The Heavens Declare

The Heavens Declare (1), 2022, pictured top, is part of the forthcoming Goldfields Printmakers exhibition, The Printmakers’ Garden of Imagination. Like its sister work, The Heavens Declare (2), (see below) it takes a detail from The Heavens Declare… (c. 1910), a needlework by British Arts and Crafts artist and designer May Morris (1862-1938), as its point of departure. 

Both linocuts reflect on the formative years I spent in UK and on my home country of Australia - in this instance, my present home in the Victorian Goldfields city of Ballarat. This work also recalls the wild rose bushes still found on the goldfields that were originally planted by British colonists as sentimental reminders of their own home country.

The Heavens Declare (2), 2022, pictured above, references the introduction of orange trees to Australia. In 1788, orange seeds were brought over by Captain Arthur Phillip, the first Governor of New South Wales. Reverend Richard Johnson, Chaplain of the fledgling colony, subsequently planted a small orange grove in Bridge Street, Sydney. They were the first orange trees in Australia to bear fruit. 

Scroll down to my last post for further information about the show, including a list of participating artists.

Opening event: Saturday 3 September, 2.00 - 3.30 pm 

Newstead Arts Hub

8A Tivey Street, Newstead VIC 3642

Opening Hours: Sat and Sun 10am - 4pm

Current to 25 September.

The exhibition will run concurrently at IMPACT 12, the International Printmaking Conference in Bristol, UK.

Pictured top: The Heavens Declare (1), 2022, linocut, chine-collé, 20 x 15 cm (image), ed: 30.

Pictured second: The Heavens Declare (2), 2022, linocut, chine-collé, 20 x 15 cm (image), ed: 30.