UNTETHERING LANDSCAPE: REVOLUTIONARY?

Cosmic Dust Oil on linen 120 x 160 cm

This year's, entry by invitation, Tattersall's Club Landscape $25,000 Art award opened last week at Brisbane's Tattersall's Club. The winner is well known Queensland artist Ian Smith. I have known Ian for many, many years and it's exciting to see someone you know win such a great award. Of course I would have liked to have won! But, I have been in this game [ie: art world] for a long time, and I count my blessings for having been invited to exhibit in such a strong exhibition.

You can see all the paintings in the award exhibiton online HERE 

If you live in, or close to, Brisbane you can see the paintings at their public exhibition, from Monday 10 September until Friday 21 September 7am- 6 pm at Waterfront Place, 1 Eagle St in Brisbane's CBD.

My entry Cosmic Dust is above. On the opening night, and at a 'meet and greet the artists' jazz night on Friday, I chatted to many people about Cosmic Dust. I always love a chance to chat!

Please click HERE to read the post I wrote just after I finished Cosmic Dust

Accompanying each painting in the Tattersall's exhibition is an artist's statement. This is mine below:

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

Cosmic Dust simultaneously suggests the multiple perspectives and horizons, in the close and far distances, existing between the nano and vast. This painting, seemingly a landscape of Earth in Space, untethers landscape from Earth-bound perspectives...suggesting that maybe a sub-atomic particle or even a whole Universe can provide new perspectives of and for landscape.

In our globalised world, in which we live locally, new perspectives [seen simultaneously?] may hold clues to how to sustain life on Earth, for indeed humankind has no other landscape/place to call ‘home’.

The circle of two trees, created with my much loved age-old transcultural/religious tree-of-life symbol, represents life as it viscerally branches out and roots itself into the landscape of all existence. The trees are encircled by white light, representing everything from Earth's atmosphere, to reflected sunlight, to divine light …even the flash of light at the Big Bang…an afterglow? 

The title Cosmic Dust suggests that subatomic, atomic, human, planetary and universal entities are the dust created by the Big Bang. Thus, the painting can be seen variously as many landscapes; perhaps Earth or the Universe in Space, maybe a drop of water or perhaps a spec of dust floating across a dusky country Queensland sky?

UNTETHERING LANDSCAPE: REVOLUTIONARY?

In my chats with people, at the Tattersall's exhibition, the idea of untethering landscape from Earth-bound perspectives seemed to strike a chord. Why? I suspect it holds the possibility of discovery and the potential for new ways of doing things....and I don't mean only new ways of painting...but rather that taking different perspectives may just reveal answers to questions of sustainability [across the ambit of human pursuits] and maybe...just maybe....provoke better questions that then unfold into new discoveries.

It seemed almost revolutionary, at a landscape exhibition, to suggest untethering landscape from Earth! But, if everything in the universe, from the quantum to the cosmic [with humans placed somwhere in the matrix], is the 'dust' created by the Big Bang, then 'landscape' lives within us...we are the landscape.

Please read my post TO GROK LANDSCAPE  for more on the idea that we are not separate from the landscape...and I don't mean just the Earth-bound one!

UPDATE

In my last post I mentioned I had been to the Nindooinbah Woolshed exhibition opening..opened by well known Brisbane Art Dealer, Bruce Heiser.

Here are a couple of photos from the evening:

Above: Here's me with my very talented artist [printmaker] friend Wayne Singleton. You can see one of his artworks on the right. It is a handcoloured relief block print. My painting Sap of Life is behind us.

Please check out Wayne's WEBSITE  to see more of his wonderful work.

Above: Here's me again with one of the fantastic curators of the Nindooinbah exhibition, Susan Short. My paintings Halo [on left] and Finding The Light [on right] are behind us.

Above: And, here is a photo of the Nindooinbah woolshed...an example of a quintessentially Australian building.


Until next time!
Cheers,
Kathryn
www.kathrynbrimblecombe-fox.com

SIX YEARS - CELEBRATION!

Earth's Pulse Oil on linen 80 x 200 cm 2006

It is six years this month since I started my BLOG. I attended a marketing and PR seminar for artists at Brisbane's Metro Arts six years ago...and was very inspired by a fellow who talked about BLOGGING. I came home, did what he said to do ie: check out Blogspot...and six years later here I am.

My first post was on the 9th August 2006 and I have posting about once a week since that day. My first post was about a forthcoming exhibition PULSE: Throb Vibrate Quiver Thrill Rhythm = Sign of Life I did not even upload an image [there's one above that should have been uploaded], nor did I ramble too much...and I am absolutely sure no-one saw or read this post! But, over a period of time, I became more confident and more savvy about linking my BLOG, via other social and related interest sites, so that visitors and followers know there's something new once a week. Yep...'persistence' is my middle name! No not really, but my peristence has reaped wonderful rewards. And some of these rewards are:

• My BLOG averages around 2,000 - 2,500 visitors per month...and more when there's something really exciting, like an exhibition or a prize to write about. THANK-YOU to all you visitors out there!
• The regular reflection on my work is now a very important part of my art practice. I really enjoy writing my posts and spend a few hours on each one. This process helps me clarify my thoughts, provokes new ideas and generates inspiration. It also means that when I speak about my work, either in a public presentation or a private conversation, words flow more freely.
• I've 'met' some very interesting [and supportive] people who follow my BLOG. Their regular interactions, feedback and comments [either via the BLOG or message] are a great delight and provide catalytic inspiration. You know who you are...and thank you!
• A number of my posts have been picked up by other sites. More recently Scientific America's Symbiartic Science-Art Scumble  Two of my posts have been listed on recent Scumbles ie: Super Heroes and Animals
• Sometimes, when I am out and about, people mention to me that they read my BLOG. This makes my heart sing!
• It is a great tool to have when writing artist's statements. It also means I can direct people to posts, rather than rambling on in an email or letter. My children say I ramble!!

So, to some interesting statistics.

• The most read [popular] post is Airspace and Phantoms...one of my 'quiet activist' posts. See image below!
• The second most popular is Food-A Fantasy In The Future  Another 'quiet activist' post!
• The third most popular is Ouroboros   where I delve into mythology, religiosity and cosmology.
• You can see the full list of popular posts on the right column
• Most of my visitors come from the United States, followed by my home country, Australia.

Airspace and Phantoms Gouache on paper 52 x 63 cm framed

I am working on a new painting...thinking of calling it Time Travel...will see if this feels right when the painting is finished.


NEWS:

Next weekend 1-2 September I have a number of paintings in an exhibition at the Nindooinbah Woolshed exhibition, which will be opened by well known Brisbane art dealer Bruce Heiser  Here's a link to the various ways [cocktail party, high tea, general entry] you can see the exhibition. Nindooinbah is a well known historical homestead near Beaudesert, which is about an hour south of Brisbane. Below are three of the paintings which will be in the exhibition:

Compassion Oil on linen 100 x 100

This painting was in the Directors' Cut online exhibition for the Blake Prize 2011

Finding The Light Oil on linen 100 x 70 cm

 

Sap of Life Oil on linen 55 x 80 cm

MORE NEWS

Tattersall's Landscape Art Award: I have again been invited to participate in this award and exhibition. The prize money is $25,000. The award will be announced Wednesday 5th September. The exhibition will be on display at Brisbane's Tattersall's Club until September 8, after which it is moved to Waterfront Place, 1 eagel St, Brisbane from 10-21 September.

Also, my entry into the Santos Acquisitive Art Prize in Roma has been selected as a finalist. Entries had to reflect upon the 'benefits of La Nina- the abundance that follows rain'. As regular readers know, rain and water, have been important themes in my work for a long time. The prize is announced 31 August.

 

Cheers,

Kathryn

www.kathrynbrimblecombe-fox.com

 

ALL OF US

All Of Us Gouache on paper 15 x 21 cm

I have three stretched canvases ready to paint. I've prepared the initial layers of paint and ideas are tripping through my brain. I am going to start on one after I have written this post. And, it will be linked to this new work on paper, above, titled All Of Us.

Regular readers will immediately recognise my much loved age old transcultural/religious tree-of-life. Yes, it's the 'shadow' [seemingly] behind the two figures, one male and one female. This 'shadow' represents variously, all history, geneology, human race evolution.

Yet, the figures are ambigiously orientated. Are they looking into past history with their backs to the future? Are they looking forward to unwritten future history with their backs to the past? Are they able to see all past and future histories with abilities to view from multiple perspectives simultaneously? The latter is a sophisticated way of viewing the world and the universe. I believe, in the 21st century, that we are being invited [perhaps implored] to 'see' this way. I suggest being able to see multiple perspectives simultaneously will enable humankind to [re]ignite imagination, wonder and compassion, to reveal better questions, which ultimately will lead to better answers. These answers, may lead to more questions, but the result could go beyond sustainability of the planet [and humankind] to something more. 

NEWS

                                                   Cosmic Frisson Oil on linen 90 x 180 cm

I have just sold Cosmic Frisson [above] to a new hospital! Very excited.

PLUS

• My entry for the $25,000 Mandorla Art Prize in Perth is a finalist. The award is announced 10 August. I will upload an image once the exhibition is live.My painting is called Birth of Knowledge.

Cheers,

Kathryn

www.kathrynbrimblecombe-fox.com