To the Surface

Local Adelaide emerging artist Meg Cowell returns with her latest exhibition To the Surface featuring large-scale images of women's couture, wedding dresses and under-garments in various stages of transformation. 

After exhibiting her previous body of work Sanctum at Prospect Gallery and Brunswick Street Gallery in Melbourne last year, Cowell draws our attention to discarded feminine garments and gives them new life by reviving them into beautiful and sensual objects.

“During this period a transitory world emerges, a kind-of biological metamorphosis,” she says. “The garments become diaphanous and beautiful, highlighting their mystery”.

Highly evocative, these images initially call upon a sense of humour, for those who have walked the city streets in the early hours of the morning have stumbled across remnants of another's late night antics. However, when submerged underwater the works summon a darkness and uncertainity, forcing the viewer to wonder what may have occurred and how did these intimate garments end up plucked in trees, road-sides and public-toilet waste-bins.

To the Surface is showing at AP Bond Gallery, 2 Ann Street Stepney from June 21- July 8. For more information visit the gallery and artists' websites.

Carclew Youth Arts turns 40

The Artists' Roadmap to Success

Part of the reason for establishing Red Thread Collective was for emerging artists to be able to connect and share knowledge in order to further establish their careers as professional artists. There is a whole other level to being an artist aside from making the work. A new book has been launched by Katharine T. Carter & Associates 'Accelerating the Curves' is a roadmap for artists to have an endurable and successful career. Constructed in three varying levels of development, Stage One, Two and Three, the publication offers practical guides and examples to develop a workable plan and give artists the courage necessary to get to where they want to head. Whilst the book is slightly on the pricey side ($95) it is well worth the investment for those seriously considering a career in art. Visit this website for an in-depth introduction written by Katherine T. Carter who has had over 25 years experience working with artists to achieve their goals and purpose.

http://www.ktcassoc.com/roadmap/roadmap_intro.html

To market, to market Red Thread goes...

Come see us this weekend Saturday 10 December 10am - 2pm at the Box Factory Community Christmas Market where members Luka Va, Jane Lang and Kara Growden will be selling their beautiful handmade wares including cards, wrapping paper, ornaments and lots more to get in the chrissie spirit. Plenty of things to do including workshops, local entertainment and food. 59 Regent Street South, Adelaide

'the empty nest' exhibition opening

I welcome you all to join me to celebrate the opening of my first solo exhibition the empty nest, next Sunday 2 October 4-6pm at Seedling Art Space, cnr Main Road & Turners Avenue, Coromandel Valley.

In this exhibition, I have utilised handmade papers to create works reflecting my childhood experience of separated homes filled with coming and going, traversing from one to the other and attempting to discover my identity as a whole, rather than in fragmented parts. 

Accompanying the sculpture/installation work of hybrid nest/egg forms, is a series of large format photographs of found empty nests, symbolising a home once occupied, a remnant of place no longer shared.

The exhibition is open 11am-3pm Saturdays and Sundays from 1 - 16 October and I will be sitting the gallery during this time, so please feel free to come look and have a chat.

Collective Meeting | 5 October

Come join our friendly group of artists at our next meeting on 

Wednesday 5 October 6:30 start - 9pm.Head to Box Factory, Regent Street Adelaide upstairs to the Hurtle Room, all you need to do is bring along your current work or project and be open to sharing your ideas and techniques with other artists. 

If you think  someone would be interested in attending our meetings, we really enjoy meeting artists/craftspeople from all different backgrounds. You never know how your work might inspire another or what you may learn from others, so the Red Thread door is always open and welcome.

the empty nest | pozible crowdfunding

For my upcoming solo exhibition, the empty nest at Seedling Art Space in October, I have established a community funding intiative through Pozible. Click this link for full project description and to make a pledge.

Pozible provides creative project creators with a platform to present their ideas to a worldwide audience. If anyone likes the idea, they can support it by pledging money to the creator's project. In return for their support, the project creator will offer rewards depending on the level of funding, essentially differentiating itself from the normal funding process.

 

As a textile artist, my practice predominantly utilizes the medium of handmade and recycled paper to transform a ubiquitous material from a flat surface into a three dimensional form. Exploring the notions of memory, belonging and the handmade I focus on altering the surface of the paper to create tactile qualities. This exhibition will be a significant professional development opportunity to present my first solo show as an emerging artist. 

 

Contributions of $10+ will fund a mentor/writer fee by Dr. Irmina van Niele, costs of production and installation needs, gallery hire, printing of invitations as well as play an important role in the development of my work as an emerging artist. 

 

Your support through pledges, forwarding this link by email or through Facebook or Twitter would be greatly appreciated. If you think anyone would be interested in supporting the project or if they would like more information, please feel free to contact me at k.growden@live.com

Arts Hub | Adelaide Matters June 5

If you happen to stumble across a copy of the latest issue of Adelaide Matters, check out page 13 for an article on Red Thread Collective. Featuring works from the ORNATE exhibition in the background, I had an interesting chat with editor Catherine Clifton during the show about the importance of creating a supportive network for emerging artists. I look forward to developing the initiative in the near future, seeing the group grow and providing encouraging opportunities for all involved.

ORNATE | SA Contemporary Textiles opening

The official invitations are now out and about for ORNATE: South Australian Contemporary Textiles exhibition. Please join us on Sunday 1 May at Prospect Gallery at 3pm, to be opened by Dr. Irmina van Niele, artist and Lecturer School of Art, Architecture and Design, University of South Australia.

Emerging artists involved include Ali Carpenter, Kara Growden, Laura Haigh, Kate O'Leary, Jessica Sanguesa, Ashleigh Taylor, Lara Torr and Briony Vickery. A showcase of various forms of textile works employing traditional craft techniques and materials for contemporary means. Based on the theme of 'patter', the artist seek to reinvent the ideals and importance of the 'handmade' to a society strongly driven by technology.

The exhibition will run until 22 May and be supported by a 16 page catalogue with essay by Sera Waters. For more information and to see a preview of images in the exhibition visit the event on Facebook.

Lara Torr | Feature Artist

Tell us about yourself, how would you describe your work?
I'm an artist and arts administrator. I juggle jobs in the arts and disability sector and urban renewal with my independent practice. There's a strong community focus in both these jobs and it means lots of meetings and conversations with lots of people. In contrast, my artwork is quite personal and quiet. Often small.

While I love working with other people to help them get creative projects off the ground, it's nice to have my own work to escape into.

Who or what inspires you to create?

I spend a lot of time on public transport and the combination of travel and thinking time seems to result in lots of ideas. I think it's really nice to spend a bit of time just sitting and thinking, so fellow passengers often see me smiling like a fool or making little notes and drawings on the scraps of paper in my bag.

Where was your inspiration drawn for this work?

I have been studying antique embroidered samplers for a number of years. They are primarily practical, rather than decorative, objects and I see them as a record of labour.

I’ve also been musing about the fact that portraiture often gives the impression that people in the past never moved; that life was conducted in painted freeze-frames featuring Sunday best and an indirect gaze.

What materials do you like to work with?

Paper and ink seem to be the mainstays for me with forays into fabric, plaster and sometimes metal.

What are your favourite 5 art related websites or blogs?

I mainly read cooking blogs (I think I make better art on a full stomach) but recently I've been a fairly regular visitor to these two sites:

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/electronicswatchbook a great pattern resource and http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld this site grew out of the amazing series of  podcasts 'A History of the World in 100 Objects'. Totally fascinating.

If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring artists, what would it be?

Arts takes time. Be patient.

Lara Torr graduated from the South Australian School of Art in 2006 with a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours). She has exhibited locally and nationally, including selected work for Hatched, Perth Institute of Contemporary Art and the touring exhibition Undercover (The Artist Book). She currently works at ArtsSA for the Richard Llewellyn Arts and Disability Trust and is a project coordinator for Renew Adelaide.

Laura Haigh | Feature Artist

Tell us about yourself, how would you describe your work?

I work predominantly in textile, fibre based work - from paper, to soft scupture - to explore notions of the constructed identity, personal story and history and links between natural growth and personal growth.

Who or what inspires you to create?

I am inspired by words, stories, text, nature and natural form, tactile qualities of fibre, pattern and technique in textiles.

What materials do you like to work with? I enjoy working with thread, free machine embroidery, paper, translucent textiles and found/recycled textiles.

Where was your inspiration drawn for your work in ORNATE?

I was inspired to work with a lace-like form for my piece after visiting the Lace in Fashion exhibition at the NGV last year and drawing connections between the physicality and associations in lace work and the history of lace and the notions of story, memory and identity that I have been interested investigating.

What does "pattern" mean to you as a contemporary textile artist?

For me, pattern in textiles is the perfect medium for exploring patterns in our internal, emotional worlds - patterns of behaviour, thought and action become threads that form our identity and interpretations of the world. I live in a world experienced though a veil of interlocked text: laced and woven together.

What are your favourite 5 art related websites or blogs?

Oh, thats a bit of a tricky one, I'm not really sure - I'm always looking up new things depending on where my thinking/ project research is at! I'm currently looking at a lot of exhibition catalogues - particularly lace based and reading 'extreme knitting and lace'.

If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring artists, what would it be?

Keep creating - in any way - and never stop learning new skills! If I'm not feeling particularly like making anything for a while I will just try cook a new recipe. Reading a new magazine, looking at pretty things or teaching myself a new skill/technique.

Laura Haigh graduated from the South Australian School of Art in 2008 with a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Textiles). Her work was selected for the Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition in 2009 and has exhibited locally at Magazine Gallery, Carclew Youth Arts and as part of Format Festival including a live sewing performance in 2010 and this year's snow globe collaborated with Lara Torr.

Graduates Galore!!

It's that time of the year when all the final year art students spin into a state of panic as leave they the safe haven of institutional walls and sail off solo into the exciting yet daunting art world. Graduate exhibitions are a unique opportunity to see the State's new creative talent and provide a platform for the graduating students to showcase their work to both the public and our industry. Make sure you get along to see these wonderful shows...

Talking to strangers

ACSA Bachelor of Visual Art Graduate Exhibition


Patty Chehade, Ruby Chew, Diana Devereux, Catherine Milne, Deb Morley, Chris Thiel and Lucy Turnbull.

11 December 2010 to 8 January 2011

Adelaide Central Gallery 45 Osmond Terrace, Norwood

Sticks, Stones and Broken Bones

UniSA’s School of Art, Architecture and Design graduating student showcase their work in an end of year exhibition in two of UniSA’s City West galleries.

Grand opening for all exhibitions: 6:00pm-8:00pm, Wednesday 8 December 

SASA Gallery

Level 2, Kaurna Building, City West Campus, Uni SA

Cnr Fenn Place & Hindley Street, Adelaide

30 Degrees

Part two of the Adelaide College of the Arts visual arts graduate exhibition.

Until November 25

Light Square Gallery,

39 Light Square, Adelaide

Image: ACSA graduate Christine Thiel's Talking to Strangers, 2010, oil on board, 30 x 38

Who are we?

Red Thread Collective aims to form a supportive and encouraging network, providing information on relevant exhibitions, events, grants, awards and workshops to emerging artists, within first 5 years of establishing a professional art practice.