Official Endorsement of SWAN LAKE

Yesterday afternoon I delivered additional copies of the Special Edition of my linocut Swan Lake to the Art Gallery of Ballarat shop. Many thanks to those who have already acquired the work.

Directly afterwards Shane Jones and I drove to its source of inspiration, Lake Wendouree. Upon arrival, I was approached by two representatives of the local swan community. 

Their designated spokeswan eyeballed me and proceeded to deliver a brief but impassioned monologue, which I wish I’d videotaped. I don’t understand Swanese, but like to think the speech was in support of my humble print. 

Swan Lake is once again available through the AGB shop and (I choose to believe) comes with official endorsement from the Ballarat Swan Community. 

Pictured top: Swan Lake, 2023, linocut with collage and hand-colouring. Special Edition of 30. 

Swan Lake was initially created for Whereabouts - Printmakers Respond, an exhibition of works by 56 Victorian printmakers. Curated by Rona Green, it continues at the Art Gallery of Ballarat to Sunday, February 4, 2024. 

Swan Lake (Special Edition)

It seems that swans have always been connected to the places I’ve called home, from the black swans of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne to the white swans of Regents Park in London. 

Nowadays my Whereabouts (the title of the exhibition for which my linocut Swan Lake was initially created) is hereabouts. Ballarat is home, and for me, Lake Wendouree and its beloved black swans are where the heart is. 

At the invitation of the splendid Art Gallery of Ballarat shop, I’ve created a special limited edition of Swan Lake to coincide with the current exhibition. Numbered I - XXX (1- 30), the work is available exclusively through the gallery shop. It’s pictured below alongside a striking inkjet pigment print (open edition) by fellow Whereabouts artist, Miranda Costa.

Whereabouts, an exhibition of 56 Victorian-based printmakers was curated by Rona Green. But before making your way to Whereabouts, don’t forget to pick up a free, fully illustrated exhibition catalogue at the front desk of the AGB. 

Pictured from top: Swan Lake, 2023, (Special Edition), linocut with collage and hand-colouring, Edition: 30. Photo credit: Tim Gresham;
Images 2-4: Black swans in the wetlands area across from Lake Wendouree;

Images 5-6: Special edition of Swan Lake on display in the AGB shop, along with an archival pigment print by fellow Whereabouts artist Miranda Costa;

Images 7–8: Front and back views of the fold-out poster-sized Whereabouts catalogue, an essential exhibition guide;

Image 9 below: Whereabouts installation view. Pictured L-R: Rona Green, Petal, 2023, hand-coloured linocut, Deborah Klein, Swan Lake, 2023, hand-coloured linocut, printed by Bill Young, Miranda Costa, Thinking, 2023, inkjet pigment print, Gillian Kline, Inward Goods, 2023, linocut. 

Click on images to enlarge.

Whereabouts opened on 18 November, 2023 and runs to 4 February, 2024.