26.12.12

OCTOBER EXHIBITION~IN THE SPIRIT OF THINGS

The two week show in the same space Janet & Paul held the Sicilian Exhibition in May,
at Gasworks Arts Park; the Angela Robarts-Bird Gallery. We were invited to support the controversial and thought provoking Japanese exhibition about the atomic bomb and its ongoing effects on Hiroshima. It was a promotion for the abolition of nuclear armament.

In the spirit of things, Janet & Paul's challenge was to create an environment that gave a space for reflection on the positive and the optimistic.
EXHIBITION POSTER


Paul hung the wall space with a mix of imagery from Buddhism to Hinduism based on his 17 years of travel to South East Asia.

JAPANESE BUDDHA ~ PAINTED ON TIMBER ~ REFERENCED FROM A POSTCARD ~ OLIVIA SENT FROM HER TRAVELS TO JAPAN.

BALINESE BUDDHA ~ PAINTED ON TIMBER ~ REFERENCED FROM PAUL'S SKETCHBOOK: UBUD~BALI, FOUND IN CASA LUNA RESTAURANT


FACE OF BALI


FROM THE BALI SKETCHBOOKS ~ PAUL MEEHAN


Janet took the opportunity to display her collection of jewels & objects accumulated during her many travels around the world. Many of these objects have religious, spiritual or traditional meanings.


A BOWL OF JANET'S AMULETS & TALISMANS 
A SAMPLE OF THE WORK ON DISPLAY ~ thanks Joanie Lawson
NECKLACE: FACETTED GARNET RONDELLES, RARE CLEAR QUARTZ DROP WITH RUTILE INCLUSIONS, 925 FLEUR-DE-LIS BALE SET WITH C.Z'S AND 925 SWIVEL CLASP. ONE ONLY. POA


MULTI-STRAND NECKLACE OF HAND-MADE BEADS FROM BALI WITH 925 SILVER SPACERS & HOOK. POA.

NECKLACE; RUBY IN ZOISITE HALF MOON PENDANT, MOOKAITE, JASPER, AFGHANI JADE, GARNET, PEARL, SUGALITE & 925 SILVER. POA.

MIX & MATCH NECKLACE: AMETHYST, GARNET & PEARL NECKLACE.  DETACHABLE 925 FILIGREE PENDANT & DETACHABLE FACETED AMETHYST DROP. POA.

BRAZILIAN SKULL: CARVED STONE PENDANT SET IN 925 SILVER. INSPIRED BY SOUTH AMERICAN "THE DAY OF THE DEAD" CELEBRATIONS. 40MM X 27MM - ONE ONLY. $125

EARRINGS: 925 LOTUS FLOWER CAPS WITH POLISHED LABRADORITE ORBS. ONE PAIR ONLY $210

NECKLACE & EARRINGS: FACETED WHITE AGATE TEARDROPS WITH 925 ENGRAVED & GRANULATED LOTUS FLOWER CAPS

Janet's exploration of the healing powers of the earths crystals provoked some quite extraordinary responses from the visitors, who selected them randomly and were surprised how instinctively appropriate they were to them.

The response received was highly encouraging and the idea behind combining objects and art in one exhibition space, has once again proven to be a success.


LARGE CANVAS  'IN UBUD'

I'M LATE . . . I'M LATE . . .

Blog time! Very little time to update 'the Watchman's Cabin' 
it's the end of December in the eye of the Christmas~New Year
storm, perfect time to grab some images and post some updates. 

The year has a bit of Fantasy attached to it, exhibitions, 
weddings, travel, new business, art and making.



USING THE iPAD APP 'AUTODESK SKETCHBOOK PRO'  FOR ILLUSTRATIONS, FUN..
 

22.6.12

ISLAND OF THE GODS


A return to Bali in the first two weeks of June was planned by Janet as a way to recharge and revive after a very busy 6 months. It's very hard to unwind after such an amazing journey that went back to March 2011 in Sicily right up to May 2012 including the exhibition. 


B A L I  ~  U B U D

We have been asked many times, "....why Bali?".  
And all we can say is, it draws you in .... it's about Asian culture. It has inspired many European artist with it's beauty, its spirituality and its rawness. 
Over crowded yes (Bali. Pop3.8mill on 5,600 square kms), disfunctional yes, exotic yes without question, and wonderfully friendly, yes.
The people are very inventive and are all Artisans of one kind or another, the Hindi ceremonies of which there are many have everyone involved carving, painting, cooking and weaving, always in groups. The conversations, rich chatter and infectious laughter  creates a constant buzz among them. 
The 'Balinese' are always seen as friendly by visitors on tour. Most whom are dropping in for just two weeks, they only stop at any given hotel for 2 nights. From Europe, USA, Canada, Korea, and now big numbers from China (a market that is free now to travel ) but they never stay long enough to truly get to know the local people. 

Even the groups that come for yoga, and other healthy spirited experiences also never see the real Bali, because they are absorbed with 'self' and lock themselves away in an open air room for days on end. Then there's the surfing visitors that hug the cost. 
And let's not talk about Mexico (Kuta) with it's own sub-culture.

O B S E R V A T I O N S 


The Ubud we love has changed over the last 15 years. This village, on the side of the Volcanoes has been developing at a great rate. The thing that is still core in the village is its dance, music, food, agriculture and its Balinese Hindi culture. 
The food offer has matured with European, Japanese and Australian influences. 
The young people (Gen X) of Bali are spending money on education too. They are not immune to the digital age. 
The challenge for Ubud, is to not "sell out" to the multinationals. First they get Starbucks on the main road and then there's the developers that are looking for the next big build after they have run out of coastal space down south. 
Sitting ducks. I'm afraid the village banjar has little infrastructure in place to resist these cashed up developers. 


U B U D ~ D R E A M I N G



We love staying still when we're here in Ubud; one room in a family run hotel set amongst the rice fields north of Ubud, a 20 minute walk to the center of town. Ananda cottages - three stars, no TV, food is simple and so cheap. Janet has many local people she whiles away the time with here, varying in age from 15 months to 95 years, and then there are those she visits in her field of object making.  I get to take time to stop and draw the exotic people and Hindi architecture including the many fascinating temples. 
 I have attached these images from my instagram app. to get you into the mood.

A N A N D A ~ C O T T A G E S ~ U B U D



OUR ROOM #30 IS UPSTAIRS, YOU CAN HAVE IT OPEN WITH THE FAN | THERE'S AC IF YOU LIKE

THIS IS OUR WALK TO BREAKFAST EVERYDAY

THE MAIN POND BESIDE THE RESTAURANT

OUR BALCONY ~ DUTCH STYLE FURNITURE ~ THERE'S A DAY BED TO THE RIGHT OF PICTURE 


These other images are a taste of what's around us. Janet took her ipad with us, and I enjoyed the chance to 'finger paint' on the touch screen.
You'll also see us with Ian and Lynne McGill on the border of Mexico, in a wonderful lunch venue.

SARDINE RESTAURANT ~ ALFRESCO DINING ~ DETAIL OF RATTAN WATER GLASS COVERS

IAN McGILL EXPLAINING THE MENU ~ HIS PHONE WAS RINGING HOT FROM THE BUILDERS AS THEY ARE CLOSE TO FINISHING A WONDERFUL HOME SET IN THE FIELDS OF BALI

THE VIEW FROM OUR TABLE  AT 'SARDINE'

HOME MADE APPLE & CARAMEL ICE-CREAM, TOPPED WITH A CHOCOLATE SARDINE

UBUD A BUDDHA ON EVERY STREET CORNER


THE MUSIC IS INDIE HIP ~ THE VOICE, AN 18 YEAR-OLD ~WHERE, BAR LUNA

HINDI CULTURE CARVED INTO STONE ~ GANESHA APPEARED PROLIFICALLY AS A SYMBOL OF RENEWAL AFTER THE "BALI" BOMBINGS
      
THE LOCAL PETROL STATION ~ MOTORBIKES OWN THE SMALL ROADS

YES WE'RE IN THE JUNGLE AND RICE FIELDS ~ INDIE'S ONLY DOING HIS JOB
THIS IS AN iPAD DRAWING OF PAGEH ~ THE OWNER OF ANANDA

THIS WAS MY FIRST iPAD DRAWING ~ I'M LOVING DIGITAL
SKETCHING ON LOCATION
   

23.5.12

THE EXHIBITION

Janet and I are very happy to get this first exhibition up and look forward to the idea of adding to this body of work. The expectations you set yourself are sometimes not realistic!
Your learning curve is steep as the momentum carries you towards the opening. I now know that one may have some grand plans when setting out on a journey like this, but you inevitably question all things right up to the last minute....what to paint, or should it be painting? Then you make the decicion, even after prepping boards and canvas to focus on the drawing, so then you start drawing like crazy..... well into the night. You push so hard you start making little decisions that create diversions and other challenges.
I'm just working with Ink and paper, but you'd be surprised how many drawing are still in my folio in various stages. You have a realisation that you can't frame the lot. 

We're lucky we could work together, in the same space. The house had working stations everywhere. At one stage I had three tables going in the front room, one in the TV room, and then I took a corner of the dinning room table too.

Janet was also moving from one jewellers bench to another, we have five in the back studio. She also camped in front of the coffee table, the dinning room table and her workbench at The Cabin. I ended up with my drawing board set up in the back studio as well and we both had our heads down working feverishly leading up to our deadlines.   

There were many 2.00am finishes, and Janet kept making right up to the weekend before the Tuesday opening.


But with all that said, we did an impressive amount of hours just to get the pieces together, hung, and in display units. With just one day to get the room ready for opening night, we got help from many different directions; Joanie loaned us the display units, Hass with framing, Ted for the hanging, and important advice, Ben's lighting and projection setup, the Cafe hand delivering coffee.

OPENING, 6pm.

We had posted printed invites to family, friends, students, clients, colleagues.
Some email and facebook invites too.
The room was small, so we arranged to 'open' the show in the theatre lobby.
The event was for 2 hours, and we catered for 40. Our friends at Manakish arranged the food. We had two people to serve wine, thinking if we get 50/60 we'd be ok. Well we ended up with 127 very excited friends. Janet and I asked Lynne Kosky to officiate the opening. Talks were held and then the night was full of mini reunions. The red stickers were up and many people promised to return to have a closer look. So over the two week we had over three hundred intrigued visitors. We chose to man the Gallery as we felt the work was better appreciated with its "raison d'etre" so we were in the space everyday.


FROZEN FIGURES

A JOURNEY INTO SICILIAN BAROQUE

EXHIBITION OF DRAWINGS & OBJECTS JANET MARNELL-BROWN & PAUL W MEEHAN


This work presents a geographical, cultural and historical content, based on research exploring the corporeality of the figure within a specific context, such as religion, family 
and ethnicity.
In 1693, in earthquake ridden Sicily, continually devastated by eruptions from Mt Etna, a phenomena has occurred in the effort to regenerate both nature and culture. 
Rising like a Phoenix from the ashes, it created a completely unique architectural style pertinent only in Sicily, The Baroque Aesthetic, portraying grotesque fragments of life, yet still embellishing a beautiful interplay of mass and void, light and shade.

This fantastic, swirling, pregnant style, rooted in history, is captured in works on paper with ink by Paul, and in the form of small objects, pebbles and glass separated by time and re-fragmented using age old techniques into wearable pieces of history by Janet. Using images of wrought iron decorations found on doorways, gates and windows she has created a unique series of contemporary jewels. 


The show was dedicated to Paul's parents, Tom and Esma Meehan, and the late Roberto Fratini, one of Janet's previous teacher who became a friend to us both, and also with special thanks to Padre Agripino Salerno our very dear friend in Sicily who facilitated this trip in the first place. 


JANET IN THE GALLERY AT GASWORKS ARTS PARK | ANGELA ROBARTS-BIRD GALLERY


PAUL AND HIS DRAWINGS

THIS DRAWING WAS WELL LOVED, AND WAS THE FIRST WITH A RED STICKER

RED STICKER DRAWING, UNUSUAL IMAGE OF AN ARAB IN FRONT OF A CATHOLIC CHURCH

JANET'S  BEACH PEBBLES FROM THE EAST COAST OF SICILY

SKILLED SAW-PIERCING AT WORK

GRANULATED SILVER BEADS AND POLISHED GARNET NUGGETS

MULTI COLOURED MOONSTONES WITH A UNIQUE SILVER FOCAL PENDANT

GRANULATED SILVER STUDS WITH ONYX QUATREFOILS

THE LION IS A TYPICAL SYMBOL OF STRENGTH THROUGHOUT SICILY

SAW-PIERCING, BARLEY SUGAR TWIST WIRE, BEACH GLASS SHARD, GRANITE PEBBLE, RARE TASMANIAN ZIRCONS AND JASPER BEADS

BAULE STYLE EARRINGS WITH GREEN QUARTZ CABOCHONS. FIT FOR A PRINCESS,

SAW-PIERCING THE EARRINGS IN PROGRESS

SOME OF OUR GUESTS

AN EXAMPLE OF PAUL'S DETAILED DRAWING

A DRAWING FROM THE SICILIAN SKETCH BOOK, 2011


SIGNAGE IN THE CORRIDOR

WHAT A RELIEF!!!!!