STUDY DAY 2018 at THE JOHNSTON COLLECTION

Tomorrow, Saturday 21 July, from 9 am - 4 pm, the Bower Artists - Loris Button, Louise Saxton, Carole Wilson and myself - will be among several presenters taking part in Study Day 2018 at the Johnston Collection. 

Led by Louis Le Vaillant, Director/Curator, The Johnston Collection and Amanda Bede, President, Ephemera Society of Australia, PRIVATE COLLECTIONS/PUBLIC SPACES - THE VALUE OF ART & EPHEMERA takes its cue from our current exhibition, PATTERNS OF COLLECTING/From the Bower at the Johnston Collection.

The Bower Artists will discuss our own collections and how they have directed and influenced our artworks. For example, my collection of mourning and sentimental jewellery, characterised by its incorporation of intricately woven human hair (pictured top, in situ at the museum), was a direct influence on the miniature watercolours made specifically for PATTERNS OF COLLECTING, including the Non-Portrait below. (Photo credit: Tim Gresham). 

For further information, visit the Johnston Collection website HERE.

PATTERNS OF COLLECTING: Friends of the Johnston Collection Preview

Selected installation views of PATTERNS OF COLLECTING/From the Bower at The Johnston Collection, snapped on Monday evening just before guests arrived for the Friends of the Johnston Collection Preview (which we enjoyed very much) and shortly after it ended. Featured are collection items and artworks from and by myself, Carole Wilson, Loris Button and Louise Saxton. The most recent addition to the show is the ceramic Buddha, inherited many years ago from my Aunt Eileen and now installed in the Chinoiseries Room opposite Louise Saxton’s superb Buddha, painstakingly constructed from reclaimed needlework.

New Abbotsford workspace

Our place in Abbotsford has been a virtually constant work in progress since we moved here. (I've just asked Shane to remind me how long it's been and he tells me it will be twenty years ago next May. Goodness - where did that almost-two decades go to?) Aside from getting an air conditioner installed upstairs in recent weeks (heaven knows how we survived without one for so long) the other exciting - and considerably more aesthetically pleasing - development is the latest transformation of part of the downstairs area, which, over the years, has variously been used as a studio, an office and a spare bedroom.

It's now a small studio again, an adjunct to the sizeable work table I have upstairs. Shane has done a magnificent job of plastering its ceiling, which continues into the adjoining entrance area, as well as installing art deco ceiling roses and light fittings (the latter sourced in antique markets in the Victorian Goldfields). 

Not shown in these views are the storage cupboard to the left of the bookshelves and two wooden plan cabinets directly opposite. The remainder of our books are now stored on bookshelves in the entrance hall; there's a partial view of them in the above photo. After a recent flood, one of several we've had over the years, numerous books had to be rescued from Shane's studio, the entrance to which is behind the art deco door, in the top photo, right. Fortunately, this time the damage, which at at first looked horrendous, was relatively minimal, and all of Shane's artworks were miraculously unscathed.

Shane also built the heavily laden bookshelves which fill the entire back wall of the revitalised space. A section of them can be seen directly below.

I spent the better part of yesterday tidying up the space, particularly the books, with a little help from Alice. She is seen taking a well earned rest in the following two photos.

On this sunny New Year's Eve morning, it's a good feeling to have the space ready and set to go for 2018.

Artworks on the wall are by Shane Jones, Paul Compton, Priscilla Ambrosini and
Jenny Nestor. The small sculptures on the top shelf of the cabinet are by Shane.
The moth masks on the bottom shelf are by me.

Alice, sitting on the lap of my cushion doll, Elsa (named after her lookalike, the
great Elsa Lanchester. See also below).

On the wall, right, are some of my celluloid and theatrical heroes, including the
Marx Brothers, Margaret Dumont, Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanchester,
Angela Lansbury and Ethel Merman. 

From the Bower - final days

Where has the time gone to? It's hard to believe that after several months, it's nearly journey's end for From the bower - patterns of collecting. It's a journey that began earlier this year at Warrnambool Art Gallery, where the show ran from 18 March - 12 June before travelling to the Art Gallery of Ballarat, where it opened on 29 July.

From artists/collectors Loris Button, Louise Saxton, Carole Wilson and I (AKA the Bower Birds) thank you so much to all who saw our show. For those who haven't yet managed a visit, don't despair. You have until next weekend before it finishes its run at the Art Gallery of Ballarat on Sunday 17 September at 5 pm.

The following installation views of From the Bower at the AGB were taken by photographer Tim Gresham. In labelling them, I realised that providing full details of each and every work and collection item would be far too unwieldy, so in most instances each artwork is identified solely by its maker and in the case of individual collection objects, by its owner. Click on individual images for a clearer view.

From the Bower, L - R: Cabinet of curiosities; on the wall: works by Loris Button, Carole Wilson and Loris Button
and items from the collection of Loris Button

L - R: works by Loris Button, Deborah Klein, Louise Saxton and Carole Wilson

Left wall L R: Items from the collections of Loris Button and Louise Saxton, drawing by Loris Button
Right wall L - R: works by Deborah Klein and Louise Saxton

L - R: Works by Deborah Klein and Louise Saxton

L - R: Works by Deborah Klein, Carole Wilson, Deborah Klein, Carole Wilson, Loris Button and Deborah Klein
Plinths on righthand side: combined collection objects

L - R: Works by Loris Button and Louise Saxton, objects from the collection of Loris Button (on plinth),
works by Carole Wilson and Deborah Klein

L - R: Works by Louise Saxton, Loris Button, Carole Wilson, objects from the collections of Loris Button and
Louise Saxton, drawing by Loris Button. On plinth: Combined objects from the artists' collections

L - R: Works by Deborah Klein, Carole Wilson, Deborah Klein, Carole Wilson, Loris Button and Deborah Klein
Plinths on far right: combined collection objects; on plinth foreground right: Porcelain Garden by Louise Saxton

L - R: Works by Carole Wilson, combined collections cabinet, works by Loris Button, Carole Wilson and Loris Button,
collection objects: Loris Button

L - R: Works by Louise Saxton, Loris Button, Carole Wilson, objects from the collections of Loris Button and
Louise Saxton, drawing by Loris Button. On plinth: Combined objects from the artists' collections

L - R: Works by Louise Saxton, Loris Button and Louise Saxton, objects from the collection of Loris Button (on plinth),
works by Carole Wilson and three works by Deborah Klein (including two on plinths)

Deborah Klein L - R: Tattooed Faces Sampler, A Cabinet of Moth Masks and Vignette Vitrine

L - R: Objects from the collection of Loris Button, works by Carole Wilson and Deborah Klein

L - R: Textile work by Louise Saxton, drawing by Loris Button. On plinth: Combined objects from the artists' collections

L - R: Works by Louise Saxton, Loris Button, Carole Wilson, objects from the collection of Loris Button
 On plinth: Combined objects from the artists' collections

L - R: Works by Loris Button and Louise Saxton, objects from the collection of Loris Button

Foreground: Porcelain Garden by Louise Saxton
Background: Combined collections wall

L - R: Leaves of Absence artist book by Deborah Klein with related collection objects
On wall: works by Carole Wilson and Deborah Klein

Cabinet of curiosities from the artists' collections (view 1)
On left: Works by Loris Button, Carole Wilson and Loris Button

Cabinet of curiosities from the artists' collections (view 2)
In background: works by Carole Wilson

Cabinet of curiosities from the artists' collections (view 3)
In background: combined collections wall

Combined collections wall designed by Loris Button with assistance from Carole Wilson

FROM THE BOWER launched at the Art Gallery of Ballarat

 Pictured above L - R: Carole Wilson, Loris Button, myself, Louise Saxton, Jason Smith and Gordon Morrison at last Saturday's opening event. 
(Photo credit: Shane Jones)

On Saturday 29 July, Louise Saxton, Carole Wilson, Loris Button and I saw our collective vision for From the bower - patterns of collecting come to full flower in its latest incarnation at the Art Gallery of Ballarat - due in no small measure to the expertise of the AGB's inestimable Exhibitions and Graphic Designer, Brenda Wellman. Brenda (who is also responsible for the beautiful catalogue that accompanies the show) has shared our vision from the outset. With invaluable input from Carole Wilson and Loris Button, she has seamlessly incorporated numerous artworks and collection items that were not included in the exhibition’s previous run at Warrnambool Art Gallery. We are indebted to Brenda and her amazing team, to Director Gordon Morrison, to the staff at the AGB and to the many people who came along on Saturday afternoon to join in the celebrations. 

A highlight of the launch was the opening address by Jason Smith, Director, Geelong Gallery, who understands our aims and ideas so completely and communicated them so eloquently to a captivated audience. We can't thank him - and all of those mentioned above - enough.

The exhibition runs until 17 September.

L - R: Carole Wilson, myself and Loris Button, preparing to meet the local press on the day before the exhibition opening.
(Photo credit: Peter Freund)

L - R: Carole Wilson and Brenda Wellman, pictured during the final stages
of the installation of From the Bower

Following are selected views of From the bower. This is a mere taster - more photos, including those of individual artworks, will be posted in the near future.

Cabinet of curiosities (detail #1) with selected objects from our private collections, assembled by Carole
Wilson and Loris Button 

Installation view looking towards the exhibition entrance, featuring artworks by all four artists, including
Porcelain Garden, 2015, by Louise Saxton (foreground)

L - R: artworks by Loris Button, Deborah Klein, Louise Saxton and Carole Wilson

Side view of the cabinet of curiosities looking towards the combined collections wall 

Left (foreground): Porcelain Garden by Louise Saxton, background: the combined collections wall,
second from right: Leaves of Absence artist book by Deborah Klein, far right: Urn 2  by Carole Wilson

Detail of combined collections wall

Left and third from left: Museum Poppy, Bumblebee, and Vondelpark Stork, Grunsfoort Threshold, 2015, drawings by Loris Button.
Second from left: Urn 2, 2013, hand cut maps on paper by Carole Wilson.
Far right: vintage children's furniture from the collection of Loris Button

L - R: artworks by Deborah Klein, Carole Wilson, Loris Button and Deborah Klein

Pictured with my archival pigment print, Doppelgänger, 2017 (photo credit: Shane Jones)

Deborah Klein: homo-insecta watercolours, 2014

Installation view of left hand wall in gallery 1

Deborah Klein, Leaves of Absence artist book with selected pages, hand painted eucalyptus leaves and
 antique flower presses. Cabinet arranged by Carole Wilson and Loris Button.

Leaves of Absence installation detail #1

Leaves of Absence installation detail #2

Foreground includes (L - R): two World War II recognition and identification model planes
and medical replica human skull, all from the collection of Loris Button 

Gallery 2 installation view. L - R: Marianne's clianthus by Louise Saxton, Memento of M & Q by Loris Button,
installation of combined collection objects, collages with hand-stitching by Carole Wilson, shadow box containing
collection items of Loris Button and vintage hand embroidered linens from the collection of Louise Saxton 

Left (top) Memento of M & Q by Loris Button; left (bottom) combined collections objects,
Right: Field Notes Inland 2 and Field Notes Glacial 2, 2016,
hand cut and stitched maps on paper by Carole Wilson

Top: Loris Button's multi-panelled work, Memento of M & Q, 1996, acrylic on cotton rag paper
Bottom:  Combined collection objects from the collections all four artists

Combined collections detail #1

Combined collections detail #2

Installation view of gallery 2

Loris Button, Travelling Tales, 2014-17, linocuts and stencils on reclaimed abaca paper

L - R: Loris Button, Travelling Tales, Louise Saxton, Major Tom, 2010 (after John and Elizabeth Gould, c.1848),
reclaimed needlework and lace, and Loris Button, collection objects (see below)

L - R: Loris Button, collection objects including Swiss SABA clown doll, circa 1921, Carole Wilson, Lebuh Armenian
and Deborah Klein, Tattooed Faces Sampler

Carole Wilson, Lebuh Armenian, 2016, hand cut atlas maps

L - R: Deborah Klein, Tattooed Faces Sampler, 1997, linocuts hand-stitched on oriental paper and calico,
A cabinet of Moth Masks, and Vignette Vitrine (see following two images)

Deborah Klein, A Cabinet of Moth Masks, 2010-13, hand painted plaster masks in antique cabinet

 Foreground: Deborah Klein, Vignette Vitrine, 2012, acrylic on miniature canvases in display case

Collections and artworks, including Vantias #3 - The Storyteller, 2015 by Louise Saxton, reclaimed needlework,
lace, beading pins and silk on museum board (far right)

L - R: Loris Button, Regarding the Passage of Time, 2012, colour pencil on Hanji paper,
Deborah Klein, Iron Butterflies, 2007, cut-out linocuts