These mixed media/collage paintings are the start of body of work that will be created towards a group exhibition I am intending to have with professional artist friends, Lyn Hathaway and DeAnne Lawford-Smith in October 2013 at the Taupo museum.
We studied at the Waiariki Institute of Technology together for three years achieving a Diploma in Visual Arts twelve years ago.
We have been involved in group exhibitions throughout New Zealand in places which include Gisborne, Hamilton , Rotorua, Tauranga and Taupo.
We have recently been reunited through facebook and use this medium to encourage and support each other on our creative journeys.
We are open to the possibilities of travelling our intended exhibition to other venues.
I am exploring symbolism and looking at narrative sequences and allegory.
The genre could be defined as edgy- cute or grungy- cute which is a movement being led mostly by women artists from America.
Works are mildly subversive, vaguely foreboding in a sense and spiritually uplifting in another.
My usual way of working is to produce a large volume of paintings and to cull to the best examples. Creating a body of work is a journey of discovery I am looking forward to seeing what unfolds.
Everything is biographical, Lucian Freud says. What we make, why it is made, how we draw a dog, who it is we are drawn to, why we cannot forget. Everything is collage, even genetics. There is the hidden presence of others in us, even those we have known briefly. We contain them for the rest of our lives, at every border we cross.”
― Michael Ondaatje
I would like to make a video for the exhibition on process and performance and display it in the museum along with our exhibition.
The Story of Bethany and the Owls.
These works are displayed in Essence Cafe until the end of June along with my advanced pupils works.
If an owl visits you it is considered lucky because animals are only called to those who share the same energy.
Bethany is a biblical name and it has the meaning of abundance, warmth and devoted service.
I live next to Ngongotaha mountain which is a native bird sanctuary and I am surrounded by Moreporks (native New Zealand owls).
One often lands at night time on the giant Redwood tree next to my art studio classroom.
It calls so loudly that it sounds like it wants to come inside; it is comforting on one hand and eerie on another.
My first encounter with Moreporks was when I was four years old living in the country next to a gully in Te Kowhai, Hamilton.
Their calls used to terrify me and caused myself and probably my parents a number of sleepless nights.
Being older and wiser now I realise that owls are totems of faith and hope, not impending doom.
Wisdom
Creative Quote of the day.
People expect the clergy to have the grace of a swan, the friendliness of a sparrow, the strength of an eagle and the night hours of an owl - and some people expect such a bird to live on the food of a canary.”
Edward Jeffrey
http://www.jkeen.net/
http://janetkeen.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/janetteacherkeen
No comments:
Post a Comment