gooseflesh

Branching

All welcome. Please come and have a look and say hello!

Bleached Coral Garden

The preparation and packing for the big move to Northern NSW is taking up a lot of my time and energy. I have managed to do some work on my Bleached Coral Garden. It's made from paper yarn. The yarn is lovely to work with having very different properties to the plastic bag yarn. One interesting quality is that it can be shaped using a little pressure from the fingers. I like the ivory white too. Note to self..... pieces made from paper in the future, when the dust has settled.

 

                                                     Photo: Tigger Newling

Bleached Coral Garden, 2009

Helle Jorgensen

Paper

17 x 21 cm

Happening simultaneously:

An interview with Little Thing a Chinese magazine. To be published in July, in a special issue focusing on the ocean. Thank you Jie Zhou for your interest.

Trash Menagerie, an exhibition of 30 improbable works of art created from trash, including my plastic sea creatures. At the Peabody Essex Museum's interactive Art & Nature Center, Salem, Massachusetts, USA. June 20, 2009 through May 2010. 

Plastic Detritus III , has been included in the CPM National Print Award at the Tweed River Regional Gallery, Murwillumbah. May 15 to June 21, 2009.

Packing up my studio has been (sort of) fun. I flicked through some old sketchbooks and had a little giggle. My collections of driftwood, sponges, shells, bones, bird's nests and plastic detritus is massive and safely packed into boxes and boxes and more boxes. 

Back to packing.......... 

The Incredible Print Show

Some framed and unframed prints from the Plastic Detritus series. They are part of The Incredible Print Show at the Artstream Gallery, Rochester, New Hampshire, USA. The Exhibition runs from May 1 - June 27. 

50 artists 100s of prints.

I wish I could be there for opening night. 

Thanks Susan for including me in the show.

The Postcard Show at the Grafton Regional Gallery

Grafton Regional Gallery is the home of the biennial Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award (JADA). The gallery will soon be hosting the 2009 Postcard show which offers postcard sized artworks from Australian artists. The works will be auctioned off to raise funds for the 2010 JADA.

I will be donating these three postcard sized prints.

Plastic Detritus V, 2009

Hand coloured Linoprint

15 x 10 cm ( 6 x 4 in)

Plastic Detritus VI, 2009

Hand coloured Linoprint

15 x 10 cm ( 6 x 4 in)

 

Plastic Detritus VII, 2009

Hand coloured Linoprint

15 x 10 cm ( 6 x 4 in)

These prints are also available in my SHOP

In 2006 I was a finalist in the JADA with a drawing of Luke Fletcher (AKA "Moffy").

Moffy, 2006

Charcoal on paper.

Life without deadlines

AAhhhh!! Life without deadlines. Finally time to nurture the exciting new ideas germinating in my brain.

Photos from the opening night of the Post Chrysalis Exhibition:

That's me with the silly grin on my face (above).

Some red dots!!!!!

Edward, Susan and Nina (+ unidentified man). Dad and I in the doorway.

 

Floral Necklace, 2008

Discarded Plastic Bags.

There are tadpoles in my little pond. It's likely they are Eastern Brown frogs. There's often a very robust and handsome Kookaburra sitting in the tree above the pond with his head cocked to one side and an eye staring down at the pond. A few weeks ago I found Hairy Harry (portrait) cautiously sniffing around an upturned plastic pot. I gently lifted the pot with a stick ...... a lizard, a snake? No....... a very large Kookaburra. He flew off in a great hurry, sitting on the pergola for a while with ruffled feathers and a confused look on his face. I don't know how he got there or how long he was there. Probably the same guy.

Harry walked into the studio and I snapped him.

Post...... Post Chrysalis

I had a wonderful time at the opening reception on Tuesday night. The exhibition looked fabulous and had been beautifully installed and lit. Many, many people came to see our work. So many, in fact, they spilled out into the street and we were packed in like sardines inside the gallery. Lots of questions and curiosity regarding my use of discarded plastic shopping bags as a medium and many compliments. Thank you. 

Baz Luhrman even appeared at the end of the night.......woohoo!!

Barnacle Garden, 2008

Discarded Plastic Bags                           SOLD

10x21x17cm

Sargartia, 2008

Discarded Plastic Bags                           SOLD

6x22x15cm

Diploria, 2008

Discarded Plastic Bags

7x13x14cm

Codium, 2008

Discarded Plastic Bags

4x35x9cm

Infant Barnacle Garden, 2008

Discarded Plastic Bags               SOLD

14x10x9cm

Millepora, 2008

Discarded Plastic Bags SOLD

8x40x12cm

Gorgonia, 2008

Discarded Plastic Bags                          SOLD

16x23x20cm

Diatom, 2008

Discarded Plastic Bags                           SOLD

9x21x14cm

Porifera, 2008

Discarded Plastic Bags                          SOLD

6x17x12cm

The exhibition is on until the 26th of October here.

I'm just processing photos taken on the night and will post some soon. 

It's now time to catch up with the very long list of lovely email I have received!!!!!!!

Curious Unseen

hello, hello, hello........

I've been busy making. Weeks have passed in the blink of an eye. So much to tell, it's all whirring in my head.

I have some pieces in this exhibition.......

 

Melt Gallery inside Meltdown Comics, 7522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles.

Exhibition runs through September 20th, 2008.

Check out the photos from the opening reception here.

A big thank you to the curators Lauren Wong and Leslie Levings. I wish I could have joined you for the celebrations.

I'll be back soon. I promise.

Home Sweet Home

oooooohhhhh! It's good to be home......... and it's time to catch up. 

Being cuddled by big strong arms is seriously good. I know.....puke!

The last ten weeks have been a blur of joy, excitement, inspiration and exploration. I have squeezed and kissed my little nephews and laughed with my sister (lives in Scotland) and my brother (lives in Texas). I have met many fascinating people and made some very good friends. I have visited numerous art galleries and museums and feel thoroughly inspired and full of new ideas for future projects. 

Jed and Max in baby-kilts.               Tiger, 2008. By Max.

I wouldn't be honest if I didn't mention the disappointments. Exhibiting with The IFF was a learning experience. The exhibition venues were not what I expected and making sure my pieces were exhibited to their full potential was difficult. The lack of acknowledgement in the press releases, newspaper and magazine articles was disappointing too. I have no doubt many of the other contributors feel the same way. Despite these hiccups I feel proud, to be able to add to my c.v., exhibitions in New York City (The World Financial Centre and Broadway Windows) and London (The Hayward Gallery).......woohoo!

Dr.Daina Taimina (L) and I. The Rubbish Vortex in the background.

Daina is a Cornell mathematics researcher who invented the crocheted hyperbolic model which has inspired many people to take up the crochet hook. 

Rockpool Collage. 

The crochet pieces were made by myself and by women from around the world. This point has to be stressed...... readers of press about this exhibition could be forgiven for thinking that the exhibition was solely an endeavour of The IFF. 

Long live the reef!

In a few days I will return to Australia after a long journey around the globe. The next post will have photos of the exhibition at the Hayward Gallery. It looks splendid. Check it out if you get the chance.

The Hayward Project Space and Royal Festival Hall Level 2 Foyer

Wednesday 11 June 2008 - Sunday 17 August 2008

 

This little coral has just been finished and was photographed this morning on the petals of a peony. It will be good to be sleeping in my own bed again and hear the crashing waves on Newport beach.

Nature Study

Yesterday I visited Edinburgh Botanic Gardens........ a seriously beautiful garden, filled with flowering rhododendron and cold-climate plants unsuitable for the temperate Sydney climate. I stumbled upon an exhibition in Inverleith House: Nature study- Louise Bourgeois and John Hutton Balfour (1808-1884). Their work is very different in style and purpose but both show a fascination for the natural world.

Topiary, 2005

Louise Bourgeois

Stenocarpus sinuatus, mid-nineteenth century 

(by various artists) for John Hutton Balfour.

This inflorescence is from the Fire-wheel tree. An Australian rainforest tree which I have growing in my garden at home.

These botanical illustrations were visual aids for teaching medical students. Reminds me that I have a herbarium at home tucked away in a cupboard somewhere. Must get it out when I get home.

A vitrine containing botanical teaching models.

 

Tucked away in a corner, I found an Andy Goldsworthy sculpture.

This little piece of crocheted coral was made using yarn from Marks & Spencer chartreuse plastic bags. The yarn is very fine and I used a 1.75mm hook. 

On the walk exploring the botanic gardens, I found a Monkey puzzle tree (Auracaria auracana) from South America. It reminded me of home and made me very homesick. We have Norfolk Island Pines (Auracaria heterophylla) growing on the beaches back in Sydney and Bunya-bunya Pines (Auracaria cunninghamiana) growing in SE Quensland. I have a Bunya pine in my garden too. The pine cone is the size of a football......lethal! All evidence that Australia was part of the giant super-continent Gondwana once.

I've been away from home for 8 weeks and I miss my loved ones so much. Next week is London for the exhibition at the Hayward Gallery, then home sweet home mid-June. Yeaaaaaaaah!

The Hayward Project Space and Royal Festival Hall Level 2 Foyer

hyperbolic crochet coral reef

Wednesday 11 June 2008 - Sunday 17 August 2008

Opening night Tuesday 10 June, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.

Glasgow

Some more coral pieces for the IFF's Hyperbolic Coral Reef Exhibition, Hayward Gallery, London. Clandestine photographs on location at the Kelvingrove Museum, Glasgow.

New York Highlights

Meret Oppenheim's Object (Le Déjeuner en fourrure), 1936, Museum of Modern Art.

Spring blossoms.

Home of Project Runway.

A gold peak seen from Madison Sq. Park.

Rockefellar Centre ice rink.

Squirrels.

Smoked salmon and cream cheese on a bagel.

Sharing a table with a Yoko Ono look-alike.

An introduction to two identical French poodles, dressed in blue, cabled, knit sweaters, by a man with a voice like Truman Capote's.

Cafe Mogadon, listening to Nick Drake.

Isamu Noguchi Sculpture Garden.

The Rubbish Vortex Debut, New York

The opening reception was held Sunday afternoon in the spectacular Winter Garden, World Financial Centre.

There was a good crowd, including my dear brother, Sam. He flew in from Austin, Texas, to spend the weekend with me.

The Rubbish Vortex was in good company, namely, The Chicago Reef from the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum and The New York Reef made by members of the New York Crochet Guild and the Harlem Knitting Circle. Also Inga Hamilton's spectacular "jellies" and coral mounds.

There are also four glass vitrines which I haven't taken photos of yet.........next post.

L to R: Inga Hamilton, me, Christine Wertheim and Margaret Wertheim. Looking very serious. The curatorial strain beginning to show. The Rubbish Vortex in the background.

A sister reef was exhibited at the Broadway Windows, NYU. Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development.
The podia were made of stainless steel and the tops covered in black sand. My pieces are scattered in between the fluffy corals. Many women contributed to these reefs.

The Bleached Reef.

Say no more!!!!!!

The Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef,
Winter Garden, World Financial Centre, New York City. April 7 - May 18.

The Sister Reef, NYU Broadway Windows
Located at Broadway and East 10th Street, April 6 - May 18.

The Coral Garden Hat

Some photos of the Coral Garden Hat which I wore to the opening reception at the Winter Garden, WFC on Sunday....... it was a hit. I sat sewing and crocheting in my hotel room that morning, trying to finish it in time.

More photos of the show coming.............

Crochet Madness in New York City

New York city has been home for a week. It was a marathon flight.

The first week was spent setting up the Crochet Reef.......... which was exhausting. The Rubbish Vortex was rehung and looks quite good in the space. The Winter Garden is beautiful with lovely soft light pouring in through the thousands of glass panes. Opposite is the very sad looking Ground Zero.
I've met lots of wonderful people, including Inga and Andy Hamilton of rockpoolcandy. They make me laugh and have become great friends.

Other highlights....... an interview with The New Yorker and a mention in Time Out.

Did I mention the food? What can I say ........ it's of the highest quality and very reasonably priced. Had a pretzel from a street vendor the other day. The servings are gigantic.

Photos of the exhibits to come.