one photo...

kataraktis from Stratis Vogiatzis - projects - inner world 

found at the diverting the diversion project via the enchanting and lively Passage Paradis.

a wonderfully told history lesson from the talented Louise at 52 suburbs

... just a very quick post to point you in the direction of this wonderful teller of stories through the camera... Unless you are very, very busy please do take  tour of one of Sydney's 52 suburbs - a most worthwhile insight into less told stories of this country!

Brisbane based artist Chrys Zantis and the landscape of Resiliance

I am in the process of finding out more about this wonderful project by the very talented Chrys Zantis whom I met through the lively bunch at Brisbane Artists Development Co-op last year. She is going to be at the King George Square in Brisbane City this Sunday at midday to join in the Crafternoon event  presented by Brisbane City Council. If you are in or from around Brisbane and love to knit, chat, and drink tea...then it certainly sounds like the place to be.

To find out more on the Community Art project dont hesitate to email or phone Chrys about this excellent work in progress.

To see more from Chrys' solo projects click here.

...and on a great post by grrl+dog where these fabulous knitted spoons are featured!

Chrys is one of those very valuable and generous creative people in the community who isn't afraid to make you laugh - a lot - but always gets you thinking. Good luck with the latest project Chrys!

Exhibition coming up soon: April 18 and 19

Please click on this invite to enlarge for reading. The exhibition runs for 3 weeks from April 17th in Noosaville, on the Sunshine Coast.
Embiggen Books and Gallery - 'where art meets science' - embiggenbooks.com

If you require further information please make contact through channels listed on invite. It would be great to see you there...!!!
PS: I say that in jest to all my overseas and interstate friends in the blogosphere ....I'm sorry it is SO far away! 2 hours from Brisbane makes it something of a hike for locals. For some it happily coincides with other reasons for heading up that way. Thanks for the good wishes from those far away and/or unable to be there!!

On another tangent - but curiously related:

The Standard of Ur (around 2600-2400 BCE) was excavated by British archeologist Sir Leonard Woolley in the 1920's and is now in the British Museum collection.

        










Its a hollow wooden box measuring 22 x 50 cm (approx) inlaid with a mosaic of shell, red limestone and lapis lazuli. Reading more about this is fascinating - I googled Standard of Ur - it was found in quite a decayed state in the cemetry of the ancient city of Ur which is south of present day Bagdad in Iraq.
 When studying the art of ancient cultures, aged about 14, I came across this particular work, finding it deeply compelling - so much so that I must have imprinted it on my brain. About 14 years later I visited the British Museum  returning on a number of occasions to look at this extraordinary work whilst living in London.



When a dear friend Jen visited recently from out of town and we were in the studio talking rapidly about various things I showed her some small recent works similar to my invitation imagery above and then googled the Standard of Ur and commented that it was remarkable but one day not so long ago I had made a link between my passion for a certain form of composition and colour that had visited me in work on and off over the years and this ancient art work.
As a doctor currently researching on the brain and memory Jen had a most interesting view to offer on how the brain stores memory of something like this small art work, its colour and form which I was so taken by, and years later could offer up aspects of that work as I scoured my mind for inspiration in the studio. We were able to trace the connection in other small works I had saved and kept in my studio...curiously ones I never wanted to sell as they were like talismans.
It was very obvious to her the link to this ancient artwork and my contemporary motifs... and she could also recognise the fact of it having surfaced in this very indirect way. It never came from an  attempt to consciously replicate this work in any way.
No doubt many of us are doing this day in and day out in our studies and elsewhere. To understand the evolution of one's aesthetic concerns however it makes sense to travel back  and trace these important influences on our ways of seeing and appreciating the world. There is no doubt in my mind why something so ancient yet so refined- the panel on one side is titiled "War", the other side is "Peace" is so important to me. The small section above is from "Peace" - the previous panel "War".
Reading a warm comment from Mary-Anne of Blue Sky Dreaming this morning pushed me to go back to the post and add this reflection.
This small ancient work found 70 years ago in great disrepair  still speaks to us today - coming from the site  in a country we have visited our contemporary values of 'War' and 'Peace' on. Thats a thought!

a different take on easter and rabbits

Its that time of the year when many shops are loaded with chocolate eggs, people are dashing off for a getaway for 4 days and autumnal weather is usually reminding one that the summer is over... even in the sub-tropics where change is not so apparent. The air is different though... and the signs of change are there if one really looks.
Unlike the northern hemisphere where Easter comes with spring and the "new life" symbolism is amplified by nature doing its thing it has always been a much different story here. As a child family Easter trips to places on the northern tablelands of NSW where the climate was cooler, the trees lost their leaves and there was an eerieness about some of the geographical locations all had a very pronounced impact with the addition of tales of the adventures of famous bushrangers that haunted this rocky terrain and the odd references to Jesus being crucified that came with the season. Another curious tangent were the tartans of the Scottish clans that gathered for celebrations around Easter.
So ... not for me the images of chickens, daffodils, eggs, chocolate and springtime!
Easter was a trip to faux Scottish highlands, crucifixion images, almost wintery, quite foreign landscapes and Captain Thunderbolt - the famous bushranger. Children do inhabit a different imaginal realm and I certainly had a potent set of images bound up with Easter  - for some years at least.
I still love landscapes with rocky outcrops like in the image above though!


images : Armidale visitors information centre




Now for some very curious paintings (with rabbits ... well its easter!) by an artist whose work I very much enjoyed seeing  a few years back at the Damien Minton Gallery in Redfern, Sydney. A contemporary commercial gallery exhibiting artists "who engage with the Australian cultural landscape" it features an eclectic stable of artists - Damien Minton is known for his keen eye and willingness to get behind an artist if he finds something strong to champion in their work above and beyond modish preoccupations in the contemporary art scene.

Paul Worstead  is described by musician Stephen Cummings as a "painter like few others - a pungent and unique sensibility.... he's never binged on consumerism ..... dont think he's bought any new clothes since 1977... what makes him so annoying and simultaneously so great to hang out with and also partly explains why his art is so important." By clicking on the artist's highlighted name above you can read more and see his work.
I seriously considered buying one of his works a few years ago. The $'s probably went to the mortgage instead...but his work certainly tempted me. Unfortunately its long sold so I cant revisit it at this website! But here are several I chose from the gallery website:

Ayers Rock Bread (below) is in the collection of the National Gallery of Australia - a screenprint created by Paul Worstead in a 1985 collaboration for Jimmy Jones Souvineers. I remember the series of similar works which at the time were very distinctive and unusual for the included content about aspects of indigenous cultural heritage. Bush food and indigenous food sources were barely talked of in 1985 which no doubt added to the value of these as important graphics.
In fact in 1985 indigenous matters were still being completely sidelined in NSW Secondary Schools (where I was employed) and a seemingly 'landmark' Dept Of Education decision that year led to the placement of an Aboriginal Education officer for all the schools in the South Coast Region of NSW where I worked. One was virtually black-listed for arranging to speak with this Officer...even though one considered it part of the job given the number of indigenous students that were participating in school life.

Its sobering to recall the edge one could find oneself on for showing the slightest whiff of solidarity. I went on to invite a revered local aboriginal elder to talk with my senior class - organised through all the proper chanels. This was also viewed retrospectively as subversive. It was challenging to be identified with mainstream white australian ideology through this era of professional life. Consequently walking away from work that asked for this level of ignoring became a necessity. Essentially I identified far more profoundly with being an artist for the freedom it offered to navigate independantly, to find ones way though ideas and experiences, rather than toe-ing party lines for a wage. Working in an institution that required such a coerced, albeit not openly, degree of alignment with assumed 'correct' or 'appropriate' values was not remotely congruent as I saw it with being involved in education.

Well...that's the thing that an artist like Paul Worstead triggers...those quirky rabbits are bound to get one thinking! And Cummings, who is a hilarious raconteur (heard speaking at Brisbane Writers festival last year), has got a point when he says Worstead's art is important. This easter I'm going to be thankful we haven't as yet run down the world supply of cacao beens  - what i'm hearing about cacao beans is pause for thought though! I'm also going to be thankful for people who dont exist to follow trends but have enough courage to find their own pretty good story and stick with it!

tradesman's entrance, communications ramped up and congrats to Jay Dee!

On the weekend I was reading a most enjoyable memoir by Eugenia Jenny Williams titled 'Jenny's Coffee House'. In 1968 she and her family escaped Soviet occupied Czechoslovakia for Vienna and  a year later arrived in Tasmania to settle into a new life. Her fascinating account of this reminded me of many things - like the curious tradition alive in Australia decades ago of visiting friends via the back door of their homes - what perhaps the English might have called 'the trademan's entrance' but in australia was often the preferred point of connection. This European woman described her amazement at her new neighbours coming into her messy laundry at the back of her house to introduce themselves for the first time, past the dirty washing and chaos of jobs 'to do'! Times have changed for many. Doors are locked and bolted, fences have become high walls and communities are often a lot less relaxed that they used to be! One still comes across neighbourliness and people who's idea of community is alive and strong!

The photo below triggered these thoughts... I was leaving the Seed Lab at the Gardens the other day by the back entrance and spotted this wheelbarrow parked idly beside the potting area at the day's end.
I was reminded of the fact hat the most interesting finds are often out the back, through the tradies' entrance so to speak.

Below is the new header for my Homage to the Seed blog. 

OH NO! Thats old hat now! A day later I have gone for the very minimal look of this subdued pale header below: sketches of seeds and pods carried out quickly in the Seed lab whilst cleaning seeds last year. The lab is the most amazing centre of activity... often tiny seeds being carefully, sometimes painstakingly released from their capsules with rather fascinating methods needing to be employed at times. You can hardly see it here... but as a header its quite fitting for the homage image. Whoever is in the lab is usually pointing out something absorbing for the others to see!

I got a little carried away after Blogger emailed new template designs. Weary of the chaotic, crowded look I had been going with a spruce up felt timely. It was a weekend of writing artist statements, brochures, letters, planning events - all kinds of communications - so why not rethink templates at the same time. I also had a few visitors through giving thoughts and impressions of recent studio work... feed back can be SO valuable!

Sunday's event at the Gardens went really well and I'll have photos to post soon. I was joined there by some familiar faces - and new - so it was a most delightful day completed with birthday dinner for a family member at the wonderful Mecca Bah with its middle eastern flavours, warm ambience in an outdoor setting looking onto frangipani trees and a fountain.

Here is the Residency artist's statement reworked into a brochure below with contact details. Click to enlarge if you wish to read it properly. I'm starting to get my head around running workshops again soon and the details are getting fine tuned for the exhibition next month at Noosa. Stay tuned and if you think a trip to Noosa the weekend of April 17th  and 18th is on the cards then let me get back to you with more information VERY SOON!

I must not forget to mention the lovely Jay Dee Dearness has opened her fabulous Myrtle St Studio to the public as of last friday night's exciting launch. Congratulations Jay Dee! Its an impressive multi-purpose space, so cleverly designed to be many things for all purposes. Printmakers especially will adore what will be available at this artist-run-facility!

Read more here about Jay Dee and Myrtle Street Studio.  

Article courtesy of Jorja Orreal and images courtesy of paul Guy - City North News

Oh...I spy Sandra Pearce's prints in the backgound!

join me for a painting session at the Gardens this Sunday

Come and get your hands covered in paint at the 40th Anniversary celebrations since the commencement of these wonderful gardens.  Who, what, when etc you ask ....visit my Homage to the Seed blog for the whole story and if you can come and have coffee at the ENVIROCAF with me ...I'd love to see you!!!

There's news coming soon for a Solo exhibition I'm doing and workshops starting after that. Stay tuned to this or the residency blog for more details!

Pages from the 'homage to the seed' journal - 

above: I have been researching fruits indigenous to Qld and this region - looking closely at the cross-section structures of the capsules and pods over this past month in the studio - all of which has found its way into work for an up coming show.

below: Under the microscope in the Seed Lab. Over the past 2 weeks, under instruction from Jason Halford who runs this lab that is part of the Millennium Seed bank Project, I have been taking notes, getting quick sketches and photographed images of the collected seeds in the process of being cleaned, sorted, counted, weighed, documented and  packaged to send to Kew Gardens. Drawing whilst looking through the microscope and keeping my specs on has been tricky but a fascinating exercise. I even had a go at taking photographs of what could be seen through the microscope... See more of recent work at the studio archives blog and I will be posting on the work of the Seed lab and Jason Halford's involvement in this very soon on the residency blog.