Seal Shadows

Selkie Stories

A quick trip to the Goldcoast

As usual my short holidays are actually accompanying Dougie on business. He gets to work, I get to relax. The last few days were spent in the Goldcoast which is really lots of sun, beach, nightclubs and shopping. (Not actually any of my favourite things to be honest) However, on the plus side I was able to catch up with a very good friend and see her Honours art work in exhibition. I did visit the beach and found some lovely shells and pumice. I read by the pool. We had breakfast with friends. I went op-shopping (OK there are some types of shopping that I like). I swam and did yoga.

Deb's Honours Art work, taken with Deb and her Mum

A beach

Very good lunch at the Commune cafe

Very good iced coffee

proof that I went on a beach

an idea in the early stages

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.

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.

Depths & Shallows Artist floor talk

Our exhibition is winding to a close tomorrow, but before it ends we (Spike Deane, Emilie Patteson and Alexandra Frasersmith) are having an artist floor talk today at 2pm. M16 Artspace.

KIGA

The inaugral Kirra Illuminated Light Awards (KIGA) opens this Tuesday 2nd June at 6pm. I can't attend as I'm off overseas soon and need to concentrate on getting thngs ready before I go. Kirra have produced a catalogue and one on line here. There are some really fabulous pieces. One of my favourites is Jeremy Lepisto's The Aquisition, have a look at his work and blog here.

Midnight grove (2014) Cast Glass, reclaimed Cedar, Gold leaf, Copper and LED fixture.

'The Tree' opening

Piccies of my work "New stories from the old wood" at the opening tonight of 'The Tree' at the Canberra Glassworks.

New stories from the old wood

Finally finished, 'New stories from the old wood' just before packing up, hence the luxurious location of the mould room. This work will be included in the group exhibition detailed below.

The Tree

19 March to 8 May 2014

Curated by Clare Belfrage
Exhibition Design & Coordination by Ruth White

The Tree, an elongated stem or trunk that supports leaves or branches. The theme is interpreted in a myriad of ways; with humour, metaphor and studies of nature.
This is an exhibition of many parts, with works by Matt Curtis, Kirstie Rea, Melinda Willis, Emilie Patteson, Tom Moore, Yusuké Takemura, Mel George, Nudibranch, Ben Sewell, Bridget Thomas, Harriet Schwarzrock, Sui Jackson, Belinda Toll, Holly Grace, Jacqueline Gropp, Suzanne Peck, Tim Edwards, Alana Corr, Erin Conron, Lisa Cahill, Luna Ryan, Christine Atkins, Alexandra Frasersmith, Spike Deane and Clare Belfrage.
Guest speaker: Adam Burgess, Curator of the National Arboretum Canberra
Exhibition Opening: Wednesday, 26 March at 6pm
Gallery Talk: Saturday, 29 March at 10.30am

Dryads

Today I also worked on my 'Dryads' project for the 'Tree' exhibition at Canberra Glassworks in March. I started because I needed to distract myself from waiting for wax for the forest light (melting or cooling, it always takes too long.)

Similar to some of my other work, but this time I'm combining scale and sandblast imagery. I'm thinking about gold leafing the Dryads but i'm not sure, or trying another colour other than black. Only one way to find out!

Fairytale landscapes in place at Bilk Gallery, Manuka.

Here are the four pieces finished and installed.

FT landscapes before packing up

Lykos

Aschenputtel

Talia

Red

Bilk Christmas Show, Hollydays

This is where my petite fairy tale landscapes are going

The Forbidden Chamber moves on to Mansfield

The Forbidden chamber moves on to Mansfield....

Arrested Liquidity
26 October - 4 November 2013
@ MAGE: Mansfield Art Glass Exposiiton 2013 Martin’s Garage, 52-54 Chenery Street, Mansfield, 3722, Vic.

Image credits go to the wonderful Dylan Esguerra

Artist talk at the Rocks

Sydney was very full this weekend. The Australian Navy were celebrating 100 years with boats sailing in from all over the world, aeroplane displays & fireworks (oh and a British prince), some famous boyband was in town and on the Sunday a sporting grandfinal...and then there was a bit of art happening. I think my bit of the talk went well, and I managed to answer all questions...thank you Dougie for pre empting all possible questions on the trip up to Sydney.

me catching some shade before the talk

Paths through the forest @ M16 Art Space

'Paths Through the Forest' mmmm hmmm I thought at reading the exhibition title of an opening coming up soon at M16. "That sounds right up my street". But I almost didn't go. You know those days, you get to the end of them and you feel grubby and tired and just want to go home and fall on the sofa?  Well in the end, despite the plaster 'decorated' clothing and skin I walked over to M16 from the Glassworks. I'm so glad I did, I had a chance to meet one of the artists Julie and share some of our fascinations with the folk and fairy tale world (that rarely happens with other visual artists).

This weekend M16 Artspace are having an event 'A Thousand words' where Canberra writers respond to the artwork with some story telling. I'm looking forwarrd to it!

A wife made of flowers by Julie Bradley

The forbidden chamber

 Showing in Art and About @ Pop up Gallery 140 George Street, The Rocks.

Spike Deane. The forbidden chamber, (2013). Cast glass, steel, mirror. 60 x 60 x 5cm.

pity about the ceiling, but it was all like that.

  

Human beings are story tellers.

My work draws on narratives found in folk and fairy tales to explore themes of individual transformation and metamorphosis. These tales evoke archetypes, myths, legends and fundamental truths from our lived experiences as social beings in an ever changing world. Each generation re-imagines the core stories of folk traditions and it is this process of reinvention and renewal that underpins my work. With this piece I examine tales like those of Bluebeard and Fitcher's bird where a terrible secret lies behind a forbidden door.

In folklore and fairy tales the key can denote liberation, knowledge, the unravelling of mysteries or a difficult task to accomplish. In these stories I see the key assisting us on a path of revelation, unlocking secrets that reveal truths that enable personal growth and transformation.

Greyhound to Sydney and back

I caught a greyhound bus from Canberra to Sydney and back, to take my newly completed art work to the pop-up gallery, be there to set it up, catch up with Maureen and grab some proper fake blood from Barnes in Newtown.

Sydney was in fine form, perfect weather (I had to delayer somewhat) with a bustling city pace. I loved the "Walking men world wide" City of Sydney banners that are up in the city at the moment. They really are a fascinating glance at diversity within a very narrow subject.

"Comments in glass"

the Keys will be here as of Thursday

Light in Winter

Pictures from the exhibition have gone up on facebook, so I have 'stolen' a few...

Looking in to the gallery

Gallery shot of the Talia lamp (better than I could take)