibre artists.

   I began to immerse myself in the Hunter Wetlands and other areas of the region and then started to research the wildlife that exists in this environment.   What immediately became abundantly clear is that The Wetlands is teaming with such diversity that what I originally planned to be a 6-track project, grew exponentially.  And because there were to be some 20+ Artists involved,  I chose to reflect that diversity in a broader range of tunes – from choral to folk-rock, from comedy to light jazz, and a few shades in between!   

“Song of the Wetlands” is an 11-track album and  has been a fabulous community project to work on.  It is an organic, and low-budget production which, by it’s very nature, is also a reflection of the Wetlands community – and the local music community that enabled it to reach its destination.  It will be available on CD, Flash Drive, and digital format from 10th December when it will be officially launched at The Hunter Wetlands. You’re invited to come along – it will be a part-fundraiser for the Centre and the only cost will be the entry fee to the Wetlands itself [$7.50 adults, $5 senior/concession]  …… {there will be a documentary about this project available on one of my Youtube channels in December, stay tuned}

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THIS BIRD STILL FLYING!

Just resting!….

Media Release from the Desk:

According to Novocastrian Singer/Songwriter and Recording Artist  Maureen O’Brien    “rumours of my creative demise are Premature…Precipitated…Presumptuous!  In fact, my creativity was simply…Resting” she grins with a familiar twinkle in her eye!

O’Brien, like many of our local – and national – creatives, hit a covid wall, in the ’20 – ’22 period.  “It was a BLACK rather than blue period” she claims, “with gigs disappearing, venues closing, audiences dwindling, and income streams drying up.  It felt like a long – very long – hibernation period.”   

But as she is fond of repeating:  “nothing lasts forever”  and her music is now the inspiration for a new exhibition opening in January at the Timeless Textiles Gallery in Hunter Street.  Titled “Sounds, Sights and Textures: connecting the Hunter Wetlands to music and fibres- group exhibition”, the participating Artists – invited by Anne Kempton – from local, national and international fibre artists,  were required to create their pieces based on the music that Maureen composed – a soundscape for the exhibition based on the SOUNDS of the Hunter Wetlands.  And unlike other exhibitions where the medium may be Oils, Watercolors or pen/pencil/ink,  this exhibition will display textile works.

Maureen describes the process:   “I immersed myself in the wetlands environment and wanted to create music that depicted the vast diversity of wildlife contained in that setting, the symbiosis that exists, and the playful characteristics displayed.  You can’t help but be transported into a lighter frame of mind and a more joyful sense of being when you spend time in nature.  It unleashed such a wealth of creativity that has resulted in a whole album of material for this project.  It’s even inspired the beginnings of another unrelated album to follow in 2024”

The exhibition is scheduled to open at the gallery in January.  A smaller exhibition will move to the Hunter Wetlands in April.  The album will be released following its launch at The Wetlands on December 10th.

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EYES PEELED

…the end is in sight! Yup, the Arts Music project I’ve been working on since last September – almost a year old now! – comes to fruition in just a few months. It’s been a mammoth project involving lots of singers, musicians, recordings, studio engineering, videographers, artists – and it’s all coming along beautifully!

The last piece to be recorded is an acapella piece and 4 of us take that into the studio in September. [here’s a piccie below of the 4 ladies working hard in rehearsal – well, not so hard, maybe?!] This is myself with Stevi, Gayle, and Maureen [yes, another one!] tightening up a beautiful composition called “The Black Swan” and we can’t wait to share it with you.

The creative bones have been working on some other projects as well and you can find out more on the Blog: https://mozzinoz.blogspot.com/ as well as the Sidestep Comedy Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@sidestepcomedy

Counting down to a January Deadline. Make sure you’re on the mailing list to find out about upcoming events and activities.

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A New Normal?

Gosh, it seems that “normal” as Artists used to know it, is not coming back anytime soon. Despite what the pollies and marketers would have us believe, the Arts community is still struggling and it seems for many of us – myself included – the days of regular gigging may be a long time coming.

It’s also virtually impossible to schedule shows, tours and concerts in advance due to continued uncertainty in *venues *support musicians *audience numbers – all of which are still being impacted by viruses.

For now, my creative energies are focussed in the online sphere – namely over 3 Youtube channels;

Music: https://www.youtube.com/user/mozluminous/videos

Sidestep Comedy: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgt1Ko2Z6Ea87h3cAXR8Oyg/www.youtube.com and Storytelling: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1r6YCgyDfh6ohx07EX2dIg

Please swing by the channels and check out what’s on offer. As always, feedback is most welcome. Until I see you “live” on the bright side, may music fill your life and lift your heart.

…in the meantime, if you’re struggling during these difficult times, this track “Carrying Burdens” may shine a little brightness for you

Carrying Burdens is from the UNDERCOVERED album
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Love a little Whimsy!

the last album

WHIMSICAL

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD NOW ON BANDCAMP

12 Brand New Songs :

1. The Pandemic Tango  … to listen to Pandemic Tango – go to the Buy Music, Merch, and Tickets page 2. Autumn Magic 3. A Quirky Little Shop     4. Ride-On Mower    5. Everyday Heroes  6. Speculation    7. The Hairy Faerie    8. The Mask     9. In Crowd    10. Vintage Nans in Vintage Vans    11.Tradies   12.Blame (Ballad of an Independant Woman)

…. comes in a neat little package of usb+information card plus a bonus lyric sheet ….. or online via Bandcamp or the many streaming services [with the exception of apple/itunes] at their designated price.

NEW ALBUM COMING 2024

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