My last month has been a little frantic organising work for two group exhibitions here in Brisbane. One was planned and I am helping organise, the other was a last minute one that I was invited to participate. I find that group exhibitions are not necessarily money-makers but they are a fantastic opportunity to make connections with my fellow artists and to be a part of something 'bigger'. I work in my studio on my own so I love being able to socialise and work with my 'colleagues'! It is also a great way to stay on top of mental health and I believe making those connections is so healthy fo me to get me out of my head.

Both of these exhibitions are coincidentally both organised and curated by women and by women artists. I love working with the female voice as my work is very much dominated by a feminine perspective. I have found over the years, women working together can really raise each other up in a positive and respectful way. Both of these exhibitions really celebrate the female voice and perspectives of women.

Exhibition #1

The first exhibition that I am going to talk about is currently up at the Side Gallery in Redhill (Brisbane, QLD). This exhibition is a poignant reminder of the times we live in and the strength and power women bring to our society. Particularly with what is happening in our Parliament at the moment and the allegations coming to the surface. We need to make time for this change as well as the absolute crisis with domestic violence and abuse. I find it deeply concerning and upsetting that we live in a time where this is happening in our society on a regular basis and women are scared to come forward. This exhibition is not about these particular events, however it does highlight the power and strength of the female voice. I am honoured to have my work along side these 5 women including Deb Sara, Karen Hurkford, Claire Edwards, Heather Faulkner and Sue Poggioli. This exhibition really showcases varying styles, media and themes to represent an allied front of diverse lived experiences. Printmaking, photography, textile art and mixed media hang side by side to present a new narrative around the working practices of female artists.

For this exhibition, I curated 7 etchings that I thought could work with the themes of this show which include both older and new etchings that I felt fit together. The etchings I chose have bold figures in them and they stand strong and independently. They are loosely based on me - but rather the essense of my identity and I guess a romanticised depiction of who I am. As the figure travels throughout each etching, her narrative changes slightly but stylistically remains cohesive. The colours are very rich, deep sepia and Sienna tones with cardinal red and gold leaf give each small etching a big voice. They give the figure power which is accentuated through the plate tone and the halo that is created through this effect. Every brush stroke, colour and etched mark has purpose. I am really proud of this collection as I feel it really added to the exhibition and the concept we were trying to achieve.

Here are a few photos from the exhibition: