r e d s p e c t r u m

Im back doing one of my favourite things.
Collecting colour.
And his time it's through the red spectrum -
which is not a place I usually gravitate toward.
But there is something alluring about it.

I love its intensity, its warmth, its resonance with nature.
For me red means Earth - the base and grounding of all things.
Its a beautiful colour to find in nature - from the changing of the leaves in the Autumn trees, to the rich ochre's that the Indigenous peoples use to paint and mark themselves and their artworks with.

There are a lot of books written about red - and its meaning within different cultures around the globe. From lust, love, celebration, marriage, religion and revolution.
It truly is a colour with many interpretations and resonances.

From now until February Ill be dreaming, playing and getting by hands dirty with red pigment for a new exhibition project that opens in early March.

This will be interesting....

Bridget Kennedy's  'Choice Mate - Site 5' beeswax,
pigment soil and found object installation
@ North Sydney Art Prize 2017

Autumn colours
Northbridge Sydney 

Beautiful Jewellery art piece from
Bulay (i), Buku Larrnggay Mulka Artists
with Indigenous Jewellery Project
@ Australian Design Centre Sydney 

Quiet moment on a very busy Burano Island
Venice 

the design files

Getting our photo for The Design Files before Saturdays opening of art/vert
... at Saint Cloche in Paddington.
Photo Credit: Nikki To for The Design Files
(from left) Luisa Brimble, Evo O, me, Tara Burke, Alex Standen,
Emily Besser, Amber Cresswell Bell, Fiona Chandler, Ali Wood and Alison Fraser
(and missing from the pic... Drew Truslove)

What a weekend.

What an opening.

And its all documented for posterity on The Design Files today. 

Thank you Amber for all your hard work and for putting together such a lovely show. 

And thank you to Kitty and all the people that worked so tirelessly to get the Saint Cloche gallery space, and this show, off the ground - in January!!

It really is a beautiful concept... art and plant-life exhibited together in a light filled and airy gallery space. All the artists have created a unique collection of works all responding to the idea of nature and landscape. And all of the ten artists involved seemed to have created a series that is harmony with everyone else on display. Which is rare!

The exhibition is open everyday (10-5pm) at Saint Cloche until Sunday Feb 8. 

I know ill be back a few more times to enjoy it.

In situ... and surrounded by beautiful greenery.
Photo Credit: Amber Creswell Bell

(from left)
The work of Evi O, Emily Besser, Luisa Brinble, Evi O and Drew Truslove

The beautiful, light filled space of Saint Cloche in Paddington
Photo Credit: Nikki To for The Design Files

(from left) Emily Besser, Luisa Brimble, Evi O and a whole lot of lovely plants...
Photo Credit: Nikki To for The Design Files

home + studio visit with Mel Young

^Colour and textures on the living room table
at Mel Young's family home in Rozelle^

Bang!
Not one but three posts in one day!
And on a Monday morning too!

Please forgive me but im excited after spending a magical week teaching, talking and meeting some amazing Australian artists' and art lovers. And I thought I would impart some of my creative energy onto you!  Its art shock therapy! So we can start the new year on a colourful and creative vibe.
I hope you dont mind?

Now, if you've been reading and following this tiny blog for the past few years, you may already know the lovely work of Mel. And if you've been really observant, you would have seen her colourful Petersham studio loft, when I featured it in a project I was calling 'In our Hands'.

I was on a personal quest with the the 'In Our Hands' project as I have a deep fascination with how artists' like to work in the studio. So I thought I would start snooping around a few art studios in Sydney, watch people at work, and ask questions about their inspirations, experiences of working as an artist, and their creative habits and routines in the studio.

(If you're curious to look at some of these posts, please click onto the label 'In our hands' at the bottom of this post.)

But getting back to Mel - in the last few months Mel, her partner Mark, and beautiful three year old son moved to the lovely Sydney suburb of Rozelle. And a couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit her new studio space and take a few photos.

I hope you enjoy this second studio visit for 2014!
Thank you Mel and family for letting us view your new space!
x

^Mel surrounded by the beautiful light of her new studio space^

^Earthy collection in Mel's home^

^The warm colours that cover one shelf in the living room^

^The top shelf where tiny fingers cant reach!^

A^ tiny weaving by Mel and a ceramic cup by Keiko Matsui^

^Beautiful charcoal ceramic pieces from Mel's home collection^

^Precious art pieces mix in with happy memories on the living room shelves^

^I love a colourful fridge!
Especially where is happens to spell out some 'fun' vocab^

^A small small snippet of Mel's succulent collection in the backyard
that migrated with her  to Rozelle^

^The colourful vignettes continue into the studio^

^Artworks, ideas, postcards, jewellery pieces and experiments.... in the studio^

^The desk ...
and an smorgasbord of colourful and creative things to play with^

an afternoon in the ceramic studio of Alex Standen

^Alex Standen in her studio at Sturt in Mittagong - explaining some new ideas and experiments...
to a captive audience!^

This post is rather timely as I have just spent a magical week in a beautiful place called Sturt ,which is an art/craft/design centre in Mittagong, a town which is located in the Southern Highlands of Sydney. 

I was there to teach a weaving/drawing/textile course. 

And I was there, in part, because of this beautiful lady who introduced my work to the lovely people at Sturt.

Alex and I met while we were working at Object: Australian Design Centre a few years ago, and we've been great mates ever since. Alex is an amazing ceramic artist with an impressive cv for someone who recently graduated from The National Art School with a BA honours degree in ceramics.

Last month I had the privilege of visit Alex in her beautiful studios space at Sturt - 

and these are a few of my photos from that trip.

I hope you enjoy this tiny tour of her studio.

And if you would like to know more about Alex you can visit find her on instagram... 

and on the McLemoi Gallery website.

^tiny moments on her studio bench-top^

^fresh strawberries...a painted stool... and a ceramic donut.
just the usual things you find in the studio^

^beautiful collection of nesting bowls ^

^lovely light^

^Window sill... full of inspiration^

^colour experiments^

^blue features a lot in her new work^

^just for fun.
Alex plays with these pieces and many of them follow her home to her kitchen^

^all in the details^

^ such a beautiful space^

Thank you again Alex for letting us come for a tiny visit....

details from dreaming

Details from Tracey Deeps beautiful exhibition at Koskela

It's difficult to write about this exhibition that I went to see at Koskela last week.
Writing about it would be similar to describing Vegemite to someone who has never tasted it before
You know that conversation that carries on forever until you say  - 'You've just got to try it!'?!

Well - it's the same in this situation.
I could talk on and on about Tracey Deep's exhibition entitled Dreaming - but - you just have to see it!
If not in person than in photos.

Tracey's work is amazingly beautiful from up close and 20 metres away.
Its textural, complex, thoughtful and in many cases - HUGE!
That is why the industrial walls of Koskela seemed to be made for her.

Its rare to see a gallery space and an artists' work match each other perfectly.
But when it does.... its magic.
...........

Dreaming by Tracey Deep is on show at Koskela until July 2.
And if you would like to know more about Tracey , her artwork +  new workshops at Koskela,
please have a look here...

This was one of my favourite pieces by Tracey...

So so many different textures...

... and they seamlessly blended with Koskela's industrial walls.

Oh - to have this on your wall!

A wall view of Tracey's beautiful exhibition.

lenky's eye...

Alenka and her iphone make a visit to the studio... 

Something new and exciting to share with you today.
And I cant believe its taken me this long to do it!!

After 6 years of writing + photographing for this tiny blog -

Today is the first time Ive ever had a guest blogger.

Since moving into the Camperdown studios in January Ive tried to have as many people over to visit. 

One - because it is such an amazing space. 

And two - because I want others to share it with me. 

I couldnt imagine it any other way. 

The place feels so lovely when others come to sit, play, observe and create. 

And that is especially true when I have lots of people over for a workshop! 

So when my lovely friend Alenka, and her son Jona, came over for a visit a few weeks ago, I was eager to see what her eye would find while she took a walk around the space with her camera.

Alenka is an amazingly creative person who loves to share her projects and discoveries on her beautiful blog called yellowpaperkite. She also loves colour as much as I do, so I knew she would be keen to photograph all my colourful fabrics + objects.

As you can see she took some beautiful photos of the Camperdown space.

But she also made me see things in a new light! 

Thanks you Lenky for your beautiful images 

and for your visit to my Camperdown creative crash pad x

My collection of fabrics... some old, some new... some remnants!

Two woven forms sitting side by side - one made by me... and one given to me.

A little collection of objects -  found for pennies, or given for free !

These little glass jars with rubber stoppers are treasured items to me
as they are filled with pure coloured pigments.
I bought them in Marrakech when I travelled to Morocco 8 years ago.
I never use them!
I just like to look at them.

before time.

alex standon's beautiful solo ceramic exhibition at Sabbia Gallery

A few years ago I met a lovely lady called Alex Standon when she came to work behind the gallery desk at Object.

Alex was completing her honours degree in ceramics at the National Art School, and was about to head out to an indigenous arts community for a few months on a residency. At the time I remember how excited she was to be leaving for her big adventure - curious to see how the desert would inspire her work.

Well - nearly two years have passed since then, and Alex has now graduated, been awarded the 2012 Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Award in the emerging category, AND, has exhibited her award winning pieces at Shepparton Regional Gallery in Victoria. 

Phew. 

Big few years!!

This year Alex moved her studio to the Southern Highlands and created new collection of ceramic pieces for her first solo exhibition entitled Before time could change us, that opened a few night ago at Sabbia Gallery in Paddington. And before the gallery space swelled with friends and family,  I took the opportunity to take a few photos and enjoy a long, close look at each piece. 

In her artist statement Alex described the way she likes to make objects that are natural, structural and contained - objects that can draw breath, hold volume - and speak of energy and emotion. 

I love the raw feeling that is contained in her hand built, wood fired pieces. 

Maybe they reflect her journey to the indigenous arts centre... and the burnt orange desert that surrounds it?

Ill have to ask Alex when I see her next.

But in the meantime... Im just going to enjoy looking at these beautiful objects.

It is a brilliant exhibition and well worth a tiny look.

Congratulations Alex! 

I hope you enjoyed the opening night 

x

Alex Standon

Before time could change us

Sabbia Gallery

23 April - 18 May 2013

in the studio : sarah o'sullivan

Sarah working in her new studio, Sydney, 2013

There is something about visiting an artists' studio that makes me excited.

maybe its seeing alchemy take place?

maybe its seeing a workplace that is all about play + creativity?

maybe its seeing and feeling different materials and surfaces?

Maybe its knowing that you're getting a rare opportunity to see and talk to a creative person about their process - a behind the scenes glimpse into their artistic world that is usually hidden away behind closed doors.

Anyway - 

no matter what the reason I just love it. 

Unfortunately it doesn't happen that often. 

Like with most things...life gets in the way and plans takes forever to realise.

So when good friend Sarah O'Sullivan invited a few of us over to her new studio for a visit...

I jumped at the chance.

Sarah is an amazing ceramic artist who recently graduated from the National Art School with honours.

Her work is all about the everyday object and the memories, nostalgia and beauty that is contained within it. 

Each of her ceramic pieces is unique and extremely detailed - making you want to touch and take a closer look at every pattern, every mark, and every colour. 

Later this year Sarah has an exhibition at Sabbia Gallery in Sydney. 

So on top of moving into her amazing new studio space, Sarah has been getting to work on a new body of work. 

Busy busy lady. 

But enough of that... lets start the tour! 

(do I sound like an impatient kid in the back seat of the car? maybe...)

Getting work on a few new ceramic pieces.
You see... beautiful patterns, colours and marks.

I found so many beautiful colours and textures.... that  were glowing within the
stark white walls and windows in her space.

The everyday objects that Sarah constructs moulds from....

filing... shaping.... sanding.... shaping....

I loved the floor!!  Of course I would! Its green and textured!

Shelves covered in work materials.... all lined up and ready to go!

Jess asking questions about a new piece that Sarah is working on...

The old vs. The new.
Sarah is a collector of all things nostalgic .. like me!

Amazing light... and space in her new studio in Marrickville.
What the building was in a previous life is anyone's guess!

Thank you so much Sarah for having me over to your new studio.
I truly loved it and felt like I was walking back in time.

Happy making and enjoy every moment in your fantastic space!
Cant wait to see your exhibition later this year.

(Ill let you all know when its happening!)