I had thought of writing something and in the end decided to simply show 2024 visually. Sometimes we just need to keep life less complicated …
Farewell 2024!
Open Studios | 9 and 10 November 2024
I’ll be participating in Open Studios as part of the 2024 Craft + Design Festival. I’m one of 36 artists participating in this yearly event which is proudly supported by Home by Holly.
I’ll have a small display with earlier works reduced up to 50%. I’m keen to make room in my studio as it’s filled with tubs of lovely ceramic plates, bowls, wall works that need a new home.
Pop on in from 10am to 4pm and say hello. Our garden is positively blooming for you to enjoy too. Our address is 27 Wade Street, Watson, Canberra. It’s also known as Gallery of Small Things when it pops up on your Google maps.
Photos: 1st image courtesy of Craft+Design website; Anne holding blue bird by Mel Hill Photo, Anne in her studio by Amanda Thorsen; Garden photo by Mel Hill Photo.
Birdie in Novotel foyer
This great shot by photographer Frances Mocnik shows the birds from the perspective of the front reception staff welcoming visitors to Novotel Sydney City Centre from York Street, Sydney. The hotel is near Martin Place and the heart of the business district. Frances has captured my birds flying in (left) and flying (out). I had envisaged when visitors dine at Birdie Bar & Brasserie they would gather around the table with family, friends or even a solo moment. Hence the ‘flying in’ concept. When people departed, I could visualise them ‘flying out’ and onwards – back to work, on their way home or taking in the sights of Sydney.
The journey of creating 22 birds
In late 2023, I was approached by public art consultants, Artduo to create two artworks for a hotel in Sydney. At that time it was embargoed as the launch would not occur till early 2024. For three and a half months I went about researching, drawing and selecting the birds and flora as the inspiration from the interiors of the hotel as well as a beautiful, tropical wallpaper being installed in a restaurant.
You can follow my journey by clicking on the image below to read the book.
Below are the birds and plant life which inspired the patterns I would create on the bodies of each bird. This takes time to consider the shape, feathers, structures in order for them to translate well when I pierce holes or press markings. Then I go on to the actual making. That alone is another story! In a nutshell, the birds are slip cast, joined, pattern penciled, pierced / pressed, fired, sanded and polished. It’s a laborious process but one I love so much due to my love of birdlife and all creatures/flora and fauna great and small.
The final install and seeing my imagined artworks captured beautifully by Sydney Photographer Frances Mocnik. I love the ‘peep’ shots too.
Thanks
I would like to thank Artduo for the opportunity to create two new artworks and pushing new boundaries for me with displaying them as a wall artwork. I’ve been displaying my birds as objects since 2015 so this was a very exciting outcome.
I would also like to thank Andrew Sikorski from Art Atelier Photography who photographed the birds for my portfolio. Kurt Wang at Fidoso Picture Framing who framed them beautifully. Photographer Frances Mocnik for documenting them in their new home.
Finally, my heartfelt thanks to Novotel Sydney City Centre for displaying ceramics as wall art in their newly renovated hotel and aptly reflecting your new restaurant Birdie Bar & Brasserie.
Reveal time!
I’m excited to show the birds in their beautiful frame. The public art consultants Artduo engaged Kurt Wang from Fidoso Picture Framing to frame not just one set of birds but two! I’ll reveal the 2nd set soon.
He did a wonderful job and arranged the birds as I had envisaged. I’m incredibly lucky the client and all involved agreed on the colour scheme of the background, slightly deep set box frame and warm colour to highlight the beauty of each bird. Sometimes minimalist can speak louder than words, in this case the porcelain and patterns lure the viewer in to see what the art is all about.
Photo courtesy of Artduo (edited by Anne) who collaborated with Novotel Sydney City Centre on this special renovation and newly launched Birdie Bar and Brasserie.
Closeup of Birdie | Public Artwork
A little preview of what’s to come. This is a closeup of one of my artworks located at Novotel City Centre in Sydney, Australia. I created a series of larger birds with patterns derived from the wallpaper chosen for the interiors of the recently launched Birdie Bar & Brasserie. Each one is hand made with a bird pattern and its accompanying flora. They are slipcast, pierced and /or pressed, fired twice, sanded, polished and then placed in their new home. I’ll reveal if it’s a plinth or wall artwork…can’t help myself as I do love a good art mystery!
Photo courtesy of Artduo who collaborated with Novotel on this special renovation.
Birdie | Novotel Sydney City Centre | new public artwork
In late 2023, I was approached to make birds for a hotel located in the heart of Sydney. I was overseas at the time, but the public art consultants and their client were happy to wait till I got home. I spent 3 and half months researching and making 22 birds based on the wallpaper in a new restaurant aptly called Birdie Bar and Brasserie. See previous post for restaurant interior. I can now reveal that Novotel Sydney City Centre are the proud owners of my artworks. Keep an eye out as I’ll post reveal the birds soon in their new home. Portrait of me by Andrew Sikorski who’s on instagram @art_atelier_photo. My gorgeous blue dress from London when we visited there in late 2023 from my favourite fashion house @andotherstories on Instagram and Facebook (&otherstories).
Pollen range now at Hawkesbury Regional Gallery shop
I’m excited to announce that my Pollen earrings are now stocked at the Hawkesbury Regional Gallery shop. This gallery is located on the fringes of Great Western Sydney. Think Windsor, Richmond and a bit further afield the Blue Mountains. It’s a great driving holiday if you are thinking of a little getaway that takes you through some fabulous places with history, cider and of course art galleries! I wrote a story about our driving itinerary which can be read here. The pollen range comes in stud or drop as well as sterling sliver or rose plated gold meaning you can positively bloom day and night, Anne x
Care | selected group exhibition at CraftACT
From Oct to Dec 2020, a small selection of my sparrows will be on show at CraftACT: Design + Craft Centre in Canberra, Australia.
In 2015, I investigated the disappearance of sparrows in my hometown Canberra. Five years on and after the bushfires raged across Australia and the Sapphire Coast in New South Wales, I felt compelled to revisit this series. Sitting in my studio, I refined the patterns and pierced more holes to emphasize the fragility of birdlife consumed at a rate unseen before. Now, more than ever, we need to care for our wildlife. This poem is for them.
shape the clay / small bird form
make the mould / a nest for the body
pour two slips / create one whole
slow the drying process / Nana’s hankie shelters the bird
pencil on design / bring it to life with marking
pierce with care / patterns reveals you
two firings / fully formed now
sanding and polishing, completed / light and fragile sparrow
Open Studio | Design Canberra Festival 19
I’m participating again in the Open Studios as part of Design Canberra Festival 2019. I’ve been doing this for a few years now and love meeting new and familiar faces as they see my studio and arts practice slowly grow. I’ve also been a bit busy with a gallery that I run so visitors will have an extra bonus of seeing Canberra’s (possibly Australia’s) smallest gallery – GOST. We have a beautiful garden that surrounds the studio/gallery. I’ll have new porcelain decorations in time for Christmas, along with my new colours in the pollen jewellery range, my popular birds and little dishes. So, pop on in as I’ll be open 11am to 4pm Saturday 9 November 19 along with many other studios on the Northside of Canberra.
