The works here are from two series “Such is Dry Land’ and “Such Fertile Ground”.
They are part of an ongoing series about the Wimmera and its current state, ‘Such is Dry Land’, yet, ‘Such Fertile Ground’. They are a response to the environment in which we live and acknowledge our incredible dependence on water and all that stems from unreliable rainfall.
As always there are people in this country who remain optimistic about the possibility of dependable rainfall. The cynics amongst us believe there is a fundamental disrespect for the land in this region as we refuse to adjust to the notion that our country is dry and our rainfall is low. We who rely on the land for our livelihood must understand that drought and parched earth are the norm. It is in this context that I feel I want to make a visual response.
This is the country I grew up in as a kid and it forms a huge part of who I am and what drives me to creative practice. It’s a sensation that is growing stronger as I grow older.
The marks I make are inherent to the landscape as I see it, not in a literal sense but an abstracted more visceral way. They symbolise those things I saw as a kid on the farm. They are about images I still see in farming practice such as burning and marking the earth with the various tools used in agriculture.
They are about those natural patterns rhythms and forms, which make up the Wimmera landscape, those things that inspire me to look down and across the land.
Whilst these images are mainly concerned with surface, I’ve always felt a need to look below the surface, to search for meaning in what makes land the way it is. Luanne or 3ply as it is more commonly known provides me with a medium, which allows me to play with the idea of layers. The process of removing the outer layer to expose what is underneath can often reveal some hidden magic.
My interest in printmaking inspires me to think in terms of editions hence the single title. It’s about exploring an idea and making a serial response to it.
I also have a strong interest in aboriginal art, particularly that from the East Kimberly region having spent time there, working with local artists. It is their ability to paint story with honesty and integrity that I find enormously appealing. I can only hope in some small way to demonstrate these traits in my own work.
To view available works from this series please make your enquiry through the
contact page.