Thursday, September 9, 2010


Today I looked into the coming week's plans... and found this flyer for the biennial Alumni exhibition at Victoria University  on their website...  I was wondering who was in this show...then realised its the one I'll have artwork in along with a whole lot of other ex-students.
I think you'll agree this makes a fabulous change from seedpods... but... actually the paintings I sent in are seed capsules! Not to worry...I think this will be fun... and no doubt very eclectic!


Visual Art Alimni - This biennial exhibition presents individual and diverse artworks by VU Visual Art alumni, from 1976 to
2009, who are now practising artists.

level17 artspace

The artwork 'Shame and Horror I' is by Sue Wyers and can be better viewed at the Victoria University website here.

Its a rather bitter-sweet story ... my tale about studying at Vic Uni. In 2000 I commenced a painting diploma here and started to really settle in and realise my good fortune in finding both wonderful staff and students in the one place. Good conversation and the tuition on some important aspects of painting I'd missed out on years before in a degree course in the late 70's when it was all about colour-field painting and going to the pub...lecturers that is! Some never made it back...virtually ever...so there went the tuition. So ... to be learning essentials about mediums and materials... nd such critical things ... slowly adding to the knowledge I'd gleaned to date through personal effort or other's advice... this was the place to be!

... and then my house had to go and burn down didn't it? And I finally decided ... after 12 long years in this city I loved ... to pack up and go north. I was a little bit heart-broken - not so much about the house which Id just moved into and didn't own. Luck was on my side...I pulled out almost everything I owned intact! Despite the house being completely uninhabitable! I make light of it... it was not a light time as you can appreciate... but having one's self intact and one's goods and chattels... That was amazing!  
What I was heart broken about was leaving this beloved Art Course and the people I met there. It had just felt right.

Which is why the Alumni launch 2 years ago was such a pleasure to attend. Friendships renewed and a door re-opening. The timing was great and even led to a residency for a month in January last year.
So... now I'm off to Melbourne for nearly a week with plenty to catch up on down there.

It will be a bit quiet here for a bit... but back soon enough with a very busy few months remaining at the Botanic Gardens and much happening in general. I should have packed by now... found all the warmest clothes I own - with winds blowing up from Antartica which Melbourne is quite close to compared to here where I live! (OK...those of you good at geography will know I exaggerate a bit there... but you get my drift I'm sure.)

Have a good week everyone...
    see you soon!

St Kilda Pier


and icon of St Kilda for sweet-tooths


Botanic Gardens, Melbourne

5 comments:

Caterina Giglio said...

love your exaggeration! and your bittersweet story... have a lovely trip and enjoy yourself so much, I will be thinking of you having great fun! xx's

xxx said...

Have a wonderful time and I look forward to what you will be sharing in the future.

Great post.

best wishes
Robyn

Elizabeth said...

Have a great trip, Sophie! Thank you so much for all the fabulous posts you always find the time to write - I appreciate especially all the wonderful posts that include links to interesting and diverse artists! You manage to find the very art I am also inspired by - it is a pleasure to return to your blog each time! Hope your trip is fantastic!

Mlle Paradis said...

heartbreaking story sophie - i remember you telling me parts, but i didn't realize how very happy you'd been at school. but why did you have to leave it? couldn't you have moved to somewhere else it melbourne? well obviously i need to hear yet more of the story.

sneaking back in and thinking of you there. xoxo

Sophie Munns said...

last day in melbourne...
just wonderful down here... will answer you lovely commenters properly soon!!!!
sophie