A Taste of Salt - pop up exhibition in Ballarat

Salt Contemporary Art is hosting a 'pop up' exhibition - A Taste of Salt - in Ballarat this week. The exhibition features paintings, works on paper and sculpture; I'm very happy to see my paintings will be in the show at 14 Camp Street, Ballarat (B1 Gallery space).

If you are in the area and have an opportunity to pop in, please feel most welcome. The opening is on Thursday December 1st, from 5.30 – 8.30pm, RSVP (please send your details if you can make it) to info@salt-art.com.au , or contact Fiona Kelly (Director) on 03 52583988.

The Exhibition continues on Friday December 2nd, 12 – 4pm

Exhibiting artists include Alan Bates, David Beaumont, Peter Blizzard, Nona Burden, Tarli Glover, Rudi Jass, Nicola Moss, Craig Parnaby, Neville Pilven, Anne Saunders and Doug Wright.

Also in the show are limited edition works on paper by selected artists including John Olsen, Christine Johnson, Dean Bowen, Rona Green and Sally Smart.

Collectibles at Spiro Grace Art Rooms

'Tide Lines 6', 2011. Nicola Moss. Acrylic, hand cut papers, rice paper. Framed size 40 x 40cm.

I have three new smaller hand cut paperworks on show in the group exhibition Collectibles, opening this Friday at SGAR: Spiro Grace Art Rooms in Spring Hill, Brisbane. These works began on site at Coochiemudlo Island and were completed with hand cut paper elements back in the studio.
Collectibles features small scale and affordable pieces by over 15 Australian artists and designers.
It would be lovely to see you at the opening if you can make it, please say hi if you do.

Exhibition Opening Friday 2nd December
6 - 8pm

Exchange

Exchange has opened this week at Gatakers Artspace in Maryborough. Congratulations to Amanda van Gils for doing a wonderful job of curating and managing the exhibition. Very excited to see who's artwork I will receive.
(Click above if you'd like a larger image.)

Focus

Before I start talking about focus, have a laugh at my pink socks...I have.

So...Focus. When asked before leaving for my residency at Montsalvat, what it was that I hoped to achieve, or 'What are the benefits of a residency' opposed to working in  my own studio; one component of my answer was a reference to the focused time I thought I would experience. The absence of home chores to a large degree and working on one project are ways that I thought my time would be more focused. By the end of the residency I noted other circumstance that created a focused atmosphere. There was no TV or radio at Montsalvat, I don't watch much, but this was nothing and I have to admit I didn't miss it. As residents we provided our own internet access, which lead in part to reduced usage, but really we were just so busy - perhaps fulfilled is a better word, with making our works that checking emails, etc during the day just didn't happen. What I noticed is how productive we were, how much work was achieved when our focus was on process and making.
Administration of an arts practice can chew up large amounts of time, checking emails throughout the day at home, generally leads to more time sitting in front of the screen. It's about discipline really and the obvious realisation, or confirmation, that the world doesn't end if I look at my emails once a day. I am bringing this appreciation of focus home to the studio and look forward to more productive use of my studio time...even a balance somewhere between the before and during residence would be beneficial.