Renewable Energy - How much leaf litter does it take to change a light bulb?

Nicola Moss, 'Renewable Energy - How much leaf litter does it take to change a light bulb?'. Synthetic polymer and pigmented ink on canvas. 150x220cm. ©2010. Photography by Carl Warner.

The painting above, Renewable Energy - How much leaf litter does it take to change a light bulb?, began with a site visit to Turtle Swamp Wetlands on Russell Island, Redlands late last year. After passing through coastal heathland we entered a darker more enclosed forest with banksia and casuarina foliage densely canopied against the sky. The light was dimmed but it also felt like a comforting place to me. Visiting many natural environments over the past year, I have noticed that plants and the earth cycle energy in efficient ways, nothing is superfluous. Leaves falling to the ground gradually compost, creating more soil and a place for new seed to sprout, new life. I wondered if we, humans, could find a way to transfer energy as efficiently as plants photosynthesise. There has been some progress in 'green' energy but it seems to me to move at a slow pace.

While painting this work for some reason the line of the often heard joke ' How many.....does it take to change a light bulb?' came to mind, it seemed appropriate.

This painting will be on show as part of my 'Diamonds in my eyes' solo exhibition opening at Salt Contemporary Art in two weeks time.

On show at Redland Art Gallery

I visited Redland Art Gallery at Cleveland today and saw two very interesting exhibitions. (I am slightly biased, I have an artwork in one of the shows). The first Nature Interrupted is an exhibition of contemporary Australian sculpture, including works by a couple of my favourite artists - Janet Laurence and Vera Moller. The show also has works by Sebastion Di Mauro, Simone Eisler, Sarah Newall, Anna-Maria O'Keeffe, Caroline Rothwell, Kathy Temin and Carmel Wallace. Artists in the exhibition explore botanical anomalies, pseudo-natural forms, visions of the future and uncanny takes on familiar environments. Themes include environmental concerns, metamorphosis, evolution and fantastical worlds. I always enjoy seeing Janet Laurence's work in the flesh, the large panel installation did not disappoint. Surfaces of pigment and printed glass overlayed with sculptural tree branch and charred wood create a luscious visual feel along with a foreboding conceptual message. Three clay groupings by Vera Moller are at once fun with polka dots and curly hair on plant-type forms; and at the same time delicate and visually striking in their attention to detail and carefully selected colour palette. Many other works were interesting in their original use of material and construction process. The second exhibition Much Loved , is a selection of works from the Redland Art Gallery Collection. In 2010 Redland Art Gallery volunteers were asked to nominate their favourite works from the collection. I was thrilled to find my large hand cut paperwork 'Co-existence' on show as part of the exhibition. After my show last year the work was framed for the collection, so this was my first really good look at it again in it's new frame. Many local artists are represented in this show with artworks in a variety of medium. Each work includes comments from volunteers as to why they regard it as 'much loved'. The exhibitions continue until 10th April and are well worth a look.

Flight Dreams by Susan Buret

My good friend and fellow artist, Susan Buret, has a solo exhibition - Flight Dreams - opening this Saturday, 2nd April at Loft Gallery in Bowral. If you have an opportunity to visit the show during April I can highly recommend it. Susan's paintings layer seductive colour, hand cut map collage and intricate patterns on canvas and exquisite timber panels. The works allow viewers to interact on many levels, from the intriguing visual patterns to more contemplative thoughts on identity and where we may find ourselves in the world, though not always by choice. Susan was recently interviewed about her art practice on the Art Resource blog, you can read more here.

Art-Resource

I was recently interviewed about my art practice and upcoming exhibition on the Visual Arts blog Art-Resource. Steve Gray began the 'Re-Source' blog as a place where students, artists, art workers and enthusiasts could find information on how to do things, who does things, and how it all comes together. "Ideas, thoughts, theories, exploration, views, process, people, galleries, etc." The site is engaging with interviews from artists working in a wide range of medium and style. I found insights to the inspiration and studio practices of artists enriched my viewing of the artworks.

Special thanks to Amanda van Gils and Steve Gray for organising and hosting the interview, much appreciated - Thank you.

I walked along the water's edge - Magic happens here

Nicola Moss, 'I walked along the water's edge - Magic happens here'. Synthetic polymer and pigmented ink on canvas. 120x120cm. ©2011.

It's four weeks to go till my solo exhibition, Diamonds in my eyes', opens at Salt Contemporary Art Gallery, Queenscliff, Victoria. I've been finishing the last couple of paintings and today had the works professionally photographed by Carl Warner.

The painting above was inspired by an outing with the Redlands Bushcare seed collection group to North Stradbroke Island. We visited several areas on the Island collecting seed and then finished with lunch at Brown Lake. It was walking along the edge of this freshwater lake that I felt like I was in a special place. It was peaceful but also exuberant with life. Something in the brilliant light and structured foliage that meandered in and out of the water's edge created striking vistas of texture and form. The memories of that short walk are still strong in my mind. Hopefully I will have an opportunity to return there in the not too distant future.