Sunday 3 September 2017

The Alchemist

This year has been a little slow on the studio front, after such a busy and productive year in 2016 I wanted to slow down a little and regroup, let some new ideas percolate and take some time to reevaluate what I'm doing.
I wanted to take some time to focus on my life outside of the studio because I was having a tremendously awful time at work and traveling 3hrs a day for the pleasure. I was really struggling both personally and professionally and what was happening at work was bleeding all over the rest of my life and I realised that it was no way to live.

Earlier this year I did a lot of soul searching to figure out what it is I really want to do with my life, how do I want to spend each day? What will satisfy me and give me a sense of purpose and pride in my working life?

And I found it, a little 'happy place' thought that has been floating around in my mind for so many years, an idea that until now I didn't think I would ever be capable of realising.
But in February it hit me. I'm an artist and a picture framer, I have a BA Fine Art, a Cert IV in Small Business Management, I've worked at arguably the best art supply store in Melbourne and received incredible training and education on pigments, raw materials and artist supplies and finally, I successfully managed a business for over 3 years- where I got my start by offering to do unpaid work experience after I graduated uni. I have all of the necessary experience and passion to start up and run my own art supply store!

And that's what I want to do. That's what I'm going to do.

I have spent most of this year refining all of my ideas and developing my business plan. I have met with suppliers and manufacturers, banks and real estate agents and spent hours talking though my plans with my (self-appointed) mentor, a woman who I admire so much (if you're reading this, thank you!), who build an incredible business from the ground up almost 20 years ago, an art supply store that is the Mecca of art supply stores. And with all of these meetings, conversations and research I can see how possible and amazing this could be...


The store will be called The Alchemist Artists' Supply Store. It will open in Sunbury because there are so many amazing artists living and working in the Hume area, in The Macedon Ranges and Hepburn Shire regions but there are no specialist art supply stores between Melbourne and Castlemaine, so these artists have to either travel long ways or just use whatever supplies they can get their hands on. I think they deserve better, I knew I wanted better when I moved here.

The store will stock artist quality paints and mediums such as Langridge, Golden, Schmincke, quality drawing supplies including Sennelier, Conte, Nitram and Palomino, Rag papers, custom stretching and framing, painting panels, a vast selection of brushes and sundries, pigments, binders and raw materials as well as beautiful journals, stationary and little gifts for the artist in your life.
I want to create a store that artists, makers and hobbyists can go to get the information, advice and materials they need to pursue their creative practice and down the line I want to open the store up for floor talks, demonstrations and workshops. The store will also run an annual art prize to showcase and promote all of the local talent.

Everything from branding and mission statement to stock-in and trading is planned, lined up and ready to go, the only thing holding this back is the 20% deposit I need to get the business loan to make this happen so I have started a Go Fund Me campaign to help me raise some of the money I need to make this dream a reality.

So if you would like to help me to get this store open I would greatly appreciate any support you can offer, share this campaign with anyone the store will benefit, chip in anything you can, $5, what-ever you can spare because it all adds up and if you can spare more there are donation incentives that will reward you with an ongoing discount in the store!

You can see the Go Fund Me Here

Thank for taking the time to read this very long post. And a massive thank you to everyone who has supported the campaign so far, everyone who has talked through the business plan with me, offered advice, insight and encouragement. It all means so much to me.

I'll keep the blog updated with the progress of the store...



Monday 21 November 2016

Belonging to the Night

Here is the invite to Belonging to the Night, Curated by Jessica Bridgfoot. Opens Saturday December 4th,  hope to see you there!


Tuesday 15 November 2016

And Finally, This...

Sunlight will brighten this Night. 2016.
Watercolour, phosphorescent acrylic, phosphorescent cotton on paper. 102 x152cm (112 x 162cm framed)

Here it is! My contribution to Belonging to the Night, curated by Jessica Bridgfoot for Stockroom gallery, Kyneton. Opens Saturday December 10th, from 4:30pm. Above is a Gif of the two states of the work, by day and by night.

I am so pleased that this is the work I finish the year with, I'm taking a little break from the studio over summer to regroup and recoup from such a busy and productive year and I'll get back to it in January. But until then, stay tuned for upcoming details on Belonging to the Night.
x


Thursday 10 November 2016

From The Beginning...

I have started a very ambitious project. I'm working my way through the periodic table of elements. Here are the first three works, which are showing at Edmund & Co, Hawthorn. Exhibition opens this Saturday November 12th.
  
From the Beginning #1 (Hydrogen). 2016. Watercolour, Gouache, cotton on paper. 50x75cm

From the Beginning #2 (Helium). 2016. Watercolour, Gouache, cotton on paper. 50x75cm

From the Beginning #3 (Lithium). 2016. Watercolour, Gouache, cotton on paper. 50x75cm

Sunday 6 November 2016

Now showing with Edmund + Co

Thrilled to announce you can now see my work, alongside some great artists, at an exciting new space opening in Hawthorn this week. 
The space is run by the lovely Tim Bruce, who was kind enough to give me one of my very first solo shows when I was fresh out of art school many moons ago.


Get on over to Glenferrie Road and check it out this Saturday!

Thursday 29 September 2016

Recent works acquired for the Epworth Hospital collection

Tracy Spinks, the wonderful collections manager of the Epworth Hospital's art collection has just acquired the final 3 works in this series, which looks at the 6 main elements found in the human body.
Very pleased that these works will all hang together on the walls of the Epworth in Geelong, and will hopefully bring a little happiness to the doctors, nurses, support staff and of course the patients as they pass them.
Hydrogen. 2016. Watercolour and cotton embroidery on paper. 76x56cm

 Oxygen2016. Watercolour and cotton embroidery on paper. 76x56cm
Phosphorus. 2016. Watercolour and cotton embroidery on paper. 76x56cm

Friday 29 July 2016

Star-stuff

It's been a very busy week in the studio, lots of 5am starts to get some real work done before I go to work-work. I've been making a series of small works, each focused on a different element that is found in the human body. I'm still very much on that we are star-stuff tangent!

I Am Some Calcium. 2016. Watercolour and cotton embroidery on paper. 16cm x 21cm.

I Am Some Carbon. 2016. Watercolour and cotton embroidery on paper. 16cm x 21cm.

I Am Some Chlorine. 2016. Watercolour and cotton embroidery on paper. 16cm x 21cm.

I Am Some Hydrogen. 2016. Watercolour and cotton embroidery on paper. 16cm x 21cm.

I Am Some Magnesium. 2016. Watercolour and cotton embroidery on paper. 16cm x 21cm.

I Am Some Nitrogen. 2016. Watercolour and cotton embroidery on paper. 16cm x 21cm.

I Am Some Oxygen. 2016. Watercolour and cotton embroidery on paper. 16cm x 21cm.

I Am Some Phosphorus. 2016. Watercolour and cotton embroidery on paper. 16cm x 21cm.

I Am Some Potassium. 2016. Watercolour and cotton embroidery on paper. 16cm x 21cm.

I Am Some Sodium. 2016. Watercolour and cotton embroidery on paper. 16cm x 21cm.

I Am Some Sulfur. 2016. Watercolour and cotton embroidery on paper. 16cm x 21cm.