Exhibitions at Impact, Part 2

Things are rather chaotic here, with the fridge still out on the patio along with half the living room furniture. The good news is that today is the last day of early starts and tradesmen creating clouds of dust. The finishing touches to the new sustainable bamboo floor are happening as I type. The kitchen is in place and operational. There's just the mess to clear up, but first some rest.

 

For now, here's some more photos and links to work I saw at Impact7 in Melbourne.

Clare Humphries: Material Remains

This Melbourne artist was once an occupational therapist and her work relates to very similar interests to my own. I missed her paper, but hope to download it when the conference proceedings are available. Some info about Clare here.

 

Unfolding Projects: Afghan and Australian Artists' Books Collaborations

These beautiful collaborative artists books were in glass cabinets, just near the BAO display. Read & see  more here.

Melike Tascoglu: The H2O Series

 

These prints exploring the nature of water really spoke to me. I'm not sure if they can be read as well from a screen. Read & see more here.

 Janet Bellotto: Finding Juliet

I freely admit I am sucker for a good lenticular print. (You know, the postcards of your youth where the lady winks suggestively etc). This diptych is the largest format lenticular print that I have seen, and it is used to great effect to depict a wave crashing though this scene. I loved it!

The artist is from Toronto, living in Dubai. Her website where you can see more of her photographs, as well as video and installation work is here.

Exhibitions at Impact, Part 1

One of the best aspects of Impact was having so many printmaking exhibitions right there on the university campus where the conference was being held. I saw almost everything, I think, but all of it far too quickly. I could have spent at least twice as long!

As I raced around, I took as many photos as I could to share, although all with my iPhone. I know that some people who read this blog can't make it to many exhibitions, so I've chosen my favourites for you to see.

Gosia Wlodarczak: 

a Polish-born artist who lives in Australia. This was the only video work at the conference, as far as I am aware. I was drawn to both its subject matter, and the fact that the style has a clear connection to digital imagery. There were numerous papers about video (I didn't attend any) but it shows that working with moving images has appeal for printmakers.

The Train Trip

You can see a lot more about this work (including a 7 minute version) here.

Jan Hogan:

an Australian artist who I believe has recently completed her PhD. There is a little more about that work here. She also presented a paper at the conference - some details here.

Becoming



The sense of layering and networking in this work is beautiful.

Dylan Martorell & Mat Valdman

These works were enchanting! The top print filled the wall, while the lower two were viewed through a device reminiscent of the old "Viewmaster" (hence the blurry photos). There's an interview with Martorell here and this is his blog.

Hapmoniym (digital printed wallpaper)

Hinteridact (digitally altered screenprint, slide, slideviewer)

Sally Smart

I am pretty sure I've mentioned Sally Smart's work here before. Like many others, I find it captivating and inspiring. To be honest, this is the first opportunity I've had to see it in a gallery, so I was quite excited. This work was part of a group show entitled "The Devil had a Daughter". I've included Sara in the shot to give you an idea of scale. Smart's website is here.

Paul Liam Harrison, Scott Hudson & Andy Rice:

500 Years and the Complaint of the Black Knight 

I'm sorry to have to admit that this poem was unknown to me before seeing this work. Now I know that The Complaint of the Black Knight is the oldest surviving dated printed Scottish book (from 1508). Written in fact by John Lydgate, it was falsely attributed to Chaucer (all this according to Wikipedia, of course!)

I walked around and around the room, and loved the rolling Scottish tones, but was able to understand "nairy a wud"! I felt compelled to make a recording to share, but of course had to cut it short when a crowd entered the room talking at the tops of their voices. If you press play, maybe you'll get a tiny taste.

 

I have more photos of work to share next time, as well as my thoughts about some of the papers I attended. It's 9 days till work starts in our kitchen. Tearing up the floor tiles is first on the agenda ( dust and noise - my favourites!). I may be kidding myself, but I'm thinking there will be a lot of time sitting around, not being able to leave the house when I might be able to get online and catch up on my blogging. Am I crazy?

Hello from Melbourne!

 

Window at Heide Art Museum (detail)

I’ve been in Melbourne a week already and it’s great to be here.

We are spending two weeks here, the first entirely holiday, and during the second I’ll be trying to attend as much of the 4 day Impact International Printmakers Conference as I can. Although I can’t make any claim to being a printmaker, there are two streams which I hope to attend:- the one about artists books and the other on digital printmaking.

The entire collection of Book*Art*Object books from both editions so far is to be displayed on Monash campus, where the conference is being held, which will give the group and the work high visibility. As well, there are a huge number of artists book and print-related exhibitions on in Melbourne this month, all timed to coincide with the conference.

The conference starts tomorrow (Tuesday) and the hard-working Ronnie has already installed our work in its display cases at Monash campus. Meanwhile, I’ve been trying to rest up today in the hope of getting along to all the stuff I’ve circled in my conference programme!

If you’re interested in following some of the conference action online, head over to the Book*Art*Object blog. Together with Ronnie, Sara and Caren, I will be blogging from the conference, hopefully even “live” at times, as we have all armed ourselves with the appropriate apps for blogging from our mobile (cell) phones.

SEE YOU THERE!

Spring plans

 

While bloggers on the other side of the planet have been writing about autumn ringing its changes, temperatures are slowly rising here.

It never seems as if much that is tangible changes in September in Brisbane, and yet without fail, I find myself longing for a holiday at the beach!

I rather like to remind myself that Spring is the real start of the year because it’s always so hot in January that I don’t feel very inspired. So this spring I have a few plans that will inspire me and hopefully set things up for a period of productivity.

---

Number 1:

That beach holiday I mentioned (albeit at St Kilda in mid-September, so there won’t be any swimming - brrrr!) followed by Impact7, the International Printmakers Conference.

I am really excited about attending the conference, because normally its not possible for me to make it to this sort of thing. Even one whole day is really too much, so travelling followed by a number of days in a row, for the price of registration, travel and accommodation – well, it just doesn’t add up. Fortunately, being in Melbourne (one of our favourite places) makes this trip an option as a holiday, so the conference fee is the only additional price to pay. As it is such a rare event, I made the decision to register for the whole four days with the expectation that I will pick and choose what I attend, and not allow myself to be pressured into trying to go to too much.

As well, there will be three other Book Art Object-ers at the conference, and this is my first time meeting them. I can’t wait!

Number 2:

I’ve enrolled in this four week online course on encaustic which starts in October. If you’ve been reading this blog a while you will know that I’ve dabbled with encaustic work on and off for a few years, but courses are hard to find locally. I’m so looking forward to this chance to learn from an expert and to be able to ask questions.

 

Number 3:

I am finally biting the bullet, investing in a wall bed for the spare room, which will allow me to maximize the functional space in my studio.

This is a shot from the door taken using a panorama app (Dermandar).

There’s a bit more I’d like to say about setting up the space most effectively and I’d really like your input and tips, so I’m going to save that for another post soon.

Have you made any plans for a shot of Spring Spritzer in your life?