Hip hip hooray...

I think it was definitely time for a holiday!  Off to 80 Mile Beach we went and spent a lovely easter camping.  Oh, I admit it was hot and sticky but the beach, the stars, the happy fishing husband - all a glory to behold. 

Now I am back and so keen to be working.  Right before easter I had the loveliest surprise - the Courthouse Gallery want to stock some of my books!  So now I will get straight back into making some more as well as working on book number 4 - which I have now written and started working on illustrations for.  I may have been physically on holidays but hey - art travels.

Last week I put an article into the Pilbara Echo about When it Rains it Pours, an exhibition that opened the night before the markets.  I've popped the article below as well as some fabulous photos taken by Samantha Bell and supplied courtesy of the Courthouse Gallery. 

For me and many other Hedland people the Courthouse Gallery exhibition openings are a fabulous part of our social calender.  I missed the opening because I was conserving my energy for the markets but I have popped into the Gallery a number of times since the opening and each time I see something else that just grabs me.  This art form is so interesting and inclusive.  My kids today were just so into it - and when my son saw the mural on the Gallery wall he was beside himself.  I won't be letting him near any spray cans any time soon though - I think after watching the video at the Gallery he would know exactly what to do with them!

The Pilbara Echo, 25 April 2011

When it Rains it Pours

I’m still catching my breath from the weekend and I bet many of you are too.  There was such an amazing array of art and culture in Hedland happening and the opening of When it Rains it Pours at the Courthouse Gallery started the weekend off in fine form. 

If you are like me and have often stopped to admire street art but don’t know too much more about it, this exhibition offers you the chance to definitely admire, but also to learn.  It features work by eight artists from Perth-based art collective Last Chance Studio, who have transferred their large scale urban artwork to canvas in a showcase of their individual styles and techniques.

When it Rains it Pours works to educate the viewer about street art as a respected form of contemporary art.  In recent years street art and low-brow artwork have become recognized as highly regarded and collectable forms of artwork.

Low-brow art describes an underground visual art movement that developed in California in the 70’s.  It usually has a strong sense of humour by definition – it was coined low-brow in response to the standard ‘high-brow’ art scene not recognizing the new style of art.

Street artists and muralists bring with them a vibrant and new perspective that traditional artists and designers may not have.  The Last Chance Studio artists are leading the way for WA low-brow artwork both within Australia and overseas with several artists exhibiting and creating urban artwork on the East Coast and abroad in the USA and Europe.

But not to be outdone Hedland is getting in on the action!  The Port Hedland Small Wins Group is a community group who work on community owned projects to create a more exciting and livable town. 

This time it involved a large-scale mural in the Gallery courtyard that was designed and created by a team of the exhibiting artists Ryan Boserio and Timothy Rollin, who visited Hedland and De Grey Station earlier this year to gather inspiration for the piece. 

Urban artwork has the capacity to transform whole areas of a city or town, revitalizing unused public and not-so-public spaces and engaging passersby. This in turn creates a fresh and vibrant essence of place – exactly what we want in Hedland. 

When it Rains it Pours is on until 16 June at the Courthouse Gallery, 16 Edgar Street, Port Hedland and make sure you check out the new mural at the same time.  If you would like to know more about Small Wins phone the Gallery on 9173 1064.

The Courthouse Gallery mural completed

 

 

Artist in action



 

Opening night at the Gallery



 

Artists and art lovers making the most of a great night



 

Time for a nap!

I am a bit tuckered out - leading up to the markets it was all go, go, go and then after the markets I was still busy filling the personalised orders that I got.  I've delivered those today and now - well, now it is time for a little lie down.  I've used all my spare energy and need a bit of a recharge before I start on the next book and get back on with everyday life.  It is a good thing it is easter time!

I hope everyone has a lovely break and survives the school holidays.  I hope that anyone who is forced to eat icky cheap easter chocolate manages to accompany it with good coffee or some nice champers.   I hope if you have children that they don't go too crazy on the sugar overload and send you nuts.  Most of all I hope you have some magic in your life and it brings you a whole lot of happiness. 

Wow!

Oh what a night!  So many people, so much fun and so many gorgeous things to buy...the Westend Markets must be officially declared a success.  I love it when people sound so surprised about what we can do here in Hedland with the biggest compliment being along the lines of...we could even be in Perth. 

On a personal level it was a lovely night.  Plenty of really great feedback, lots of orders taken and some books actually sold.  I never tire of the thrill of that - someone actually liking my stuff enough to buy it!  Nothing against my friends either but it is even better when they are strangers who just take one look and hand over money.  Brilliant.

There were plenty of photos being taken so when I get my hands on a few I will pop them up.  I hope the people watching the outdoor movie in the Courthouse Gardens enjoying a beverage or two have a wonderful night.  I hope you have a wonderful night too.

Photo compliments of Elise Batchelor

 

Book Launch...

I think I've read too many books that talk about book launches - at least in the old days.  When I went to the Perth Writers Festival I think me and every other hopeful in the audience had one of their secret hopes dashed with the publicist said that they don't really do the whole book launch / tour thing anymore. It is more about the writer taking it out to public events and getting as much media publicity as possible, which totally makes sense.

However, who doesn't want a little bit of fanfare when they finish something that is so important to them - that so much blood (in my case actual blood - lino carving is a dangerous occupation!), sweat and tears went into.  So tonight I am going to do my own book launch.  I have finally, finally finished Blue and it is time to celebrate!  A bottle of champers and a big session of happiness are both in order! 

I'm off to the West End Markets this weekend and I just can't wait.  Blue will be on public display for the first time and in a kind of way so are my other books as they look quite a bit different from when I first did the markets last October.  I am still pondering my display a bit - this whole marketing thing is more serious than I first thought.  It is amazing the amount of information that is out there on how to go about it, which is brilliant, but translating that into something that works for The Pilbara Pixies, my budget and my sense of style, takes a bit of doing. 

If you live in Hedland I hope to see you there on Saturday!

Local talent...

I did my first morning in a new job today.  I am working at a gorgeous new kids' clothing boutique called B Tween Tides and seriously I am going to need this job to pay for all the clothes / shoes I will be buying there. 

For example I just bought my son a pair of Batman Converse sneakers - Batman!  He is going to go nuts over them.  Convincing him they are real shoes and not part of his Batman dress up outfit might be a small problem but we'll get past it. 

Anyway - Sonia who owns the shop has got a kids area set up and when she offered me the job she said that my 3 year old daughter could come with me - such a good solution for me because it pays for some of my daughter's daycare, which is when I do my art / writing / bookmaking etc.  I am feeling pretty lucky right about now.

My latest article in the Pilbara Echo was about another great local talent, Kathryn Chynoweth.  The article was actually edited quite a bit and I prefer my wording so I've popped the original in here.  The gorgeous photo was compliments of the lovely Samantha Bell from the Courthouse Gallery - Hedland is overun with wonderfully arty people!

This week we have an interview with Kathryn Chynoweth – a fabulous textile artist that we are lucky enough to have living right here in Hedland.  If you are keen to experience Kathryn’s gorgeous scarves then get into the Courthouse Gallery at 16 Edgar Street, Port Hedland.

How long have you been in Hedland?
I've been living in Hedland for two years now. I moved to WA from Adelaide 17 years ago to follow my now husband (then boyfriend) who is in the mining industry.  We lived in Leeman for five years, Geraldton for 10 years, and now Hedland. I like to think we're getting closer to one of my favourite places, Broome!!

What is your art background and how would you describe your artworks?
I am a self- taught textile artist, I hand paint silk and wool for scarves, shawls, and have made garments for wearable art exhibitions.  I learnt the technique of silk painting in high school in Adelaide. I started producing silk scarves as a hobby in Year 12, and a family friend who was a glass artist, suggested I show my work to The Jam Factory, a contemporary craft gallery in Adelaide.  So I started selling my work to galleries in 1988, and have been doing so ever since.  This has been essentially the same product - a silk scarf.

Where do you sell your work?
I worked at the CBA for five years after school, as well as painting and selling my work, and deferring university several times!!  I had also met my husband, and knew that staying with him would mean relocating.  So in 1994 I found myself in Leeman, which is when I started painting full time, and supplying up to 20 galleries Australia wide with my work.

Do you have a website?
I'm yet to launch into cyberspace with my own website, I'm a little conservative in that my product is a tactile thing, to be felt, tried on, and held up to light to expose translucency.   There's something kind of nice about being in a place to do that!!  We're so lucky to have the Courthouse Gallery here!

How do you balance family life with art business demands?
Having children changed everything!!  No more painting when I wanted, for however long I wanted to do it!! Jack is now 9, and Sophie is 5 – I had children escaping into my studio and tipping dye jars on their heads!!!!  I have continued to paint, but have had to scale down production significantly. But I cannot say no to an order, so the midnight oil does get burnt occasionally in our house.

Have you tried other mediums and what would you like to do in the future?
I've always been interested in painting on canvas; it's always in the back of my mind, mixed media pieces on large canvases, paint overlayed with sheer textiles.....

What is your favourite thing about Hedland?
For what is really a harsh, industrial and remote environment, we are truly spoilt up here with art and galleries ie the Cossack Art Exhibition, the Courthouse Gallery with their fantastic exhibition programs and workshops.  It's 600kms to that little bit of paradise, Broome - with more galleries and amazing coastline to explore.

What would you like to see happen in Hedland artistically wise?

Coming from Geraldton I was amazed at the arts community here, there's nothing like it north of Perth, and it should treasured, nurtured and supported.

If you are interested in seeing more locally made work like Kathryn’s, make sure you book the West End Markets at 4.30pm, Saturday 16 April into your diary right now.   It's a fantastic opportunity for you to see artists' work and meet the artist as well.