Artisans In The Gardens

I am excited to included in the 2019 ‘Artisans In The Gardens’ exhibition at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. I will have 6 of my framed paper works on display & for sale over the course of the exhibition. Please come along and view this varied & intriguing collection of works inspired by nature….

Artisans in the Gardens is an exciting and diverse range of artworks inspired by nature in all its forms. A celebration of the natural world, Artisans in the Gardens, now in its 19th year, brings together an extraordinary range of artwork. The exhibition showcases some of Australia’s best established and emerging artists and craftspeople with over 3,000 artworks including sculpture, ceramics, hand blown glass, jewellery, textiles, plus so much more.

The pieces are thought-provoking, awe-inspiring, functional and beautiful pieces of art. The artistic inspiration for the works draws on the intrinsic beauty of nature as well as current environmental issues and sustainability.

All items in the exhibition are for sale over the nine day event, with proceeds going to the artists and to assisting Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens to continue supporting horticulture, conservation, scientific research and educations programs within your Botanic Gardens.

Be the first to see the exhibition at Artisans Opening Night! Mingle with artists, meet Curator Sandy Crichton and hear from guest speaker Lisa Cahill, CEO and Creative Director of the Australian Design Centre. Sip on a glass of Tyrrell’s wine, enjoy delicious canapes and shop for exquisite pieces in the beautiful surrounds of Lion Gate Lodge, before the exhibition opens to the general public.

-From the Royal Botanic Garden Website

Exhibition Dates: Saturday 19 October - Sunday 27 October, 10 AM - 4 PM Open daily. Free entry.

Location: Lion Gate Lodge, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney

Parking available on Mrs Macquaries Road

Exhibition - 'Blue Mountains Botanica'

Exhibition  25 August – 14 October Blue Mountains Cultural Centre

Text about the exhibition from the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre Website -

'For more than two centuries the unique vegetation of the Blue Mountains region has provided a rich treasure trove for some of Australia’s most notable botanists and botanical illustrators. By naming and documenting a myriad of plant species they paved the way for today’s conservation and research efforts.

James Blackwell 'Elevation 867' 2018. Paper, Protea Fluff, American Basswood seeds. 

Developed in partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens  and Domain Trust Blue Mountains Botanica delves into the history of botanical exploration of the Blue Mountains and features historical botanical illustrations, plant specimen and archival material drawn from the National Herbarium of NSW, the Daniel Solander Library and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah.

The exhibition will also feature a selection of works by contemporary Sydney and Blue Mountains artists who incorporate botanical elements in their works through a range of media such as drawing, photography and installations. Exhibiting  artists are James Blackwell, Tania Bowers, Ona Janzen, Jennifer Leahy & Edith Pass, Angela Lober, Julie Nettleton, Edith Rewa and Jacqueline Spedding.

A Blue Mountains City Art Gallery exhibition developed in partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust.

With support of the Leura Garden Festival and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah'

'In Time' Exhibition now showing in the Blue Mountains!

After a successful showing at Janet Clayton Gallery Paddington, the exhibition 'In Time' is now on show at Lost Bear Gallery 208 Katoomba Street Katoomba until 22nd July 2018. Artists include, James Blackwell, Sophie Conolly, Judith Martinez, Leonardo Uribe. 

Entrance to Lost Bear Gallery, Katoomba

The exhibition in its latest incarnation, includes several new artworks and and installation of 'Pods'. 

Leonardo Uribe's kinetic sculpture and self portraits made from hair. 

Exhibition - 'In Time' at Janet Clayton Gallery

In Time is an exhibition of four artists connected through place and practice. James Blackwell, Sophie Conolly, Judith Martinez and Leonardo Uribe reflect personal experiences through a variety of media, from a vantage point of living in the beautiful surrounds of the Blue Mountains. Their practices are process based and involve the use of natural materials, symbolic and found objects, photography, text and paper.

Time is fluid – it is the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole – however, we do not experience time as linear. As any given day progresses we move back and forth through time – finding ourselves drawn back to the past in the form of memories or perhaps focussing on the future. We take time, give time, spend time and we can be on time, out of time and in time.

This exhibition reflects the dedicated time taken by the artists to concentrate fully on their practice. The works represent hours in the studio revisiting the past, reconstructing or responding to memories, and imagining the future. Like in meditation, spending significant periods of uninterrupted time with any subject allows deeper understanding. The meticulous and painstaking approach required to achieve these exquisite works is not for the impatient.

Similarly, this exhibition is not a quick-fix viewing experience. The same dedication that the artists gave to making this work must be given by the viewer to fully appreciate their complexity and meaning. Being in the present moment is a fundamental challenge of modern life. The practices of these four artists encourage us to slow down, to reflect and imagine and most importantly to take our time. 

Rilka Oakley, April 2018