pangea flora

series on reimagined pangea flora. Encaustic with jarrah charcoal, ash, glass ground and calcium carbonate 1222mm x 777mm late 2024

These works were prompted by a study period with the Western Australian Herbarium, specifically the field trip to secure a type for the herbarium. [Typus: south-east of Dardanup, Western Australia [precise locality withheld for conservation purposes], 29 November 2007, J.A. Wege, K.R. Thiele & A.J. Stumpfel. Published in Nuytsia Western Australia’s Journal of Systematic Botany ISSN 0085–4417 2008]. The quality of western australian flora is described as being a biological hot spot and having an unusual level of extravagance that trends against things evolving to be efficient in energy and materials [cellulose].

Beyond forms and flora construction and the reverse engineering of western australian flora by reimagining, the artist is entertained with surmising the interrelationships and the pairing of signal and receipt. We understand flora having intracellular relationships [for transfer of nutrition] and the artworks points to the other interrelationships that include chemical and [surprisingly] sound. The forms in the artworks and the grouping [that include the artworks as a pair/set] are drawn as ‘objects and their field’ and the calling between. The artist approach considers a playful narrative where ‘if a tree falls in a forest does it make a sound?’ The time of pangea had no people and the criteria of a signal being paired with receipt [heard by human ears] is not met. However, it does not rule out existence of signals and entertaining their scope and ferocity. The artist is currently happy to ponder upon the signal and receipt loop. 

series on reimagined pangea flora. Painted on glass [hinterglasmalerei] mixed media 920mm x 610mm 2020-2023

pangea flora study 920mm x 610mm 2020-2023

faux glass: egg

egg objects inspired by the work of Robert Sapolsky, an American neuroendocrinology researcher and author. In particular his Stanford University lectures and book: Behave. The biology of humans at our best and worst (Penguin Press, May 2017) ISBN 1-5942-0507-8. Also inspired by the work of real glass makers Peter Bowles and Anne Clifton.

‘A hen is an egg’s way of making another egg’ Samuel Butler (1835-1902)

sofu teshigahara object

vessels

esperance doll

esperance dolls are a series of sock dolls in response to the lead contamination in esperance, western australia 2005 – 2007. The dolls include port workers and bird collectors.

3D

for commissions see https://stusha.com

figure

objects

artworks cabinet

retasked/adapted/adopted furniture 2020

2d

painting is dead – long live painting

airmaker

cell study

encaustic on canvas: reflection upon the first forms of cellular life that required self-assembled membranes – prior to LUCA

gestalt series, indigo dye on paper

LUCA series, indigo dye on paper

encaustic

pigment and wax

bad imaging

acrylic, gesso, pigment and oil on glass

artwork area 920mm h 608mm w
gallery frame black 1140mm h 820mm w

1990 – work in progress
series of 12 heads, 5 complete, 1 destroyed in flooding event and 1 in forklift mishap.

oil and acrylic/gesso on glass [head 6 contains salt]
artwork area 920mm h 608mm w
gallery frame 1140mm h 820mm w

ephemera halo drawings at 39 studio. Foamed concrete dust, broom/brush, rake and vacuum

“…see the Southern Cross? It is not flat, like on the flag. See the brightest star – at the foot of the cross? and then the two less bright – the top and left stars and then a lighter star – and then the palest. Now pull the brightest star closer towards you and the paler stars further away to make it 3d. If you can do that, then do it to the whole night sky. It is being under hung lights. Once you see it you cannot go back to seeing the stars as a painted dome over your head”

an explanation to thomas [11],

newcastle street collective

Somewhere on Newcastle Street is the studio space. It is run as a collective. Being in it, it is not easily described to convey the characteristics of the work method in the space or the workings of the cohort of people that make up the collective. I suspect that when it is gone, only then will someone be able to give an account for how it worked, and how vivid and vital it was.