Category: Melbourne

Tarrawarra

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I was very impressed with this wonderful art museum in the Yarra Valley near Melbourne.

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The TarraWarra Museum of Art is the first privately funded, significant public visual arts museum to be set up under the Australian Government’s philanthropic measures announced in March 1999. TWMA operates as a not-for-profit institution, with a charter to display Australian art from the second half of the twentieth century to the present day. It is owned by Eva and Mark Beson, and features their extensive collection of Australian Art.

In 2000, Allan Powell’s design for this elegant building, arcing gently from the earth in concert with the contours and hues of the landscape, was chosen.

The building and the art within it sit together perfectly. Although the views from the building are beautiful, they are constrained by the design so that the emphasis is on the artwork.

‘Solitaire’, the current exhibition, has been beautifully curated. It includes some work by George Baldessin.

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Baldessin Press Workshop

Posted on Posted in Melbourne, Teaching, Uncategorized, WorkshopsTagged , , 4 Comments

My next encaustic workshop will be at Baldessin Press, near Melbourne, on the 24th and 25th of August. There are only eight places available for what will be a great weekend exploring encaustic and paper in  beautiful surroundings. The studio was built by renowned printmaker and sculptor George Baldessin at St Andrews, largely from recycled materials.

Baldessin Press
Baldessin Press

This course will take an experimental approach to using encaustic on paper. You will learn how to collage prints together using encaustic, how to exploit the characteristics of wax to layer and combine imagery, and how to work into the surface with wax and pigment to create interesting and compelling surfaces. We will cover the health and safety aspects of encaustic, and setting up an encaustic studio, so that you are equipped to explore further on your own. The course is suitable for all levels of experience.

I’m really looking forward to it, because I love teaching, I love spending time in Melbourne (even when its cold), and I will enjoy visiting George’s studio. I’ve always admired his work.

Another workshop……

Posted on Posted in Education, Melbourne, Travel, Workshops1 Comment

I’m off to Melbourne for another workshop, this time in Natural Dyes, with India Flint. I’m just amazed at what she can do with fabric, leaves and water! I will post the results of my efforts when I come home.

And I’m very excited because I have just bought my plane ticket to Venice! For the month of April next year, I will be living in Venice and working at Venice Printmaking Studio.

Venice Printmaking Studio
Venice Printmaking Studio, Murano.

Holiday and after……….

Posted on Posted in Education, Melbourne, Travel, Workshops1 Comment

I just spent an amazing two weeks in Tasmania. The beaches and forests are spectacular, and parts are sufficiently remote that it is possible to be literally and metaphorically ‘lost’. Haven’t downloaded my photos yet, but when I have I will show you what I mean.

And then I spent four days in Melbourne doing an encaustic workshop with Cari Hernandez. I met some lovely warm people and this time I had a day visiting galleries. At James Makin Gallery was a great Bruno Leti survey show celebrating his 40 years of printmaking.

I’ve been having lots of ‘input’ over the last couple of months: now it’s time to start producing some ‘output’!  Time to get into the studio and work!

IMPACT!

Posted on Posted in Ideas, Melbourne, Travel1 Comment

I had a really great time at IMPACT. Always a sucker for new technology, I was excited about the organ printer, laser paper cutting and burning, and tagging artworks in an exhibition so that viewers can add their comments and memories to be read by others. Lots of potential!
I met the team from Dundee, who will be hosting the next IMPACT. Very impressed with the facilities at Dundee Contemporary Art, which has just installed a large format digital router and laser cutter, amongst other things. They are combining the analogue printing techniques with digital, and encouraging the use of technology as just another tool in the making of effective images. They were among the many very nice people I met.

Laser cut paper

My only regret is that I didn’t really have time to get out to galleries and enjoy Melbourne. And the weather was dreadful!