Beaver Gallery 'Small Works' Exhibition

The final show for 2012 at Beaver Galleries in Canberra is titled 'Small Works' and runs until the 23rd December 2012. The opening of the exhibition is at 6pm, 29th November at 81 Denison Street, Deakin, ACT. I am exhibiting 5 works in total; 3 wall pieces, and 2 sculptures. I will be exhibiting among 36 other artists of small works no larger than 25cm x 25cm.

Maxx and I packed up the dogs and artwork for a road trip to Canberra on Friday to deliver the work. It was a long trip. Especially with 2 hot pooches wanting to get out for a run and a drink every hour.

Blue Mountains Cultural Centre Opening

What a wait! After years of witnessing the site in Katoomba slowly transform into a new social space for creativity, learning and relaxing, the new Cultural Centre has opened to the public with the first curated exhibition in the Regional Gallery titled ' Picturing the Great Divide: Visions from Australia’s Blue Mountains'. The Cultural Centre web site says of this exhibition;

​Blue Mountains Cultural Centre

'The inaugural exhibition at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre will demonstrate the powerful impact the Blue Mountains region has had on the cultural life of the nation. The diverse works on display will identify and celebrate the extraordinary nature of this world heritage landscape. Further to this, the exhibition will trace the constant hold the Blue Mountains catchment has had on the imagination of visual artists since the early days of European settlement.'

The New Centre also has a new public library and a World Heritage Exhibition which is devoted to education about the distinctive environment, history and culture of the Blue Mountains region. This display is called 'Into The Blue' and is an interactive space to explore the diverse regions of the Blue Mountains.

In other news, the gallery which represents me in Katoomba has recently had a name change from 'Katoomba Fine Art' to 'Lost Bear Gallery'. The gallery won't be hard to miss as you travel down Lurline Street with the newly repositioned Ian Swift sculpture of a Bear as sentinel out front!

​Lost Bear Gallery

American Tintype

Tintype photos, as the name implies, were photos with the image on a metal surface, rather than on glass or paper.

This short film reveals the process and makes me nostalgic for a time where image making relied heavily on process and the element of surprise. 

Some of my fondest memories of art school were of being in the dark room developing film and sloshing chemicals around in a tray. Nowadays, tethering a digital camera to computer does not have the same romanticism but perhaps in 30 years I may feel different!

Exhibition Opening 'The Native Grid'

Yesterday saw the opening of my solo show titled 'The Native Grid' at Janet Clayton Gallery at Danks Street, Waterloo NSW. The show runs until December 1st 2012.

There are 23 wall pieces and 9 sets of 'Pod Clusters' in all. This is the culmination of 12 months work created in the studio at Wentworth Falls, NSW. 

Thanks to the many friends and familiar faces which made the opening day nerves somewhat bearable with kind comments and interesting feedback about the work. Anyone who truly knows me can attest that openings of exhibitions are not my most favourite part of the art world. Due to nerves, I get stumped and draw a blank when people ask me about particular fragments found in the work. My brain seems to store objects visually and betrays me when it comes to terminology.
To me, things exist because they exist, not because we name them. I can understand the relevance and need for the questions about my artwork, but please forgive me if I offer up anything other than the correct botanical name!

Thank you to my partner Maxx who is my greatest supporter and rigorous quality control officer when it comes to what leaves the studio! Without his sage advice, who knows what would end up on the gallery wall!

I'd also like to thank the supporters who regularly come to my openings and make them special;
A big thank you goes out to Felicity Jenkins, Sandra Winkworth, Tim Millet, Mouse, Phillip Black, Tom Hatfield, Melinda Leguay, Annie Aitken, David Wallace, Teh, Jodie Barker, Michael McCabe, Michael Broad, Frank Boyle, Tracey Gillan and a host of others!

​Native Grid 0312.3