Friday 28 December 2012

Summer time...

So I blinked, and it was December...

Well, December by the time I have gotten around to sharing the promised images from the Sculpture On High outdoor schulpture exhibition at Hillview Estate in Exeter, which was held in November. But here they are - with a brief summary.

I loved the exhibition! I took my Mum, as the boys were a bit over sculpture by now - who knew?, and we escaped a potentially claustraphobic, and possibly volitile extended family situation (everyone in the house together for the weekend). We pondered the sculptures and rambled around the beautiful homestead, outbuildings and grounds of Hillview. Spectacular! 

I think the event was clearly modelled on Sculpture by the Sea, which to be truthful, is what we are all modelling our sculpture events on - with respect! My thinking is to begin with something which is done well, give it a shot and then personalise it to your situation/location/audience and purse size. 

I loved that there was a healthy proportion of local sculptors included, what a great opportunity for them! What drove me nuts was that I was not allowed to take an exhibition catalogue - I was given one to walk around with, but had to return it. I was told all of the information was on the website. This is the second exhibition like this where it's happened - Sculpture in the Vineyards had some printing issues and so didn't have any catalogues or list of works to view which drove me INSANE. At S-in-V we were told we would be sent one in the post. Not much use when you are walking around viewing the sculptures, and I think a huge dis-service to the artists whose work was on exhibition - as a stop gap, why didnt they quickly run off some black and white photocopies and keep re-using these when visitors requested a read?

Anyway, that's just me, I like to take a catalogue or brochure home, I re-read them and keep them for reference and use them as starting points for research material when I'm curating a show of my own. Old school. I can (and do!) also use the website and the QR codes, etc etc, but I like the catalogue.

One of the great things at S-on-High, was the sand sculpture hands on area for kids...brilliant. And I felt each sculpture was pretty thoughfully and well placed.

So, my highlights -


 Truck, Dave Ball

 Solar, Philip Walker

 Of earth and man, Mark McClelland

 Hillview Moon, Judy Coverdale-Fronsnova

 Catching the moon in a bed of roses, Judy Coverdale-Fronsnova

Still Life 1 and Still Life 2, Dave Ball

 Dual Cultural Communication, Britta Stennmans

 Tsunami 2, Jacek Wankowski

 Containment, Dave Ball

The Four Winds, Philip Walker

 Global Peace Unit - 2006, Geoffrey Farquhar-Still

Clinging to the Moon, Judy Coverdale Fronsnova

and my vote for the favourite....Ghost Trio, Philip Walker.

Some details from around the property...







With sculpture out of the way, there have been birthdays (three...and one to come), Year Six graduations, end of year shenanigans and Christmas. We have all had a lovely time, I got a bonus week off before the kids finished school and frittered it away with cooking, a TINY amount of cleaning, and some Christmas shopping! One day I went back to bed once all the boys were out of the house!

We have managed a very relaxed, low key Christmas with our main goal now being to get to the ocean for a dip as often as possible. The boys begged for our traditional tree and all its trimmings back this year, which they got. Next year however, I am ruling with an iron fist and demanding my tree installation of weathered, lichen covered branches and ornaments of wood, shell, paper and tin. It has a much more relaxed, natural feel to it.

My friends run the full gamut from Christmas nuts (all-embracing, all-excitable) to those who are conscientious objectors (trying to ignore the commercial Christmas going on around them)...I think I fall in the middle. Sitting on the fence...I enjoy Christmas for the chance to catch up with family, send good wishes and take the opportunity to give and share, because we dont make the effort at other times of the year. The thing I feel really strongly about is making some Australian Christmas traditions...I'm not into the hot pudding or the snowmen. Actually I really dont like that because I think its so unlike our Christmas season, so I try to wrap and decorate with things a bit more like an Australian summer...blue, sand, gums etc. rather than snowflakes, sleds and the like. 

I'm signing off...the waves are calling...
XNell

 


 


 


 



 
 

Monday 12 November 2012

What a long, empty stretch it has been!

I have had the best intentions of sharing all things botanical, sculptural and domestic over the past few months but it seems I was too busy doing them to blog about them!

I have truly immersed myself (and the boys) in outdoor sculpture this year, as a direct and concerted effort to "get" the aesthetics and the practicalities of curating and delivering a successful exhibition of outdoor sculptures. I have one scheduled in my gallery program for next year. It turns out to be a great way to engage the boys in art (they are not overly keen to be bothered visiting galleries, or making their own creations) and we have been able to ponder, problem solve, critique and enjoy many, many works positioned artfully in the great outdoors.

Since Sculpture in the Gaol, we have visited the world-renowned Sculpture by the Sea in Sydney and last weekend I also popped up to the Hunter Valley to see Sculpture in the Vineyards.

Here's some pics from Sculpture by the Sea, installed along the iconic coastal walking track from Bondi to Bronte beaches.


Toshio Iuzumi, m.120901

 
 Karin van der Molen, Surprise.

 
 Sandy Bliim, Clytie.

 Alex Ritchie, Kaleidoscope cube.


 above and below - Pierre Cavalan, We are more similar than we are different.


 Warwick, Ben and Sam Orme, Where do the children play?

 Elyssa Sykes-Smith, Weight pulls me down, strength pulls me up.

 Paul Trefry, Knot Standing 

 Jennifer Cochrane, Cubes.

 Rachel Couper & Ivana Kuzmanovska, Mirador.

 Patricia Prociv, Love.

 Dion Horsstmans, Moonfire.

 Dave Mercer, View tm.

 Rico Eastman, crosshatch (murmation)

 Tom de Munk-Kerkmeer, luchtkasteel

Staccato, Poom.

And from Sculpture in the Vineyards, in various locations within the quaint Wollombi Valley.

 
 Kazuko Chalker, Who Are We? (In Between-ness)

 Ro Murray, Moonflower

 above and below - Madeleine Hayes, Donut Collection


 Belinda Clarke, Minutea

 Nardja Williams, Custodians

 Al Phemister, Dandelions

 Jenny Green, Beautopia

 Leah Bullock, Imagine

 Ro Murray, Chrysalid

 Will Coles, Sushi Fish

 Jesse Graham, Kelly's Wardrobe

Anthony Sawrey, Hopscotch

With two great travelling companions, and a beautiful heritage house to stay in, the Hunter Valley weekend was such a treat. We called Maitland home for the two nights and it was a real surprise - over the top ornate public buildings, shopfronts and residences and a real creative, vibe going on.  We did a spot of shopping (!) and visited the Maitland Regional Gallery which turned about to be another surprise. At least three great exhibitions on show, a fabulous gift shop and a delightful and delicious cafe.

 



 this was a great little shop in the high street, with a wonderful selection of cards and lots of nice green and branchy ideas for christmas!
 












On a work trip during what is usually my worst (ie. busiest, craziest, out of control) month of the year, it was fantastic to be able to also fit in visits with two special people - a cousin I rarely see (and her family) and a very new friend made on Instagram. It was so great to catch up with someone who has known me forever, and someone who I have only just met!

Just to keep the balance, I did a little bit of sculpture of my own. 
I have been dreaming up these hanging botanical sculptures for a while, and had the opportunity to exhibit them as part of the Art not Apart festival in New Acton a few weekends ago. I was really pleased with them, and certainly got some appreciative comments from passers by while I was up the ladder to hang and then remove them!

 



 



 

     

I think there may be some more sculpture on the agenda this weekend - the Sculpture on High exhibition in the Southern Highlands...

Ciao
XNarelle