Several years ago, the NGV featured an extraordinary exhibition titled The Slowness of Speed.
I was intrigued with the artists’ interpretation of the theme, or perhaps the theme was based on the work of the many International Artists.
Previously the fastest way for humans to travel from A to B was to walk, then run, perhaps sprint. To ride a four-legged animal was so much quicker. Today we can take a fast train at over 300kph, sit, and relax with a glass of red while watching the world whizz by.
Humans have set limitations, on time, speed, measurements in order for us to live cohesively in an orderly and manageable world.
I am a product of a world that seems to have increased in speed since I was of an age that I could comprehend a world beyond myself and family.
Do I idealize what life was like when seemingly time dragged and I enjoyed long summer afternoons and winter nights by a fire that warmed one room in the house.
Perhaps I am drawn back to the time of pandemic lockdowns, when life was a ‘Groundhog Day’, when I read and listened to many books, held a personal war against onion weed on the property and my five kilometres constantly.
I welcomed 2022 with a promise of engagement with others, physically seeing exhibitions and friends, interstate travel. The epitome being time spent with my daughter, who could finally travel from USA. The featured image was snapped locally at Eastland.
So, what is happening around Stony Creek Studio in a sped-up world of 2022.
It was a pleasure to have the exhibition Asia Series at Art at St. Francis. I met several friends on site, received positive feedback and the experience of showing at the gallery flowed extremely smoothly.
After three years, Warrandyte Festival was on again in March. Anne and I joined in a lamp making workshop for day and night decoration at Stiggant Reserve. It was a buzz having our Fu Yu (Happy Fish) swimming the river on the stage.
Sunday March 27, I found myself at an onsite artist presentation by Sean Lynch. His installation Distant Things Appear Suddenly Near continues in place at University Square, Melbourne University, corner of Barry and Pelham Streets.
Read more here: https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/arts-and-culture/art-outdoors/public-art-melbourne/projects/Pages/sean-lynch-distant-things.aspx
To view the full image: Select and click on first image – click on the i in a circle RHB of opened page then select View Full Size.
I continued onto the Secret Art Lounge showing artworks by Chris bold, Maggie McCormick and Elisabeth Weissensteiner. A fabulous concept that featured a single work by each artist in the studio of Elisabeth. The showing was from 2-5pm, one afternoon, only. People gathered outside of the studio where drinks and nibbles were on offer, chatted with each other and particularly the artists. I found concentrating on one artist and one artwork, in detail, allowed me to fully understand what that artist was wanting to convey.
It led me to think about the Art Space in Warrandyte that has been offered to artists for artwork display.
After a chat with Jane Annois and a meeting with Wayne Rankin, on 29 May we invited artists to gather for further discussion regarding pop-up weekend exhibitions. We are thrilled that sixteen artists have responded and scheduled the last weekend of each month to end of November 2022, to feature their works. Sandi Miller at Warrandyte Diary is eagerly supporting the project.
Read about it here on Page 25:
https://warrandytediary.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/JULY-2022-WD-Download.pdf
On 29/30 October, I will join with Fraser Colin, metalwork and Steffanie Tisi, paintings at Art Space, Main Road Warrandyte. Pop the date in your Diary.
Yarra Sculpture Award managed to fit in after Lockdowns lifted. It was a pleasure to see the show again.
https://www.yava.org.au/yvayeringsculpture
On April 13 Walter and I were dining at Dubbo Zoo to a chorus of animals settling down for the night.
We camped OR glamped by a Billabong and were treated to evening and morning walking tours by the experienced staff. Looking for something a little different, I recommend dining with the lions.
Easter saw us at Lake Macquarie for an MG National Meeting, with seventy-three Victorians attending the aftermath was that sixteen came down with Covid. It is very much still around.
Anne Hastie and I went to see the opening exhibition of a new gallery ACAE (Australasian Cultural Arts Exchange). It had been a little while since meeting up with the Director, Damien Smith. We saw two stunning exhibitions and it was great to catch up on the work of Gonkar Gyatso, who I had met through Redgate Gallery Director Brian Wallace.
The latest exhibition to show at ACAE, 82A Wellington St, Collingwood, opened on Saturday July 9. Featured artists are Tony Scott/Australia and Kwong Manchun/Hong Kong.
Have a look at ACAE here: https://acaearts.com.au/
I applied for and received a free ticket to see The Other Art Fair Melbourne, held at the Meat Market in Blackwood Street North Melbourne. May 28, I met up with a girlfriend who also received free tickets. The place was pretty cram packed with stalls of artworks in all shapes and forms. Typically, it was a mishmash of good and not so good works. However, my overall impression was that the exceptional artworks stood out and an abundance of female artists were on site with their works. Putting on my MSWPS, (Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors) hat I introduced myself and the role of MSWPS. Who knows, perhaps new members could be coming through.
Artfairmag: https://www.artfairmag.com/the-other-art-fair-melbourne/
MSWPS was able to hold a function at the Ola Cohn centre on July 7 to celebrate our Winter Lunch, with the theme Christmas in July. There was good attendance with some thirty members meeting up after a very long pandemic break.
Have a look at the website here: https://mswps.com.au/
Anne Hastie and I actually flew, yes took a plane, to Sydney for several days at the beginning of June to catch up on the Sydney Biennale. Pleasantly it also coincided with Vivid. Friends Lili and John Barbieri have been travelling to experience Vivid for several years. For Anne and me we were Newbies.
I do enjoy going to Sydney. It is a vibrant, fun place for a few days break and boy, did it hike up my step count.
Catch some of the action here: VIVID: https://www.vividsydney.com/
BIENNALE: https://www.biennaleofsydney.art
Anne and I were overwhelmed by the joy of the people in Sydney. It seemed they had been restricted for so long that they just wanted to get out, no matter the cold, to interact and engage with the activities. We commented that Sydney does it so well.
We returned to Melbourne, my home flight is another unfortunate saga, but I eventually got to sleep in my bed.
Anne and I had prebooked tickets to a Melbourne Rising event at Golden Square Carpark in Chinatown.
In 2021 I bought several tickets to the Rising festival and opening night we were informed that lockdown would take place again. All events were either cancelled or postponed.
This year with, speeding along, I did not even look at the event until Anne suggested Golden Square.
We also walked across to the Myer Music Bowl for The Wilds experience. Having just returned from Sydney and seeing the vitality there, it was exciting to see Melburnians with the same vibe. Yes, we said, Sydney does it well and, you know what, so does Melbourne.
Catch a glimpse of Rising here: https://rising.melbourne/festival-program
23 June Walter and I, with Dolly dog, headed west to the great adventure of Mt. Torrens in South Australia. Dolly met up with her first love, Ali and her second love Jannie. Excitement all round as Dolly remembered and was happy to see them both. She was a little confused because me being her third love, she was unsure who to follow.
Dolly had a great time until she and two other dogs got put in pens for the day after chasing sheep. That is a definite a no no.
Jannie and Bruce are the owners of Ardene Australian Whites.
Have a look at their website here: https://ardene.com.au
Wal and I had a day in Adelaide as I wanted to catch up on a few exhibitions and visit the Adelaide Jam Factory.
The papers recently are raving about the work of Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota. My friend Sally in QLD is recommending I see her work at GOMA. I sent Sally some photos of the installation I saw at AGSA, stunning. AGSA was featuring all things Japanese, with a lovely work of Yayoi Kusama and Contemporary Japanese sculptural ceramics.
Have a look here: https://www.agsa.sa.gov.au/whats-on/exhibitions/
This Blog is an update, and the speed of life is overtaking the slowness to write. The studios continue with a variety of activities and projects of which I will detail, hopefully in the not-too-distant future.
