Invitation to Online Premiere and Artist’s Talk | An Instruction Manual on How to be Lucky

Thank you to the City of Melbourne for funding me with a Covid 19 Quick Response Grant. In amongst the delirium of isolation I have been busy creating a video which will premiere online with an accompanying artists talk in mind-June. Please stay posted as anyone in the world will be able to attend this online event.
I have arrived at the seventh art, cinema, a new space where distinct elements can be combined: sound, motion, image, potentially virtual reality.
For the last few months I have been collaborating with Cian Holt on The Treasure Hunt, an exploratory work exploring the cultural impact of mining in Western Australia. This is my first experience at making a truly collaborative work and our first attempt at a film.
The Three Great Gods in the Sky (2017)
There seems to be a strong focus amongst Perth artists on landscape and place, something natural given the problematic colonial history and the uncomfortable feeling that Perth is, or at least until recently has been, a culturally uninteresting, socially conservative place and certainly not a place where art is appreciated, and so it is best to move to Melbourne. There have been a string of mining booms throughout Western Australia’s history which have been influential on the local culture, both directly and indirectly making us who we are today
As the figure depicted above looks out over the marshes, up at the Three Great Gods in the Sky, is she questioning the future, asking for guidance? are the gold objects in the basket an offering or have they been stolen? Is it a guilty glance towards the looming gods, or an act of defiance? Why the cape? Is this our hero or is it our villain?
Below is a short film I made on the sheer terror of existence. Make sure you turn up the volume.
Below are some photos from the Raku-firing process, which is a technique of placing glazed ceramics in a kiln for a relatively short period (approximately 1.5 hours) and then throwing them mercilessly into sawdust, which creates interesting patterns and textures.
I am taking great delight in my ceramics course and creating some 3-dimensional archetypes with clay. The “Good Omen” heralds the birth of a new artistic direction and the coming of Easter.
The above images show porcelain ceramics which are drying prior to the initial bisque firing (1000 degrees) after which they will be glazed and then again fired to stoneware quality (1360 degrees). The archetypal individuals have been placed in archetypal arrangements: “the archetypal philosophy circle” and “the archetypal power struggle”.
I will be trying to make a profit from my art, by selling it, at the Beaufort Street Festival, this 14 November 2015 in Perth. Similar endeavours have been undertaken by countless artists over the centuries and in most cases lead to failure (to make any money). Despite the unlikelihood of a profitable day, I am using this as an occasion to work on some smaller drawings and show them off on the day.
Below is my little drawing triptych “think good thoughts” inspired by the Zoroastrian creed “think good thoughts, speak good words, do good deeds”….
My painting Paisley Fantasy, which is currently being exhibited at the Bayswater Art Awards until 18 October 2015 at
The RISE
28 Eighth Ave, MAYLANDS
Monday to Sunday: 10:00am – 4:00pm
This is a painting of a dear friend of mine, who has left Perth to travel to fascinating lands where these paisleys originate from. Interestingly they call this one “estampado de bacteria” or “bacteria print” in Spanish. They also call it “Cachemira” referring to the geographic area of Kashmir. Naturally the origins of this design are disputed.
http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/trade/paisley.htm
Painting “Cottesloe” a Finalist in the Claremont Art Award 2015
Exhibition open 13 September 2015 to 25 September 2015
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
308 Stirling Highway, Claremont