Beside Still Waters

I drew on Phoebe Unwin’s inspiring phrase “the tongues of the subject itself,” and it opened a door to my understanding of soft whispers, gentle breezes, flow and rhythm, gentle hugs… and the still point that is more ‘me’ in style than loudly energetic. I wanted to capture this in bright, clear colour that somehow retained a peaceful and gentle voice.

Peace-filled tongues, that flow where God’s Spirit leads, and are filled with His love and presence – these are “the tongues of the subject itself.” The threads that run through time and hold our world together, which Grace Cossington-Smith called “golden threads,” are perhaps more adequately expressed visually as flow than threads… and I hope to capture all that within a mere painting.

101 Things to learn in art school

Drawing black-on-black is one of the 101 things to learn in Art School – thus the gorgeous black-on-black vase from Eumundi, and Kit White’s wisdom published in black-and-white. But the number 1 thing to learn and hold onto is engraved in stone… FAITH!

Believe…

You CAN do this!

Just… begin!

Dr Stewart Woods

Down-to-earth environmental enthusiast, University course-designer / lecturer / tutor, family man, cheeky pioneer, human rights advocate, potter of fairy castles, AND ludology-focused PhD! This only begins to describe Stewart Woods – the subject of Archibald entry 2016.

My greatest hurdle as far as the portrait was concerned was his complex diversity of interests and expertise – it was difficult to decide what to focus on. I oscillated from thinking of incorporating board game imagery / graphics… but then leaned towards environmental ‘Stewart-ship’ … and then leaned towards writing and education and books and all things ‘Stew-dious’ … and then towards salt-of-the-earth pottery combined with fantasy which is Merwood Pottery – but I HAD TO limit my focus. It was impossible to incorporate it all! Dr Stewart Woods is the contemporary Renaissance Man.  In the flesh.

Art and Technology converge

In the process of my  BA (Fine Art) studies through Curtin University, a Core unit is Web Communications (WEB101).  It is this unit that has provided me with the tools, knowledge, encouragement and determination to conquer the mountain and build this website(!), and a cohesive web presence.

It is here that I have experienced the frustration, exasperation, and sheer exhilaration of that space where art and technology converge.  It is in this space that I have repeatedly had to dig deeper into my personal resources and reserves – in terms of persistence, adaptability, and creativity (thinking outside the box) – and engage in the mind-bending, back-breaking, head-splitting world of Web2.0 and its tools and technologies.  It is in this space that I have spent day after day, and night after night, pressing in towards the goal of learning to create a website that I am therefore able to administer myself – which will enable me to continuously present a current portfolio of my artwork to the world.  It is in this space where I have had to experiment and, by trial and error, combine unfamiliar elements in the hope of initiating some sort of alchemy.  And it is in this space that I have experienced elation and satisfaction and amazement as I witness what begins to unfold – something tangible, beautiful, ephemeral yet timeless… and unspeakably beyond my known capabilities. Read More

Exhibition Outcomes

My RADF Grant-funded body of work found its way into the world via the “Attention to de tale” exhibition in January.

The aim of every artist is to get the work out into the world, to engage in dialogue with humanity, or express depths or experiences beyond words.  There is none I know that aim, or intend, to merely gather the work in a barn, or on their own walls.  It’s like having an adult child – it’s good and healthy that they have to make their way out into the world, and make a contribution of some sort to society and humanity.

As an artist, I am represented by a number of galleries, which enables my work to continuously be presented to the public – but the solo exhibition offers something very precious in the form of the opportunity to personally connect with viewers, purchasers and collectors of one’s work.  “Attention to de tale” opened doors for the art to be seen by more than 300 people. Read More

Art is for everyone

Art is for everyone!  This is a short video clip of an unlikely visitor to my exhibition.  He certainly seemed to pay great attention to de tale 🙂 – and what isn’t on record is the generous contribution he left behind for me…