'Fledglings' 2

The 'fledglings' exhibition has been hung and it looks fabulous! Our 'lighting designer', Brad Marsellos has been on the job and the results are gorgeous.

There is an incredible amount of work on show.  The body of artworks produced is a credit to the dedicated and inspiring art teachers, Petrina McDonald and Megan McFarlane.

The opening will be  at 5pm this Friday.There should be a huge turnout for this one day event.
There will be a  soup kitchen providing soup prepared by Bundaberg North State High School catering students....Great idea in this cold weather.
Buskers will entertain into the evening. Entry is free!  Hope to see you there!  Till soon...c x

                                          
                                         A small part of the 'fledglings' exhibition.

More stencil works

More North Bundaberg State High School  magic! Exhibition next week. See below for details.

 Artwork above by Brooke 

 Artwork above by Kristy

Artwork above by Linlin

Fledglings

The excitement is building now as it is not long before the opening of 'Fledglings' (North Bundaberg State High Yr10 art students exhibition).

As well as handling a multitude of press engagements, the students  have been powering along, finishing their works for the show.

Don't miss this one night only art party, featuring stencils.  It is going to be wonderful!  cx

Painting with Light

Our indefatigable ABC Open Wide Bay Producer, Brad Marsellos has introduced us to another  interesting subject to extend our photography practices.   We have been learning how to  'paint with light'.

Bring together a group of people, each armed with their camera, tripod and a torch. Find a quiet park, on a dark night. Add to the mix our tutor Brad, and soon the fun begins

Cameras were fixed to tripods and were set to Manual. The cameras were also set for long exposures of 15 to 30 seconds. Flashes were turned off sometimes and on at other times.  Usually we stood behind our subjects, torches pointing towards the camera.  We would quickly paint the subject person with the illuminated torches, then run to the back of the camera to see what results we had.

There was great excitement  amongst the participants! We ended up with pictures of  angels and Jedi type warriors and all manner of things.  Some very interesting portraits were produced.

I went on to experimenting at home with mannequins in my studio. I hope you find the results interesting.  I have selected a couple of the best pictures to show you. If you want to see more, check out my Flickr site at:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/christine_a_turner/

Brad will be conducting another Light Painting Workshop soon, so join in by contacting him through the  link above.  Use that link also to find out about the Snapped:Light painting project that you can join in with if you want to.  The workshop and project are both free to participants!!

Till soon,

c x

Till soon c x

Blog problems

You may have been looking for one of my past blogs recently and  found it to be unavailable.  I was not aware of this problem for a while, but it has been sorted out.  Old posts are now available.
Hooray!

Talk art soon!

Joe Saxby aka 'These Guy'

Joe Saxby is a very talented young singer/songwriter living here in Bundaberg. At least till next year when he hopes to go to Brisbane to study music.

Brad Marsellos, Producer of ABC Open Wide Bay has made a fabulous video of Joe singing his new song...'Sunburnt'.

I was able to able to  assist in a very small way.   I really enjoyed seeing how Brad approached and developed the finished product.

Check out Joe's guest blog for ABC Open at the following link:   http://open.abc.net.au/openregions/qld-wide-bay-71AY7Fz/posts/my-name-is-joe-50ay2mb


And I will embed the video on this page.  It's a great song Joe!!   c x

Guest blog

http://open.abc.net.au/openregions/qld-wide-bay-71AY7Fz/posts/my-girl-89ob0tk

Check out this link to my guest blog for ABC Open Wide bay.  It's about the Moreton Bay Art Awards presentation.

PS  Thankyou Edward B for your recent kind comments.  c

'fledglings' stencil art exhibition

Yr 10 North Bundaberg High art students exhibition is coming on well.  It is going to look fabulous in Dirty Linen.

Check out this flickr link.

www.flickr.com/photos/petrinamcdonald/

Moreton Bay Art Awards

This blog post was written as a guest blog for ABC Open Wide Bay  http://open.abc.net.au/openregions/qld-wide-bay-71AY7Fz/posts/my-girl-89ob0tk

I travelled to Strathpine last Friday for the official opening of the Moreton Bay Art Awards. It was a wonderful event. The theme for the night was 'black and white' and this added to the special feel of the whole occasion.

There was a real hum of excitement in the air.

Hundreds of entries had been submitted for the competion. The walls were covered with a vast array of works. People roamed through the exhibition, glass of wine in one hand, offering their opinions on the various works. Most finding something they liked amongst the offerings.

The work I had entered into the competition was a digital print of a girl seated and alone in a dark environment. Her body is covered with celestial patterns which transform her into a goddess-like figure.

From their small rostrum, decorated with black and white balloons, the Mayor and other speakers, introduced the business of the night.

The presentations were about to commence. An eery silence fell over the crowd.

Four commendations were given and a local artist was awarded her prize. The audience were most appreciative. .

I was very fortunate then, to have been awarded one of the two major awards. My artwork will also become part of the Moreton Bay Council collection.

I met with the judge Mr Ross Searle and had an interesting conversation with him about my artwork.

It is wonderful to have received this award. It confirms that people are connecting with my work. It builds confidence.

In a practical way, the award will help me to continue my art practice in these difficult economic times and for that I am most grateful.

Next on the agenda is Sydney in October. I can't wait!

                                          

Video bombing the Laundromat

I drove to Hervey Bay to set up my 'Citadels'.  The 'renew' exhibition looks great and I think that Gallery Director, Curator Marj Sullivan is pretty happy with the works that have come in.  I was going to take some pictures to post here, but  when I went to take a photo I got the message on my camera...'no memory card'!!!  So, I will have to be more careful next time.

However, I do have some new pictures to show you as Brad Marsellos and I went video bombing the Laundromat.  Some good results, but this session seemed to be all about learning... and there is so much to learn!! The following stills are by Brad and videos were from my files.   c x
My favourite artwork in 'renew' is a boat sculpture by Trevor Sphor. Very talented fellow!

Packing up

The North Bundaberg High art students exhibition, will come around before we know what has hit us.  I thought I had best start tidying up the studio space, so it can be a 'gallery' for this exciting occasion.

With the exhibition in mind, I have had to dismantle my 'Lifescape' 2 and pack all the 300 or so tins into cardboard boxes.  Tins were stacked inside larger tins, so as to pack more efficiently.  I will weigh and measure the cartons tomorrow and get some firm quotes on freighting them to Sydney.

The exhibition at the Brenda May Gallery (BMG) is not till October, so I will have to be very patient.

I can't wait !!!!!!!!!!!

Today I produced some CMYK files  of 'Lifescape' 2 for the BMG printer, should they be required.  I will send them down on a disc and I have almost finished my artist's statement.

In the meantime, I am working on another of my 'Brides'.  I hope to post a picture of her soon.

Till soon.  C x

Jess

Jess likes this image I made of her after a recent photoshoot..  Inspired by the works of Frida Kahlo of course.
I merged the photo of Jess with a picture taken of the lid of an old biscuit tin.

I like the second image even more.

C x   

PS Thankyou for your comments below!  Lovely to hear from you!

Moreton Bay Art Awards

This week I have been trying to get a work ready for the Moreton Bay Art Awards.I had a few print dramas though and consequently ran out of time to get one in the mail.  I wanted to send a print down to a framer  in Strathpine and have them deliver the finished work to the gallery.  Works were due in today.

So, I drove to Brisbane yesterday.

When the framer and I saw the second print under overhead lights, we decided to have a new one printed by a local printer. So, with that arranged, I left to meet the printer.  He was very helpful and said he would deliver the print to the framer late that afternoon.

Today the work will be framed and then delivered to the gallery.

On my way home I dropped off my tins for the 'renew' exhibition at Hervey Bay Regional Gallery.  I will come back to the gallery next week to set up the 'Citadels'.

I had time to drop in to a couple of charity shops, and true to my beliefs, two fabric bride's horseshoes turned up!!

I chose the one that is completely white as it doesn't compete with the other parts of The Bride.  It almost becomes invisible.  The horseshoe and the wishbone add to the symbolism already in the work. So I will leave The Bride set up this way and see if I have to make any changes later in the week.

The Bride

This is a recent work I think I will call 'The bride wore white'.  I am looking for a white satin horseshoe to finish the piece.  I know I will find it soon.  When you work with found objects, they often seem to come to you when needed.

The rusty old iron gate represent the home of an older generation of women, the fifties I would guess. The white tablecloth represents the bride who's life centred around the family and home.

Objects from the  fifties and sixties are in particular, the objects society is discarding.  The values of that generation seem to be cast aside to some degree also.

I will be making several works about the bride in the next few months. These works also reference recent flooding as in the 'Water Falls 1' piece.


Till soon,

c x

Jiao

A large group of well-wishers joined Brad Marsellos last night to celebrate his birthday.  A 'welcome home' to Clinton Cross was also on the agenda as he had been away on an extended holiday, taking in Egypt, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

We dined out at the Blue Garden, a small chinese restaurant in the central business district of Bundaberg.

I was delighted to meet Jiao there.  She was one of my subjects in the 'Portrait of a Stranger' photographic  project that Brad had been running for ABC Open Wide Bay.
Jiao has been working partime as a waitress at the Blue Garden. She has been really improving her English since I saw her last. Apparently she has been attending a Tafe course of some kind.

Jiao Lee arrived in Australia in February 2011. She had come from Chang Chun, a densely populated city in North Eastern China.

Jiao came to Bundaberg to marry her Australian fiance. She has been helping him on his stall where he sells exotic fish at the Shalom markets.

She is an absolute delight. and has the most captivating smile.  I think I will have to do some more portraits of her.

Brad and Clinton's dinner was a huge success.  I was able to catch up with Petrina re progress with the art students up and coming stencil exhibition.  Apparently there is great excitement over North about this show, and all is going well there. 

The students are very lucky to have such a dedicated and enthusiastic art teacher as Petrina McDonald.  She's also lots of fun!

I am looking forward to meeting the year 10's other art teacher, Megan McFarlane in the near future.


Till soon!   c x

Stencil Art

Dirty Linen Artspace is going  to be the venue for a most interesting art event.  The Year 10 art students from North Bundaberg High School are going to have the first  'Hit and Run' art exhibition to be held in 'The Laundry' event room... the larger of the two spaces available for hire at Dirty Linen.

Brad Marsellos came up with this idea of exhibiting for a couple of days only, and plans to do this for his photographic exhibition in early July.

The students exhibition will only be showing for a maximum of  one or two days....so you will have to be sure not to miss out on seeing it!  North art teacher, Petrina McDonald and I have discussed June 15th, so mark that on your calendar.

Petrina  posted an instagram on fb a week or two ago. It showed a number of pieces of stencil art that her students had been producing.  I was really taken with them.  I couldn't stop thinking about these small self-portraits, some done on scraps of paper or pages torn from notebooks.

The stencilling process denies detail, but  achieves an expressive quality that in some cases is quite haunting.

There are sure to be some surprises on the night.

Talk art soon!  c x

Ring Christine Turner to book your 'Hit and Run' event.  Ph 0402403270 or email: christineturnerau@yahoo.com.au

Hit and Run!

Dirty Linen Art Space will be hosting some very interesting projects in the near future.....the 'Hit and Run' events will be short and sweet , spanning only one or two days at the most.

This format will be excellent for those people that cannot commit to a longer more traditional type of exhibition.

Charges will be quite minimal, so call me if you need any information. 

Attached below are a couple of the works of some very talented young artists who will be exhibiting in Dirty Linen's Laundry ArtSpace in our first 'Hit and Run' exhibition!!

I will tell you all about them tomorrow!    Talk art soon!  c x

Interesting!

An enthusiastic  crowd turned out last night to meet  representatives from Artsupport Australia 's Queensland Manager Fiona Maxwell, Australia Council for the Arts' Chief Executive Officer Kathy Keele and Artslink Queensland Chief Executive Officer Arthur Frame.

They had been on a fact finding tour of regional areas, assessing our needs.

After each of the three guests had made a short informative speech about their organistion, there was time to mingle and to gather up some of the promotional leaflets and books and so on that they had bought with them..

I was especially keen to meet with Kathy Keele of the Australia Council  Having had a grant from the AC in 2005/06, I was keen to tell her that I had just finished my third exhibition of the works I had made back then.  It is highly likely that the Suburban Goddesses will have a few more airings too!

Kathy was very interested in the work that was going on in the Wide Bay area.   She was most encouraging about my work too...(I had given her a photo book and a disc and a few odds and ends).
Kathy may be able to come to my opening at the Brenda May Gallery in Sydney this October. That would be wonderful, so I will keep in touch with her.

Till soon  cx

VIP's

I went out to Catherine McCue's place this morning to pick up some digital  prints, one of which will go down for the Moreton Bay Art Awards.   I will mail it to a framer and have them deliver it to the Community center on the appropriate day.

It should be a very interesting exhibition.  Looking back on previous years exhibitions, they seem to get some very good works.   Being so close to Brisbane is helpful too I am sure.

It's rather exciting, because Bundaberg  Gallery is to have a visit from  Artsupport Australia 's Queensland Manager Fiona Maxwell, Australia Council for the Arts' Chief Executive Officer Kathy Keele and Artslink Queensland Chief Executive Officer Arthur Frame. Creative Regions have arranged this for Monday afternoon. 

This will be a good opportunity for us to voice our concerns about the many and varied problems of being regional artists, and to find out what sort of assistance is available to us.

One interstate gallery director years ago called me a 'GI'...Geographically Impossible!!!!   He did as much to help me as was possible, but it is very difficult to maintain connections living in the regions.

It is really encouraging to see these 'VIP's making the effort to  come into regional communities, something I haven't seen before in the 20 years plus that I have been in Bundaberg.

There are many very good artists in the Wide Bay region  working away quietly. It would be wonderful to see this recognised and to see some assistance coming their way.

Dirty Linen Art Space

It's so nice to see so many 'likes' coming in to the Dirty Linen Art Space page  . https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Dirty-Linen-Art-Space/243330485728167   Things have been a little quiet lately with Bundaberg artists focusing on a number or exhibitions further afield.
 As well as my exhibition at Pine Rivers Art Gallery, the following events have occured:

Catherine McCue has a huge exhibition at Gatakers Artspace in Maryborough. Be sure not to miss this astonishing exhibition that was a response to Catherine's recent trip to Europe. Interesting image from exhibition below.

Jennifer McDuff has had yet another hugely successful Open Day at her gorgeous studio.

Brad Marsellos, Producer ABC Open Wide Bay, and photographer 'extraordinare' has video and photographic works showing in the State Library of Qld!...in an exhibition about the recent floods. Compelling work Brad! Quality work on such heart-wrenching material.
http://blogs.slq.qld.gov.au/floodlines/
Brad has great news for us...he is going to have a two day photographic event at Dirty Linen Art Space in July. Mark your calendars for Friday, July 5th and Saturday 6th. Brad has some suprises in store for us.

Clinton Cross is back in town afteer a long holiday, taking in Egypt, India and Sri Lanka and Thailand. No doubt, he will have some interesting stories to tell.

At Dirty Linen , we are planning a series of short impact exhibitions for art events not requiring a traditional exhibition format. These will be very inexpensive and run over one,
two or three days maximum. We think of them as art parties. The emphasis will definitely be on fun!!
Talk art soon!  c x

Invitations

An invitation arrived in the mail yesterday for the Moreton Bay Region Art Awards next month.  I am very pleased that I was invited to  enter a work into this very exciting competition.

My work will be in the Digital Art Section. I will have Catherine McCue print the work for me.

Stolen Pumpkins!

Jip called in today as he does every month or so.  It is routine now that I give him a glass of lemonade or cordial and then he informs me of the latest news...most of which I haven't heard, as I don't have a television!

Unfortunately the news seems to always be grim, whether it be political or whatever. 

Big news of Jip's week is that someone came and stole his pumpkins off the vines!  Cheeky devils!

I'm posting a link to Jip's stories.  If you haven't read them before, try to catch them, as he is s very interesting character.    c x

http://christineaturner.blogspot.com.au/p/jips-domain.html

Comments

Thank you Anonymous for your kind remarks about my blog.  Your suggestion about it being a little difficult to know how to comment has resulted in a new system!!!   This will be easier I am sure.  When you click on 'post a comment' below the blog, a pop up window will appear!  Thankyou Anonymous!

Hello

Over seventy of  you have read my' Good Friday at Waterloo' post and I see there are nearly 14,000 page views on my blog!!!!

 I love knowing that you are reading my blog.  It makes me want to write more and more.
But hey....how about posting some comments of your own!  I would love to hear from you!

How about some of you Bundaberg writers or poets  posting  your thoughts about art, just as you wrote on the blank canvas at Dirty Linen Artspace  opening  ..."Just Ideas'?  I would love that!

Do you like my picture of the Waterloo Hall  water tank?

Here is that link to the Good Friday post.  Just in case you missed it.
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7177501782029618908#editor/target=post;postID=9096961252313286546

Talk soon.   c x

More Boardgames

Two of my Boardgames. Biscuit tins on pegboard hooks on  Pegboard Masonite.

                               Boardgame for St Francis.  Same size as above.

Boardgames

The afternoon I spent tidying up the studio so I can photograph my 'Lifescape'  that will be going down to Sydney to the  amazing Brenda May Gallery.

I am really pleased with this new work.  It's smaller size, 2.5m sq  has as much vitality as the first 'Lifescape' which was 4.5m x5.5m.  These works remind me so much of early works I exhibited at Greenaway Art Gallery, the pegboards with biscuit tin on pegboard hooks.

This work 'The Seven Days of Creation' was approximately 2.5m h x 5m w.  Made in 2001...a decade ago!    I designed the panels so that they could be reusable.  When one work was finished and photographed, a new artwork could be developed on the pegboard base.  This cut down my storage woes!...and meant that I could keep working.

Tomorrow I will post some of the photos of the smaller Boardgames.   Night!   c x

Good Friday at Waterloo,Qld

Brad and Jess (and Darling- the dog) took me on a trip out to Waterloo yesterday...a 30 minute drive from Bundaberg.  Deep into the dusty Aussie bush.

A narrow asphalt road wound its way through tall leggy gums that stood like a guard of honour right up to the edges of the road...packed in densely as if attempting to get a glimpse of the traveller. Sparse scraggly canopies of leaves leaned gently inwards above us, encompassing us in a protective gesture it seemed.  We must be going somewhere  very special I thought.


We soon arrived at the Waterloo Hall.  The hall has a great history behind it and a bevy of interested locals who endeavour to preserve the old  building  itself whilst also gathering as much of the history of the hall and local area as possible.

They gather at their beloved hall once a month to enjoy a barbecue and spend time with local friends. Their children can play in the old tennis court and run around the bush as long as they like.  The older children can go into the  hall and test themselves against their rivals on the old green velveted billiard table that is overseen by a formal portrait of the young Queen Elizabeth. It hangs on the corrugated iron wall nearby.

The sharp clicks of the connecting ceramic billiard balls echoed into the approaching night...mingling somehow with the delicious aroma that came from the barbecue and the  laughter and chatter that hung in the air.

There was much banter around the pool table and many apologies about one's less than perfect shots. Most were a little rusty it seems!

There was a magnificent full moon high above in the pale blue sky.  I tried to photograph it, but it eluded me somehow. Some obscure technical reason.  Dusk approached, so I got to the job of taking some photographs.



Night arrived heralded by the lighting of braziers, their flames licking about...painting living masks on the faces of those that stood around them staring dreamily.  Conversations ebbed and flowed.
Brad video bombed the side of the hall with old  pictures of some  long departed  relatives from the Waterloo area and some of the hall itself. The images were captivating.
A feast of a barbecue was served and before we knew it, it was time for us to leave.



Thankyou friends of Waterloo Hall.  You are an amazing bunch of people.  Motivated, proactive, interesting and friendly.  Thankyou for welcoming us and good luck for the future.  Waterloo Hall is in good hands!


   Brad and Jess

   Video bombing photos courtesy of Petrina McDonald.

Citadels

Yesterday I photographed the three circular 'Lifescapes' that will be taken to Hervey Bay for the 'renew' exhibition that comes up in May.

These works are difficult to photograph and I will have to try again,  however the curator Marj Sullivan,was very happy with the artworks, so all is fine.

The works are titled Citadel 1, 2 and 3.  Each piece displayed on a circular plastic tablecloth. Three very simple works playing with patterns and shapes.

More junk

More junk for the back shed!!!

Pick up

It was a long trip to Brisbane today in my expensive Avis van.  I was off to pick up the works from the Suburban Goddess exhibition which was held at Pine Rivers Art Gallery.  The van is a feast for the eyes and seems to be great around town, but out on the highway it seems to want to do its own thing.

At times it likes to steer itself in strange directions.  It  rolls around and over reacts to the slightest dip or other defect in the road.  Unfortunately the Bruce highway is full of defects, so I had to keep my wits about me. Well that's a good thing at all times isn't it?

Once at the gallery, the van was packed in about an hour.  This was largely due to the fact that the staff of the Pine Rivers Art Gallery had been kind enough to prepack most of the artworks for me.  A great effort.  They also spoke very kindly about the visitors to the gallery, who seemed in general to enjoy the show.

I'm sure Tracey Wallace - Gallery Director , will fill me in on all the details when she returns from her two weeks of holidays.  The whole 'Pine Rivers Art Gallery' experience has been a most enjoyable one.  Now, with Tracey's support and the support of others from Bundaberg...the show will be developed to hopefully tour either state wide or nationally.

I hope these sculptures are going to fit in my shed in the meantime!!!   We will see...it's home tomorrow.

cx

PS Danielle, can you send me your link again.......I have managed to lose it.  Cheers C