WORKSHOPS + NEW WORKS

Hello to wanderers who happen to pass this often neglected spot in the blogosphere.

After a period of slowing down to recover from a winter virus followed by a week of tech glitches I'm happy to say things are moving again. 

I've given new life to the ONLINE STORE I set up earlier this year called SeedArtLabStudio at Big Cartel.

One of the New Prints available in two sizes UNFRAMED

When adding these to the Store I divided the artworks into related series... one lot are seed photos, most are digital altered artworks and photos that are highly layered and 'hybridised' images. I've often painted in that manner over 2 decades so it was an interesting extension of my work.

Online Store: http://seedartlabstudio.bigcartel.com

The other work I've been pursing of late is planning and running workshops. With the development of the Seeds through An Artist's Lens workshop for PLANTBANK in May Ive been able to run this at SeedArtLab Studio which is at my Brisbane home plus begin to make plans to offer it at other venues.

Michelle Auer

The two images, above and below, are from last week's Studio Workshop. Michelle and Debbie were returning from the previous month to add another day to their new experience of exploring Seeds visually. Michelle brought this Hand-bound Journal she had made using pages from our previous class... that was incredible to look through and I really loved the idea of using pages from a specific time in a new book.

Deb below surprised us with a huge stack of Photos she has taken on theme... nature, leaves, seeds, bark and so on. Stunning! I was incredibly thrilled to see how beautifully she captures her subject and the flow through of thematic material. She had described herself as a beginner so it was fantastic to see the strength of her aesthetic awareness. She was able to reference some imagery in her tasks that day.

Deb Davison

It has been an interesting process working out how to schedule home Studio workshops seamlessly, without chewing up too much time & focus. I slowly hit apon the idea of going away from the studio to run bigger workshops in venues for other organisations for the most part... then being able to work at home with small groups, only on demand, rather than doing that highly constant scheduling, like clock-work, once a week ... go, go, go. The result has been brilliant. Small groups... 2 to 4 people... plenty or room and time to get to know each other. Artistically it is actually really fulfilling for me in this set-up as I can join in, pull things out to look at I've been working on plus generally bring a more alive energy to the studio without the pressure of constant grind...............................................................

Speaking of other venues ... I'm returning to Sydney in September for another PLANTBANK Workshop at the Australian Botanic Garden, Mt Annan.

I've put a map up here... its been very confusing for some as to where this Botanic Garden is. It is sometimes mixed up with the National Australian Botanic Gardens in Canberra... understandably.  

Sydney has three gardens... one in the City overlooking the Harbour, Opera House etc, near the Domain. It was established early on in the settlement of the City.

Mt Tomah is at the Blue Mountains due west of the city and is a spectacular day trip for being in that location.

Mt Annan is virtually on the Hume Hwy, the link between Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne...and close to the very early established Agricultural region for Sydney at Camden. The grounds of this Botanic Garden are huge and contain all Australian Flora. 

Plantbank was opened on the grounds in 2013 although its actually housing 30+ yr old NSW Seed Conservation projects. One can get here by car or train/bus... although due to the extensive grounds a vehicle sure helps.

I made the notes below for my Instagram posting last night:

SYDNEY Mid Sept ... who'd like to muse on seeds in Australia's most exciting #biodiversityhotspot contained in a NEW architecturally awarded facility known as #Plantbank at the @australianbg in south west Sydney???. Leave your contact deets/email here so I can send INFO... One day only is possible if you have a long drive & can't stay nearby. Bring a friend or bring yourself for a totally unique opportunity that will likely blow your mind & leave you with so much to think about! Definitely an OPPORTUNITY that will speak to both BEGINNER dabblers with the curiousity to learn much more and ESTABLISHED/seasoned creatives keen to respond to something very exciting and timely that is central to future challenges and #needtoknowagendas! Text your email to 0430599344 if that's best for you!

You can check out the FB event site here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1475346906115018/
at the FB page of Australian Botanic Gardens Mt Annan.

Images from Plantbank residencies:

Melaleuca globifera

Waratah seeds and pods - Floral Emblem of NSW

X-ray seeds

In fact anyone who would like to know more can write/text & also follow my Instagram feed which keeps posted on such things + updates very regularly.

A recent blog post about the workshops can be read here!

Cheers all!

Sophie

Announcing the ONLINE-STORE: SeedArtLab Studio@BigCartel

Well... its rather late ... and a peaceful night it is here.

Can't believe how long it took me to get my head around setting up an Online shop. First the thinking, then the research and looking, then more thinking, gradually the site-building and finally some lessons here and there and a crescendo of activity and wa la! Its Up!

Glad to say its getting easier and more familiar as I go... its been 9 days since I quietly launched the venture.

I decided on Big Cartel for my ONLINE STORE: http://seedartlabstudio.bigcartel.com . Gradually adding stock... a few smaller original works on paper and mostly Archival Quality prints. I have offered Limited edition prints for some time now... but the platform for selling Overseas was a necessity.

I've sorted out a square format for small prints... something affordable for purchasing with modest shipping costs seemed a good idea. I've long been drawn to squares... and circles.

20 SMALL PRINTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE: As a Special offer... before Easter Monday, APRIL 6th, any of the 21cm sq Prints on beautiful Hahnemule Photo Rag 208 Gsm ~ cotton rag paper are avilable for a special price. Visit the ONLINE STORE: http://seedartlabstudio.bigcartel.com to see the current offer and the range posted in the last week or so.

Section of Orginal Artwork.

There are larger LIMITED EDITION prints up already... and as of today small prints that will be signed but sold as affordable works on Archival Photo Rag Paper. The print above is a section of a large Limited Edition print available on Paper or Stretched Canvas.

Limited Editions Series are signed, titled and numbered by the artist ... subsequently in a different price range as larger, high quality works. 

One of my passions is the element of water... pursued in my art-practice at various times, especially in the Newcastle years 2000-2008. I've accumulated many photos taken at Ocean Baths... particularly focusing on light & movement of water.

There are 5 prints as part of the special offer with this theme ... titled 'Water Quartet'.

I will gradually post up other Limited Edition works that are available. I've more images than time to post them online it would seem. Learning the process of writing to convey crucial info, supplying all the shipping and purchasing details takes time... and I am sure there will be some finessing to do yet.

My goal is to be sharing work from my studio through this new venture whilst I focus quite intensely on a quite involved 'Homage to the Seed' book that's been started ... a writing fund is a good thing indeed.

Best wishes everyone!
Sophie

February ... 2015

I'm sure we haven't seen the last of summer in the sub-tropics but its been a most pleasant week or so here... cooler and easier for trying to concentrate on work. 

I've started work in earnest on the book that's been on the cards for ages.

Today I collected a Limited Edition print which had been ordered for a client and thought I would post it here.

The image below is a stretched Limited Edition print on canvas for a client last year. The artwork was wrapped around the wooden stretched frame... a mirror image of the artwork that is. I particularly liked the way this worked in real life. 

However this work below which was painted last winter... an unframed work on linen, 200 cm x 100 cm, required a different approach for the Limited Edition print.

“Homage to our common inheritance” by Sophie Munns, 2 m x 1 m 

 PLEASE NB: COPYRIGHT Sophie Munns

The original artwork has a frayed selvage that I stitched in natural linen to strengthen. The work was given a layer of an Atelier varnish to seal the ink and paint surface on linen in addition to the surface having been sealed as an undercoat prior to working on this piece.

On this framed print the frayed edge is revealed on the front of the work rather than attempting to wrap the design around the frame.

Making a print from a work this large required professional scanning at an extremely high resolution which thankfully has produced an excellent quality print. 

Unfortunately the lighting on the work was not ideal for taking images this evening ... it seems to have thrown a warm glow on most of the images thus affecting the authentic colours. Apologies for this somewhat annoying problem.

These close-ups give some idea of the effect of the print at least.

The image below is ironically more true to the colours... 

however its not a good image or resolution.

The other task of the moment I am very focused on is the book project that has been gestating for a few years.

The weekend just passed was spent working on a draft of sorts! The computer clearly was useless for trying to capture essential material for a book which will rely heavily on text, image and a somewhat unorthodox composition of concepts... (hopefully)!

Instead I've gone for watercolour paper ... It comes in 50 sheets per pack... 300gms, acid-free , cold pressed, 210mm x 100mm + using pigmented ink pens, lightproof, permanent + waterproof.

I've tried books of every size, cheap A4 paper, computer, a private blog, post-it stickers... you name it.

And this time it's working the way I need it to!

One of my favourite painting projects was carried out on these excellent paper sheets. Once this stage is completed and I begin to transform material into pages on my computer I could paint over work on these cards if I don't wish to save them.

I'm reminded how reliant my process can be on shifting between idea, text and image. Images are not purely illustrations and diagrams... articulating far more than words at times. It's filmic in some ways... and this is the Story-board. I can't be concerned with how it flows or comes together yet... all that matters is managing to assemble the disparate parts of something that's been long gestating.

Capturing the key themes, musing on stages of one's Art Practice over decades offers much to consider. The challenge to pare back... to lift out what is essential. The search for central motifs and the leading thoughts is everything at the moment.

I hope February is proving stimulating for you... with good challenges that are enriching.

Cheers,

Sophie