Editorial KELLY HEYLEN : IMAGE BY ONA JANZEN 2
Creativity is a funny thing. We all have it, but along the way it can drift off, be squashed down or get forgotten. Whether you ve been in touch with your creativity all along, or are rediscovering it after some time apart, it s a beautiful thing to have in your life. My customers tell me every day that they wish they were creative. In the midst of all the beautiful objects in the gallery I can understand why they would say that, but the truth is you don t have to be a trained artist to be creative. You don t need to produce exhibition-quality work in order to tap into your creativity and find your flow. Humans are creative every day sometimes we all just need reminding. That s why I have started two new regular events here in the gallery events that are free, for everyone and are all about rediscovering creativity. Our first zine make and swap night and Sunday crafternoon were both opportunities to come along and play with creativity. Our zine night had people - including children - writing, drawing, and cutting and pasting, while our crafternoon had knitters, weavers, illustrators and felters sharing a chat and a cup of tea while they worked. It s a wonderful thing to be in a space of shared creativity. We can create from scratch to retain the handmade skills we re in danger of losing, or we can mend old broken things to reduce waste and excess consumption. Away from the pressure of perfection, we can practice our crafts out of joy, relaxation or for the pure satisfaction of knowing you made something with your own hands. I plan to run many more such events, and in the mean time I encourage you to get back in touch with your creativity knit in front of Netflix! Go for a bushwalk to collect specimens to draw! My personal down time is tapestry and podcasts. Whatever yours is, may it be crafty. Kelly Heylen Curator 3
Show #07 10/11 04/12 4
Group Show Uncovering Argentina I was reading an article a couple of months ago which said in the short time plastic has been around on Earth, humans have produced enough of it to completely cover the country of Argentina. It s an outrageous statistic, and one that s compounded by the fact that only 8% of all that plastic is ever recycled. This article came out not long after ABC s brilliant War on Waste got the country thinking about sustainability and thus the idea for a group show was born. Who better to examine humankind s problems and propose solutions than artists? I invited 11 local and interstate artists to consider how we might begin to deal with our plastic problem. Artists and designers Rachel Peachy and Paul Mosig, in their mixed media work Fool s Gold, have depicted the waxworm, a type of caterpillar that eats plastic, and has been posited as a solution to our plastic problem. Photographer Ona Janzen, who is of Argentinian heritage, has taken a more literal interpretation, producing a Humans have produced enough plastic to completely cover the country of Argentina. Who better to examine humankind s problems - and propose solutions - than artists? self portrait where she is covered from head to toe in plastic. Several artists have incorporated plastic into the artwork itself, raising questions about how we ascribe value and purpose to objects. Contemporary jeweller Claire Brooks has been incorporating micro-plastics into her work for several years. She combs the beach for tiny, broken up pieces of plastic which she then encases in handcrafted sterling silver boxes in her Plastic Soup series of jewellery and sculpture. This exhibition may not solve the world s problems, but I hope it does contribute to the conversation so many of us are having, about how to live more sustainably, reduce consumption of throw-away goods, and find alternative uses for the waste we do produce. 5
Uncovering Argentina Catalogue Æ SHED Heidi Axelsen biodegradable plastic, fennel seeds Æ HIKARI REJIBUKURO (SHOPPING BAG LIGHT) Georgia Blackie plastic shopping bags, upcycled lamp parts Æ RELIQUARY TO DETRITUS I - VI Victoria Bramwell-Davis stoneware, porcelain Æ PLASTIC SOUP SCULPTURE I III Claire Brooks found beach plastic, shell, mild steel Æ PLASTIC SOUP BROOCH Claire Brooks found beach plastic, shell, sterling silver, acrylic Æ PLASTIC SOUP RING I III Claire Brooks found beach plastic, shell, sterling silver, acrylic Æ DEATH BY PLASTIC Madeleine Chalfant coral, mirror, Tasmanian oak, beach plastic, silver Æ REGALIA FOR A DEAD REEF Saskia Everingham wool, wire, plastic Æ THE EIGHT PERCENT Grace Hobson porcelain Æ TWO WEEKS: SELF PORTRAIT Ona Janzen photographic print, 100% cotton photo-rag Æ FOOL S GOLD Rachel Peachy & Paul Mosig found paper, found plastic, graphic, oil pastel Æ COMPOUND THOUGHT Kevina-Jo Smith upcycled plastic, linen, cotton thread 6
7 RELIQUARY TO DETRITUS BY VICTORIA BRAMWELL-DAVIS : IMAGE BY BEN PEARSE
TWO WEEKS: SELF PORTRAIT BY ONA JANZEN 8
9 PLASTIC SOUP BY CLAIRE BROOKS : IMAGE BY PERTH PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY
Show #08 ARTIST KEVINA-JO SMITH : IMAGE BY LOUISA CLAYTON 08/12 08/01 10
Kevina-Jo Smith Women and Rhythm I m really interested in the power women display in everyday acts, and how this has an impact on the people around them, says artist Kevina-Jo Smith. I am also intrigued by the way women adorn themselves; the way colour, texture and symbolism is evident in cultures all over the world. Women seem to encompass both history and modernity; tradition and invention sometimes without even being aware they re doing it. Three years in the making, Women and Rhythm makes use of materials originally collected as a way for Kevina to process thoughts of life, death, and renewal, after the death of her mother. Kevina has transformed these materials of women s adornment, including kimonos, buttons and bone, into works that reflect women s strength, identity, sharing and power. Women and Rhythm is an exercise in processing the strength given to me by other women particularly those around me after my mother passed away, says Kevina. These women have It s an exercise in processing the strength given to me by other women, through shared experience and mutual understanding. There is much power in the way women impart their skills and knowledge to other women. given me invaluable strength through shared experience and mutual understanding. There is much power in the way women impart their skills and knowledge to other women. The work in this exhibition is inspired by the framework of life; the strengths and weaknesses within humans and the way we support each other. For me, this work represents the time to get up and move on with life. I hope people come away from the exhibition with a renewed sense of the power of sharing whether it s as simple as sharing recipes and passing down life skills, or as complex as breaking down misunderstandings between cultures. 11
Show #09 ARTIST CHRISSIE POWELL : IMAGE BY ROBERT FROST 12/01 04/02 12
Chrissie Powell Birth of Maximalism Throughout my life I ve faced pressure to be a lot of things that I simply am not, says artist and fashion designer Chrissie Powell. Seeking a tribe, a safe space where I can be the things that I am, has given me an often warped, anxiety-ridden and lonely perspective on self expression. This exhibition puts a spotlight on all the soft, squishy, vulnerable parts of me that I ve largely kept under wraps in the name of self preservation. Birth of Maximalism is a joyful explosion of colour, a celebration of eccentricity and uniqueness, by way of wearable art. Chrissie uses colour, pattern and texture to challenge viewers to try on a new persona and embrace their inner vibrancy. We all wear a layer of protection between our bodies and the world around us, and we are all judged and analysed based on how we do it, says Chrissie. So our choices might as well convey who we really are and for me, I am a terminally unique freak. Each of Chrissie s artworks begins with colour and fabric as the jumping off point, followed by traditional draping, patterning and sewing techniques. The handmade woven and appliqud trims and details she creates help to elevate the work and flesh out the story of why they have come to exist. My process is organic, with pieces often ending up in quite a different place than where they began. The process mimics my own story, really, which is a journey towards a genuine understanding of myself and the space I occupy in the world. Like these artworks, mine is a world I am chiselling out, that I am insisting upon. It is a colourful, queer, explosion of joy. When people look at my work, I hope they will get the sense that no matter how solitary they feel, there is a tribe of people who will embrace them for exactly who they are. Birth of Maximalism is an exhibition of wearable art and textiles. Chrissie invites you to try on the work and perhaps discover and embrace your own inner freak. 13
Maker Spotlight: Sondi When the mononymous Sondi took her first jewellery class in 1978, she was immediately bitten. I loved the metal. I loved the tools. And I loved making, she said. Almost 40 years later, Sondi shows no sign of slowing down her incredible practice, with her bold, instantly recognisable style making her one of Australia s best known contemporary jewellers. I construct, rather than cast, all my pieces. The more complicated the better. I usually start by making the metal, either a bi-metal or Mokume Gane a Japanese woodgrain metal technique. Sondi s collection at Platform features her bi-metal, and married metal constructions, where she creates a new metal from 24ct gold and oxidised sterling silver, before turning it into wearable pieces of art. All of this is done in Sondi s studio overlooking the bush in Wentworth Falls. Whether it s the golden reflection of the winter sun hitting the escarpment, or the Waratahs sprouting outside her window in spring, the Blue Mountains provides a constant source of inspiration for Sondi s work. My studio is adjacent to my home in an isolated bush setting. This peaceful and regenerative atmosphere clearly influences my designs. And being a more mature practitioner has also relaxed and freed me, allowing my work to become more open over the years. Indeed, over the years Sondi has featured in more than 50 group and solo exhibitions, as well as being one of only a handful of Australian contemporary jewellers to feature in the book 500 Brooches. She is also known for her weekend wedding workshops, where couples join Sondi to make their own wedding bands, as well as her limited edition pieces and commissions. 14
I construct, rather than cast, all my pieces. The more complicated the better. I usually start by making the metal by hand, either a bi-metal or Mokume Gane a Japanese woodgrain metal technique. work my clients are passionate about, that they will proudly wear for a long time. I love having students in my studio, with their excitement and willingness to have a go. Once you are bitten by the jewellery bug, it never really leaves you. WENTWORTH FALLS CONTEMPORARY JEWELLER SONDI Working with people is such a huge part of what I do. I love using my skills to create You can find Sondi s collection of chokers, pendants and earrings at Platform. 15