envirocise # 1

Only 3 more sleeps! Now to finalise titles ... gross.

xx

SOLD

pocket rocket

Another sneak preview of some of the goods on offer from this Saturday. pocket rocket is a collage made from an exercising girl from a 1939 youth magazine, and hundreds of tiny bird tails and wings from a 1950s bird watching book. She's wild. Just look at those arms.

x

would i rather be a sunflower

Where have I been you say? I have been living under a little studio-shaped rock getting goodies ready for my upcoming shows. What with this Stockroom show opening this week, I thought I'd sneak in another little preview for your enjoyment. The show is almost hung (despite a few hiccups along the way) and is looking ... pretty spiffy actually! Just a couple more works to hang and it will be good to go. The space is in an old butter factory (true story) and is spewing character from every crevice and eave. Can you have just one eave? Or must it be eaves?

ANYWAY. This work is called would i rather be a sunflower, which is based on a Tinpan Orange song (check them out - they make beautiful music). The show will be open from this Thursday, 9th Feb, and will officially open at 4.30 on Saturday 11th Feb. If you're up for a day trip, come to Kyneton for some good times! 

xx

crazy cat ladies are coming for ya

Hey all, keep your eyes peeled for a collaboration between myself and the ever talented Tai Snaith, coming to a Craft Victoria near you! It is still some months away, but demented cats are already in the making.

xx

and i shall be your canopy

Hooray! New show opens on 11th of February at Stockroom from 4.30. All super-very-welcome! Would love to see you there!

x

Watch this space

Happy 2012 everyone! 2011 was a crazy year: moved out of my flat, travelled Europe, lived in Berlin, came back to Australia, moved to the country, became grossly unemployed (I can't bring myself to relive the amount of baked bean related recipes that graced our kitchen last winter), stopped being a bride, became a wife, got a new job, had shows.

So, in that time, it seems I've become less of a blogger and sharer of pictures, and more of a self-pimp. Does that even make sense? It will. As you may know, I have been working on several projects of late. The latest I'd like to share with you relates to a publication: OOOOOOOH.

I was asked to create an artwork for the Bookery Cook, a group of sisters putting together a cookbook of their favourite recipes, illustrated by 70 artists from around the world. Fucking cool, eh? Anyway, the book itself is currently in production, but check it out! They have a shiny new website, definitely worth checking out. I am about to endeavour to make their earl grey teacake. Pretty excited. 

Love that watermelon background!

Anyway - I am pretty excited to see what 2012 is all about really!

xx

make way for the studio sell out sale!

So when I was a kid, around this time of year, my mum would make me clean out my room. Not just regular tidying, but hardcore 'If you want Father Christmas to bring you presents, you need to make space for them.' I would frantically tear through my room, ripping things off shelves, making very obvious gaps that would require filling. I am now recreating this experience in the studio.

While I am not really expecting Father Christmas to supply me with an ample folio of work (that would be awkward), this brings me to my Super Studio Sell Out Sale! I have just set up a temporary online store for the silly season, with a selection of original artworks for sale. Many prices have been reduced, and plenty of works are under $100 - whaaaaaaat?!

I heartily encourage all of you who are stuck for Christmas gifts this year to consider something handmade and original, whether it be my own artwork or something you make yourself. Myer doesn't need your cash and your Aunty Sue doesn't need another bar of fancy soap.

You can access my online shop by clicking 'store' on the far right tab toward the top of this page ... yep, that one.

All Australian orders will be express posted, and and AND all orders over $100 will be shipped FREE! OH MY GOD! So get your orders in quick smart!

Wishing you all a safe and happy Christmas and New Year, and I'm looking forward to sharing some new art work delights with you all in the new year.

x

I crawled out from under my rock and discovered that it's December!

Seriously, WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN!? I am one of those creepy anal people, that has all Christmas shopping done by September, and my new diary for the following year filled in by November. This year something happened and I discovered that Christmas is at the END of NEXT WEEK. Was anyone else aware of this?

Anyway. I am in the loop now, so am doing my best to get prepared. At the moment I seem to be setting myself large tasks, and then accidentally on purpose doing something else. Last night I was supposed to be making an array of cards (birthdays, get well soons, etc etc) and instead I lay on the floor of my studio fastidiously glueing hundreds of paper butterflies to a new work. Eh, I do what my hands tell me.

The past few months I have been working on a new series for my next show (which will be in Feb, details to come!), but an opportunity to create a commission came up that I couldn't resist. I thought I'd share it with y'all, it's a Christmas gift from SOMEONE to SOMEONE else (note my awesome subtlety), so I hope it goes down well.

xx

spirit fingers

I finally decided it was time to give spirit fingers a permanent paper home, seeing as this work has been a transient wall piece for some time, living life to the full in a plastic zip-lock bag. Today when I opened it up, this sad little dead moth fell out amongst all the paper butterfly wings. I kept trying to gently lift it out of the pile (I admit to avoid smooshed moth on my very pristine paper) and the dude just wouldn't budge! Eventually I extracted him with a pair of tweezers, feeling a bit guilty. It seemed so poignant that this little moth chose this pile of paper butterflies as his final resting place ... oh god. I hope I didn't lock him the bag when he was alive ... shit. 

Ummm ... so anyway. This work is collage on fabriano paper, 70 x 100 cm. Sorry little moth. Your spirit lives on through many paper wings.

xx

clusters (c3 recap)

I am having a bit of a cluster-fetish at the moment. While that might sound like something to do with some kind of nutty-chocolate delight, or something even saucier, I can assure you it's not. (Everyone exhales in disappointment?)

I'm talking about art-clusters! Woo hoo! Now I feel like I'm being eager on some kind of late night infomercial. I have here for you tonight, a few images recapping the c3 show, and looking back at this and previous shows, I now realise my complete aversion to traditional hanging. If it isn't clusterfied, I'm not interested. What other grammatical variations can we create with cluster? Let's see.

• Clustery (sounds like a medieval room - 'I shall meet thee in the Clustery at dawn!')
• Clusting (sounds a bit like a dodgy sex act)
• Clusterific (a bit weak, I know)
• Clustangible (the act of physically gesturing with your hands something that is tangible)
• Clusterfication (the operation of a cluster)
• Clusterism (theory behind the verb 'to cluster')
• Clusterment (a group of clusters clustered together ... I am now completely out of control.)

Now does cluster still sound like a real word? I believe it does not. Anyway, here are some clusters of my own - feel free to click on the image to get a better look. Many thanks to Lilly Dusting who photographed these works for me. Cluster cluster cluster.

x

a moon for biffy's birthday

It was my sister's birthday yesterday, so I made her a moon. I think she liked it.

:)

die grossen revolver-helden

So when I was in Berlin, I bought this book, which translates (apparently) to 'the large revolver-hero', which is filled with delightful images of guns, corpses and Butch Cassidy and his gang looking very dapper indeed. It is such a strange book. The book follows the marshals, sheriffs and outlaws of America through the late 19th century. I kept thinking I would use it to make some fabulous ironic gun-toting art.

So far though, all I've been able to muster is some good ole gazing. The 'I'm-trying-not-to-look-because-it's-quite-upsetting-but-sort-of-interesting-wow-that-gun-is-shiny-but-not-that-I'm-into-guns-or-anything-eeergh' type of gazing. This work I made while in Berlin, but it's never sat so well with me. I guess I'm just not into guns. Not even in an ironic way, it would seem. Better stick to decapitating.

Golden ArtNet

So I am doing a bit of a cheating post today, because I am literally sponging off the amazingness that is Golden ArtNet, a very cool new online initiative by Kent Wilson. As if all that curating, art-making and writing hasn't cut it, Kent has gone a bit postal the last month getting this site up and running, and already it's gained quite a following. The site aims to bring together all the awesome creative stuff happening in the region and is an amazing resource for locals, tourists and creative people alike. Check it out if you want to see what galleries to check out, find out what prizes and grants are available for regional artists, and oh, my, interviews with artists? Whaaaaaaaaat?

What a clever segue into my next point! Kent has very kindly interviewed me for the site (always an ulterior motive). This was incredibly fun and a bit hilarious seeing as we conducted the whole interview via email ... from different rooms in our house that we live in together. Keeping it profesh.

You can check out the whole interview by clicking here!

where have you been all my life?

Hello all - yes I know, I have been very slack on the blog front as of late. I am trying out this new thing called 'keeping it under my hat.' I'm currently working on a few new series, but as I'm preparing for two large shows next year, I don't want to blurt it ALL out as I go (gotta save some surprises for opening night, right?)!

But I'm sitting in the studio with a sprained ankle right now, and feeling quite sorry for myself, so thought I might pop up a wee preview, to brighten my day at least (and make it seem like I've achieved something further than rolling from the studio to the kitchen on my office chair without falling off - which really is my main achievement for the day!)

In other news, aqualung is now on view at Stockroom, so if you're down Kyneton way, please pop in and visit - if you come in on a weekend, I might even give you guided tour ... of that particular area of wall. I should have the shots from the c3 show up soon (still waiting on the photographer to give me the disk!) and a huge amount of work is also at the framers, which is VERY exciting - so pictures to come! So it's aaaaaaall in the works - sit tight (I sure am).

xxx

ripe nut

the other day my mate was telling me how he and a fellow companion were sitting together having lunch, after doing some serious physical labour. As my friend looked up at his companion, mid conversation, he noticed that said companion had a slight tear in the crotch of his trousers. From this tear, his bare naked testicle was being squooshed through the fabric in all it's shiny, hairy glory. We've all been exposed to an accidental bit of scrotum (haven't we?). You can't unsee that kind of stuff. This work honours his experience.