artist - in - residence

Does anyone remember what their Christmas was like?

What about New Years? 

Or Australia Day?

2016 seems to have its high performance running shoes on - and be moving at warp speed. Every year has a momentum of its own. But this year feels different. Every day, every occasion, every catch-up seems to be blending into one another - to the point where there is no pause, no deep breath, no moments of reflection. 

That's exactly what I was experiencing this year UNTIL I went to Gunyah - in the Hunter region of NSW a couple of weeks ago - and took a deep breath.

The Gunyah artist-in-residence program, organised by Sydney based artist Kath Fries is like no other. It is part holiday retreat, part nature wildlife sanctuary, and part artist think tank. Artists' who are lucky enough to be awarded with a 12 day residency have the use of a lovely house on the waters edge of North Arm Cove, and a studio with views of the bush and water. So yes - it is a pretty special place. 

When I arrived I had a million ideas of what I wanted to achieve, and packed my car with a plethora of materials for any and every project. Paints, pencils, paper, canvases, wood panels, ink, oil pastels. But - as I quickly discovered - the property of Gunyah sets the rules and the pace. 

So I rested, reflected, swam, explored ... and THEN I started to work in the studio space. 

My work took on a lighter, more airy feel - inspired by where I was and how I was feeling. 

And I knew - twelve days was not going to be enough. 

What my time on this recent residency showed me was that I need to stop more, reflect more, and pay heed to what my surroundings are trying to communicate. The way the world slows down at Gunyah was such a treat to experience - like the way the clouds and water change in form and colour as dusk takes hold. That's how much I had slowed down by my last day on the property, I was watching the wind, clouds and water at dusk - while listening to the birds and Wallabies rustle around the trees surrounding the house!

Looking now at my completed artworks that I have just unpacked in my studio in Camperdown I can truly feel and see that quiet breath that I took on my residency, in a beautiful and inspiring place called Gunyah. And I hope I can carry this feeling through the rest of my year, and the artworks that are yet to come...

Triptych on wood. 

When one paintbrush just isnt enough!
Painting at the Gunyah studio.
photo credit: Tina Fox

The beautiful shoreline...

by the crescent moon 2016

reflections of outside looking into the studio, Gunyah 2016
photo credit: Tina Fox

atmospheric thoughts, 2016

Thank you to Kath Fries and all the organisers and custodians of The Gunyah artist residency at North Arm Cove. Thank you for this amazing opportunity to think, to reflect, to dream and experience the beautiful place on North Arm Cove. A big thank must also be given to Cath Derksema and Tina Fox for visiting and taking such lovely photos.

APT8 arrives in Brisbane

As you can see from this amazing image by Australian artist Danie Mellor (above) Ive been out and about seeing some beautiful work over the weekend in Brisbane - as the 8th Asia Pacific Triennial has just opened. The Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and the Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) have been taken over by some amazing contemporary artists. And believe me - two days was just enough! 

The APT is such a brilliant and unique exhibition and The Queensland Arts has to be commended for their brave move to continue investing in this initiative to find, cultivate, support, and acquire artworks from countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Mongolia, New Caledonia and every country in between. The collection of works they present is always interesting, diverse and completely thought provoking. 

Ive just been to Venice to see the Biennale this year and I swear I saw more eclectic and engaging work in Brisbane with this Triennial than I did in Italy. The work this time focused on some key areas such as kinetic energy, issues of personal identity, the environment, displacement and globalisation. 

The one phrase I wrote down when I entered the foyer space at GOMA this year was....

'Public space + collective experience' 

and I think that's what all the works were really about. 

Protest, sharing of information, and a want of acceptance and acknowledgement of our histories - both past and present. 

Great show.

I didnt take many pics but here are a few that made it onto my phone.

Massive mural charcoal drawing by Indian artist Prabhakar Pachpute in the GOMA foyer
created in a couple of days before the exhibition opened

Min Thein Sungs amazing sculptural installation at GOMA.
He is from Myanmar and this work was all about the oppression in his country
and how people made their own toys using everyday materials

Mural drawing in the Queensland Art Gallery by an Indian artist

This amazing multimedia installation by Nicolas Mole (Kanak Peoples/New Caledonia)
was one of my favourite artworks.
It was made in collaboration with artists and performers from New Caledonia

My mate Amelia taking photos of the massive installation of 1000 Venetian blinds
that was in the Queensland art gallery waterfall foyer
by artist Haegue Yang (South Korea)

It was hard to take pics of these stunning photos by Taloi Havini + Stuart Miller
that represent the Hako people and the environmental concerns of  Bougainville.
I loved this series of works...

Amazing SaVage K'lub created by New Zealand artist Rosanna Raymond

A couple of pics of the HUGE installation of paintings, sculptures, drawings and everything else in between ...
by three artists - Ramin Haerizadeh (Iran/UAE), Rokni Haerizadeh (Iran/UEA), Hesam Rahmanian (USA,UEA)
The whole thing was mad, absurd, DADA and funny...

Beautiful work by Joe Ngallametta in QAG.
It wasnt a part of the Triennial but I loved it anyway

Three galleries in three months and three times ive found the work of Vincent Namadjira exhibited!
This man's work is going to be huge! 

Had to finish with this colouring in table at QAG
Amelia and I spent a little while here creating patterns with the other kids and parents at the gallery
The program is events of kids at the Asia Pacific Triennial is always brilliant! 

pastel sky

After Rome. After Venice. After the craziness of the Biennale... it was time for a break. 

It was time for a tiny trip to the beach. 

So I packed my bags and jumped on a couple of trains down the East coast of Italy to a place called Porto San Giorgio. 

And within a few hours I had fallin in love - with the place, the people and the light. 

This area of Italy is not on many tourist itineraries, so many people dont speak English. But they dont have to as its a vacation spot for Italians - and very smart people that have been tipped off about this place. 

It kinda felt like a beach town from the 1950s - with beach clubs up and down the coast and everyone riding bikes and sitting on deck chairs. But then at night the town turned into one big nightclub with amazing DJs playing on cabana rooftops. So it had something for everyone.

I was actually there for a wedding. 

And after a few days of sunshine, and one big night celebrating with friends and family I was refreshed and ready for my next destination. 

But wished I had been able to stay alittle longer in the pick glow of this beautiful town by the Adriatic sea. 

But Greece was calling...

Dusk. 

Fish! Fresh Fish!

getting ready for the night to begin...

The beautiful beach... in the pick glow of dusk.

Venice art binge

I came. I saw. I drank it ALL in.

Venice every two years becomes an art lovers paradise - and if you're lucky enough to experience the pleasures of Venice while completely draped with art from across the world then you are a truly lucky person indeed.

This year I was able to spend five days walking, thinking, exploring and playing in Venice...

and have to say it was truly amazing.

The 56th Venice Biennale curated by Okwui Enwezo entitled All the Worlds Futures was a smorgasbord of colours, ideologies, textures and technologies - and it took me two days to fully devour it all. Some of my favourite National pavilions in The Giardini were the Australian, the Japanese, the French, the English and the Dutch. And Ive got a few photos of those pavilions to share. 

But what I truly loved was all the off site shows that were scattered around the city like gold dust. You needed a map and alot of energy and patience to see them all - and believe me - I only managed to find a handful of them. But the hunt was worth the effort. Each time Id find an exhibition down a dark alleyway I always felt like I had achieved a tiny victory... and that the complicated network of Venetian streets hadnt beaten me!

Two other non Biennale exhibitions that I loved were Paradise : a solo exhibition of Cy Twombly's work, and Proportio: an incredibly detailed and poetic group show that was exhibited in the Palazzo Fortuny. Both left me completely inspired and excited, as they were so special and so incredibly unique. 

I know we are lucky enough to have some great galleries and exhibitions here in Australia but seeing these shows in a city like Venice felt like a gift. 

I hope you enjoy these few photos I have from my trip in June...

Chiharu Shiota, The Key in the Hand, installation, Japanese Pavillion

Fiona Hall, Wrong Way Time, installation, Australian Pavillion 

Woven pieces by The Tjampi Desert Weavers
- part of Fiona Hall's artwork installation in the Australian Pavillion 

Revolutions by Celeste Boursier-Mougenot in the French Pavillion

One of two amazing sculptural pieces by Jaume Plensa (Barcelona) entitled Together
that was installed in the Basilica di San Giorgio Maggiore on the Island of San Giorgio

This was the second sculpture by Jaume Plensa that was in the Basilica di San Giorgio Maggiore.
This steel hand looked like it was floating about the Nave

The first room of the Proportio exhibition in the Palazzo Fortuny -
curated by Axel Vervoordt & Daniela Ferretti.
Blew my mind!!

Anish Kapoor installation

Lucia Bru installation entitled Aerocubes (2015)

Art and wall textures merge!
Painting by Kees Goudzwaard called Build Up (2014)

Two beautiful Cy Twombly paintings
from his solo exhibition at Ca' Pesaro Museo in Venice. 

Posters line the streets of Venice letting you know that you are surrounded by art art art!!

b u r a n o

Island Life. Burano. Italy

Its sunny, its Monday, and it feel like the perfect time to celebrate the start of Spring with some colour... 

Actually... LOTS of colour. 

Over the years Ive been lucky enough to travel to Venice a few times. 

So on this years trip to Europe I knew I wanted to see the Biennale but I also wanted to experience some unfamiliar parts of the city. 

And that's not a hard thing to do as Venice is incredibly complex and diverse city - with over a hundred islands on the lagoon, each with its own unique character. 

So besides seeing a million exhibitions for the Venice Biennale, I took a few vaporetti rides out onto the lagoon to explore. And my favourite trip, by FAR, was my day on the island of Burano.

I felt like I was home. 

The colours, the textures, the slower pace to life, the friendly locals, the history and the craftsmanship of the lace-makers who live on the island. 

It all made for an amazing experience. 

I just hope my images do the place justice?! 

Perfection.

abandoned but beautiful.

Every window box was immaculate and lovely