Friday, September 25, 2015

As If: 40 Years and Beyond Celebrating Womens Art Register

I have been the convenor of Women's Art Register for the last fifteen years, we are very excited to be celebrating our 40th anniversary this year with a fabulous festival that includes several exhibitions throughout Melbourne along with some workshops and artist walks. We will be hanging the member show on Monday and will really brighten up the space at the Queen Victoria Women's Centre in Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. The image we are using for all of our publicity is this piece by one of our founders Erica Mc Gilchrist.

Image: Erica McGilchrist, Trio, 1970, from the series Enigmas,
synthetic polymer paint on canvas,152.5 x 122 cm © Estate of Erica McGilchrist.
AS IF: 40 Years and Beyond

Celebrating the Women's Art Register

11 August to 7 November 2015

An arts festival with 13 free events across Melbourne

In 2015, the Women’s Art Register celebrates 40 years of persisting and insisting that women’s art matters. To honour this remarkable achievement, we are hosting a curated mini-festival of women’s artmaking, showcasing a dazzling array of women’s artistic contributions to the cultural landscape.
This one-off program is bold, diverse and exciting. Enmeshing the old and new, here and there, now and then, the project responds to the notion of AS IF (as if we’d still be here, I will continue to make art as if it is vital).              The series of events, zig-zagging across the City of Melbourne and the City of Yarra, will include up to 100 emerging, mid-career and established artists across all art forms. The program engages artist and audience, actively presenting a re-envisaging of Melbourne’s cultural life by women artists.
 
Please join us to Celebrate!
For further event information and bookings visit

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Contemporary Art Society and Jelly Prints

I started writing this about two weeks ago but life and commitments got in the way. I have two works in the Contemporary Art Society annual members show that is on at the moment at Gallery 341 that is at 341 Church Street Richmond. I will be there on Thursday 24 September after 11 am until 2-3 pm. Here is one of the pieces I entered.
Untitled Collage 42 x 30 cm



I have been having a lot of fun lately with gelatine prints. A few weeks ago we had a weekend away in Anglesea for the Surf Coast Arts Trail and saw a demonstration of gelatine printing in the Anglesea Art Shed. I had to try it out on the spot and I was hooked. I came home and made myself a couple of gelatine plates and have made lots of beautiful pages. It works particularly well on smooth handmade paper. Here are just a few of the pieces I made. 

I have had so much fun with this that I have offered to run a workshop for Papermakers of Victoria next year.
Shadow print of leaves and string

Double print of leaves and string

several over prints with plastic shapes and orange bag

Plastic shapes again

Indian wood block

Printed directly onto card, leaves and string

Collage using the pieces I made in Anglesea along with some silk and handmade papers