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.

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

Antler preferences

I posted an array of antler / tree options on facebook earlier this week and got lots of feedback! Drawing almost done, just a bit more tweaking...

The Tree exhibition project

Well what was the Dryad project has changed. After a day of drawing I came to the realisation that prancing tree spirits just weren't going to add to the work as a whole and it was time to change course.

I've started with another piece of glass and different imagery. I've decided to go with the 'Monarch of the glen' type deer with the antlers extended to branches. I'm curious as to how this image / trend started as I can't find references in mythology. I think maybe it's a blend of mythology and contemporary fantasy fiction...but I could be wrong.

 I'm learning how to use gold leaf, the attempt below is just to get an idea of how it looks with the glass. From this I think it will work well if I improve my technique.

trialling components on the kitchen bench, back lit

trialling components on the kitchen bench

example of the deer with tree branch antlers

Deer and their skinny legs

I'm trying to draw a deer silhouette for a project.  They have very skinny knobbly legs, that I just can't seem to get right...

Drawing dryads

So once again I turn to google images and Pinterest, for images of nymphs and dryads from paintings and statuary, for images of dancers of ballet and contemporary styles to try and get the poses I think i'm looking for. Drawing isn't my best skill, so it takes time and slowly I begin to get a sneaky feeling that this isn't going to work. The whole project seems either to classicly twee or too fantasy art driven. I wait 'till my partner gets home for a second opinion... he agrees, not quite the thing. So time to stop and reasses.

dryad sketches

Rapid mask sandcarving and painting

To get the silhouettes on to the cast crystal pieces, I sandblast then apply black paint. I use a product called 'Rapid mask', it's a UV sensitive film that takes an inverted black and white image and through exposure to UV breaks down the unprotected 'white/clear' areas. It is fantastic to use with protective film on both sides that enable easy placement an adhesion. After sandcarving I left the film on. It also acts as a stencil for the spray application of enamel paint.

UV sensitve film in place, ready for taping up (masking)

After sand blasting

After clearing all the excess grit away I sprayed the paint on, waiting for it to dry between coats

the final product.

Silhouette feedback

So I thought I had all my images sized and ready when I get some feedback from the non artists in the house, about the Cinderella/Aschenputtel character.
"Why does she have a brush?" I'm asked. I try to explain how she needs something to denote who she is, since my previous suggestion and drawings of pumpkins were pronounced "twee". Considering her silhouette is in front of trees I conceded a brush was a bit useless. I thought and suggested a lamp, which we all agreed was atmospheric and suggested twilight or evening.

The thing with silhouettes is, you have to get the clues in without over complicating or making them look odd. With her holding the lamp, I needed a position where her arm would not obscure other details that I wanted or look as though she has an arm grafted from her stomach (even though it was anatomically right) and look very strange. It can be a curious balacing act.

So I spent another few hours working on these.

the 3 options

finding the right scale

playing with scale, finding a balance between the drawings and the glass

Bilk Christmas Show, Hollydays

This is where my petite fairy tale landscapes are going

Silhouettes blacked out

Silhouettes so far, Aschenputtel, Red, Talia (Sleeping Beauty) and wolf.

Silhouettes in progress

Talia lamp / light finished

Just before packing, I took some pictures. All lit up with the 'spinning wheel' view.

Sleeping beauty Paper silhouette

This is the 'inner' shade for my Talia lamp. The pattern repeats at each edge, so the pattern will flow continuously when curved to form a circle.

Finished paper cut

Silhouettes in copper

So, I have started learning a new skill, thanks to Mikyoung it has been very easy. Thank you for lending me your tools and expertise.

The copper just needs to be oxidized to make the figures dark, then I need to work out a neat way of inserting these into the cedar lamp base.

Light and shadow experiments

Some quick, basic tests

It is annoying when the 'torch' on ones smart phone is brighter than the 'spotlights' one has bought to be ...you know spotlights!

'The ice book'

Davy and Kristin McGuire are the creators of 'The ice book' a truly magical combination of effects and storytelling.

"The performance blends animation, puppetry, and film to bring a pop-up book vividly to life in front of the audience's eyes."

You can see bits of the performance on the vimeo clip but to find out more about the project go to their website www.theicebook.com



The Icebook from Davy and Kristin McGuire on Vimeo.

Lotte Reiniger films & Animagica

Animagica play acoustics to Lotte Reiniger films for the Sydney Festival in the Spiegeltent!
Sounds very cool! On the 24&25th Jan.

Silhouettes

So the final silhouettes are: Cinderella in rags, Wolf, Little Red riding hood, Dragon and Fiddler. I realise that the backdrop of my messy living room isn't the greatest but its all i've got at the moment.

Artists who use silhouettes: part 1

Wilhelm Staehle / Dandylion

 Kara Walker / Kara Walker: My Complement, My Enemy, My Oppressor, My Love