Ryden

I don't know how I have taken so long to stumble over the work of Mark Ryden. His brilliant paintings with their bizarre scenarios, I find intriguing!  I bought his huge  book PINXIT when I was in Brisbane recently.  I have been making drawings of some of his paintings.  See below.

 

 

 

Sunken Houses

Brad Marsellos, Producer for ABC Open Wide Bay, is the initiator and photographer of the 'Sunken Houses' exhibition currently showing at the Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery. Marsellos, invited sound artist and Aria winner, Austrian composer Heinz Reigler, to write a soundtrack specifically for the exhibition.

On entering the gallery, I was overwhelmed by the dark elegance of the exhibition with its hauntingly evocative soundscape.  

Twenty five large photographic prints are on display, each print mounted into a matching black frame and matt board without glass.

Low lighting is applied to the gallery walls with each print bathed in a soft ethereal circle of light. The mood created is one of refinement.

This show makes the BRAG main gallery look the very best I have ever seen it.

The Sunken Houses exhibition was created by Marsellos in response to the record breaking January 2013 Bundaberg floods. It is a personal and historical record of the aftermath of the disaster as Marsellos experienced it.

As one who lived through this disaster and had been active in the cleanup stages, I was moved to tears by the sad reminders of such difficult times, as were many others who have attended the exhibition. The soundtrack, at times beautifully melancholic, at other times... uplifting, took me on an emotional journey.

A huge print of one of the sunken houses covers a large wall near the entry, evoking awe in the viewer.  The image of a house sinking threatens our sense of the home as a safe haven.  This feeling is reiterated throughout the exhibition.

Another print entitled 'Signs are hard to see', depicts an empty block of land with a pair of old concrete driveway tracks, that lead to the house that is no longer there.

These are powerful images by Brad Marsellos... a very accomplished photographer.

The opening saw a record breaking crowd of 260 people attending the exhibition.  More attendance records have been broken daily as people continue to come, and in many cases return to see this very moving show.

Sound artist, Heinz Riegler performed his soundtrack live at the opening, to a most appreciative audience. His outstanding contribution to this project has been greatly appreciated for its sensitivity and appropriateness.

This is a very   special exhibition, and I recommend that you go and see it before it closes on the 27th of April.

Bundaberg East Rotary

Rotary groups worldwide have a mission to eradicate polio across the globe.  They wanted their message projected onto the East water tower.  Here area couple of pictures of that event.  Thanks to Dream Team partner Brad Marsellos, and Lyn and Bhavana from Bundaberg East Rotary, and Mal Brown.

Oaks Beach Installation

I was up early as I had an art installation to do at Oaks Beach.  Shelley Pisani, of Creative Regions had mentioned the opportunity when I caught up with her recently.  I wanted  to take part in the project by Creative Regions that would be my contribution to their mission to reactivate spaces affected by the recent tornados and floods.

I have a collection of 210 plastic bbq paper plate holders, shaped like fish.

I wanted to install them on the beach to draw attention to the problem of water pollution

'My reason for showing the plastic fish at the beach was to suggest in an artistic way my own concerns about water pollution. Fish and other marine creatures are ingesting plastics and this can lead to them feeling full, when they are actually starving. Hard plastics can rupture their internal organs. And , of course there are so many other awful hazards such as brutal entanglements. One has only to read about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to be quite horrified about the global threat to sea creatures from water pollution. Of course we have our share of local nightmares too. I suggest, artistically that the fish are coming to the land to escape from the water that has become so toxic. The fish are becoming plastic'.

I had a wonderful band of helpers and many photographers too, including Brad Marsellos from ABC Wide Bay.     

David Quarrell flew a drone over the installation, and I am really looking forward to seeing the video pictures that it took.

Keith Stewart made a great video of behind the scenes activity.  So much equipment there.

Thanks to all the wonderful helpers and also to Pamela Fisher, who is a tireless worker.


 

Something fishy is going on!!

I have spent much of the weekend preparing my collection of 210 bbq paper plate holder plastic fish for an installation at a local beach this week. Fun times!! A drone is going to fly over the 20m installation and take pictures, or a video. I’m not quite sure what will exactly come out of it. (Maybe I am under surveillance?) Another friend is going to do a time lapse of the event.
It should be fun if the weather holds out. It has been very windy of late. I have number of friends coming to help me set up. We only have 2 hours of low tide to get the installation finished.

Fun times.    cx

More Mitchell

Here are a few more photographs I took of Mitchell.  These photos have made quite an impression on Mitchell's Facebook fans.

 

 

 

Photoshoot

I had a busy day in the gallery yesterday with a photoshoot with Mitchell Browne and some of his friends from school.  I was particularly happy with  the dance photographs of Mitchell. 

 

 

 

 

Back to Alpha

The grey ribbon road weaves and curls through flat, drab brown terrain, then rises up steeply towards a crest that supports a big Aussie sky.  It is not such a big blue Aussie sky today, festooned as it is with bulky grey clouds…dirty grey clouds.

I want the landscape to be different this trip…not so stubbornly harsh and unforgiving, but the land is flat and dry…unfriendly…long fringed with bleached dry weeds.  Dotted with mean little bushes tamed by the relentless throbbing heat.

The land has obviously been cleared in days gone by, to accommodate the cattle that apparently  graze on these pastures.  But there is not a cow in sight. Perhaps they have found shelter from the heat somewhere on the huge cattle property that encompasses our narrow road.  The property is over twenty-two thousand acres strong.

But these can’t be pastures can they?  I once saw pastures on a train trip to the country outside of London.  Lush emerald green velvet were the ‘real’ pastures there. Patchwork pastures edged with gentle soft bushy trees lush enough to inspire fairy stories. Every now and then a magical ancient castle would pop up unexpectedly atop that divine viridian velvet quilt, like a castle from a page in a ‘Pop up’ book  of the sort that I loved as a young child.

Cows could be seen contentedly grazing in those perfect pastures, waiting to be painted by the likes of Thomas Sidney Cooper.

But I am not from the ‘Motherland’ as we once called it.  I want to love my sunburnt country despite everything.

Reaching up from the faded dun earth  on either side of the narrow road are the burnt black skeletal remains of  larger trees. Their thin, gnarled branches  stripped of  leaves plead in frozen dance. 

Every now and then, a small group of bottle trees appears, strangely fecund in this barren place.

 

From my passenger’s window I note that the clouds are travelling fast beside me…with me in fact… as if we are companions on a quest.  But on reaching the crest, well ahead of me, they are absorbed into the now thin, drab line of the landscape.  It’s then I notice a dark purple haze of smoke in the distance.

 

Silhouettes of small trees emerge once more, peaking over the oncoming crest. They wave and beckon like sirens luring us onwards.  Perhaps Alpha will be on the other side of that crest?…my son and I have been on the road for eight hours…and I have endured over four hours of Hip Hop music…a true sign of a mother’s love!

Bush Bride pictures

Bush Bride 2013

Lost 2013

The Big Pineapple Bride

My most recent addition to the series that started with the New Mexico exchange exhibition.  Our landscape is infested with creations such as the Big Pineapple, the Big Banana, the Big Prawn and so on.

They are cropping up everywhere, much to my horror.

C

Birthday

I spent another lovely day at Coonar Beach celebrating my birthday with friends.  The day inspired me to look back to  the last time I had visited.  Check out this link for the post I called 'Capturing Coonar'.

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7177501782029618908#editor/target=post;postID=6265983663191208338;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=3;src=link

Australia

Below is a short blog I posted for my New Mexican friends. I thought you might like to see my latest digital artwork.

Australia is a constitutional monarchy.  Our figurehead is the British Queen, Elizabeth 2.  Many of our countrymen and women would like to see Australia become a Republic. Others enjoy the 'pomp and ceremony' and history that we share with the 'Motherland', as people once called Britain. This, my most recent work, is titled 'Flora's Crown'.

A busy week ahead

Clinton's exhibition was well attended with quite a few sales on the night and even more in the following days. 

Music was provided by Mitchell Browne, a multi-talented, musician, singer, dancer, actor, now studying Psychology on the Gold coast. Mitchell was accompanied by Bryant Barnett.  They played an impressive range of instruments from electric guitars to saxophone and cello.

Mitchell had us completely enchanted with his rendition, in French, of an Edith Piaf classic.

Sam McKenna, another of the Linen's faithful young fans was also in town, and came by to visit us, as did Joe Saxby.  Joe is another very talented young singer/songwriter.

It is quite remarkable, the amount of talent Bundaberg is turning out, and it's hard to  see our young friends leave for the cities for their studies.  But they  come back and visit us at the Linen,  and that is wonderful.

Tomorrow I have a photoshoot with Sam.  A good opportunity to catch up on her news.   Talk soon!

Mitchell Browne

 

 

 

 

 

Mitchell and Sam catch up with their favourite (ex) teacher

Petrina McDonald.

 

James

Attached are some photographs I took of my friend composer, singer, musician - James.

Clinton Cross - Works on Paper 3

Clinton Cross is setting up an exhibition  in my Dirty Linen Artspace.  'Works on Paper 3', will feature several established artists from interstate.        The exhibition opens at 5.30pm this Friday the 13th Dec.   Free nibbles and drinks.

Welcoming artists Angela Brennan ( Roslyn Oxley and Niagara gallery ), Bianca Beetson. ( QUT lecturer of indigenous studies and artist ), Louise Tuckwell ( Damien Minton gallery - Sydney ), Rebecca Pearson ( gallery 9 Sydney ), Shane Drinkwater ( Rex Livingston Art dealer Sydney ), Selwyn Rodda ( Damien Minton gallery Sydney.)


There will be a Christmas party after the opening.  Please bring a plate.  Should be lots of fun.  See you there!   cx  

 Attached are works on paper by Louise Tuckwell. 

Chilling out!

At last it's time to chill out a little.  All my major projects are finished for the year, so I can relax a bit before Xmas.

I wanted to tell you more about my time at The Edge. 

I am so grateful to Flying Arts and The Edge for sponsoring the Digital Art Award  at the recent Qld Regional Art Awards.  My prize was a  fully funded two week residency at The Edge. 

The Edge is part of the State Library of Qld, and it  allows the opportunity to experiment across the arts, technology, science  and enterprise.

You can reserve a bay window (overlooking the cityscape and Brisbane River) for solo or group work.  Book a mac to use specialist creative software and record, edit and mix music in Lab 3.

There are free beginners workshops in the basics of design, film animation, music recording and  more.   You can pay for one on-one tutoring by appointment also.

You can meet up with collaborators and a creative community. A range of meet-ups take place in the space for face-to-face networking or you can join them on Facebook and Twitter.

edgeqld.org.au

Daniel Flood and his staff do a great job and are very friendly and supportive.

During my stay I had tutoring to improve my key framing skills, and I  attended two workshops relating to Video  mapping.  I also made myself familiar with some of the best software on the market today.  I'm not yet up to learning  that software, but I will get there some day with the help of the folk of The Edge.

Since my return home, I have been trawling the net for more video mapping  information.

Attached is a video of a very basic mapping I have made with simple software on my iPad!!.    What next!!!???   This video looks to the rear of my studio, with 4 plinths close to the front.    

 cx

Projections of the Past

What a great night!  the event attracted about 300 people and received much favourable comment.  The threatening rain did not arrive.
Thanks to Brad And Steve for your support and assistance,  and Greg as well.

The 'Projections of the Past' project was initiated by the Bundaberg City Council.  I was engaged to develop the project. It was part of the celebrations of Bundaberg  becoming a city one hundred years ago.  The event was held in the Bundaberg CBD at Buss Park.

On the evening I had both the historical video and a second video playing in different areas of the park.  The Boardgames video I produced a couple of months back.

I'm so happy that things went well and I had some wonderful comments from so many folk.

Dinner out with friends topped off a brilliant day.   cx

Above:  My good friend Brad(Right) and new friend Steve.  They helped me so much.  Below is a still looking at the historical projection on the brick wall. Also below is a very short video that captured images of both projections.

 

 

Bundaberg Centenary celebrations

Saturday night will be a momentous occasion for me, as I will be presenting  Projections of the Past: a selection of historical photographs from the Library  archives.

These images will be projected onto the side of the Civic Centre, which coincidentally was the site for the first projection Brad and I did two or three years ago.

I have been having problems again with the video hanging soon after it starts... and I get a black screen. .  I think it's because my Apple, and Adobe Photoshop gear doesn't want to mix with Windows Movie Maker.  However, I seem to have converted the file to a Quicktime movie and things are going along nicely at present.

It would be more sensible for me to stick with one editing program, but each of the three programs I use have their own unique features.  I use Windows Movie Maker for very simple videos, Adobe Premiere and Movie Plus6 .  Of the three I find MoviePlus 6 the most user-friendly, and it has more features.

Tomorrow I just have to join a few film clips together and I will be ready for  the showing.

I am hiring a larger projector for this occasion. 5500lumens will be better than the 3500 lumens of my projector.

I'm happy that Brad is on deck for this presentation.  He is very resourceful and will be an asset, should there be any dramas....and of course he is funny, and  a good friend.

There is the possibility of rain on Saturday evening, in which case, we will move into the Civic Centre.  The show must go on!!! I hope you can be there.  cx

Attached is a picture  of one of Bundaberg's beautiful old buildings, that has been converted to a backpackers facility.

Beautiful Brisbane

Even more news from The Edge

My week has been filled with long walks to The Edge…down by the river, where the 'Biomechanical Pelicans' live. Long spiky lizards abound there in the scrub, watching your every move…still as statues unless you come too close. Kids call them 'Frillys', though there is nothing Frilly about them. They should be called 'Spikys'.  I like lizards. As I child I used to keep Blue Tongued lizards.  I was a strange child.

The river is full of charming River Hoppers… small  ferries that you  can hop on and off at various docks along the Brisbane River.  The big City Cats (catamarans) glide silent and serene across the glistening water against the big city backdrop and rugged cliff faces.   I feel the temptation to paint those cliff faces, but immediately dismiss that idea as ridiculous…I am no longer  a painter.

River noises are muted by the never ending drone of traffic.  It spoils the ambience of this otherwise  picturesque scene.  There is the constant sound of heavy breathing of the ubiquitous joggers  as they pound the  riverside pavements in droves, intermixed with the ardent lycra clad streamlined helmeted bike riders, who all appear to be training for the Tour de France.  One must be as alert as a lizard on and around the bikeways or one is likely to get skittled!!

Seriously though, the Southbank walk and bikeways are a great asset and allow for interesting outings…and I love Brisbane.

Days at The Edge can swing between great and frustrating.  Great when I have learnt something new.  Frustrating when I realise how much I don't know.  I will persevere.    c x

 

Amon Tobin

  

Check out that link to see a most amazing projection extravaganza!    cx   Thanks to Dan Cook for showing this video last week.

More news from The Edge

Tuesday was a treat for me. The morning, I spent sampling some of the many software programs available for people to use.  Top of the range versions…..so intimidating!  Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Final Cut Pro, After Effects and so on.   The computer screens are completely covered in icons.
It made my day when I was able to rotate an object across the screen in Adobe After Effects!!!

In the evening, I was able to attend a wonderful lecture by Dan Cook, who has created projections for the Opera House,  Vivid and many other amazing projects.

Dan showed us some videos of the outstanding projects that people around the world have done.  So inspiring!


Dan told us the history to date of projections and also provided some very useful practical advice too.
This lecture is to be followed up by a couple of workshops, where we will be building prototype laser projectors, for mapping small objects.

I can see where my art practice is heading!

On the occasional evening that I am home early in the evening,  this is the view of Brisbane that I am fortunate to enjoy from my son's apartment by the river.  

Sometimes I think I am dreaming!!!


Till soon,      Cx

The Edge

Sunday morning arrived and I had the short flight to Brisbane.  I was curious to  see from high up in the air,  if the rivers were still muddy brown,  churned up as they had been by recent flooding.  The land is very forgiving it seems, because all appeared  to be in order.....for now.

Silver spangled rivers gently meandered towards a sparkling sea on a glorious Queensland morning. 'Beautiful one day-perfect the next.' as the saying goes.

On Monday, my first meeting was with the the Edge's boss, Daniel Flood, after 12, so I had arranged to meet the very talented photographer, Keith Carey in the morning.  We had a very nice time sipping our coffees on the river bank, and chatting about the possibilities of Keith  exhibiting at Dirty Linen some time in the future.

(That upside down elephant sculpture is growing on me.)

In the afternoon, Daniel gave me the grand tour of The Edge's brilliant facilities, which include everything a technology geek like myself could possibly dream of, from a huge room full of massive Apple computers, to sound studios, to auditoriums and so much more.  All accessible to  the public at very little , or no cost.   Their goal, simply stated, is to promote new technologies and also to support scientific endeavour..

Daniel and I discussed  what was possible for The Edge to provide for me in the way of tuition.  the outcome of that meeting was very positive, and I will come away a great deal more skilled than I have been in the past.  This is a wonderful opportunity for me, thanks to 'The Edge', and the Flying Arts organisation.

I am keen to catch up with Flying Arts Jenny Jones and co soon.

More news tomorrow.       cx

Off to Brizvegas!!

I will be on an early flight to Brisbane tomorrow, to start my residency at The Edge on Monday.  It is going to be an exciting fortnight.

I have spent the day on the computer as always.   I am trying to  finalise  my video for the Bundaberg Centenary celebrations   which will occur a few days after my return from Brisbane.....cutting it fine!

The video is coming along quite nicely.  I have had to access the library archives for this project.  Much of the historical material has been damaged even before it has been recorded, which is a shame.

Anyway, I will have to make do. I will let you know how things go in Brisbane.


Talk art soon.  cx

Re post

http://christineaturner.blogspot.com.au/2011/01/honours-for-alan.html

I am just re posting this blog link, as my son Alan is in Afghanistan again, doing a wonderful job!    This was a post about his achievements in 2011.  We can't wait to have him safely home.  He made a brief appearance on a recent episode of  Foreign Correspondent.

Latest digital works

A beautiful friend posed for me a couple of days ago.  Attached is one of the striking images that came out of that photoshoot.

Wide Bay - High Desert Project

The Wide Bay - High Desert exhibition is currently on display at the Childers Art Gallery (ChArts). Four artists from Las Cruces, New Mexico and four artists from the Wide Bay region have come together to create a fabulous exchange exhibition.

Each artist produced four works, two of which have been retained in the home gallery, and two sent to the distant gallery.

On Saturday October 12th we will celebrate the opening of the two exhibitions, simultaneously.  There will be a Skype linkup if all goes well.  A blog has been maintained over the course of the exhibition, and provides some interesting reading. Below are the four images I produced for the  project. I feel very privileged to be a part of this exciting project.  Congratulations also to Jenny Gilbertson, Trudie Leigo and Catherine Brenner  for organising this project.

 

'Special Selection"   Unsettled Gallery, Las Cruces, New Mexico

 

 

'Queensland Vacation' ChArts, Childers, Australia 

 

 

 

'Aussie Bush Bride' Unsettled Gallery, Las Cruces, New Mexico

 

 

'Arrival in  Paradise', ChArts, Childers, Australia 

 

 

The Edge

I was delighted today, to find out that I had won an award at this years Queensland Regional Art Awards.   I have been awarded a two week , fully funded residency at The Edge at the State Library in Brisbane.

'The Queensland Regional Art Awards is an annual visual arts prize and exhibition for established and emerging artists living in regional and remote Queensland. The program aims to highlight the wealth of creative talent located outside the capital city and provide a platform for further professional development.'  (Quote taken from Flying Arts website.)

I am so excited about this wonderful opportunity!    Check out the artworks on the QRAA link above.

Magic

There is a little magic in the air!  I feel it...and it's coming out in my work today.  I don't mean to sound over-confident or arrogant even, but most artists have felt the magic when it's there.  It's a good feeling, and works seem to arrive effortlessly when that feeling is there.

I've been making digital images today based on photographs I took  months ago of a very special friend.

The works are photographs of my friend merged with photographs of celestial charts.

New digital works

I took photos some months back of one of my friends and have been waiting patiently to process them.  I have just managed to find a few hours here and there in between the work I have to develop for the Bundaberg Centenary celebrations.

I love making these digital images...merging photographs with patterns, celestial charts, lace and so on.   My models are transformed by this process. Here is one of the recent works and some older work as well.  Let me know what you think about them.  cx

 

2012

2012