The big move is finished into the new studio. The studio sits in in our backyard and looks like it has always been there. Just a few final tweaks - a rainwater tank, a computer work station and it will be my forever home for creating.
It has such a fabulous vibe nestled in our garden, a mini stand of birch trees, a fish pond and a new garden near the ramp to come.
The wall of windows, a bank of lights, great acoustics, a cork underfloor makes for a happy workplace.
My much awaited studio is complete -
What was a dream is now a reality thanks to the support of my marvellous hubby Mick. Now our three grandchildren have a bedrooms to call their own.
From a rough sketch my step son Angus Pearce-Raisin made my vision into reality. Angus added some beautiful features to make the space truly special.
I am truly grateful to Brayden from Kain Construction who delivered the project on time and was happy to go along with the ideas as they evolved during construction.
My solo exhibition at the Walkway Gallery is a culmination of three years work. In 2019 I was fortunate to secure a $10,000 Step Up grant from the Australian Regional Arts fund via Country Arts South Australia for my project “Hungry Like A Wolf”. This good fortune coincided with a life changing event, my husband Mick and I became permanent kinship guardians to our three grandchildren then aged 5, 3 and 18 months old. Our world was tipped upside down and I thought my art practice had finished before it had event started. Thanks to the fabulous staff at Country Arts SA I was able to find a way to undertake my project fully within my new framework. In August 2019 I worked with mentors Jimmy Dodd and Heath Franco during a ten day residency at ACE Open, Adelaide. This was a fabulous opportunity that deepened my resolve to continue creating and stretching myself.
In January 2020 our little family moved to Tasmania for a financial opportunity to help us support our growing family. Like many plans this was stymied by COVID, which meant we had to return home to Mount Gambier in November the same year. Despite these obstacles and the challenges of raising three children now aged 9,7 and 5 with the support of Mick and the art community I have been able to complete my Step Up grant and produce a body of work that reflects the journey of the past few years.
Thank you to Naomi Fallon, Director of the Walkway Gallery whose unwavering belief and support has helped me bring this body of work together. I hope this exhibition moves you, puzzles you and creates conversation today and into the future.
Good evening
I too would like to acknowledge we are standing on Bindjali land and wish to recognise elders and leaders past, present and emerging and their deep connection to country. I also wish to recognize the land of Bunganditj people of the land on which I live and create.
To say that I am excited to be exhibiting at the Walkway Gallery would be an understatement. Many of the Tatiara locals may have seen Mick, my husband and I at openings and events at the gallery; both pre-covid and recently. We are great fans of the gallery and it’s Director Naomi.
I feel very privileged to have this opportunity and it has been a long time in the making.
In 2019 I received a Country Art SA grant through the federal government Regional Arts Fund. This grant was to support my blooming practice, to take it to the next step. I was all set to embark on a trip of discovery with the assistance of two mentors James Dodd of Adelaide and Heath Franco of Sydney.
The same month I received this ten thousand dollar grant - Mick and I suddenly became fulltime parents to our three grandchildren Nevaeh, Owen and Bobbi, then aged 5,3 and 17 months. Suddenly we were thrust back into the world of sleepless nights, toilet training, teething, packing school lunches - all that entails raising kids.
I have to admit I did despair.
I thought my chance to be the artist I aspired to be had been stolen from me. I had to reboot and find my mojo again and this was possible with the mentoring I received from Jimmy and Heath, the support of ACE Open, the Country Arts team and my friends and community.
In 2020 Mick and I took the kids to Tassie for a year, with me still wondering if I would every write the acquittal for my funding and feel like I had achieved anything. So fast forward….
To November last year …. there is nothing like a challenge to get the creative juices going, so in the space of a week I suddenly had an opportunity to exhibit in the summer group show at Karatta Wines in Robe and to have my first solo exhibition at the Walkway Gallery. Both opportunities had been on my wish list. What’s the saying if you’ve got a job that needs doing - give it to a busy person.
I also want to take this opportunity to thank some important people in my life. Firstly my husband, whose steadfast belief in me and my art practice gives me strength everyday. Mick is also my incredible studio assistant, glazing, wiring, driving trucks and making endless cups of tea.
Darren and Jo of Framing Solutions who have stored paintings, helped with problem solving and are simply great friends.
Country Arts SA through the Regional Arts Fund for financing the opportunity to learn, dig deeper and develop my practice.
To my beautiful friends here tonight who believe in me enough to buy my art work and hang it in their homes and offices – it means the world to me.
To my mentors Jimmy Dodd and Heath Franco for all the big and small things you have done for me. The fun we had together and the super random conversations that have broadened my art knowledge.
I would like to thank Jimmy Dodd wholeheartedly for writing an essay for this body of work – I hope you all take the time to read it. I am also grateful that he has agreed to open tonight’s exhibition – thank you Jimmy.
To my friends who have travelled from near and far to share this night - also
The Tatiara and District Council for supporting the arts so generously and purposefully, know that your gallery is spoken about everywhere I travel in glowing terms, so you should be very proud.
And lastly to Naomi your fabulous Director who continues to grow this gallery and the art literacy and experiences of your local community and beyond. Also to Naomi for her professional support and unwavering humour - as we have navigated our way to this full stop.
So here we are, family and friends, supporters of the arts and professional peers …I am ready to let out one very large exhalation and a wild wahoo!
So I hope you enjoy my work and get a peek into my unraveling and raveling world.
Thank you!
2019 was to be my year - year of creativity. I reduced my contact hours at work, I made a plan, I set the budget thanks to Country Arts SA , I negotiated with my mentors and booked my residency. Everything was ready to go. Then January 29 happened - I became guardian to 3 little people, and they have been with me ever since. Mick has taken a job interstate so we can support our little people into the future. I am still “Hungry Like A Wolf” the title of my Country Arts SA program of professional development.
Recently I spent 10 days at ACE Open- a residency with accommodation and a studio. This was only possible because the children’s grandfather looked after the kids in my absence with the help of their Aunty Peanut.
Heath Franco and Jimmy Dodd my mentors took me through my paces and I learnt a lot about myself, my art practice and my future approaches and projects.
So the plan became something else.... nothing less, just different.
I am so grateful for the opportunity and excited to see what comes next. HOPE!!!!
A piece of writing created for the “The Dirt” online publication - …beautiful boy. A fantastic experience working with 3 other regional writers - please read their contributions as well.
Emails flying here and there as I communicate with my mentors Heath Franco and James Dodd…
Difficult enough to organise my diary let alone fit in with others.
Off to Adelaide next week to undertake two short course at the Adelaide Central School of Art - always good to try new things and expand skills.
I am hoping to catch up with Jimmy Dodd, and get our plan in shape for 2019.
So it has begun…
After months of waiting and wondering I have been successful and received the Country Arts Step Out great of $10,000 for my project “Hungry Like A Wolf”.
I am so grateful for the opportunity that has been provided to me by the Australian Government and Country Art SA - “This project was made possible by the Australian Government Regional Arts Fund, which supports arts in regional and remote Australia.”
As a past member of the Country Arts Grants Application Panel I know just how hard it is to get projects over the line. I certainly felt the pressure of putting together the best application possible and meeting all of the criteria. The process alone was valuable in synthesising ideas regarding my future direction. Hence in 2019 I have decided to work part time - pretty fortunate to have an understanding workplace that value the pursuit of my artistic endeavour.
Now it is all a reality and I am a little terrified…
