Thursday, February 29, 2024

Thinking outside the Ox

Hi there, hope you're going well!

It's the final week to see the group show Question The Spaceon now until March 1st at Walker Street Gallery in Dandenong, Victoria. The exhibition's curated by Esther Gyorki and features lots of great artists including the Guerrilla Girls, Rachel Burke and TextaQueen.

Showing alongside a new series of ceramic sculpture, one of my other new works in the exhibition is a video piece called 
Ox-tober.
Photo by Emmy Clifton

For the work I set myself the challenge to draw an ox every day of the month, from October 1st to 31st. I've then presented the 31 drawings chronologically in an udderly ox-hilarating video.

I've just uploaded Ox-tober online so if you're unable to make it into the gallery you can now view the work here.


In other news, there's just three weeks left to see the Darebin Art Prizeon now until March 23rd at Bundoora Homestead Art Centre.

I'm so pleased to have my piece 
The World's Gone Pear Shaped selected as a finalist, presented in such a fantastic space alongside so many great artists.

The World's Gone Pear Shaped
300cm x 200cm x 200cm
Durable PVS coated vinyl. Fan. Lighting.
2022
Photo by Emmy Clifton

Thanks so much for reading, hope you're having an ox-cellent day!

Thursday, January 18, 2024

Good Things Come In Pears!

Hi there, hope you're having a nice start to 2024!

If you're in Melbourne this Friday January 19th, come along to the opening celebrations of the Darebin Art Prize, from 6-8pm at the beautiful Bundoora Homestead. Everyone welcome.

I'm so pleased to have my inflatable piece The World's Gone Pear Shaped selected as a finalist in the prize alongside many fantastic artists.

The World’s Gone Pear Shaped
300cm x 300cm x 200cm. Durable PVS coated vinyl. Fan. Lighting. 2022.


The Darebin Art Prize is open from now until March 23rd so please be sure to visit if you find yourself in the area.

For more info
click here!

In other news, the group exhibition Question The Space continues at Walker Street Gallery until March 1st. The exhibition features works by artists Rachel Burke, Ross Coulter, Jordan Fleming, Guerrilla Girls, Melbourne Art Library, Kent Morris, Dean Norton, Tina Patlas, Nick Selenitsch, TextaQueen and myself.

For more info please click here!

And to hear an interview I did about the exhibition on the Triple R radio show Smarts Arts please click here and skip forward to two hours and 28 minutes into the podcast.

Neapolitan Scoop
Synthetic Polymer Paint on kiln fired ceramic. 28cm x 24cm x 23cm. 2023.


And last but not least I have four works in the current exhibition on now at Olsen Gallery in Sydney. The group show features many great artists, celebrating the Olsen Galleries 30th anniversary.

The exhibition is open until January 30th, for more info please click here!

Here's three new ceramic sculptures of shopping lists featured in the exhibition, based on actual shopping lists I found while working at a supermarket.

Avo (x2)
7.8cm x 7.8cm
Acrylic on ceramic
2023
Malta Milk Bickies
20.5cm x 13cm
Acrylic on ceramic
2023
Sugarine
16.5cm x 14.5cm

Acrylic on ceramic
2023

Thanks so much for reading, hope you're going well and hope to see you soon!

Friday, December 01, 2023

What a swan-derful world

Hi, I'm so pleased to share that my new exhibition Hold Your Horses at Olsen Gallery is open!

Hold Your Horses is an exhibition of new work that playfully encourages reflection on the art of slowing down.


I'll be in the gallery
this Saturday December 2nd at 11am
to give a little talk about the exhibition, if you happen to be around come say yellow!

Hold Your Horses is on until December 15th. For more information, and to view all the works in the show, please click here!

For any sales enquiries, please email info@olsengallery.com


Thanks so much to everyone who's seen the show so far, I'm super grateful for all the wonderful responses and to see that people are connecting with the work.
If you're unable to get to the gallery, here's a video tour of the exhibition filmed by Simon Hewson.

Thanks so much for reading, hope you're going swell and hope to see you soon!
Swanning Around
Acrylic and ceramic on board. 99.5cm x 82cm x 2.5cm. 2023

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Hold Your Horses

Hi, I'm excited to share with you my first ever bronze sculpture, titled Hold Your Horses!
Hold Your Horses 
Bronze, 20cm x 16cm x 8cm, Edition of 6, 2023
This piece is part of my new show, also titled Hold Your Horses, opening next Wednesday November 22nd at Olsen Gallery in Sydney.

Hold Your Horse is an exhibition of new work that playfully encourages reflection on the art of slowing down.

If you'd like to preview the full catalogue, featuring the accompanying essay, please email 
info@olsengallery.com

The exhibition opening is on the evening of Wednesday November 22nd from 5pm to 7pm. I'll be coming to Sydney for it so if you happen to be in the area please come say hello!

Hold Your Horses runs from November 22nd until December 15th. For more information please click here!

Here's a new painting featured in the exhibition titled Swings And Roundabouts.
Swings And Roundabouts 
Acrylic and ceramic on mounted board. 100cm x 92cm x 2.5cm. 2023

In other news, thanks so much to the Darebin Art Prize for selecting my inflatable artwork 
The World's Gone Pear Shaped as a finalist!

I'm really looking forward to presenting this work early next year in the wonderful Bundoora Homestead Arts Centre alongside lots of great artists.
The World's Gone Pear Shaped
Durable PVS coated vinyl, fan, lighting. 300cm x 200cm x 200cm. 2022

This work utilises humour as an entry point to explore the potentially devastating effects of the global climate crisis, and serves as a hopeful reminder that despite going 
pear shaped we still have time to make fruitful change.

The exhibition opens from January 10th, 2024 and runs until to March 23rd, 2024, with the opening night event from 6-8pm on Friday January 19th. For more information please click here!
And in other news, I have work in an upcoming group show called Question The Space opening this month at Walker Street Gallery, a council-run gallery space in Dandenong, Victoria.

Here's a new ceramic sculpture I made for the exhibition titled One Step Forward, Ten Steps Back.
One Step Forward Ten Steps Back
43cm x 31cm x 3cm. Synthetic Polymer Paint on Fired Ceramic. 2023.
Curated by Esther Gyorki, the exhibition features artworks by artists Rachel Burke, Ross Coulter, Jordan Fleming, Guerrilla Girls, Melbourne Art Library, myself, Kent Morris, Dean Norton, Tina Patlas, Nick Selenitsch and TextaQueen.

Question The Space runs from November 21, 2023 to March 1st, 2024. The opening is Saturday November 25th from 2pm - 4pm.
For more information please click here!

Thanks so much for reading, hope you're going well and hope to see you soon!

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Hats off to you

Hi, hope you're going good!

In exciting news, my ceramic sculpture 
One Size Fits Most’ has been selected as a finalist in the 2023 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize!

Photo by Emmy Clifton at the exhibition opening of the 2023 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize

This ceramic Bunnings hat serves as a visual dialogue between our convenience-driven society and our urgent need to reconnect with nature. The piece is hand-sculpted from clay, a tactile medium that speaks to both permanence and vulnerability. 

One Size Fits Most, 45cm x 40cm x 19cm. Acrylic on earthenware ceramic, 2022

A huge thanks to the judges for selecting my piece to be included among so many strong works, and a huge thanks to Pippa Mott and everyone at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf for putting on such a fantastic exhibition.

The 2023 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize exhibition is open now until November 5th. For more info click here!

In other news, there's still two more weeks to view my sculpture Koala Teddy, on display at Deakin Art Gallery from now until October 13th, as part of the Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Prize.
Koala Teddy. 23cm x 18.5cm x 16cm. Acrylic on ceramic. 2023.

The sculpture is based on a koala teddy that was made by a Pentridge prisoner in 1962 as part of the Pentridge Toy Makers, a group that encouraged prisoners who were interested in arts and craft to produce toys for children in need.

For me the koala teddy serves as a little beacon for the transformational experience of creating art, and is a hopeful indication of what’s possible when we shift from reprehension to rehabilitation.


For all the exhibition info about the Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Prize click here, and t
o view a 3D tour of the exhibition click here!
Photo by Simon Peter Fox at Deakin University 2023 Contemporary Small Sculpture Prize

Thanks so much for reading, hope to see you soon!

Friday, August 18, 2023

Bendigo-ing the distance

Hi, hope you're going well!

In exciting news, my work's been selected as a finalist in the upcoming Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award 2023, showing alongside lots of great artists.

The exhibition runs from August 23 to October 13, with the opening on Thursday October 31st from 6pm. Hopefully see you there! 

For more info 
click here!

In other exciting news, I'm thrilled to shared that my series of 100 ceramic ice-creams has just been acquired by the Bendigo Art Gallery! I'm so pleased that this work has found a home in such a wonderful collection.

Thanks so much to Bendigo Art Gallery and to MARS Gallery for this bubble'O brilliant news.

And lastly, it's the final weekend to see my work in the fantastic exhibition Melbourne Now at the National Gallery of Victoria.

It's been such a dream exhibition to be a part of. The show is packed full of hidden gems so definitely worth a revisit if you're in Melbourne this weekend. For more info click here!

Thanks so much for reading, hope you have a nice weekend, and am wishing lots of good luck to the Matildas playing for bronze on Saturday!

Aussie Rainbow Paddlepop, Acrylic on ceramic, 15cm x 6.5cm x 2cm, 2023

Saturday, June 24, 2023

Wake me up before you Bendigo-go

Hi, hope you're going well!

It's officially the last weekend of the Australiana exhibition at Bendigo Art Gallery. Thanks so much again to all the people who've had such amazing responses to my 100 ceramic ice-creams!

It's been such a special show to be a part of. Huge thanks again to the exhibition curator Emma Busowsky and the whole team at Bendigo Art Gallery.


In other news, I've donated an artwork to the upcoming Incognito fundraiser exhibition opening next month in Sydney.

100% of money raised goes towards Studio A and Little Orange Studio, which are two great Sydney based studios that are doing incredible work in assisting, mentoring and promoting artists with disabilities. For
 more information click here

Photo by Emmy Clifton

In other news, just wanted to say a big thanks to everyone I've met these last few weeks while presenting artist talks and workshops at various places including Bendigo South East College, Bendigo Senior Secondary College, VCA Secondary School, the ACCA Art Club and the NGV Art Readers group, it's been wonderful to be able to share my work with so many people.

Photo by Alanah Brand

Thanks so much for reading, hope your weekend isn't too frosty!

Frosty Fruit
Glazed ceramic. 14.5cm x 6cm x 2cm. 2023.

Sunday, May 07, 2023

Franks for the memories

Hello, hope you're going swell!

In exciting news, you can find my work featured in the latest issue of Frankie Magazine! Huge franks to Emma Do for interviewing me. 
Photo credit- Emmy Clifton

In other news, it's the last weekend to see my work in the Making The Metro Tunnel exhibition at the Domain House in South Yarra. Here's a video about my work in the exhibition filmed by the Red and Dragon production company.

I was also recently interviewed about the Making The Metro Tunnel exhibition in the JOY FM studios for The Arts Show with David Hunt, alongside fellow artist Daniel Agdag. You can listen to the podcast of our conversation by clicking here!

And other news, big thanks to the National Gallery of Victoria for inviting me to write an article about my work for the latest issue of NGV Magazine!
Photo credit- Emmy Clifton

Huge thanks as well to writer Samantha Landy for including my work in the Herald Sun's list of 'Must-see artworks in the Melbourne Now exhibition, on now until August 20. To read the full list click here!

And finally, the Australiana exhibition on now at Bendigo Art Gallery continues until June 25th. Here's an article in the Bendigo Times where I was interviewed about my work in the exhibition by writer Jordan McCarthy. 


Franks so much for reading!

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Hope-list-ly devoted!

Hello, in exciting news the exhibition Melbourne Now is open at the National Gallery of Victoria! I'm so thrilled to be exhibiting in such a fantastic show alongside so many great artists.
For the exhibition I've created a new series of 52 ceramic sculptures replicating shopping lists I found while working at a supermarket. 

And in what can only be described as a total dream come true, I'm so pleased to share that the series has just been acquired by the gallery and will now have a permanent home in the NGV collection! Huge thanks to curators Myles Russell-Cook and Anna Honan, as well as the whole team at the NGV, and MARS Gallery.

Most shopping lists are written quickly, unlike ceramics which is a very slow medium, and it’s through this act of painstakingly replicating the lists that I allowed myself the time and space to reflect on them.

The shopping lists read like poetry, and are often as revealing as portraiture. Despite their anonymity they’re extremely intimate, providing a unique insight into the people we pass in the aisles. 
By creating a permanent tribute to a fleeting moment, the 52 ceramic shopping lists presented in Melbourne Now reveal a portrait of our city, and a time capsule of Melbourne now.

Melbourne Now
is completely free and fully wheelchair accessible, the exhibition is open daily until August 20. For more info click here!
In other news, I'm hosting some workshops you might be interested in- On Wednesday April 12th at the Bendigo Art Gallery I'm hosting two kids drawing workshops. The first workshop is from 10am-11am for people aged 4-7, where participants will learn to draw their favourite ice-creams from memory using pencils, textas and paint. The second workshop is from 12pm to 1pm and for people aged 8-12, where participants will also draw their favourite ice-creams as well as invent new flavours, and use fimo clay to sculpt their own ice-cream to take home. Come along, they'll be lots of fun! For more info click here! 
Agro's Mega Munch.
Synthetic polymer on ceramic. 14cm x 9cm x 4cm. 2023.


And on Saturday April 15 at
Federation Square in Melbourne I'm hosting two all ages clay workshops. The first workshop is from 10am to 12pm and the second is from 1-3pm. Participants will learn sculpting tips and tricks to make sculptures of their favourite food they'd like to bring to a picnic. People of all skill levels welcome. Hope to see you there! For more info click here!
Cool Shark.
Glazed ceramic. 15cm x 4.5cm x 4cm. 2023.

And in
other news, I have new series of ceramic sculptures in an upcoming group show opening this Friday March 31st at the Domain House in South Yarra.

The show's titled Making the Metro Tunnel and is an exhibition where fourteen artists were each invited to document and respond to the current Melbourne Metro Tunnel project.

The show's open Wed-Sun from 11am-5pm, and is on until May 7th. For more info click here!


Thanks so much for reading, I'm end-list-ly grateful and hope you're going well!

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Worth it's weight in golden gaytime

Hello, hope you're having a bubble'O brilliant day! In exciting news, my Melted Bubble'O sculpture is installed on the facade of the Bendigo Art Gallery!

This facade is part of the new exhibition titled Australiana: Designing a Nation, curated by Emma Busowsky and open now!


For the exhibition I've created a new series of 100 ceramic ice-creams. 

This nostalgic series evokes childhood memories and suspends in time that fleeting moment of anticipation between unwrapping your ice-cream and taking the first bite.
Golden Gaytime. 15.5cm x 10.5cm x 2cm. Acrylic on ceramic. 2023.

To see the full series of 100 ice-creams click here!
Hava Heart. 14.2cm x 9cm x 2cm. Glazed ceramic. 2023.

For any sales enquiries of the ice-cream sculptures please email andy@marsgallery.com.au

Dixie Cup. 7.5cm x 7.5cm x 5cm. Acrylic on ceramic. 2023

Australiana: Designing a Nation is fully wheelchair accessible and open every day from 10am to 5pm, now until June 25th. Bendigo Art Gallery is located on the traditional land of the Dja Dja Wurrung People of the Kulin Nation, and I'd like to pay my respect to their Elders, past and present, who've been creating art on this land for tens of thousands of years.
For more information about the exhibition please click here!
Paddlepop Cyclone. 15cm x 6cm x 6cm. Glazed ceramic. 2023

I'm so pleased to share as well that my work in the show was mentioned by director of the NGV Tony Elwood in a recent article published in The Age about 'exhibitions not to be missed'. To read the article click here!


The exhibition was also featured in a recent article in The Guardian by writer Jenny Valentish, which you can read by clicking here!

It was also featured in the 5 o'clock WIN News, which you can watch by clicking here.


In other exciting news, my piece The World's Gone Pear Shaped was featured in the list of things collectors should know in the latest issue of Art Collector!

Huge thanks to Emma Finneran for the pear-ticularly wonderful article.



In other news, I recently had a short piece of my writing published in the Jan/Feb issue of Art Guide Australia. For the issue Art Guide invited five artists to consider a formative work that was made and exhibited in an artist-run space, and reflect on how it's informed their practise. 

Huge thanks to the editor Tiarney Miekus for the opportunity. You can read the piece by clicking here!

And finally, in very exciting news I'm thrilled to share that I have a new series of work included in the upcoming exhibition 
Melbourne Now that opens this Friday March 24th at the National Gallery of Victoria!

For more info about Melbourne Now please click here!


Thanks so much for reading, hope that your week is getting off on the right foot!
Funny Feet. 17cm x 7.5cm x 2cm. Synthetic paint on acrylic. 2023