Human Element - Originally shown at Murray Bridge Regional Gallery, SA. 2014
I found these pieces of bark lying on the ground under tall Eucalyptus trees at Mt George in the Adelaide Hills several years ago. As is often usual for me I waited for them to 'speak to me' and then made the snakes in reference to the effect of urbanisation on the natural world.
This installation won the Pro Hart Outback Open Art Prize for 2014.
The bark was given to me and as usual, I put them on a shelf thinking I could do something with them one day. Many moons later I remembered previously travelling down the Murray River I had noticed the different waterlines on the River Gums and thought of the effect of salinity on these trees resulting in the many aged dead gums lining our waterways. I hand painted seven meters of them and placed them on acrylic sanded shelves.
The bark was given to me and as usual, I put them on a shelf thinking I could do something with them one day. Many moons later I remembered previously travelling down the Murray River I had noticed the different waterlines on the River Gums and thought of the effect of salinity on these trees resulting in the many aged dead gums lining our waterways. I hand painted seven meters of them and placed them on acrylic sanded shelves.
51 Permeations, Bark, Gouche, acrylic support, 5mtrsx200cm. 2014
I picked the following pieces of Acacia bark up near my home in the Adelaide Hills because they reminded me of bones and imagined what the underlying surface may look like. They were originally installed together with the digital images of my hands in the Helpmann Academy Graduates Exhibition, Adelaide, SA, 2012
Bones, Acaccia Bark, architectural drafting film, charcoal, inks, dimensions variable, 2012