Trina Ebling

‘I seek to examine and question how we exist in relation to ourselves, others and the environment. The impact and connections that these social and natural interactions have is central to my work.’

My art reflects and draws inspiration from the natural environment: I am inspired by landscapes I’ve seen, journeys I’ve experienced and people I’ve met. I seek to capture the patterns and layers underlying Nature’s resilience yet fragility, her repetitive cycles of growth and decay. As a child I lived along Kangaroo Ground Road beside Dingley Dell (what’s not to like about those names!) There I was immersed in Warrandyte’s artistic environment during the 1950s and 1960s, and therefore developed an early interest in all art forms - sculpture, painting, pottery and print-making. Yellow-box eucalypts, ti-tree understorey, and carpets of thick soft mosses and scatterings of wildflowers filled my eight acres of bushland home. I soon developed an early curiosity to explore gravel tracks leading over hilly horizons, mine shafts along quartz reefs and creeks meandering towards the Yarra River. The outdoors challenged my sense of adventure! Neighbours’ houses were built largely from natural materials and the hilly terrain necessitated terracing in timber or river rock Edna Walling style. And in every third household lived a practising artist. The 1962 bushfire threatened loss of everything. Our house survived but the losses of others was poignant and tragic; our landscape now starkly described by a blackened criss-crossing of well-worn animal tracks and pathways. The landscape, burnt bare, all our familiar landmarks erased as we struggled to find our bearings. We recovered and, as weeks and months drifted by, so did the landscape which continued to surprise us with its outbursts of fresh olive-green growth sprouting from thickly blackened eucalypt trunks. The wildflowers, particularly blue pincushions, flowered in abundance and in new areas where they previously had not grown. Nearby Potters’ Cottage, where I was employed as a teenager, influenced my early interest in sculpture and in 3-D art using natural materials. Their heavy rustic tableware were part of every kitchen in Warrandyte until Kate Janeba’s smooth simplified pottery outlines and deep viridian glazes (learned in Japan on her way to Australia from war-torn Austria) started to influence more classic styles. My kitchen still has a cup and saucer by Kate Janeba, looking quite contemporary alongside the finelycrafted modern mudware. An early but lasting influence. Following a career teaching in Professional Writing & Editing (the Gordon) and the School of Communication and Literary Studies (Deakin University), on retirement I returned to my love of art. At this stage I was fortunate enough to be able to study Visual Art & Contemporary Craft locally through South West TAFE at Forrest Neighbourhood House with an inspiring teacher Salvina Conti and a wonderful group of contemporary artists. We continue to share our art practice at StudioForrest, normally travelling weekly from Apollo Bay, Skenes Creek, Barwon Downs, Barongarook, Kawarren and Warrion. This friendship and support of other artists is an important part of my art practice, as is our studio location in beautiful Forrest. The greens and blue tonal dry sclerophyll and rainforest landscape contrasts with my location in the western district grasslands of scoria reds and rich chocolate loams or scorched grass tussocks. During covid-19 StudioForrest has encouraged each other’s ‘art practice in iso’ by creating postcards and mailing them snail mail for another artist to complete, and we’ve shared ideas and artwork through weekly zoom activities. Thankyou Gillian Brew and FNH for organising this!!! As an artist I have been inspired and influenced by the macrocosm/microcosm landscapes and frottage of John Wolseley; the landscape in motion captured by Vincent Van Gogh; and Australian sculptors Bronwyn Oliver and Inge King. As a result of these influences, I like to explore diverse media on various surfaces; from oils, gouache and acrylic paint to prints, carved stone and local volcanic rock. Some pieces are full of colour and strength, but I also enjoy tracing the most delicate of lines and seeing where that leads me.

Transition

mixed media. 2010

I didn’t realise at the time how prophetic this artwork was. The winged artist stripped bare and alone, exploring the forest of tangled vines, branches, roots and trunks. The inner dark murkiness is lightened by the softness and texture of the dried hellebores and hydrangea and by the highlights of gold and copper light within. I’ve used conte, charcoal, oil pastels and graphite

Inuit Mother,

kiln-fired ceramic. 2012

Inuit Mother has become my gatekeeper at home near the back door. Her direct gaze and the tilt of her head expresses freedom, self-belief and strength. This bust is smooth-skinned and muscular to reflect life within a harsh climate. The leather thong tying her plaited hair and natural tones reflect the strong link between Inuit culture and nature. Her traditional markings define her as someone who has endured.

FNQ geocache

acrylic on canvas 2009

My son gave me a blank canvas as a birthday gift when I first enrolled in Salvina’s class. It took me quite a while to actually conceptualise such a large blank space! I visualised the journey travelled earlier in the year to Far North Queensland, with its lush tropical rainforest and butterflies as well as the massive carved marble blocks further inland. I then employed a Fibonacci sequence to divide the canvas as a record of the landscape as we geocached along the way.

Pied Oyster Catcher Egg

copper etching 2014

This wading bird is found along the nearby coastline but they seldom eat oysters! They nest in shallow scrapes in open areas near the shore. I enjoyed etching a quick sketch on copper. It allowed me free movement yet line and shade detail.

Water depths

encaustic with bark, string and paper 2019

The layering process of encaustic work adds depth and interest in an artwork. This was largely an experiment to explore how the encaustic process and effects. I like the hidden depths achieved here.

Guitar Dreaming

solvent image transfer on Indian ragpaper 2012

The roughened texture of homemade paper contrasts with the softened image of the guitar player.

What Lies Beneath

gesso, graphite and eco-dyed paper 2018

The layers of landscape were created by a moving and enlarging a photocopy of an earlier gesso-textured landscape artwork. Using detailed graphite tracings of root-lines and crevices I was then able to explore the sedimentary layers of earth to create patternings. Superimposed on the landscape are the natural eco-dyed tones of a ‘boiled book’ activity. (no books were harmed during this activity)

Bicycle ride through the Netherlands

drypoint etched print 2012

A day of bike riding along pathways and canals, guided by the prominent church spires rising out of the flat landscape in each town.