MANY MOONS!
Inspired by the constant presence of the moon, and the thought that it is the same moon wherever you see it in the world. This common thought can connect whoever takes a few moments to stop and to remember those who are far away. A shared moment as you look skyward.
A new moon brings renewal every 29 days, and the waxing and waning influences many elements of our daily life.
The fragility of memory is reflected by the fragility of the 29 ceramic vessels, created by dipping canvas into earthenware slip. In the kiln, the canvas burns away leaving the earthenware.
There is a void left by absence and the golden thread which has woven our lives together binds us still
Exhibited: WAFTA twentyFIVE+ crossover, Holmes a Court Gallery@ no. 10, 2022
Photographer: David Chong, Perth Photography
Linked
For generations my family have been makers. My grandmother crocheted beautiful blankets and tablecloths for all of her many grandchildren. Her son, my father, had a passion and extraordinary skill for creating scale model boats from plans. He loved researching sailing ships and boats and the significance of the journeys they had travelled. Then he carefully planked each and every piece of wood onto a hand-crafted hull skeleton and deck.
This artwork explores our connection as makers. A combination of model boat making with textiles - the use of ‘planking’ within pleating to recreate some of the designs he may have discovered on the sailing ship decks he created.
WAFTA twentyFIVE+ crossover, Holmes a Court Gallery@ no. 10, 2020
Photographer: David Chong, Perth Photography
Hanging by a Thread
Drifting on the oceans, rudderless, anchorless, floating thru existence in uncharted waters the Ghost Ship sails on. Being carried by the wind or current, it’s journey takes on new dimensions, often with familiar patterns from years gone by.
Such is the situation with loved ones who suffer from dementia, as they grapple with reality. Increasingly they ‘go with the flow’, unable to make decisions, and their personality disappearing before your eyes.
My father has been an enthusiastic radio-controlled model boat builder for over half his life, a love which is ingrained in his soul. As so many parts of his personality disappear, he still loves talking about his ‘boats’, discussing plans and the intricacies of a build…but he cannot tell you if he has had lunch.
Creating this ‘Ship’ has been a wonderful opportunity to connect with him and his lifelong passion.
WAFTA, Hanging by a Thread, Holmes a Court Gallery @ No. 10, West Perth, 2020.
Photographer: Bewely Shaylor
ROUND
The concept of individuality in a world of mass consumerism continues to fascinate. What may appear as individuality and freedom to choose may result in following the pack and conformity within the norms of a particular place and time. Gail Hawes uses contemporary textile techniques and materials to explore individuality within a confined structure.
The exhibition showed a departure from the stitched textiles which Gail Hawes has most recently been known. Over many years she has built up a broad knowledge of a wide variety of textile techniques and these have been used extensively in this body of work.
The setting of parameters is very important to her practice, as it creates a situation where inventiveness and experimentation are forefront of the process. Starting as an exploratory project – creating one sample a day for a month using only from the materials which were visible in her work space – the seed for the project began. There would be no ‘going into the cupboards’ for this series of boundary pushing fun plays. Always with a theme to unpin the experiments, Gail was kept on track by a friend in South Africa with whom it was a joint challenge.
The exhibition will also be featured the work of guest ceramic artist Robert Hawes.
Photographer: Gail Hawes
