Artist+Statements

= Noosa Timeline, 2010 =



The Developing face of Noosa – A Timeline 2010
Acrylic paint on pine

Originally from New Zealand, my early years were spent travelling and living in countries throughout Europe and the Mediterranean. I have always been drawn to small towns and villages with small communities. I have often arrived during a time of early tourism development and have witnessed the changing face of towns and communities due to developers influence on town planning.
 * Artist statement**

I arrived in Noosa in 2000, initially living on Noosa Hill, where koalas, lace monitors, bush turkeys and possums were my backyard visitors. Spoilt by location I was able to access the beach and national park via a walking track at the end of my street and regularly encountered koalas whilst being serenaded by whip birds and kookaburras. Following construction on a resort development in 2003 the native environment was completely changed. My backyard visitors became few and far between and the koalas had disappeared. The walk through the native bush was silent but for work vehicles and the thin belt of native bush left was not enough to disguise the scar left on the side of the hill by roads and retaining walls. Unable to accept the loss of the remaining wildlife habitat in this area, the local community fought against proposed projects which were eventually denied at state level.

My artwork, The Developing face of Noosa, is a response to increasing development in the local community and fears of a possible future. It is influenced by the art work of minimalist, abstract expressionist and colour field artists with the use of colour to bring an emotional response. This art piece is constructed out of recycled scrap pine I found at home and painted with acrylic. It is designed to be viewed from left to right and is an interpretation of the changing landscape of Noosa. Initially the shades and tints of green, complimented by the use of reddish brown are to represent the native bush in an unsophisticated and harmonious manner. As the timeline progresses the greens intensify until there is only one unnatural hue. Intense reds and oranges, representing introduced flora, begin to increase and the green is reduced to a single belt, slotted in between the escalating number of black and grey. Line and texture have been introduced by using different sized timber and placement at inconsistent heights. The gradual uniformity of height represents the increasing organisation of nature within our community. As we, as a community, grow we will be faced with decisions on how nature and the urban environment will interact. How will we be able to balance the needs of the community and its habitat?

= Tree vs Flower, 2010 =



Tree vs. Flower
Watercolour on 190gsm paper (14.8cm x 3m diameter), glue and natural materials


 * Artist Statement **

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So often we admire the beauty of the flower. It’s elegance and vividness, it’s boldness or delicate, soft pastel hue. For a moment though, instead of stopping to smell the roses consider the world from the trees point of view. Take a moment to step inside the installation and be the tree. Sit awhile. =====

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It was always my intent to create a landscape. Traditional topographical or front view landscapes didn’t seem enough. I wanted you to picture the landscape from within it. And so the tree became the vehicle. =====

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I began this work as an exploration of community. I looked at what is the obvious as I walked the streets of Neerdie, the town in which I live. The obvious being the tended gardens, bright flowers, pruned hedges and carefully constructed landscapes. And then I wondered, what was here before Neerdie? The answer was clear and immediate. The tall trees were. The native bushland. I stopped looking at the flowers and turned instead to the quiet, unassuming, gentle giants that line the entry to the town. I found a tree to work with. A grand specimen of a tree with a circumference of 3 metres. From my research I estimate that the tree is approximately 150 years old. Older than Neerdie. Older than the flowers. =====

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By soaking watercolour paper and pressing it into the bark of the tree I was able to create texture and define the places where the light and shade fall. A watercolour wash was applied once the paper had dried using aquarelles and watercolour tablets. To represent the newer community landscape - the flower - a block of bright, impressionist watercolour was created and added in strips along the exterior 'bark' of the tree. =====

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A large part of this work has been inspired by local environmental artist Maree Edmiston-Prior. Maree’s work asks the uncomfortable questions. She is poignant and passionate about both the conservation work that she is involved in and how art can communicate her message. Janet Laurence’s and Leah Barclay’s installation art has also influenced this work by showing me how to invite people in to the work. Please feel free to step into the space and become a part of it. The tree welcomes you. =====