exhibition preparation

The Telling Stories exhibition opened last Friday, with an appeciative audience in attendance to enjoy the wonderful work of the six artists I invited to join me in telling stories about things that matter to us.   

The opening was a great finish to a very busy few days working alongside City of Wanneroo exhibition officer Murray and his team at the gallery, installing the exhibition.  Here is what the gallery looked like a few days earlier.  

Rolls of quilts on the table, walls awaiting adornment, and in the background trolleys full of light fixtures awaiting placement.

 Murray had worked out a floor plan and built the space, arranging the portable wall panels to accommodate the artists' works.

 Here I am with Pam Annesley, receiving her beautiful jewellery.

Textile works were carefully unrolled and spread out on drop sheets on the floor in readiness for positioning.

Laying them out like this in the space is a useful way of finalising the hanging arrangement, as they can be seen together and easily moved around on their plastic dropsheets.

 Once the works were hung, Murray set up the lights using his state of the art moving platform.

Here I am on opening night introducing artists (left to right) Marjorie Coleman, Pam Annesley, Elizabeth McCaig and Angie Beck. Karen McClurkin and Michele Eastwood were unable to be with us, but their artworks were a powerful presence.

I'll show some images of the exhibition itself in my next post, but I hope you enjoyed this glimpse behind the scene.

TELLING STORIES exhibition invitation

In August 2011 I commenced a six month arts residency exploring the museum collection and local history of the City of Wanneroo, on the northern outskirts of the Perth. 

Three years later, I've been invited to return to mount a major exhibition in the City's wonderful large Gallery space.  I have invited six other artists to join me, both from within the City of Wanneroo and from further afield.  We will all share stories of people and places important to us, with over 100 works on display in a variety of media including painting, cyanotype, jewellery, digital print and textiles.

 

After two busy months of finalising arrangements as exhibition curator and administrator, as well as finishing my own artworks (well, I admit, I'm still stitching and printing!) the show is about to be installed.  I am very excited by the wonderful work being shared by Angie Beck, Pam Annesley, Marjorie Colemen, Michele Eastwood, Elizabeth McCaig and Karen McClurkin.      

TELLING STORIES of People and Place opens on Friday 1st August at 6pm, at the Gallery, Wanneroo Library and Cultural Centre, cnr Dundebar Rd and Rocca Way, Wanneroo.  If you live close enough, I'd love to see you at the opening.  The exhibition is only on for just over a week, from Saturday August 2 to Sunday August 10.  Gallery hours are 10am - 4pm Tuesday to Friday and 12noon - 4pm Saturday and Sunday.  Please note that the gallery is closed on Mondays. 

Tully

Yesterday I headed up the coast to Yanchep, for a lovely catch-up with artist friends I'd not seen since my residency last November.  It turned out to be an auspicious choice of days to visit.  Angie Beck, who made a number of sock dolls during the residency, was about to send one of them off on a world trip.  

With passport and bag all prepared, and an international itinerary set in place, Tully was about to embark on his journey.  

 

Tully was made from a Qantas travel sock that travelled from England to Australia about ten years ago.  Worn by Angie in the cooler months, the sock had stretched a bit, so Angie decided to recycle it and send it back out to travel the globe in the form of Tully (who is wearing a shirt made from another old sock donated by a friend).   

First stop Hong Kong!  Tully is certainly NOT travelling first class, but he did make the local paper, which will be following his travels via its blog - yanchepnews.blogspot.com.au