Inspiring Exhibitions and Artists

Headed to Sydney on Friday with my dear friend Gaye for the day to see the The Louise Bourgeois Exhibition. It was a magnificent day in Sydney the weather warm and clear the Harbour glorious and the exhibition outstanding,  and awe inspiring.

Incredible sculpture Maman

We were so fortunate that while at the Art Gallery of NSW we got to participate in the incredible installation work of Kimsooja Archive of Mind.

The Gallery had so many amazing works This work above by Yhonnie Scarce. Australia b1973 Kokatha, Southern Desert region: Nukunu, Spencer region Death Zephyr2017 was beautiful and thought provoking.

Before heading back to the airport we dropped into the MCA and saw these magnificent works by Simyrn Gill Maria's Garden.

What a huge day to process. So grateful for this experience and inspiration.

 

Slow progress but getting there

 The body for my new work is coming together. It is a very process driven job but with every work and every problem I learn so much more. Repetition always seems to play a part in my work I love the narrative it makes. I am so fortunate to have many women who generously participate with me in these works. So grateful for their responses. 

Inspiration in nature

 

In this experience I found so much inspiration in nature. We have just spent 3 days on Lady Elliot Island and had many awe moments. It exceeded our expectations in every way. The colours and patterns were amazing. The coral was so beautiful. We snorkelled with turtles, fish, a reef tip shark, barracuda, wrasse, tusk fish, sea slugs and much more and my husband swam with manta rays. It was an incredible experience. Nature is awesome.

Casting

I started casting my body today for my new work. It is a labour intensive process and pretty messy. I am very fortunate to have my daughter and husband to help me. It is always important for me to have the body represented in my work. For me it carries the trace of memory, lived experience. It is also an ageing body which I love and appreciate. Far from perfect, needing a bit more plaster these days, just honest and real. 
 

Beauty of Ikara- Flinders Ranges National Park

 We have just returned from a short trip to Ikara- Flinders Ranges National park. We drove out from Adelaide. We stayed at Wilpena Pound and were able to do bushwalks everyday. The trees and landscape were inspiring. The colours of the river red gums were beautiful. The stillness and peace was very relaxing, just what I needed.

Papermaking weekend

 

Happy Easter to all. I have been fortunate to have some time to make paper this weekend. It is a big process but I love the tactile quality of the paper. I love the delicate fragility yet strength and resilience. It is worth all the hard work. I am using banana fibre again. The paper will be used to sculpt my new sculpture about memory. There is something in the making , taking apart and re creating. 

Memory

 I am currently preparing paper for my new sculpture. I am using Kozo fibre paper that I have brushed with Konnyaku starch (Momigami.) After I prepared the paste I lightly applied it to both sides of the kozo. Then folded the four corners in and then crumpled and squeezed it, then opened it back out repeating the process over and over. I love this process and  how paper has a memory. There are lots of possibilities for this type of treated paper. It feels like fabric and perfect for my memory project.