Sarah Moller- What the Sax Player Saw When the Lights Went Out

Sarah commenced art studies at Adelaide Central School of Art and completed a Bachelor of Creative Arts and Industries (Honours) at Charles Darwin University in 2010. She  is currently undertaking a Doctor of Philosophy (Fine Arts) through Charles Darwin University, and has recently returned from Germany, where she undertook a year’s research under Professor Anne Berning at the Akademie für Bildende Künst,  Mainz.
“What the sax player saw when the lights went out” is an amazing exhibition. It is designed entirely for the space which is actually  the Promethean, a theatre space. It captures the essence of the 20’s when a spirit of excess and a devil-may-care attitude caused many in society to live life to the fullest. Many, women in particular, frequented speakeasy bars during the prohibition. The clothing was risqué for the time and ushered in a new confidence in one’s appearance, bucking social trends which would have women stay at home literally bound in their corsets.

‘All Brass‘, oil on canvas, 2012.
This is a vibrant painting of a young lady literally nestled into the spotlight. Her white flapper dress sparkles against the brightness. She is holding a trumpet aloft in her right hand and is kicking her right leg into the air. Her body seems cradled into the bottom corner of the work, nestled into the warm glow of the light itself. She is decorated with feathers and tassels in the style of the roaring 20′s. Her hair is short with love locks on her cheeks; as was the style of this new age. She has a look that suggests that she is a consummate performer, confident within her surroundings yet while her mouth displays virtually no emotion. Her eyes glance sideways in an alluring manner and draw our focus.

The image is derived from an image of a woman in the 1920’s. In the original she is holding a fan-shaped object, in Moller’s rendition she is holding a trumpet. Her hands are twisted in queer ways; theatrically gesticulating, they compliment her stage presence. The most interesting aspect of this work is the composition. The viewer’s eye is led about the round spotlight, over the figure of the woman. Bold dark contrasting shadows direct us as we navigate the work. Colour is a strong element that dominates the space. Sarah has used analogous colour to great effect, softening the impact of bold reds and white with purple shadows.

This work captures essence of jazz in the roaring 20’s where a truly profound change was ushered into society. People, women in particular cast off the shackles of traditional values and danced the Charleston in Speakeasys under the glow of new electric lights. The corset was gone and life was in fast forward. This painting is a tribute to the women liberated in this age.

‘Hornblowers’, oil on canvas 2013.
In this painting we see two jazz musicians, one of which appears to be Louis Armstrong (What can I say I have just recently watched Casablanca again), the other is obscured by their trumpet.  They play amid the sparkle of ethereal electric lights aglow in the background.  Armstrong’s eyes gaze wide as he plays a note and we can almost hear the sound. The 1920’s was not just a liberating time for women. Black musicians such are Armstrong were able to “crossover” into mainstream music. For the first time they would be known for their musical genius and not the colour of their skin.
Again in Sarah Moller’s painting it is colour that is the defining element; rich deep violet serves to anchor the subjects into the darkness allowing the brighter red and white hues to complement the figures and define them.

The energy and vibrancy of 1920’s jazz music is captured beautifully in this work with bold colour and light. In the dim lighting of the theatre space this work shines.

Viewing these images on the walls as the performer “Movin Melvin Brown” performed on stage transported me back to an exciting yet turbulent time in our human history.

Below is a gallery of her other works in this exhibition.

http://www.sarahmoller.com/

Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition 2013- Ellie Noir

Ellie Noir is a graduate from the Adelaide Central School of Art. Her works in the Helpmann herself as Alice from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.

image used by permission of the artist (courtesy of James Field)

“Myself as Alice”- Ellie Noir 

Ellie has been working on her Alice in Wonderland series for the last couple of years, having been fascinated with the story since she was a child. In each of the works in the series there is a black door, linking them.

In this work we see the artist herself in the place of Alice. Set at the beginning of the story where Alice has eaten some cake labelled “Eat Me” and has grown to enormous proportions. Ellie is has depicted herself in a blue silk dress with black and white stockings and black shoes. She is sitting on a circular check floor in a round blue grey room. One might imagine that there is a dome in the ceiling it is inferred through the architectural line work on the walls. A small doorway is behind her in the distance and serves as the only apparent exit from this cramped space. Alice (Noir) holds her hand up in front of her face as if to shield it, her head is turned into her shoulder and her eyes are closed tight. The light source comes from above.

This work contains many repetitive elements such as colour and pattern to help the viewer connect with the subject matter. While her dress reflects the colours of the walls; Alice’s stockings and shoes reflect the pattern and colour of the flooring.  The warmth shown in her skin is in contrast to the cool surroundings and her dress. Masterfully painted with oil on Belgian linen; Ellie Noir has sought to capture a great amount of detail in the tone of her subject matter. The folds of the dress and her treatment of the figure are skilfully rendered. The compositional qualities of this work are such that our eyes are gently led around the work.

As a character in the book, Alice is a sensible and logical girl from a wealthy family who is thrust into a nonsensical world filled with strange characters and happenings. Bored with the Victorian world of her sister, she follows a rabbit down a rabbit hole in the hopes that it might bring her some new realisation.  Yet wonderland seems to frustrate her further. This artwork depicts a scene in the first and second chapters. Lewis Carroll dramatizes the frustrations that young people feel as they grow older and gain independence.  Alice can see that a magnificent garden is on the other side of the doorway; however, she is either too big or too small to fit through it.  She drinks a potion on the table and shrinks too small to get the key, amplifying the frustrations associated with feeling insignificant in childhood and the feelings of missing out on out childhood as we grow old.  “Myself as Alice” is an exploration of identity and growth. This journey is never black and white and possibly the great realisation is that life is never sensible and logical but rather magical and surprising.

Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition 2013- Kerry Inkster

The Helpmann academy exhibition is something that I look forward to each year.  It is a chance to view work selected from more than 150 graduating students from some of the top tertiary institutions in the state.

“You are missed, blubber the goldfish” (Amelie series) – Kerry Inkster

Kerry is a recent graduate of the school of Art, Architecture and Design. She is primarily involved with portraiture and figurative painting.

This work depicts a young girl draped over what appears to be a railing. In fact it is the railing of a bridge. Her face is sullen, her eyes dark caught in shadow. She is captured in a moment of time where some great event has taken place and the enormity is gradually sinking in. She is wearing a light red jacket with a matching ribbon in her hair. Her hands are not visible; they drift out of the composition as if we were viewing the scene from a photograph.  This is a subject I find I easily connect with. The face of a child is such that the viewer cannot help but become entranced, as if by some chance we as the observer were able to help them. The title of this work gives the clue that the little girl is Amélie Poulain from the French movie Amélie. Kerry Inkster in Pop art style has invited us into a scene from the movie through this painting. The background is a swirl of blue and white; the think Acrylic paint barely mixing upon the hard board surface. The tones of the girl appear to have been stencilled; depicted in bold shapes of orange and red. Her facial features have also been shown in terms of tone and shape. The viewer’s eye connects initially with the rich orange and red and progresses to the deep blue and grey which borders the subject. The whole surface is shiny and smooth having been varnished to a thick high gloss.
Kerry Inkster while using an existing image for her inspiration has; in a Pop Art style, also left the interpretation of the meaning of this work largely up to the viewer. The scene depicts Amélie as a child watching on as her mother; distraught by blubber the goldfishes’ repeated attempts at suicide, tips him into a stream at a park. She watches her only friend look up at her from the stream and disappear into the water. We all experience loss and grief in our lives, Inkster has chosen this scene for us to ponder as if from the point of view of the goldfish. The Child in the scene has no friends due to her parents keeping her at home. Her only friends are imaginary and the goldfish – Blubber. As a parent I was drawn to the emotion contained in this work even before I read the title. For me this inspires thoughts of my impact on the people around me and the lasting influence I may have on others. Inkster has shown us a moment that many of us experience in our lives that time when we must leave a loved one.

Kerry Inkster Facebook

17th Prospect Community Show- It is on again!

Community shows by definition, showcase the creative attributes of the people who work or live in the area. This exhibition is described as “vibrant and joyful”, and it certainly is that. Prospect Gallery is a brightly lit space that adjoins Prospect Library. Exhibitions such as this one not only showcase the creativity and diversity of Art but also the pride of place the community puts on such work. Prospect is a community that is famous for their creative culture. Since the inaugural community show in 1982 this show is a must see in the calendar year.  This year it features 76 works in a variety of mediums; from photography, to stencilling, traditional painting to sculpture, there is something for everyone’s taste. Even a hand crafted working harp! The show is up on display until the 20^th of January.

Photographs are courtesy of John Nieddu

Prospect Gallery Website

Amalgamate 2012- Jessica Brown; symphonic shapes in cut paper

Jessica Brown is a graduate illustrator who caught my eye with her beautiful cut paper works. I loved her eye for shape and tone as well as her affinity for melding tonal variations into works of design.  He recent showing at the Amalgamate Graduate exhibition showcased a number of works utilising the medium of cut paper.

“Juicy” 2012, was a response when given three words; sexy, king and bicycle. With these words and a limited amount of time she came up with the above idea.  It is a rear view of a cyclist produced with cut paper.  The muted bluish grey tones serve to gently guide the eye around this work. The sleek rounded curves produce an organic feel to the work. Highlights in white cut paper give the figure form, while the sharp dark sections accentuate the edges of key areas such as the bike seat, arms and helmet.  We are unable to exactly determine the sex of the person, just that they are mid-pedal. However due to the size of the hips one could presume that the person is female. The diagonal mid-tone shape; which runs from top of this piece to the bottom, creates a dynamic feel, accentuating the energy and effort of the figure.

“Whale and children” 2012, is an illustration from a picture book that Jessica Brown wrote and illustrated. In it a large blue whale is the central character. It is out of water and a number of children are playing around it. They seem captivated and excited by the size of the creature. The silhouetted shapes are shown in a number of poses; sliding down his back and looking quizzically under his body.

Composed entirely from cut paper shapes Brown has marvellously interpreted the form fo both the children and the whale. The shape of the mouth and the manner in which the eye of the whale gazes upon one of the children serves to bring an air of warmth and familiarity to the animal.

In both of her cut paper creations Jessica Brown has demonstrated sensitivity to her subject matter and her chosen audience. As a graduate she shows a lot of promise.

http://brownhouseillustrations.blogspot.com.au/

Amalgamate 2012- Rowan Laubsch

I was lucky enough to have taught Rowan Laubsch when he was in secondary school. He has an awesome eye for design and attention to detail. His blurb on the Amalgamate website reads:

“Rowan Laubsch enjoys working in areas of design including packaging, typography and branding. Taking a clean, minimalist approach, he explores possibilities to reach unique concepts, which add intrigue to the design outcome. A discovered passion for the tactility of paper led to his desire to pursue a career specialised in print design.”

“Tea Lab” was his response to a brief to develop the branding and packaging of a luxury item. This design won him the student Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA) award for three-dimensional design.

It draws connections between brewing tea and the field of chemistry.  The catalogue of flavours mimics the periodic table linking the names of tea styles with letters similar to those in the periodic table, with each variety corresponding to a different colour. The bags are packaged in a square box with the information about the tea written in a white section on the side. The exterior makes use of dynamic angles similar to those contained in the logo to add interest to the package. The coloured section has been embossed to create a tactile component to the design.

Throughout the packaging the angles of the colour blocks are set at that of a hexagon, these hexagonal elements mimic the shapes found in carbon chains and the interlocking nature of covalent bonds.

Also, the grid that fills the entire package and catalogue is also an isometric grid of repeated hexagons. The identity logo itself was also drawn from this hexagonal grid.

The logo utilises positive and negative space to accentuate the interlocking box shapes that form the “T and L” this makes it both visually appealing as well as communicating the brand name. The tea boxes are reflected in the design as well as the chemistry theme.
The overall design is particularly successful in communicating to the tea enthusiast the nature of the product and the complexity that exists within. For the novice it is an easy to understand; organised format to communicate simply the product range.

Amalgamate website: Rowan Laubsch

Ruby Chew- Spitting Image; honest reflections in paint.

I was lucky enough to attend the opening of Ruby Chew’s latest exhibition “Spitting Image” at Hill Smith Gallery on Wednesday night. I have heard a lot of good things about this new up and coming artist who is an honours graduate from the Adelaide Central School of Art. She also exhibited at the Helpmann Academy exhibition in 2011; and this was where I was first able to view her work.

Spitting image is flooded with colour; Ruby’s portraits are bold and full of life. They step out of the canvas and greet you, and at the same time invite you in for a closer look.

“Scott” 2012, is a portrait of a young Blond-haired man with a short moustache. He is shown bare-chested on a turquoise background with a red glitter circle behind his head. His arms are covered with tattoos; depicting what looks to be the Japanese Imperial Palace in Tokyo painted in a traditional Sumi-e style.  It is from this tattoo that the turquoise colour has been lifted to serve as the matt background. Scott is shown on an angle to the viewer, not quite three-quarter. The composition is formal; the solid red glitter ring accentuates the facial features and directs the eye over the painted arms and about the bright cherry red beads. The tonal qualities of the skin have been painted with great adherence to detail.

There is an element of contrast in the work; the soft tones of the skin in comparison to the matt tones of the background enhance the flesh.  While red circular shapes are repeated.

In Ruby Chew’s work there is a certain air of vulnerability and honesty. She shows her subject gently holding an object typically associated with femininity. The circle in the background is a halo and gives us an insight into the man. His eyes stare quietly out at us; his facial features are soft and thoughtful. Beads are often symbols of prayer. What is Scott praying for? As he holds these beads in his open hands he also reveals that he is open for a response.

Jude is a portrait of a young woman; her face has been painted with red paint. Four dots garnish each of her eyes. In the middle of her forehead is an inverted triangle. She is bare shouldered wearing a pink and red dress; painted with flat colour it stands out in comparison with her skin. In the background Ruby has placed another red triangle on a maroon background. This triangle points up, in contrast to the one on Jude’s forehead, extending almost to the top of the canvas.

She is a beautiful woman, with flashing green eyes that stare out as she stands in an angled pose. The look she gives us seems to be one of tentative curiosity. Her eyes contrast strongly with the red of her body paint, attracting our gaze to them.

The red triangle is symbolic of many things, though in this case it could be viewed as a symbol for fire.  The fire in her eyes and in her features has been captured with bold confidence. Again there is simple honesty in this work that entrances us. It directs us to want to know more. What is this fire that is apparent in “Jude”? In what way does it drive her? These questions are not so easily answered by staring at this work though we continue to do so.

Ruby Chew in this exhibition has painted, “painted” people. Many of her subjects have been decorated with tattoos, piercings jewellery. Normally such things are signs of people how have a rough exterior; however in Ruby’s subjects we see a gentle, honest human side. She opens up her subject in the painting to expose them in a truly beautiful way. The exhibition is open until the 24^th of November.

http://rubychewart.blogspot.com.au

http://www.hillsmithgallery.com.au/

Such Great Heights- Wonder Tent

Such Great Heights is a local Adelaide design business. I first saw their work at Bowerbird Bazaar and I am quietly hoping to see them again this month when the event returns.  They adopt a style that I would describe as retro chic. Reviving the nostalgic thoughts of camping or as would be the case for many people; those days of Saturday morning cartoons, Hanna Barbara and reading adventure novels such as the Boy’s and Girl’s own annual. The flagship product from this group is their “wonder tent”.

This tent is constructed from printed fabric atop sturdy wooden struts. These fit together easily and are made from Western Australian Karri and Jarrah. As these are hard woods they are solid and will definitely last a lifetime. They are constructed to form a triangular prism the shape to reflect the iconic tent of yesteryear.  The struts are designed to be slightly longer at the top, providing a feature which might reflect the assemblage of such a tent from sticks as a boy scout might do. The lower step has been visually softened and shaped to reflect a worn edge and in a practical way provides less of a tripping hazard for little people. The medium weight cotton canvas has a range of prints which reflect patterns popular in the 60’ and 70’s; with floral prints and geometric shapes. The colours used, compliment the wooden frames and enhance the shape.
This design is reflective of a “simpler time” often portrayed in movies and evokes feelings of elegance and simplicity. It has an attractive array of coverings making it able to fit with any home décor.

The Wonder tent in action at Bowerbird Bazaar

This is a design primarily for indoors though it would appear that the tent would be able to function virtually anywhere as it comes packed in its own water proof bag.  This design also has a visual strength in the utilisation of polished wood.

It appears sturdy and well-constructed; this is a rare feature in the world of today, where manufacturers often choose cheaper materials to save cost and design objects have a built-in obsolescence to make the consumer buy more. I think that we want to go back to an age where things lasted and simplicity was a feature!

With the internet flooding people’s lives with images of the new and latest technologies; toys that do not enhance the imagination of children as they once did. This is the humble play tent for children; no bells or whistles attached. Just good design!

Such Great Heights on Facebook

Etsy store

Tim Ide- Where illustration meets passion

Tim is a consummate illustrator who is very well-known, though most people may not know his name. He does work as a court sketch artist producing drawings that often illustrate the seedier side of life; his work often appears on the news or in the local paper. He currently is exhibiting his work at Mrs Harris’ shop located in Thebarton. The exhibition is titled “Off the Page” and features his work along with Deborah Baldassi   His style draws heavily on an illustrative tradition with bold outlines and watercolor fills. His strength lies in his ability to capture the moment in time; be it now or thousands of years ago. Tim also works in amateur theatre and is an art teacher (where I met him). He is a witty personality with a quirky sense of humour which comes through in much of his work.

“Conan” was completed in 2010 as an illustration for a comic book. It describes the moment in time when the muscular figure of Conan a Marvel comic book character jumps from the deck of one ship to another much to the terror and dismay of those who oppose him. With a shield held close to his chest and sword in his hand he is drawn into the fray.  His intense piercing eyes reflect stalwart concentration. The faces within this work have been rendered to exhibit expression. Textural detail has been applied to provide visual interest and dark and light tones upon the smooth shapes serve help to lead the eye about the work. Contrasting elements highlight the action and dynamic movement. I really enjoy the composition of this work shapes have been used to lead the eye; examples include the down pointed sword and pointed helmet. Rounded curves soften the dynamic movement and allow the eye to rest. This work is created for a select audience who understands the barbarian nature of the Conan character. His brash, dominating strength is exhibited in this work.

“Wyvern” is an illustration for a book on mythical creatures. A large green dragon is perched on a rock while two intrepid adventurer sneak up on the incredible creature; though their dog is somewhat lacking in bravery. In the distance we can see a thick foreboding forest with a small township lying beyond.

The textural components in this work along with the colour serve to capture the imagination of the viewer and intensify the action. Water colour and pen and ink highlight the line work and textural components in this piece.

I enjoy the humorous inclusion of the little dog as it provides an interesting aspect to the piece. Black line work; as a tool in illustration, serves to bring a greater contrast to sections of the work so the viewer is better able to notice them.  They were possibly at one time a necessary element to book illustrations because of the methods of reproducing images in the past. I suppose that now in the digital age this black line element is largely aesthetic.

Tom the outback mailman is a children’s book that Tim Ide has illustrated and is a storybook highlighting a real life outback character; Tom Kruse. Known as the Birdsville Mailman, he delivered mail and other supplies to a wide region of the outback from 1936 until 1957. The story of his two-week road trips was captured in a 50’s documentary Back of Beyond, putting him on the national stage. Tim Ide has brilliantly captured the colours and characters in the Australian Outback. Above is the cover artwork with the rich blue of the outback sky captured with the use of acrylics. The varied ethic groups of the outback are represented along with the truck, “The Badger”. All of the illustrations have an intimacy and typical Aussie humour about them.

Jack “the dogger” is one illustration contained within with Tom and Jack sharing a meal cooked on a shovel with dingo skins drying in the background.

The illustration style of Ide is one which embraces traditional methods, yet incorporates the reality of life in the bush. His direct line work and water-colour washes all serve to compliment the bright washed out colours of the outback.

This exhibition is open on Saturdays and Sundays throughout October 11:00am – 3:00pm

Tim Ide webpage

The Beginning of The End- Fiona Roberts and Claire Marsh

The Beginning of The End featuring the work of Fiona Roberts and Claire Marsh is a group of works that encapsulates both the grotesque and the surreal. They distort and manipulate the familiar in an effort to convey feelings of anxiety and suffering, as well as metamorphosis or decay. Within many artists there is a desire to test the boundaries of their own experience and see what may be uncovered. With this exhibition we are invited into this exploratory world and we cannot help but to look deeper at ourselves.

Fiona Roberts is an emerging artist based in South Australia. I first came across her work at the The Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition at the beginning of this year. Her work explores the fragility and decay of the human body as well as its limitations. Throughout her work one can identify an exploration of the relationships we have between our minds and our bodies. She explores the sometimes harsh perceptions we can have of ourselves; how we are often detached from the reality of our emotions and our sense of self. This in turn enhances our fears and phobias.
Her work sometimes borders on the grotesque using the human form as a canvas to transmit mood and feeling,
“Knot”, 2012 is about the size of a shoebox and was hiding at the top of the stairs as I entered this exhibition. Looking very much like a small animal that had nestled itself on the gallery floor. It is a mouth surrounded by human hair which twists and winds its way outward from the centre. Each hair has been painstakingly woven individually into what looks to be a wax base. The mouth is open with the teeth and tongue visible. The lips glisten in the light. The whole work is literally a ball of hair which extends and wraps around itself. It is circular in shape and the position of the hair drifting from the centre draw our eye to the gaping mouth. She relies on the texture to create visual interest in the work as well as the realistic structure of the mouth. To me this work evokes feelings of anxiety and tension particularly associated with mental health. I have heard it said that mental health practitioners could be described as combing the knots from the mind. This piece to me represents the power of these thoughts and the pain they can produce. Often it is our negative thoughts that are hardest to overcome.

Claire Marsh is also an emerging Artist with a flair for exploring the frailties of our human form. I wrote about her work earlier this year. She was also in the Helpmann Academy Graduate exhibition; her work explores metamorphosis and the duality of human nature.

“Cloven”, 2012 is a remarkable piece constructed from bee’s wax and kangaroo fur. There are two shoes one is upright and the other laying down displaying the base to the viewer. The base looks very much like the hoof of an animal. The front of the hoof faces the rear of the shoe so that the pointed end is where the wearer’s toe might be positioned. The textural qualities are what attract the eye to this work. Perhaps it is the naturalistic bone colour or the soft appearance of the fur. The work at first reminded me of the surrealist Méret Oppenheim’s fur tea-cup; though only in the way that Claire Marsh has applied the textural qualities to the surface. No, this piece is about transformation and metamorphosis; a theme common to her work. Upon deeper examination we can see a transformation into an animal-like form; for Marsh it is a metaphor for a broken body. Something that once existed in one state has now been shaped and altered into another, and can never be returned. There is a sense of loss but also of rebirth and beauty. Examining “Cloven” in the light of Claire Marsh’s personal experiences; the accident that left her unable to walk and her road to recovery, we are able at once to gain a glimpse into her world. It is a place of exploration and contemplation. Above all; the thing I admire most in Claire’s work is her visual honesty.

Fiona Roberts Blog

Claire Marsh Blog