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Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Embroidered Selkie Brooch Giveaway




Packing up an exhibition is from my perspective quite a reflective experience. Comparably there are none of the worries and nerves of installing, as you remove bits of hardware from walls and ceiling or clean up plinths you can calmly mull over what you could have done better or as you carefully wrap up sold pieces feel a warm glow through some of the triumphs. 

So last month as we (myself, Emilie Patteson and Alex Frasersmith) were packing up Depths & Shallows at M16 Artspace I was indeed having some moments of contemplation (probably as I was patching holes in the ceiling). Our exhibition had been, I felt, a success. The 3 of us worked together towards a show from proposal to opening night, through ideas and planning, curating and financing. A rewarding and productive learning experience.
Like many shows, our exhibition was a year in the planning and making, an event we had been aiming at for a substantial amount of time and afterwards seemed to be a perfect time to take stock of where I had got to, along this artists path. 

In particular I felt the incredible support given from the arts community and connections made through my art works. Friendship, assistance, opportunities and more all gladly given. Thank you.
So to celebrate the journey so far and to thank all of the people who have supported me along the way I’d like to give away 3 hand embroidered ‘Selkie’ brooches.


to be in the draw to Win one of these stitched Selkies by commenting on or sharing this post via your favoured social media platform with the name of your favourite folk or fairy tale.

Thank you and good luck!


'Selkie Brooch Give-away' is open internationally and closes midnight AEST Tuesday 30th September. I will randomly draw 3 names and contact the winners in order to send them their gift. Any questions don't hesitate to ask... Spike.

Casts come out of the kiln...

Opening a kiln after it has finished firing is always a little nerve wracking for me. So this morning as I unlcok the lid / door, I kind of hold my breath and mutter some sort of incantation / plea for everything to be alright. Today is a happy day! Everything is fine and some of the detail I was experimenting with has come out nicely. Phew. Now for a session of grinding and polishing.








Sunday, September 7, 2014

Silhouette 24 September - 11 October

The Silhouette exhibition - 24 September - 11 October 2014 - hard copy invitations arrived today... yikes that means install is not far off!

The opening night is Wednesday 24th September from 6pm at Red Gallery, Fitzroy. I'm the only sculpture / glass exhibitor, so I think there are lots of paintings and print work on the walls... means I have the 'floor' all to myself!

For this show based on the silhouette, I wanted to do something different to the woodsy, foresty themes I like to do. I love 'urban fantasy' novels, so I have changed the foresty landscapes to fragments of city and surburban 'scapes' to contrast with  the Mythical beasties that will be silhouetted on the front.

Dougie and I had fun making up titles for the 4 pieces the other day... Griffin Lane, Pegasus Street, Rasselbock Corner and Cockatrice Crescent.

My shortened artist statement for the show:

My work draws on narratives found in folk and fairy tales, focusing on themes of transformation. These pieces are inspired by the fiction subgenre ‘urban-fantasy’; where folk tale creatures dwell in city streets, a glimmer of enchantment enters the everyday. The silhouette, like any good tale fires up the imagination by requiring us to flesh out the detail from our own store of memory and dream.



Friday, September 5, 2014

Glass and Science

Today the Glass & Science Glassworks Education Supplement was in the 'The Canberra Times'. I have an early piece of mine on the front cover and a writing piece on casting inside.