I have had the great privilege to be the Artist in Residence at the first Sunshine Coast Marine BioBlitz . I documented on the fly and in the moment as many of the wide range of citizen science projects that were running. The bioblitz is an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all living species within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and adjacent waters. Recording animal and plant species above and below the water from inter-tidal zones, rock pools, estuaries, open ocean and reef. The event showcased community-driven conservation, scientific exploration, arts and culture for marine enthusiasts of all ages.
It has been quite the year, starting with such precious family times, visits from overseas family, the birth of a new granddaughter, the wedding of our daughter, a solo sketchbook exhibition at The Condensery, and then Acute QFever which took some time to diagnose and a long recovery.
I’m back on deck and have been using studio time to prepare for my next solo exhibition end of the year….
13 Dec 2024 to 2 Feb 2025 Caloundra Regional Gallery
Based on years of observation and research within the bird and mammal collections at the Queensland Museum, this body of work seeks to explore the objectification of animals in nature through taxidermy, and in culture through the souvenir. We have, and are creating, facsimiles and profiting from these copies despite the real risk of losing the originals.
What is our uneasy relationship with animal objects, particularly taxidermy and the mass-produced souvenir? As a self-confessed collector, what is my responsibility in all this? Why do I tend to want to order and display, collect and own the natural world?
An extention of the exhibition held a few years ago, with new works, as well as mashups of early scientific taxonomy charts and illustrations, museum taxidermy, pop culture and the mass-produced souvenir, this body of work is presented as a contemporary Wunderkammer (a cabinet of curiosity). It asks questions about artifice, collection, consumerism, mimicry, wonder and beauty.
It was a lovely opening with many folk coming to The Condensery at Toogoolawah for the opening. Special thanks to Madeline Brewer and Jake for the care they took with my ‘spare brains’ and all the local artists who bravely shared what they had made from our workshops together.
Thanks also to arts writer Louise Martin-Chew for her studio visits and essay for the room brochure.
Deb Mostert has used sketchbooks over the decades as a scaffold for her contemporary art practice. A Sketchbook Practice shares pages from over ninety sketchbooks dating back twenty years to prompt: ‘What does it mean to keep a sketchbook?’ and ‘How does your perception of the world change through keeping one?’. In the words of the artist: “Sketchbooks serve as a spare brain, a record of my personality and my growth and they are gleefully imperfect.”
Shown alongside Deb’s sketchbooks are those from artists local to the Somerset region. This collection of community sketchbooks displays both the depth and diversity of local artists, but also the day-to-day character of the region.
THE REGIONAL ARTS DEVELOPMENT FUND IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT AND SOMERSET REGIONAL COUNCIL TO SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE IN REGIONAL QUEENSLAND.
A beautiful long term commission this year has been sculpting the delightful Laurie. Commissioned by his son in a lovely act of respect, Laurie was shy and bemused by the attention as he sat for me over 5 x 2 hour sessions but we had fun getting to know each other and enjoying the process. After I had sculpted Laurie in oil based clay, I then had the finished bust scanned and 3D printed by Sculpt Studios at a smaller size so we could take molds and make multiple bronze versions in two sizes. Thanks as always to Chalkos Art Foundry for the care and attention to bring this to fruition.
I was so delighted to have been asked to collaborate with the Women Writers Qld, and their latest anthology entitled ‘Stuffed’.
A taxidermy sketch from my ‘Animal as Object’ research sketchbooks chosen by author and editor Toni Risson to grace the covers, as the writers all took on the challenge to ‘stuff’ their story between the opening and closing lines of a popular novel (‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ by Delia Owens)
It was so much fun with this lively bunch of authors as they joined in the spirit at the Brisbane Square Library launch bringing their own ‘animal objects’ and letting me chat about taxidermy and my arts practice and the crossover between arts, science and writing. A great morning .
