2024 wrap-up

So it appears that my last blog update was in June this year, after my exhibition at the Richard Randall Studio. As usual, I note that time flies... Even more so with an exhibition deadline which was met in November, with the official opening of DistoMorph in Warwick. I’ll be saving my more in-depth musings on that for my next article in Textile Fibre Forum. I will say that I have had a ball creating the twenty-four large-scale soft sculptures, and it has been an amazing period of growth for my practice and life as an artist.

It was a very rainy Saturday afternoon, which meant I only had a handful of brave souls to welcome at the gallery, but I thank them for making the effort. My gratitude as always to my supporter and chauffer Matt, particularly for driving us through some very grim weather, whilst I sipped on some bubbles on the way home!

My work Xanthoparmelia, a finalist in the 2024 Paper on Skin Showcase and Event, arrived back just in time to be included in the exhibition in a static form, which was the intention from the start. I was very pleased with how it was both modelled and exhibited in Tasmania, and was recently sent a marvellous video of the performance.

Modelled by Talia Lucas

The announcement of my role as an overall judge at the Australian Wearable Art Festival was recently made, and I am currently finishing off the year with a pop-up exhibition and artist residency at Gatakers Artspace in Maryborough. What a wonderful venue and community they have here, and wowza – look at that press! 

I felt instantly at home, and I voiced how envious I was of all that they have here – for what do I have in Brisbane that offers anything like this? Regional artists have these specific regional galleries to build a community and foster their careers, with Regional Arts Grants accessible for many activities, but as a city-dweller I have nothing to compare to it. The galleries I consider to be my locals, such as Redlands and Moreton Bay are outside the borders of my political shire – but what community gallery do I have in the CBD?

This issue, and that of regional council galleries charging artists fees to exhibit instead of paying them are on my agenda to address next year. As this year wanes, my activity does not, as I gear up to meet the even earlier-than-ever World of WearableArt deadline of February 20. Although I’m tired and would like a little break, I would also really like to be involved again after a five-year hiatus. I miss the party, I’d like to see old friends and make new ones, and I’d like to be in Wellington to celebrate our ten-year anniversary since getting married there! More important than all of those reasons though, is the urge to make the vision I have, which is a further exploration of a previous one. For months I have been gathering materials, and I am very much looking forward to familiarising myself with them and starting this beast, destined for the Neon section.

It was a great week enjoying time to play with plastic, figuring out ways I can sculpt it, colour it, and join it, continuing the exploration I began for several works in DistoMorph, and had to put aside as the need to complete works became pressing. I’ve making different marks with the soldering iron, and trying to make larger pieces with the limited size piece each bottle gives, and find an effective and economical method for colouring it. Play for the sake of it is an absolute gem – a very freeing and expansive process.

It was also good to familarise myself with the gallery space which will host DistoMorph in 2026 - here I will have the opportunity to hang works from the ceiling, which will be a fun new take on some of the works - and possibly some new ones. Currently, the gallery is showing the Waste to Art exhibition.

I really enjoyed my time in Maryborough, and finishing off the week with the artist talk and workshop was a great high – I really felt that connections were made not only between myself and participants, but within the group itself. Contact details were exchanged, and participants seemed very enthused and stimulated to continue and connect. And really, that's what it's all about.

I'm sorry I didn't take more photos of what everyone came up with, because there were some wonderful results! I hope some members of continue on and stay in touch with each other. Thank you Gatakers Artspace, it was great to spend time with you.