2013 Strand Ephemera Education Kit

Education Kit & Guided Tour Notes

Overview

What is Strand Ephemera?

Strand Ephemera is a dynamic 10-day festival of contemporary art. Presented along the length of Townsville’s The Strand the festival features artworks created by artists from the Townsville region and across Australia. First initiated by Perc Tucker Regional Gallery in 2001, this is the seventh incarnation of Strand Ephemera.

Strand Ephemera offers artists the opportunity to create and develop a site-specific artwork that explores their own art practice using ephemeral materials. Many of the artists selected for this year’s Strand Ephemera have considered or reflected on issues related to the environment.

Strand Ephemera provides Townsville residents and visitors the opportunity to engage with contemporary art that enriches the community with its diversity and imagination.

“Ephemera” means something that is temporary or short-lived. This is a creative element that artists within this exhibition have addressed. Individual artists have interpreted this in different ways. For some, it may refer to the short duration of the exhibition whereas for others it may be interpreted as the short life of the artwork. Ephemera may also inspire the artists to use materials which are readily accessible or organic. Other artists have interpreted this and created an artwork that will break down over the duration of the exhibition i.e. an ephemeral artwork.

Sculpture

What is sculpture?

A sculpture is a three-dimensional art object. Sculptures range in size and shape and may be made of any material. Artworks such as statues would be classed as a sculpture. Traditional sculpture focused heavily on depicting the human body for example, Greek marble sculptures or Michangelo’s David (1501 - 1504).

Sculpture has a rich history in art and sculptural objects have been made for thousands of years, especially for religious purposes. Think of the Venus of Willendorf, Greek marbles from the classical period or statues of Jesus on the cross.

Traditionally, sculpture involved carving or modelling in materials such as stone, metal, wood and ceramics. With the emergence of Modernism art movements throughout the 20th century, artists have had more freedom to create and make sculptures from almost any materials. You only have to think about one of Claes Oldenburg’s giant soft sculptures to see that sculpture is no longer bound by tradition!

What is installation art?

Installation art emerged in the mid-twentieth century and often refers to threedimensional art that is designed to change a space and the interaction that a viewer has with that space. Indoor and outdoor spaces may be used and in some cases sections of land may be transformed such as Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty (1970).

The viewer is very important consideration in installation art and encourages viewers to experience art as they interact with the space, walk around the works and in some cases through them!

What is ephemeral art?

Ephemeral art are artworks that are created with the intention that they will not last. This idea may influence the artist’s choice of materials or way of working. The artist may work with natural materials such as ice, clay, mud, sand, salt which will soon break down. Sculptures may include contemporary mediums such as sound and light or incorporate a performance element. As these kinds of artworks are impermanent they are often documented with film or photography.

Steve Campbell & Donna Foley (Page 12)

Naomi Gittoes (Page 11)

Rainer H. Schlüter (Page 14) 5

Jan Hynes (Page 21)

14

Joy Heylen (Page 17) 8

13

Ian Loiterton (Page 19)

Sue Tilley (Page 22)

The Winged Collective (Page 20)

GhostNets Australia

Concept by Karen Hethey and Cecile Williams. Collaborative work created at a public workshop at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2011 with TSI artists Frank Petero, Georgia Curry, Angela Torenbeek, Jimmy Thaiday and members of the general public (Page 23)

India Collins (Page 13) 4

7

Amanda Feher Flex Permanent Public Artwork (Page 63)

Ralph Knight (Page 16)

Chandra Paul (Page 15)

9

Robert Crispe, Michelle Hall & Jo Lankester (Page 18)

S.A.Adair (Page

The Winged Collective (Page 10) 1

Legend

S.A.Adair (Page 24)

MJ Ryan Bennett (Page 26)

17

Julie Bruce, Elizabeth Tillack & Sue Valis (Page 27)

UnitingCare Community with visual artist Vonnie van Bemmel and silversmith/sculptor Julie Bentley: A collaborative recycled art project by artists with and without disability (Page 28)

Geoff Overheu (Page 29)

22 John Stanley (Page 31)

Strand Ephemera artwork locations

Strand Ephemera Information Desk locations

Permanent Public Artwork unveiled during Strand Ephemera

23 Hugh Martin (Page 32)

27 Stephen de Jersey & Alison McDonald (Page 38)

28 Marion Gaemers (Page 39)

30 Lynnette Griffiths (Page 41)

29 Jo Anglesey (Page 40)

31 Sarah Emily Kate (Page 42)

26 Gabi Sturman (Page 37)

24 #

Erica Gray (Page 33)

21 Annee Miron (Page 30) 19

Adriaan Vanderlugt (Page 25)

16

La Luna Youth Arts

Facilitated by HARRY and Shane Keen (Page 36)

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The Winged Collective Melbourne, VIC

Adaptation 2013

Plastic, thread, wire, button cell batteries, led lights, wire, polyester filling

Multiple forms varying in size

Adaptation is a direct attack on the rubbish dumped in the ocean by humans; the small things that get washed down storm water drains that appear to be harmless yet cause enormous damage to the ecosystem. These items are often either eaten or wrapped around sea animals.

The hermit crab is both a great and sad example of the adaptability required of marine life to not only deter natural predators, but also to withstand pollution. In this case the hermit crab’s adaptation both utilises and highlights the detritus of mankind.

Many of this year’s Strand Ephemera artworks address rubbish that has been discarded into the ocean. Marine rubbish includes fishing nets, plastics, beach toys and general household rubbish. Since plastics were invented in the 1940s, marine debris (rubbish) has increased worldwide. Marine animals become entangled in debris leading to drowning or may eat things like plastic bags which can strangle them or cause damage to their digestive systems. Other marine animals may adapt to marine debris making it their new home.

Fast facts: Some hermit crabs use vacancy chains to find new shells: when a large shell becomes available hermit crabs form a line from biggest to smallest to try on the new shell. When the largest crab moves into its new shell, the next crab in line tries on the discarded shell and so on.

Key terms: hermit crab, pollution, waste, adaptation, marine debris, Great Pacific Garbage Patch, soft sculpture

Primary:

What other animals live in shells?

Imagine that you were a hermit crab. You need to carry all your things on your back! List five things that you would take inside your shell.

Secondary:

Research the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and need explain how it is formed.

Make an artwork that communicates how marine debris affects marine life. What materials will you use?

Naomi Gittoes

Bundeena, NSW and the world

Imagine…..Epiphany Bubbles 2013

Clear cast perspex spheres, cast vinyl images from artist’s pen & ink drawings, solar powered marine lights on foam mount, high tension wire, plastic tubing, concrete anchoring block Installation of 5 spheres, 51 cm diameter each

Naomi grew up by the sea in Bundeena on the Southern edge of Sydney, surrounded by the second oldest national park in the world. Art, as well as the sea, claimed her early in life and from her earliest memories she has always felt a need to be in the ocean, which now inspires her art practice.

At 25, Naomi places enormous value on the preservation of imagination, and has developed a strong creative voice and consistent creative output; creating flexibility by working from mobile studios around the world in such places as New York, the West Caribbean island of Utila, the East coast of Mexico, and Hawaii.

Of Imagine…..Epiphany Bubbles the artist states;

“I have been born to create things, and love the way imagination is so freeing and entertaining. My mind is constantly combining and rearranging the most random and fun things, and I love to share that with people. I can remember in primary school, instead of answering maths questions, I would be busy arranging the 3’s into design patterns and making the pencil shavings on my desk into sculptures.

Now as a free diver I explore the oceans and cultures of the world, where I can get closest to the essence of the most unexplored part of our natural world, and closest to the inner world of my imagination.”

Fast facts: An epiphany is a sudden realisation that allows a deeper understanding or breakthrough; a “eureka” moment.

Key terms: idea, epiphany, thought, realisation, bubble, imagination

Primary:

What would you draw in your own personal bubble?

Make a mind map of ideas about water. consider what it is used for. What lives in it?

Secondary: Postmodern Conceptualist artists used a concept to consider or idea and explored it. For example: bubble as word, bubble as an image, bubble as explained by science. Have students explore epiphany through a conceptualist gaze

Townsville, QLD

100 things that change with the wind 2013

PVC pipe, ZINC and nylon construction with vinyl on corflute wind-vanes

280 x 310 cm

Price on application

Steve Campbell is a Sound Artist and senior lecturer in music at James Cook University, Townsville. Donna Foley is a Visual Artist whose work explores the intersection of the visual and verbal. She teaches at Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE Pimlico. Campbell and Foley have previously collaborated on a work for the 2011 Strand Ephemera, titled ISAY.

Of their 2013 artwork, the artists state;

“This playful installation provides a sense of the primal power and effects of the wind, both sonically through the incorporation of a wind instrument, and visually.

The work includes Western Art’s iconic images of Flora, the Goddess of Spring and, on the flipside of these depictions, Zephyr the Winter Wind as an instrument of transformation. From winter to spring and, simultaneously and metaphorically, from lust to love, the song of life is sanctioned.

One hundred windvanes arranged in prime numbers represent the wind’s primal force as the possibility of positive or negative subtexts strike chords/discords at whim.”

Fast facts: Air, wind and sky artists can challenge or push our perceptions of what art is. Steve Campbell and Donna Foley combine a number of elements in their work such as kinetic art (artwork that has an element of actual movement, in this case, with wind), sound sculpture (art objects that produce sound) and projection.

Key terms: windvane, love, seasons, kinetic art, sound sculpture, wind instrument, Anemoi (Greek wind gods)

Primary:

Which way is the wind blowing?

Explain how the sound is made?

Compare this sound to the sound from instrument. Which do you prefer? Why? List the elements. Could you use other elements to make sound? On some paper draw and invent your own sound art.

Secondary: Research kinetic art or sound art. Some examples are: Bašić’s sea organ, The Blackpool high tide organ and Panopticon The singing instrument. ringing tree. Artists include: Andrew MacDonald, Harry Bertoia, Alexander Calder and Christo and Jeanne-Claude.

Steve Campbell and Donna Foley

Light my Way 2013

Plastic dome and toys, lighting, enamel paint

Installation of multiple lamps, 60 x 80 x 80 cm each

Cairns based, Canadian born artist India Collins strives to blur the lines between art and design. Much of her work has a natural bent towards functionality, creating lifestyle pieces that serve a purpose while revitalising a space through colour, texture and playful narratives.

With an extensive background in textile and surface design, she regularly pushes the boundaries of conventionality and aesthetic by combining ‘built’ pieces with bespoke surface design.

Of Light my Way Collins states;

“This is an interactive cluster of large dome shaped lights, which hang together suspended from the branches of a tree. The domes are unassuming on the outside and are uniform in colour.

However, upon approach of these lamps, each one reveals a surprising narrative within. This work is a play on the enjoyment we glean from some of life’s unexpected little surprises as we carry on with our busy lives, even if just to bring a smile to our face.”

Fast facts: Installation art often contains arrangements of objects that, when placed together, take on a new meaning. Light my Way contains arrangements of objects on lampshades. These objects communicate a narrative to the viewer.

Key terms: lamp, narrative, objects, surprise, object as allegory

Primary:

What can you see on the top of the lamp?

If you were to make this artwork what toys would you put on top?

Draw your own version of this artwork.

Secondary: With the inclusion of the objects on the top of the lamp, the artist is telling a story. What do you think the story is? Use a Think, Pair, Share exercise so students can write their answers down and then explain them.

Port Douglas, QLD

Blue

Dancers (Danseuses Bleues) - Quintet 2013

Beachwood, acrylic paint

10 forms varying in size, max size 150 x 30 x 320 cm

A monumental artwork, Blue Dancers (Danseuses Bleues) - Quintet takes inspiration from two famous artworks; Matisse’s Danseuses Bleues and Giacometti’s Walking Man. The 10 beachwood forms, representing abstract dancers, transform these classical references in to something that is entirely new, poetic, and evidently influenced by the tropical environment.

Made from fallen beach trees, the long abstract human forms have been carved and assembled, and then painted in acrylic ultramarine blue.

The sculpture’s finesse, longitudinal tension and precarious balance represent the dancing movement of the trees, the waves of the sea when exposed to tropical winds, and the fragility of human relations.

Fast facts: Pareidolia is the natural phenomena of seeing patterns, figures or faces in objects. Examples include seeing animals in clouds, the man in the moon or faces in rocks. In Blue dancers (danseuses bleues) - Quintet, the painted beachwood trees take on the form of dancing figures in various poses.

Key terms: Pareidolia, dancers, movement, abstract, natural materials, wood

Primary:

Colours have meaning. Brainstorm all associated meanings for the word ‘blue’. Living art: have students form the dancers’ positions to make a living artwork

Secondary:

Schulter’s work is a homage to Matisse’s Danseuses Bleues, which in turn was inspired by Blake’s Oberon, Titania and Puck with fairies Dancing, 1786. Have students research an appropriated artwork such as Duchamp’s L.H.O.O.Q, 1919. Compare and contrast the difference between an appropriated work and a work that takes inspiration from another.

Monday, September

Guided tour of half of Strand Ephemera, starting centrally and moving towards Kissing Point. This tour will be accompanied by an artist talk at Donna Foley and Steve Campbell’s work departs from Information Desk 1

tour

Chandra Paul

Carnegie, VIC

The Space between the Waves 2013

Installation of hundreds of porcelain ceramic forms

Approximately 2 x 3 cm each

With a Diploma of Ceramics from Chisholm Institute of TAFE (2003), Chandra Paul has been exhibiting in Melbourne since 2008.

The Space between the Waves is an ephemeral ceramic installation exploring the idea of void, loss of place and the existential notion that we exist as a reflection in another entity. It is a collection of cast and carved porcelain wave forms dispersed organically on the ground in a formation designed to look like a wave, or a picture of the sea.

Consistent with the theme of void, it forms a picture of an elusive space, or a place which does not exist. The artist’s intent is to convey that it is just as hard to locate the space between the waves as it is to construct meaning free from subjectivity.

Fast facts: Chandra Paul’s artwork uses the ceramic technique of slipcasting. Slipcasting uses a liquid clay or slip, which is poured into a plaster mould. The cast form is then removed from the mould, fettled (trimmed neatly) and left to dry.

Key terms: waves, ceramic, ephemeral, slipcasting, leaf, installation

Primary:

Look at the sculpture. What natural from do you see? Name the material that this sculpture is made from. The artist uses waves and leaf forms as her subject matter. What natural subject matter would you use for an artwork?

Secondary: Explain ephemeral means that something doesn’t last very long. Why might the artist have made an artwork that doesn’t last long? Do you think it’s a waste that the artwork will soon breakdown? Is there something special about ephemeral art?

Drop-in Workshop

3 - 5pm Wave Form with Chandra Paul Ephemeral clay workshop with basic hand modelling techniques and practices that focus on making leaf and wave forms. All ages.

3 - 5pm Wave Form with Chandra Paul Ephemeral clay workshop with basic hand modelling techniques and practices that focus on making leaf and wave forms. All ages.

Vanishing Facades 2013

Recycled timber, glass 5 forms varying in size, max size 180 x 180 cm

Ralph was educated in Melbourne, trained as a secondary school teacher then joined the Australian Army where he studied Chinese language at the RAAF School of Languages in Melbourne and the UK Ministry of Defence Language School in Hong Kong (1972-1975).

In 1976 he returned to Melbourne as the lecturer in charge of Chinese language at the RAAF School of Languages and remained there until 1984. Upon retiring from the army he took up the position of assistant director of the Institute of Modern Languages at James Cook University (JCU) in Townsville. From 1987 to 2000 he taught Chinese language courses at the university.

In 2000 Ralph left JCU and for the next few years explored the uses of timber, wood carving and model making. It was at this time he became aware of the gradual disappearance of the iconic Queenslander from his neighbourhood. In response, he began exploring possibilities of reproducing facades to capture the many variations of style, structure and ornamentation which were fast disappearing.

Of Vanishing Facade Knight states; “Living in the north, we have become alarmed at the disappearance of the ‘old Queenslander’ style of house; Australia’s unique contribution to world architecture. Vanishing Facades shows five ‘old Queenslander’ facades, disappearing into the distance along a sightline to Cape Cleveland, representing some essential features of the style. The facades represent the changing face of Townsville and the north: nostalgia for a NQ that was.”

Fast facts: One lost façade from the Townsville region is Winter Garden Theatre which used to be in Sturt Street. The Winter Garden Theatre featured dress circles, balconies and even an interior fern garden! The building was designed to provide comfort even in our tropical summer with special consideration being paid to ventilation.

Key terms: façade, building, development, memory, nostalgia, loss, city, progress, urban planning

Primary:

Can you think of any buildings that have gone? How do you feel when you see a building knocked down? What are some good reasons for knocking a building down? What are some reasons for saving old buildings?

Secondary:

These buildings are often considered iconic. Make a list of buildings that are important to Townsville. Should we keep them or not? Consider your choices using a SWOT analysis.

Ralph Knight

Townsville, QLD

Coquillage 2013

Timber, polycarb sheeting, small amount of glass 5 forms varying in size, max size 180 x 180 cm

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”

Leonardo Da Vinci

With a nod to Da Vinci’s concept of what constitutes refined aesthetics, Joy Heylen has created a stunning and restrained organic form from raw metal.

Of Coquillage the artist states;

“The work is an interpretation of organic emotion and physical matter. It explores the relationship between the organic qualities and resistance of metal, and also the tension between the complex realisation of form and the limitations and economy of the materials used.

It is a multi-positional sculpture for display both indoor and outdoor, and has been hand- crafted in the timeless method of sculpting copper with flame, linking both art and history with contemporary design.”

Fast facts: Metalworking in copper has been practiced for more than 4,000 years. Copper as a material is a longlasting, widely available and easily worked material and so lends itself to the creation of sculptures.

Key terms: organic, metal, copper, nature, simplicity

Primary:

Look at the artwork. What do you think it is?

Organic means something from nature. Can you see a natural object?

Secondary: The artist referenced Leonardo Da Vinci and simplicity. What do you think she means by this.

Robert Crispe, Michelle Hall and Jo Lankester

Townsville, QLD

Flotilla 2013

Textiles, paper, wooden hoops, ink, projection, jenkai and crimps, tiger wire 1000 x 1500 x 1000 cm

Flotilla is an ambitious collaborative work by three of Townsville’s most prolific artists and artsworkers; Robert Crispe, Michelle Hall and Jo Lankester.

Crispe is a recent graduate of James Cook University’s School of Creative Arts with extensive experience in projection artwork, including curating the 2011 multimedia exhibition Sounds Like Light. Michelle Hall is a contemporary artist and community arts facilitator, specialising in soft sculpture installations. Hall has completed artist residencies in Australia, Nepal and The Netherlands, and is a frequent participant in exhibitions as both an artist and curator.

Lankester, who graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (1994) is a printmaker with a particular interest large scale works inspired by the natural environment. She has exhibited extensively, and her work is represented in the National Gallery of Australia Print Collection, among others.

Flotilla combines Crispe, Hall and Lankester’s three distinct disciplines, with the work exploring notions of loss and anonymity experienced during chaotic times. Textile forms, suggestive of ghosts, have been printed with boat forms. The appearance of the work shifts with nightfall as darkness brings increased clarity to an atmospheric projection that acts as a storm on which the ghosts and boats float.

Fast facts: The title of the work is Flotilla. Flotilla, the word, generally refers to a small group of ships. The ships are homogenous meaning they are all the same kind of ship.

Key terms: installation, projection, float, textile, printing, boat, ghost

Primary:

Describe the patterns and shapes that you can see. Are these organic shapes? What do these shapes make you think of? Sketch the outlines the trees. Now draw your your idea for an installation in the trees.

Secondary:

What art elements have been used to create this artwork? Compare and contrast the differences that this work has when it is displayed during the day and night. Discuss what you think the shapes mean or represent.

Guided tour of half of Strand Ephemera, starting centrally and moving towards Kissing Point. This tour will be accompanied by an artist talk at Robert Crispe, Michelle Hall and Jo Lankester’s work Flotilla. departs from Information Desk

Friday, September tour

Townsville, QLD

The End Game 2013

Fibreglass, steel, mixed media

250 x 700 x 300 cm

Born in New South Wales 1970, Ian lived on Magnetic Island until mid-August 2013. Ian completed a Bachelor of Arts at the Australian Capital University, Canberra (1994-95) before taking up his art practice.

Using drawing as a starting point, Ian has utilised a range of technologies to realise his concepts in two-dimensional, sculptural and digital formats. The artist has formed partnerships with a number of companies as part of this process, which involves such technologies as 3D computer modelling and machine milling.

Of End Game, Ian states;

“This Strand Ephemera entry includes a central figure, which was created from an original, free hand concept drawing, then developed into technical drawings showing the front, side and top projections. From this point, a 3D computer model was generated to allow a smaller prototype to be machine milled, prior to the fabrication of the full scale machine milled version in 2011.

The central figure has been shown in different formats in the USA and a major competition in Victoria, but is reinterpreted here as The End Game. In this work, the figure is being taken by a large hand, which suggests the figure is a piece in the game of chess, which is a metaphor for life.”

Fast facts: Ian Loiterton’s sculpture was originally inspired by Gauguin’s painting, Vision after the sermon, Jacob wrestling with the angel. The work speaks about the artist’s experience of depression and alludes to the internal struggle that occurred during this period.

Key terms: figure, sculpture, fibreglass, chess, metamorphosis, struggle, depression

Primary: Ask the students to describe what they see. Can you see the hand? How do you think the figure feels? Make collages of hands and figures. Using tracing paper, trace the collages and make a drawing.

Secondary: Negative space is the space around and between the subject of an artwork. Have the students complete a drawing exercise drawing the negative space to achieve a positive image.

The Winged Collective Melbourne, VIC

The Sirens 2013

Printed digital dibond, mirrored alucobond, solar lighting, metal wire, sand pegs Multiple forms varying in size

Square in your ship’s path are Sirens, crying beauty to bewitch men coasting by; woe to the innocent who hears that sound! The Sirens will sing his mind away on their sweet meadow lolling. Steer wide; plug your oarsmen’s ears with beeswax none of the rest should hear that song. But if you wish to listen, let the men tie you lashed to the mast, so you may hear those harpies’ thrilling voices; shout as you will, begging to be untied, your crew must only twist more line around you and keep their stroke up, till the singers fade.

Homer

The Odyssey, Book 12, 41-58

Fast facts: The Sirens were dangerous monsters in Greek mythology who posed as beautiful women on a rock out at sea. They sang enchanting songs that lured sailors towards them. The sailors’ vessel would become wrecked on the rocks and the sailors would drown or be devoured by the Sirens. The Sirens feature in art and literature from the Greek classical period and have provided inspiration for artists such as John William Waterhouse.

Key terms: Greek mythology, Odysseus, The Odyssey, Siren, Homer, installation, photography

Primary:

What kind of song would the Sirens have sung? Can you think of any other tales that have music, which people are drawn to (Pied Piper)? In groups, think of a way to listen to the Sirens’ music without your boat sinking?

Secondary: Define the femme fatale? Are there any famous examples of femme fatales in popular culture? What about history? Research the femme fatale in art? In contemporary society, how appropriate is the femme fatale as a concept?

Jan Hynes

Townsville, QLD

Strabble 2013

Timber, paint, varnish

Dimensions variable, Price on application

Having attained a Master of Creative Arts majoring in Painting from James Cook University, Jan Hynes has evidenced her adaptability, inventiveness, skill and humour across countless solo exhibitions in Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville, and as a selected artist in Strand Ephemera since its inception in 2011.

She states that Strabble “evokes memories of pre-electronic times when board games were part of holiday fun. It provides the opportunity to socialise and play a game not experienced since childhood, in the beautiful outdoors of The Strand.”

Strabble is a simplified, score-free variation of outdoor Scrabble where people can participate by adding a word or playing a complete game according to their interest. Satisfaction comes not from winning, but from seeing a word completed and participating in a team effort. Throughout the day, the artwork evolves according to public participation, with players either selecting tiles from the trolley to add letters to existing words, or choosing to start a new game from scratch.

Fast facts: Jan Hynes’ title, Strabble, is a blending of two words: Scrabble and The Strand. A word combination is known as a portmanteau. The entomology of the word comes from French: porter, meaning to carry, and manteau, cloak. The term was originally coined by Lewis Carroll in Through the Looking-Glass (1871) when Humpty Dumpty explains to Alice: ‘You see it’s like a portmanteau—there are two meanings packed up into one word.’

Key terms: sculpture, varnish, wood, Scrabble, board games, play, word, arrange

Primary:

The artwork has an interactive element and students are encourage to arrange and create new words with the smaller lettering. Have students combine two words to create a new word and explain its meaning.

Secondary:

Using a combination of lettering, explore making an artwork using overlaid letters and numbers of varying sizes. Choose five colours. Colour in the sections ensuring that the same colour does not touch.

One Fish, Two Fish, NO Red Fish, NO Blue Fish 2013

Cutlery and saucepan over stainless steel armature

160 x 76 x 50 cm

A sculptor working predominantly in found vintage metal, Tilley is passionate about both environment and community. The materials used in this work are integral to the concept. Her aim is to engage the viewer as they identify the objects used in the sculpture, leading them to consider the issue being addressed.

Of One Fish, Two Fish, NO Red Fish, NO Blue Fish, Tilley states; “Global overfishing since the 1960s has depleted nearly all commercial fish populations and degraded the ecosystems that support them. Several ‘big fish species’, which are vital global food sources are facing extinction.

Ultimately the greatest impact will be felt in developing countries which rely on fish as a primary source of protein.”

Fast facts: Overfishing is the act of catching unsustainable levels of sea life from an ecosystem. Overfishing affects not only the fish stock but all the other animals within an ecosystem. It is also eventually disastrous to the fishing communities that rely on a regular harvest for their livelihoods.

Key terms: overfishing, food, cutlery, environment, harvest

Primary: The artist made a sculpture of a fish. She used forks, spoons and knives to make it. Think about the connection between these materials and what the artist is trying to say with her sculpture.

Secondary: Consider the title of this artwork. What is the artist suggesting with this title? Consider the materials that the artist has used. How do they reinforce the artist’s message?

Sue Tilley Townsville, QLD

GhostNets

Australia. Concept by Karen Hethey and Cecile Williams. Collaborative work created at a public workshop at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2011 with TSI artists Frank Petero, Georgia Curry, Angela Torenbeek, Jimmy Thaiday and members of the general public.

Northern Australia

Ghost Net Crocodile 2013

Bamboo, rattan, ghost net and other marine debris

1200 x 450 x 65 cm

Pictured with the work are Frank Petero, Sue Ryan, Angela Torenbeek, Greg Adams and Georgia Curry

Ghost nets are fishing nets that are lost or abandoned at sea. They represent a major threat for marine fauna and an ongoing problem for indigenous saltwater communities across the top end of Australia. GhostNets Australia (GNA) works with indigenous ranger groups to retrieve the nets and to collect data on their type and location. The Ghost Net Art Project arose from the conundrum of what to do with the mountains of ghost net and other marine debris that indigenous rangers were retrieving from beaches along Australia’s remote northern coastline.

GNA’s Ghost Net Art Project focuses on those communities that have been identified as ‘ghost net hotspots’, sponsoring workshops facilitated by contemporary artists with a view to engaging community members to create art, craft and functional pieces made from ghost nets. The facilitators work with artists and weavers in the indigenous communities to develop new skills while encouraging the use of traditional techniques and themes using ghost net as an art material.

Fast facts: Ghost nets are fishing nets that float in the ocean or wash up on the shore after they have been lost or abandoned. These nets can potentially harm marine life and also represent a problem for Indigenous communities in Australia. GhostNets Australia use nets collected by Indigenous ranger groups to make art and raise awareness about this issue.

Key terms: ghost net, Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, marine life, fishing, environmental issue

Primary: What animal is this? The crocodile is made from ghost nets. Why do you think these nets might be dangerous to animals? Think of four animals that may be endangered.

Secondary: Discuss what you know about ghost nets and why they are hazardous to marine life? Is there a connection between the use of materials and the meaning of the artwork? Discuss.

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Saturday, August work shop 01

Drop-in Workshop

1.30 - 4pm Drop-in workshop with GhostNets Australia

Learn simple fibre techniques and contribute to making a turtle using ghost nets and other marine debris. All ages.

near Information Desk 1

Drop-in Workshop

Drop-in workshop with GhostNets Australia 10am - 12.30pm

1.30 - 4pm

Learn simple fibre techniques and contribute to making a turtle using ghost nets and other marine debris. All ages.

Sunday, September work shop

near Information Desk 1

02

Drop-in Workshop

Drop-in workshop with GhostNets Australia 10am - 12.30pm

1.30 - 4pm

Learn simple fibre techniques and contribute to making a turtle using ghost nets and other marine debris. All ages.

Monday, September work shop

Fleeting 2013

Felt, glue

Dimensions variable

S.A. Adair’s work explores the metaphysical potential of objects and materials, and the interplay these elements have within a particular environment.

The artist states; “Forms and ideas are generated through experimentation with ‘process’ where chance and errors have an integral part to play in the development of the work.

Working in a site-related manner, I use the sense of space and location to influence the final construction of the piece. I like to think that my work functions as an undercurrent, a murmuring - whispering to the viewer and encouraging subtle reflections of self, space and environment.”

S.A. Adair has been a frequent exhibitor in New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT since the early 2000s, and holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts with Honours from the Australian National University, majoring in Sculpture.

Fast facts: Installation art recreates the environment that it is in and engages the viewer to interact with the space anew.

Key terms: line, form, environment, installation

Primary:

Have a look at this artwork. How do you think the artist made it? Look at the lines. Are they squiggly or straight? How do they make you feel?

Secondary:

Look at the artwork. What elements of art has the artist used? How has she used line? What is the artist’s intention by using line this way? Reflect on self, space and environment.

Drop-in Workshops

Andriaan Vanderlugt Whitsundays, QLD

16

Unearthed 2013

Recycled farm steel, paint, marble, granite, limestone, soapstone, steatite and basalt Dimensions variable based on grouping, height of forms variable up to 120 cm

Adriaan Vanderlugt was born in the Netherlands, grew up in Canada and from 1977 has lived in the Whitsundays in Queensland.

Adriaan has a background in graphic design and has been creating environmental sculptures in bone, stone, marble, wood and metal for over four decades. In 2003 he was honoured with a Centenary Medal for distinguished service to the arts.

Unearthed is an installation of 9 bird forms constructed from recycled farm steel, each with an egg carved from various stones at their feet.

Of Unearthed, Vanderlugt states;

“The process of cultivation upends what is; what was below is now on top. Have these birds unearthed their history? Or have they unearthed their future?”

Fast facts: The chicken or the egg is a commonly known causation dilemma. This is usually stated as, “which came first, the chicken or the egg?”. This posed question evokes thoughts about evolution and life with no clear answer.

Key terms: simplification, recycled steel, birds, egg, line, discovery, causation, evolution

Primary:

What kind of bird do you think they are?

The sculptures have simplified the birds to a single continuous line. Try and do this with another animal.

Secondary:

What is the artist referencing by using birds and eggs? How else could you make an artwork that referenced evolution?

MJ Ryan Bennett

Townsville, QLD

Come Play With Me 2013

Mild steel with concrete footing

Installation of 4 forms, 200 cm x various widths each $5,000 Photo: Anya Kramansky

Ryan Bennett’s work to date is a combination of sculptural jewellery compositions, small objects and public art commissions. Her designs are inspired by “the environment within which I live; the complexity of form and how it contributes to a perception and dialogue of the community.”

Of Come Play with Me, the artist states;

“Come play with me includes four life-size steel sculptures referencing the various stages of performing a handstand. This interactive composition encourages the viewer to mimic each sculpture’s pose, and brings out the ephemeral quality of play, which is never the same and always changing.”

Fast facts: A handstand is accomplished by supporting the inverted body by balancing with the hands. The legs and arms should be fully extended in the correct posture and this position should be held. Handstands are used in many sports and athletic activates.

Key terms: handstand, movement, sport, physical, play, side profile, balance

Primary:

Can you do a handstand? In groups, using your body to form letters, spell the word ‘art’. Think of the actions required to do another athletic activity and explain or draw it in four steps.

Secondary:

This artwork breaks down the steps involved to perform a handstand. It invites the viewer to copy the action. Explain how this work considers the viewer.

Julie Bruce, Elizabeth Tillack and Sue Valis

Townsville, QLD

Breezeway 2013

Timber, paint, ceramic, fabric, printing inks, dyes 220 x 230 x 115 cm

Breezeway was inspired by the artists’ shared stories about living in the environment of the tropics. Within a wooden framework resembling the façade of a typical Queenslander two weathered French doors are incorporated. These were sourced from the demolished family home of Murray Massi, of Cardwell following Tropical Cyclone Yasi.

Hand rolled and cut, the terracotta louvers have been decorated with salt-encrusted debris from The Strand, causing the rustic flushing when fired in a gas kiln. The louvers are set within old disused railway carriage window frames.

The curtains, which create the movement in the installation, have been spray painted with inks and printed with screened stencils. The leaves of the sea almond trees found along the Strand are featured in the design.

Fast facts: The Queenslander style house was first developed around the 1840s and was designed with climate as a major consideration. Queenslander-style houses are also found in northern parts of New South Wales as well!

Key terms: Queenslander, Tropical Cyclone Yasi, the tropics, recycled materials, found objects, assemblage

Primary: What have the artists used to make this artwork? What colours can you see? Can you see any natural objects?

Secondary: Identify the parts of a house that the artists have used to make this artwork? Walk around the artwork. What patterns and shapes can you see? Explain how you would consider space, time, experience and emotion in creating an artwork.

Unitingcare Community with visual artist Vonnie Van Bemmel and silversmith/sculptor Julie Bentley: a collaborative recycled art project by Artists With And Without Disability

Townsville, QLD

Whale Thong 2013

Plyboard, steel rods, reinforced wire, chicken wire, thongs, battery operated audio, LED lights 300 x 300 x 150 cm

Over a period of 2 months a group of amateur artists with disability were mentored through a series of workshops to conceptualise, design and construct a life-size sculpture of a whale’s tail. The sculpture is constructed from steel, reinforced wire and recycled rubber thongs, imbedded in the sand with interactive lighting and the sound of a whale’s song.

Local visual artist Vonnie van Bemmel and sculptor and silversmith Julie Bentley led the project, which was hosted by UnitingCare Community and funded by Artslink Queensland.

Whale Thong is a humorous title for a project with a serious message about the benefits of inclusive communities and environmental conservation. It is a great example of what people with and without disabilities can produce together and is proudly showcased during Disability Action Week.

Fast facts: The title of this work is a pun. Puns are wordplays that may suggest double meanings or have similarsounding words. Which is this?

Key terms: whale, thong, pun, armature, community, disability, tail

Primary:

What materials is this sculpture made from? Walk around the artwork. How many thongs do you think it took to make this artwork?

Secondary:

How do you think the artists constructed this sculpture? Do you think it would be heavy or light? Supposing it was light, how would you secure it so that it couldn’t move or fall over?

Friday, September tour

9.30am

Guided tour of half of Strand Ephemera, starting centrally and moving towards Tobruk Pool. This tour will be accompanied by an artist talk at UnitingCare Community’s work Whale Thong.

departs from Information Desk 1

Geoff Overheu

Gates of Reason 2013

Polyethylene, bronze, solar components

Installation of 6 barrier forms, 90 x 120 x 240 cm each

Having completed his BA Hons Fine Arts Degree from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2004, Overheu has held 8 solo and many group exhibitions in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, and even as far as Basel, Switzerland.

Of Gates of Reason, Overheu states; “Barriers take away any necessity for us to make decisions.

Their function is to guide, direct, prevent or divide the flow of humanity. No decision is required by us once we are confronted by a barrier. We simply follow the silent instruction that it gives without any recourse to thinking. It is simply doing its job for our own wellbeing.

By placing bronze bas relief sculpture within the barrier, the viewer is compelled to stop, and by the very action they subvert the function of the barrier. The barrier has changed from its utilitarian function to something of a dilemma.”

Fast facts: Traffic barriers are designed to keep vehicles on roads and also prevent vehicles from crashing into each other or other dangerous obstacles. Geoff Overheu plays on this notion and subverts the original intention of the barrier as a guiding devise and instead causes you to pause and consider who the characters are in his bronze reliefs and what stories they tell.

Key terms: barrier, bronze relief, narrative, story, history

Primary:

What stories can you see in the holes?

Why has the artist used a barrier? Which is your favourite? Why?

Secondary:

What narratives do the bronzes tell? Do you recognise any of the people in this sculpture?

Imagine you were asked to tell the story of Townsville. What narratives would you tell?

Gingin, WA

Guided tour of half of Strand Ephemera, starting centrally and moving towards Tobruk Pool. This tour will be accompanied by an artist talk at Geoff Overheu’s artwork Gates of Reason

Wednesday, September tour

You are still part of the Commonwealth 2013

Sisal rope, glow rope, and found vintage Union Jack flag

10 x 400 cm

With a Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in Sculpture from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Miron has developed a consistent national and international exhibition record since 1997.

Her work is chiefly concerned with notions of transience, and avoids the use of permanent fixtures in favour of more ephemeral, delicate or vulnerable works.

Of You are still part of the Commonwealth, Miron states;

“Australia’s colonisation brought straight lines, roads, rails and fences breaking the many indigenious countries into AngloEuropean manageable and marketable pieces. Great fires, droughts, floods and storms demonstrate that the country itself does not know these lines.

Many of us live on rather than with our country as Australian identity remains tied to Britain and the Union Jack occupies a quarter of our flag. In You are still part of the Commonwealth hand plaitted ropes tighten a noose around the Australian shoreline whilst the Union Jack drags them back out to sea.”

Fast facts: There have been many debates over whether to remove the Union Jack from the Australian flag. In fact, in 1988 the then Prime Minister Paul Keating stated, “I do not believe that the symbols and the expression of the full sovereignty of Australian nationhood can ever be complete while we have a flag with the flag of another country on the corner of it.”

Key terms: transience, occupation, colonisation, lines, links to past, identity, installation, ephemeral

Primary:

Where does the rope go? What do you think is at the end of it? Does the rope make a straight or curvy line? The artist Is talking about connections to the past and your country. What three things make you think of Australia? Create your own flag.

Secondary:

The artist is asking you to think about your past. Were you born in Australia? If not what objects or symbols are related to your birth country? Does this change the way that you view the artwork?

Photo: Deirdre Carmichael, 2011

John Stanley

Elements of Ambience 2013

Steel, aluminium, timber, plants, soft stone

Installation of modular pots, 80 x 120 x 100 cm each

A business owner for 25 years, John Stanley is the Designer and Creator of modular forms for ‘living sculpture’. In recent times he has furthered his investigation of these sculptures, and this work is indicative of the boundless possibilities for functional artwork, or art-built-in to civic spaces.

Of his practice, Stanley states;

“This is the start of a new journey for me as a creative practitioner. It began in 2012 and I am discovering there are infinite possibilities to the functional sculptural forms that can be created, whether they are created in response to a client’s needs or wishes, or respond directly to a site or theme.

I am passionate about both sculpture and nature, and wish to find a way to meld them into a functional feature that is interesting to live with and sit within. To achieve this, I utilise colour, light, volume, mass, space and formal coherence.

Elements of Ambience has been created to respond to the theme of North Queensland.”

Fast facts: Modular art is about joining uniform pieces together to form a new, larger composition for example, using uniform Lego bricks to build a larger arrangement. This arrangement could be changed to form a new artwork countless times.

Key terms: modular art, arrangement, architecture, functional, composition, space, form, shape, pattern

Primary:

How many pieces (modules) have been used to create this sculpture? Can you think of any other arrangements? You could try this at home with Lego bricks.

Secondary:

What is art? Where does architecture begin and art stop? What other arrangements could these modules be arranged in? How important is the space around the object?

Dragonfly Spirits 2013

Aluminium, steel, nylon, automotive paint Installation of 21 forms, 40 x 67 x 40 cm each form $50 each form

Popular Townsville sculptor Hugh Martin has developed an installation of multiple dragonfly forms as a means to explore colour and the way in which we perceive it based on various influences.

Of Dragonfly Spirits, Martin states;

“People might think ‘why insects?’…Why not? To me, insects such as dragonflies are mesmerising with their amazing colours, which can be iridescent or metallic in appearance. These colours are also fluid, shifting depending on different light conditions or even the mood of the viewer.

The installation is also about having fun; society and all its challenges can often leave us feeling there is no time for fun as we get caught up in all of the serious stuff. This is where I think the celebration of colour comes in, for both the viewer, and my own enjoyment in the process of creation.”

Fast facts: Dragonflies are predators! They eat other insects especially mosquitoes. Their usual habitats are wetlands, swaps, lakes, creeks, ponds and rivers. They have a long body, large eyes and two sets of strong transparent wings.

Key terms: dragonfly, colour, light, insect, whimsical, arrangement

Primary:

What colours are the dragonflies? Why did the artist use insects? What’s your favourite colour?

Secondary: How has the artist constructed the dragonflies? Look closely at the wings. What materials have been used? What problems do you think the artist encountered when he constructed these sculptures?

Hugh Martin Townsville, QLD

Erica Gray Sorrento, QLD

Drop-in Workshops

Complicated Tap Sets 2013

Wooden base, plush fabric, polyester stuffing

Dimensions variable

An award winning artist with a background in fashion, Erica utilises a variety of techniques and materials to stitch her soft sculptures into form.

Erica’s artworks have been exhibited in both indoor and outdoor shows, including the Brancott Estate World of Wearable Art Awards in 2012 where she was winner of the Gen-i Creative Excellence Section, as well as co-recipient of the Award for Artistic Excellence in the 2011 Strand Ephemera.

Of Complicated Tap Sets, the artist states;

“With a father that worked as a plumber and three brothers that would eventually follow him into the trade it isn’t surprising that plumbing fixtures are a continuing theme within my art practice. As a soft sculpture artist I enjoy using unconventional materials to challenge the nature of sculpture and these nonsensical plush tap sets allow us to relax our predetermined ideas of what the size, scale and materiality of an object should be.”

Fast facts: Soft sculptures are made from soft materials such as paper, cloth, foam and so on. Soft sculpture became very popular in the 1960s with artists such as Claes Oldenburg and Joseph Bueys. Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama is famous for her soft sculptures and also for using dots.

Key terms: soft sculpture, pop art, gigantification, dots, taps, arrangement, repetition

Primary: Do you like this artwork? Why do you think the artist chose taps? What other things would make great soft sculptures?

Secondary: Chose an everyday object and make a drawing of it but increase the size dramatically.

Wednesday, September work shop

3 - 5pm Glorious Bugs with Erica Gray

You’ll be the envy of your friends in your new bug mask and fly broach! Using the inspirational shapes of insects, bug bodies and wings are cut out of black paper and then layered together to create threedimensional bug masks and broaches. All ages.

near Information Desk 3

Drop-in Workshops

10am - 12pm Sublime Wind Chimes with Erica Gray

Learn about basic macramé techniques to transform everyday objects into decorative pieces of art. Bring along shells, sticks, beads and other objects that you would like to turn into a wind chime. All ages.

Thursday, September work shop

near Information Desk 3

Drop-in Workshops

Saturday, September work shop

10am - 12pm Beginners Banquet with Erica Gray

Do you suffer button anxiety, are you hem-o-phobic or have other sewing related emergencies? Take back control and learn some basic sewing techniques in this drop-in workshop! Learn some basic mending, such as how to sew on buttons, create invisible hems, and other hand sewing techniques. Ages 12+

La Luna Youth Arts: Facilitated by Shane Keen and Harry

Townsville, QLD

Vertical Disaster 2013

Cardboard boxes, paint, audio visual equipment, fishing line, tent pegs, tarpaulin

Dimensions variable

Exploring the sensitivity of cities to extreme weather, artists and young people will construct a city scape. Changes to the installation caused by the weather will be incorporated into the sprawl of the city, with new buildings and walkways being constructed on a daily basis.

Battling the elements, the construction will see taller and larger buildings built on top of damaged structures, and walkways will become narrower, with increasing twists and turns. Ultimately, a large, densely constructed metropolis will emerge.

But which will be victorious, the builders and their city, or the natural elements? The final days of the installation will provide an answer to this interactive community installation project.

Fast facts: Vertical Disaster is an interactive artwork and people are encouraged to assist the artist to construct the artwork every day during Strand Ephemera from 11:00am – 2:00pm.

Key terms: extreme weather, climate change, urban design, metropolis, man vs. nature, the built environment

Primary:

Walk around this sculpture. Describe what it looks like. What effect has the weather had on this artwork?

Secondary:

Discuss your initial response to this work. Do you think the artists are concerned about the environment? Did you participate in the city’s construction?

Gabi Sturman Yungaburra, QLD

A vulnerable parliament 2013

Slip cast porcelain, LED lighting

Installation of multiple owl forms

Dimensions variable

A vulnerable parliament is an installation piece featuring life size ceramic sculptures of the Lesser Sooty Owl, Tyto multipunctata

Of the installation, the artist Gabi Sturman states,

“The lesser sooty owl occurs only in the wet tropical rainforests and is classified as vulnerable. A parliament is the name given to a group of owls.

As the Lesser Sooty Owl is unable to build a true nest and depends on nest hollows, it is especially vulnerable to habitat loss. The most significant conservation problem is the destruction, degradation and alteration of habitat.”

Fast facts: Artist Gabi Sturman lives in the Atherton Tablelands where the Lesser Sooty Owls are found. Another endangered animal in this region is Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo.

Key terms: owls, endangered animals, ceramic, slip cast, loss of habitat

Drop-in Workshops

Primary:

Make a poster about an endangered animal. that describes the threats to the animal. Why is it endangered? Is it endangered due to habitat loss or disease?

Secondary: Parliament is the collective noun for owls. Brainstorm other collective nouns. How many do you know? Look at the sculpture. How has the artist secured the owls in the tree?

Drop-in Workshops

3 - 5pm Clay Animals with Gabi Sturman Learn how to sculpt realistic animals. All ages.

Saturday, September work shop

3 - 5pm Clay Animals with Gabi Sturman Participants will sculpt their own realistic animals from clay and be taught how to position and construct their sculpture to create a dynamic and life-like animal. After constructing the body, participants will learn how to model details such as eyes, toes, feathers, scales and texture. All ages. near Information Desk 3

Stephen De Jersey and Alison McDonald

Townsville, QLD

Lost & Found 2013

Installation of 500 recycled tyres and industrial ties, Dimensions variable

Alison McDonald’s artwork sits at the junction of sculpture, consumer culture and environmental concern. The works invite the viewer to consider why the forms, which are created from multiples of individual recycled materials and embedded with history, are made of what they are.

Architect Stephen de Jersey anchors projects by responding to the unique conditions associated with the individual site. As a side to normal architectural practice, Stephen established the Lost-Spaces project which aims to identify such locations, comprehend their historical and physical attributes, and speculate upon how these spaces could be utilised. This collaborative work evolved from an identification of this particular part of The Strand’s beach as a ‘Lost-Space’.

The artists state;

“The site has many unique qualities including its topography and spatial composition, available views and vistas, and its solar and wind orientations. The proposition is the creation of a built form that utilises these site qualities, thereby finding a ‘Lost-Space’.

The work utilises commonplace waste product (used car tyres) as its principal building block. The method of arrangement of these tyres enables an engagement with the bedding beach sand and the creation of an entirely interactive space synonymous with the particularities of the site; a found ‘Lost-Space’.”

Fast facts: This artwork contains tyre portholes, which have been placed to provide views of parts of The Strand that may be overlooked or underappreciated. Take the time to consider these afforded views and consider the artists’ choices.

Key terms: tyre, pattern, assemblage, maze, porthole, view, journey, recycle, consumerism, environment

Primary:

Explore the sculpture. Describe the surface of the artwork. Feel the texture. Do you like the interactive nature of this installation?

Secondary:

What patterns do you find in this artwork? What other recycled materials could you use to create an artwork? Are you concerned at how much rubbish we produce as a culture?

Marion Gaemers

Germination 2013

Cane, paper, net, beach and urban flotsam

Marion Gaemers holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts (1994) from James Cook University, and has staged a host of solo exhibitions of her fibre-based artworks in central and northern Queensland since the early 1990s.

Of Germination, the artist Marion Gaemers states,

“This work continues my exploration of the interaction between humans and the environment, and the questioning of who will win.

Germination is an installation of 3 large seed pods that are just sprouting. It shows them adapting to their environment, using the beach and urban flotsam (rubbish) to develop the growing shoot from the seed. This work illustrates that plants can adapt, modify and alter to survive.”

Fast facts: Marion Gaemers uses ghost nets and other flotsam in her artworks. The materials in her work not only provide the structure but are also inlaid with meaning about the impact of humans upon nature.

Key terms: nature, human impact, ghost nets, weaving, adaptation, struggle, growth

Primary:

Can you see the seeds growing?

Describe the different parts of the artwork that are woven together.

Workshops

Secondary:

The title of the work is Germination. What is the work trying to say about the sculpture environment?

West Launceston, TAS

Drop-in Workshops

Rainbows 2013

Fabric

Dimensions variable

Joanna is currently completing a PhD at the University of Tasmania which is focussed on ephemeral installation with environmental critique under the overarching umbrella of Festival.

Recently she was Artist in Residence for Riverside Primary School in Tasmania, and devised and supervised an art program, Our living Garden = Our Living Earth, with Grade 4/5students. Rainbows symbolises the protection of trees, forests, and environmental eco-cultures.

Anglesey states;

“Rainbows are a testament of natural elements, upon which life depends, and a natural phenomenon used as a symbol of hope since ancient times. The rainbow spectrum here also represents cultural groups and festivals that transcend cultures, histories and regimes.”

Fast facts: Rainbows are a significant part of human culture. In Greek and Roman cultures they symbolised the messages from the gods. In Aboriginal culture the Rainbow Serpent deity created mountains and rivers and controlled water. In the Hebrew and Christian Bible, the rainbow symbolised a promise that God would not destroy the world by flood.

Key terms: rainbow, culture, wrap, tree, colour, environment, ephemeral

Primary:

How many colours are there in a rainbow?

When do rainbows occur?

Do you know any myths or legends that contain rainbows?

Secondary: Look at Jo Anglesey’s artwork. Consider the kind if tree she has wrapped.

Would this type of installation work with all trees? Support your answer.

10am - 12pm Wrapping with Rainbows with Jo Anglesey

Over three days, artist Jo Anglesey’s artwork will grow! Please join us to wrap some of the other trees in the surrounding area. You’ll start at the roots winding up to the foliage as you wrap the trees in rainbows. All ages. at

Drop-in Workshops

10am - 12pm Wrapping with Rainbows with Jo Anglesey

Over three days, artist Jo Anglesey’s artwork will grow! Please join us to wrap some of the other trees in the surrounding area. You’ll start at the roots winding up to the foliage as you wrap the trees in rainbows. All ages. at artwork location

Drop-in Workshops

3 - 5pm Wrapping with Rainbows with Jo Anglesey

Over three days, artist Jo Anglesey’s artwork will grow! Please join us to wrap some of the other trees in the surrounding area. You’ll start at the roots winding up to the foliage as you wrap the trees in rainbows. All ages. at artwork location

Thursday, September work shop

Lynnette Griffiths

Machans Beach, QLD

Salt Water Immigrants 2013

Steel frame and stand, thongs, ghost nets, recycled materials 200 x 150 x 60 cm

Lynnette Griffiths works between Cairns and the Torres Strait, predominantly with Indigenous artists, and finds inspiration in the social networks of family and community life. Having grown up on a boat, the sea and shore-line has become very important to the artist, and she utilises materials from the marine environment as part of her art practice to make social and environmental comment.

Of Salt Water Immigrants, Griffiths states;

“Convicts, migrants, refugees - all have crossed the high tide mark by some means to be part of this country. This sculpture depicts a ‘New Australian Family’. The steel framed pieces are constructed primarily from collected footwear, and are woven together with ghost nets (derelict fishing nets) to create a low relief surface that communicates meaning in form and as a mosaic landscape. In this, the work creates the subtext of many people from all walks of life, joined together.

As the global problem of oceanic plastic waste increases it is difficult to find a pristine shoreline. Much of this rubbish travels many sea miles to end up on Australian soil. I want to highlight the huge environmental problem to our eco system this rubbish creates. However, once this flotsam enters our environment it becomes our collective responsibility; something must be done with it. New beginnings can be creatively constructed, generating new meaning and life.”

Fast facts: Art is a powerful means of story telling. Art can also be used for protest or social commentary. There is a long rich, history of artists using art to comment on trends and issues within society.

Key terms: environment, refugees, immigration, social commentary, migration, ghost nets, rubbish, sustainability

Primary: Walk around the people. If they were real what would they would say? What’s their story?

Secondary: What has the artist used to construct this do you think work? What could the use of footwear symbolise? What do you know about immigrants?

Guided tour of half of Strand Ephemera, starting centrally and moving towards Tobruk Pool. This tour will be accompanied by an artist talk at Lynnette Griffiths’ work Salt Water Immigrants departs from Information Desk 1

Ghost Nets and Flotsam with Lynnette Griffiths

Beautiful One Day 2013

PVC pipe, acrylic sheet, inkjet photographs on backlit film, marine and exterior paint, marine plywood, waterproof lights, solar panel, water

Dimensions variable

Originating from Hervey Bay, Welch is a photographic artist whose practice is inspired by both travel, and an ingrained curiosity and admiration for the landscape and natural wonders.

Of Beautiful One Day, Welch states;

“Life is a journey and wherever it takes us, we see new environments through the memory of old places. We forge a connection to places that have brought us happiness, and this instils a sense of responsibility within us to preserve that happiness.

Connecting memory to place is an important aspect of this work that asks the viewer to physically interact with the kinetic components of the piece. The viewer experiences the landscape within the work, whilst interacting within the landscape surrounding the work. Perhaps this will start a whole new journey into long forgotten places.”

Fast facts: Topophilia means a connection to place. This sense of place is connected not only to your memories of it but also your culture. This connection has been argued by some to be biologically based.

Key terms: photography, landscape, kinetic, memory

Primary:

Do you like the beach or the mountains?

Where is a place you feel safe?

What about a place you feel lost?

Do you like natural places or man-made places?

Secondary:

What ideas might the artist be trying to express?

What landscapes would you take a picture of?

Do all landscapes make you feel same?

Can you have a connection with a place? Explain.

Guided tour of half of Strand Ephemera, starting centrally and moving towards Tobruk Pool. This tour will be accompanied by an artist talk by Sarah Emily Kate at her work Beautiful One Day. departs

FREE ACTIVITY BOOKLET

A Free Activity Booklet targeted at primary students designed in response to this exhibition with reference to the Department of Education and Training, Queensland Visual Art Syllabus, is available at Strand Ephemera.

PLANNING A VISIT

Free guided tours are available, and for further information about education and public programs provided by the Gallery contact: Michael Pope Ι (07) 4727 9011 Ι michael.pope@townsville.qld.gov.au

FEEDBACK

We would appreciate your feedback in response to the Strand Ephemera education program. To assist, a feedback form is available from the Gallery or online at: www.townsville.qld.gov.au

GALLERY SERVICES

Through Gallery Services, Townsville City Council owns and operates two premier regional galleries, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery in the city’s CBD, and Pinnacles Gallery located within the Riverway Arts Centre in Thuringowa Central.

STRAND EPHEMERA 2013: 30 AUGUST - 8 SEPTEMBER

Strand Ephemera, first held in 2001, is Townsville’s biennial outdoor sculpture festival, offering a major exhibition, workshops, talks and performances. Held along the 2 kilometre Strand recreational area, it sites highly engaging and creative artworks within an idyllic landscape.

Strand Ephemera has garnered significant support from the private and corporate sector within Townsville, gains significant media coverage, and attracts in the vicinity of 70,000 local, national and overseas visitors.

Strand Ephemera is organised by Gallery Services and programs are assisted by a volunteer task force.

Gallery Services, Townsville City Council PO Box 1268

Townsville Queensland, 4810 Australia

ptrg@townsville.qld.gov.au +61 7 47279011

School of Creative Arts