terrain: mapping strathnairn land art event 11 may –...
TRANSCRIPT
Terrain: Mapping Strathnairn Land Art Event 11 May – 26 May 2013
Images by Lynne Johnson, Gabriella Hegyes, Maryann Mussared
TERRAIN: Mapping StrathnairnLand art Event11 May – 26 May 2013
Terrain will be formally launched byRobyn Archer, Creative Director, Centenary of Canberra
Saturday 11 May 2013 at 4pm
Strathnairn Homestead Gallery90 Stockdill Dr, Holt ACT 2615
TERRAIN is a multi-layered project of ‘selected’ land art installations at Strathnairn Arts Association Holt, ACT. TERRAIN will include a broad program of activities for community participation to extend the theme of exploring the environment supported by two artists in residence; Phil Nizette and Jennifer Jones from Wellspring Environmental Arts and Design and community artist-in-residence Gabriella Hegyes. Community participation will specifically include youth and community groups and the membership of Strathnairn as volunteers (currently more than 120) and extended regional community and arts networks.
Gabriella HegyesArtist in residence 14 April – 26 May 2013
Solo exhibition trace/retrace Homestead Gallery 11 May – 26 May
She will also be assisting 4 community groups to create installations for Terrain:
•Canberra Region Feltmakers•Canberra Mothercraft Society, Queen Elizabeth II Family Centre - the Wednesday Knitter’s Group
who came together 10 years ago and started knitting for the needy following the fires of 2003•NetWorks Australia – a group of professional artists from across Australia and England with
multi – disciplinary practices, inspired by concepts and materials relating to nets and networking•Students from the Textile Department of the Australian National University
Other activities and workshops
•Bird Hide construction at Strathnairn designed by Wellspring Environmental Arts and Design 20 – 21 April•Children’s workshop with Gabriella Hegyes Belconnen Art Centre 17 April•Adult workshop with Gabriella Hegyes Belconnen Art Centre 5 May•8 community workshops with Gabriella Hegyes and some of the artists who have created the installations
for Terrain Land art Event at Strathnairn. Dates: 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 May
Further information: www.strathnairn.com.au www.belconnenartcentre.com.au
Gabriella Hegyes was born in Hungary in1954 and settled in Australia in 1977
She studied fine arts at Wollongong, the National Art School, University of Western Sydney and Monash University. Gabriella has participated in numerous solo and selected group exhibitions around Australia, Japan, Mexico and Poland. She has curated several exhibitions and developed and coordinated a number of community public art projects. Her 21 years of teaching experience include fine art and design at tertiary level as well as workshops for communities, regional galleries and schools.
Her previous artist in residencies include Belconnen Art Centre Canberra, Western NSW Local Health Network Orange, Oberon Arts Council, Manning Regional Art Gallery Taree, Muswellbrook Regional Art Centre and Albury Regional Art Centre.
Trained in sculpture, photography and print making she moved to installation based work where all these skills could be employed. She combines conventional forms of sculpture, printmaking and traditional crafts with computer manipulated images to create installations.
Her work is inspired by memory/place/identity
Email: [email protected]: 0428 455 633
Community Projects Terrain: Mapping Strathnairn Land Art Event
Remember When… Temporary installation 2013Canberra Region Feltmakers
It's SuperCosy!! Temporary Installation 2013Canberra Mothercraft Society, Queen Elizabeth II Family Centre – theWednesday Knitter’s Group who came together 10 years ago andstarted knitting for the needy following the fires of 2003
Netting Strathnairn Temporary Installation 2013Networks Australia – a group of professional artists from across Australiaand England with multi - disciplinary practices, inspired by concepts andmaterials relating to nets and networking
trace/retrace Temporary Installation 2013Gabriella Hegyes
Wool Work Temporary Installation 2013Nancy Tingey
Purple Haze Temporary Installation 2013A response to the regular invasion of Salvation Jane/Patterson’s Curse in the field below the old shearer’s quarters. A ‘carpet’ of mauve/lavender/purple will be created by the community. It is envisaged that fabric and wool will be donated to the installation, torn or cut into small strips and tied into black bird netting during the event and installed at various sites as sections are completed
Bird hide Permanent Installation 2013Design and construction by Phil Nizette and Jennifer Jones from Wellspring Environmental Arts and DesignWellspring Environmental Arts & Design is a creative collaborative partnership specialising in designing public spaces and artworks that enrich the experience of people in the built environment
A Brief History of the Canberra Region Feltmakers (CRF)
At the 3rd Southern Hemisphere Feltmakers Convergence in Bunbury WA, in 1994 participants from the east coast of Australia discussed the idea of forming a felters group and decided that Canberra would be a great place being central to regional areas in NSW. The 2 Canberra participants, Anne Willsford and Jenni Farrell came home and started the ball rolling 27 people rocked up to the first meeting! “The hat” was passed around to collect funds to cover a newsletter, postal expenses and room hire. At the next meeting 15 members subscribed $15 each and a bank account was opened. These women worked tirelessly- ran workshops, shared all they knew about felt, began the shop, promoted the group usually by doing felting at markets etc. which is often the way people become interested and join the group.
Membership grew. Members decided to make a group project and the “Rainbow Tepee” was conceived and the tepee became the group’s logo. CRF started a library which also continues to this day. CRF hosted the 4th Southern Hemisphere Convergence and finished the tepee (displayed at the event). The camaraderie that grew as felters worked on this massive project provided strong roots for the group.
CRF held their first exhibition Rapt in Felt in1997 which continues to be held annually with a bazaar and a fashion parade Sydney member Joan Fisher published the only Australian felt making book “Exploring Felting” which included CRF member’s felts.
In 1998 Martien Van Zuilen involved the CRF members in the making of a traditional Mongolian yurt. A 3 metre by 3 metre panel was felted from hand carded raw fleece using cold water with no soap. This was then hand rolled for hours! The panel was put into an Australia wide project. CRF runs workshops with both overseas and local tutors and members today continue to become involved with other community groups and projects. These include teaching felting in nearby towns, at schools, community centres and having a presence at events for e.g. the disability festival at Queanbeyan, the Folk Festival (where we not just sell felted pieces but become a part of the festival by running community felt workshops), Canberra show where felt now has its own section and where we run demonstrations throughout the show, Canberra Bus Depot Markets, Boorawa running of the Sheep.
Many members are also involved in other textiles.
CRF’s first annual retreat at a ski lodge at Jindabyne, began in 1999 and continues to this day
In 2003 as a result of the Canberra bushfires the tepee was burnt, however from this the TEPEE challenge commenced - an annual event where members receive a bag of wool, fabric, beads, etc., in miss matched colours and the “challenge” is to use it all in a felt creation to be judged at the Xmas party for the prize of the tepee ashes.
CRF members sponsored a textile which was on display in the ‘Sari to Sarong’ exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia.
We have existed for over 18 years and now have over 150 membersOur members are a vibrant, creative, diverse, active group of mostly women.We have much to be proud of and much more to look forward to!
The installation will consists of 5 columns of felted panels in Red, Blue, Green, Yellow/Orange, and Purple.
On the ground will be felt covered or partially felt covered objects in natural wool colour relating to Canberra’s general history and domestic objects with a connection to Canberra.
The installation is designed with 5 paths leading to the centre circle acknowledging the land. People can walk through and touch the interactive sculpture.
After Terrain Land Art Event at Strathnairn other venues will be explored for further displays of the installation; the Botanic Gardens, the Arboretum, Canberra Museum and Gallery, Folk Festival or other institutions who might be interested in displaying Remember When… Installation.
http://crfelters.org.au/
Remember When… 2013 Temporary Installation
Canberra Region Feltmakers
Concept drawings by: Jennie Curtis
Felted object by Sharyn Dyer
Image by Sharyn Dyer
In 1927 the Canberra Mothercraft Society [CMS] was born and this splendidly attired group was the governing council who planned clinics and other services for the mothers and babies of the fledgling capital of Australia.
In 2013 Canberra itself turns 100 and the QEII Family Centre run by the CMS turns 50. A year for celebrations all round. Part of the celebrations will be to honour all those who believed in the importance of the skills and crafts of motherhood and who put their professional energies and intelligence into their work. We will also be honouring some other of the Society’s traditions such as having a cuppa and working on other crafts linked over the years to motherhood. There’s the Crafts of our Mothers group that started in the late 1990s and later the Wednesday Knitters group who got together after the Canberra bushfires in 2003 to knit beanies, hats and scarves for folk who lost so much. Since then the group has continued to create, make and share all manner of items and continue to develop our skills and ideas.
We’re delighted to be one of the community groups working with Gabriella Hegyes in her residency at Strathnairn. Come along and have a cuppa with us.
Lynne Johnson and Emma Baldock2013www.cmsinc.org.au
CANBERRA MOTHERCRAFT SOCIETY
It's SuperCosy!! 2013 Temporary Installation
A large teapot encased in a tea cosy made up of many tea cosiesQueen Elizabeth II Mothercraft Society the Wednesday Knitters group
It's SuperCosy!! A cup of tea shared with others has almost super human powers. In emergency situations, in friendship groups, in family gatherings. It was there at the best of times and the worst of times, in the home, in the work place, at social functions, in the bush.A chance to sit down, take the weight off your feet, sigh deeply, have a chat, laugh, swap a story or two. Take a break.
Powerful stuff, Tea. This of course was in the days before tea bags when the humble tea pot took centre stage at the table. The teapot came in all shapes and sizes, was usually of china sometimes fine sometimes less so. Sometimes of metal, more recently aluminium. Sometimes of glass. We love our teapots and we love our tea cosies. They too come in all shapes and sizes, colours and materials, but usually they are made of wool and usually are knitted. A tea cosy handed down through the family is sometimes one of the few knitted items that is kept and treasured.
The QEII Hospital for Mothers and Babies was opened in Canberra in 1963 and this year celebrates its 50th Anniversary. There has been a strong tradition for staff and volunteers at QEII about having cups of tea, often with scones. This was not just for the morning or afternoon tea breaks but also as part of the program when mothers came in for help and support caring for their new babies.
Community artist Gabriella Hegyes has been working with the Wednesday Knitters and other QEII members this past year on several projects. One is the Bonnets to Beanies installation as part of the Canberra Gold Exhibition at Canberra Museum and Gallery, 2 February – 25 May 2013. The other is It's SuperCosy!! which will be part of Terrain a Land Art Event at Strathnairn Homestead Gallery 11 April – 26 May 2013.
*** On May 15, 10am – 4pm, at the Strathnairn Woolshed, the CMS Wednesday Knitters will be marking their 10th anniversary. The group was formed following the 2003 Canberra Bushfires when they got together to make beanies, hats and scarves to give to those who had lost so much in the fires. Since then the group has been continuing to meet and continuing to create beautiful and useful items. Come along and join in the day. Have a cuppa with us, bring your knitting and share your ideas, learn new skills as we celebrate our 10 years.
After the event, SuperCosy!!, like Superwoman, will have to return to the real world. Some of the cosies will return to their owners' treasure troves, some will be sold and some will become beanies for those needing warmth this coming Winter.
Concept collage by Lynne Johnson
Networks
The idea behind the networks project was developed by Nancy Tingey while making nets in her Strathnairn studio. The concept was then taken up by Valeria Kirk at the Australian National University who collaborated with staff at the Universities of Cumbria, UK and Turku, Finland, to create an international project. Exhibitions of Nets were held in Canberra and Lancaster UK in 2010 culminating in a Nets conference in Turku Finland in October 2011.
The first group exhibition Nets was held at the ANU School of Art in 2010, travelling to Mexico and Sydney to Barometer Gallery the following year. In 2011 the second exhibition Casting the Net was held at Strathnairn Homestead Gallery. The third exhibition NetWorks was at Belconnen Art Centre in 2012, travelling to TAFTA Forum at Geelong in the same year and for the first time works by Australian and English artists were exhibited side by side – and they worked together beautifully – distance is no barrier – the network is alive.
Activities leading to all these exhibitions ranged from brainstorming and blogging sessions to artist talks, wire-netting and bilum- making workshops. The ANU textile department in Canberra has also supported the project by running programs for students to learn and interpret netting techniques.
Although many of the artists in these exhibitions work with textiles they have also worked freely and experimentally with drawings, sculpture and installation in a variety of media to express issues around the social, political and ecological themes relating to nets and networks.
http://netwurks.wordpress.com/
Above images are by the artists
Ola RobertsonFragile body 2 2012H:18 x W: 18 x D:18 cmPig gut, polyester thread
Jenny Manning
Small knots 2012Pen, ink and water colour on paper20 drawings
Each H: 21 x W: 29.5cm
Marli Popple
Entrapment 2012Polyester organza3 piecesSize variable: approximate lengths 200cm
Dianne LibkeBreathe 2012Found objects,copper wireH: 96 X W: 36 x D: 32cm
Monique van NieuwlandOcean Forest 2012Handwoven pick up damask, cotton/linen warp and hand dyed fishing line weft5 panelsSize variable each W: 35 x H: 215 and up to 270cm
Netting Strathnairn 2013 Temporary Installation
A collaborative site specific installation will be created by Networks Australia, the Nets group from England and students from the ANU Textile workshop along the fences and gates leading from the car park up to the woolshed (see map).
The over 70 meter artwork will be made up of panels created by individual artists referencing in particular the history of Strathnairn as a sheep and cattle farm, colonization and life on the land in general.
Wool Work 2013 Temporary InstallationNancy TingeyThe Wool Work began with my research project Two Lives at the Carlisle Institute of the Arts UK while studying for my Masters degree between 2002 and 2004. Merino wool became the metaphor for my Australian life and Herdwick for my years in the North of England. The behaviour of wool fibres manipulated in various processes reflected how I responded to different situations in two cultures. Techniques of plying and felting two fibres to make one thread or length of cloth developed the concept.
The most exciting part of the project was experimenting with Huddersfield University’s industrial feltmaking machines to combine the Merino and Herdwick wool tops. According to the operators I am the only person to have tried felting Herdwick in this way and, as the machines have been decommissioned, the cloth is unique. (Back to the Fold)
The Fence Line series was inspired by seeing sheep’s fleeces caught on wire fences. The resulting (K)not Nets are a play on the fence structure in which wool becomes the fence rather than its embellishment.
www.nancytingey.net
Back to the Fold DetailFence Line Detail (K)Not Nets – Time Out Exhibition
Purple Haze 2013 Temporary Installation
A response to the regular invasion of Salvation Jane/Patterson’s Curse in the field below the old shearer’s quarters.
A ‘carpet’ of mauve/lavender/purple will be created by the community. It is envisaged that fabric and wool will be donated to the installation, torn or cut into small strips and tied into black bird netting during the event and installed at various sites as sections are completed
www.maryannmussared.com
Bird Hide design by Phil Nizette and Jennifer Jones from Wellspring Environmental Arts and Design
Partnership ProfileWellspring Environmental Arts & Design is a creative collaborative partnership specialising in designing public spaces and artworks that enrich the experience of people in the built environment. All designs and artworks respond directly to their place and/or community through sensitive use of materials, themes and design elements. Drawing from extensive experience in the fields of art, design and community development we develop creative concepts that are engaging and exciting whilst responding to project parameters.
Wellspring consultancy services
•Public Art strategies and commissions•Urban Design & Landscape Architecture•Community Cultural Development •Creative strategies for Corporate Social Responsibility objectives.
We provide a professional and responsive service from concept development to completion and have extensive experience with local governments, developers and communities, and with design and construction industries. Our Project Management skills ensure that all your requirements are met on time and on budget.
Philip Nizette (B L Arch, Assoc Dip Sculpture) has over 25 years' experience in the field of public art, environmental design, and community development, which has seen him develop, manage and implement small and large projects. Philip is an artist and designer with strong design skills applied from concept stage through to detailed documentation. He has well developed collaboration and communication skills that are effective in working with clients, design and other professionals, contractors and all sections of the broader community.
Jennifer Jones (Ba (Vis), Ceramics, sculpture; Assoc. Dip (Creative Arts), Ceramics, textiles), an active visual artist since 1992, specialises in ceramics and with experience in sculpture, textiles, graphics and design. Her work exhibits a strong interest in form and use of colour and pattern. Jennifer has highly developed design skills and has the ability to create designs that capture the essence of a given theme, for interpretation into a range of materials and applications. She has strong research and analytical skills that are well used in the development of appropriate and responsive ideas.
Proven ExperienceWellspring Environmental Arts & Design was established in Canberra, Australia, in 1995. We have successfully completed a diverse range of projects for Governments, Health and Educational institutions, commercial developers or managers, private clients and community sector organisations.
We have undertaken two large scale projects for Festival Hue, Vietnam in 2006 and 2008. The projects created giant mythical creatures for a river installation and use at the opening and closing ceremonies, and gathered a great deal of support from Government, community, and festival goers, and gained considerable, favourable media attention in Hue and [email protected]
Bird Hide design by Phil Nizette and Jennifer Jones from Wellspring Environmental Arts and Design
The Bird Hide will be constructed next to the main dam bellow the car park (see Map)
Saturday the 20 and Sunday the 21 April 10am – 4pm
Bird Hide is an organic sculptural installation of branches and adobe nestled amongst trees on the edge of the Strathnairn dam to observe birds and wildlife. Intertwined Eucalypt branches with sections of adobe infill enclose a space for quiet observation and contemplation of the natural life around the dam. The sculptural qualities of the branches and textures of the adobe surround the user and connect us with place and the natural world.
Bird Hide is designed by Canberra based artists Philip Nizette and Jennifer Jones of Wellspring Environmental Arts & Design who have had a long standing association with Strathnairn Arts, and will be made in collaboration with Gabriella Hegyes and members of the community.
How to get involved? Contact: www.strathnairn.com.au
Call for volunteers !
Bird Hide Project
What: Want to help make the Bird Hide and work with sticks and adobe ?You are invited to work with professional artists and designers to helpbuild the sculptural branch structure or apply adobe to selected areas
When: 10 – 4pm Saturday 20 April and Sunday 21 April 2013
Limited spaces, Register now: This is an activity for those 16yrs and up
10 – 15 volunteers per day
Please register ASAPTracy O’Brien, Administrator Strathnairn Arts Association 02 62542134 [email protected]
What to bring: Gloves, hat, sunscreen and enthusiasmA sausage sizzle lunch will be provided by Strathnairn Arts Association
Fence line leading up to the woolshed from the car park
Nets group’s collaborative installation
Netting Strathnairn
Bird Hide
QEII Wednesday Knitters group
It's SuperCosy!!Wool shed
Canberra Region Feltmakers
Remember When…
Purple Haze
Wellspring Environmental Arts and Design
Nancy Tingey
Wool WorkWool shed
Community installations
Gabriella Hegyes
trace/retraceHomestead Gallery