Groovy Stuff – DETAIL daily

Plexa#1 Screen from The Komodo Series 2008. Photography Aidan Murphy.

I always find it insightful to receive feedback and hear what other people draw from my artworks and designs. Recently Christopher Hill, online editor of DETAIL daily, posted about my work. Here I share with you a portion of the post:

“…Interpreting this ancient knowledge with her contemporary design sensibilities, gives her work a particular quality. No doubt informed by her architectural training, and knowledge of three dimensional geometry, it is also spatial.

The weavings and foldings of hard materials that she creates, are beautiful, full of skill, and utterly mesmerising.

The artist often finds beauty in repetition. It is this that transports the viewer deep into the spatial and rhythmic qualities of her work. It is almost impossible to resist being drawn into a kind of groove, an aesthetic state of bliss that involves being lost in their often delicate complexity…”

X-Screen from The Komodo Series 2008. Photography Jon Linkins.

Thank you Christopher Hill for your unique insights! Visit DETAIL daily for the full post.

 

 

All Things Being Equal

Sky cliff. Photography by Christina Waterson.

Here sitting on the edge of the coming Equinox my mind drifts to balancing, measurement, natural forces and equals.

From my days of studying Architecture at University amid drawing and solar diagram exercises, I recall that our Earth is not tilted toward or away from the Sun during the Equinox – making the length of the day the same at all points on the Earth’s surface.

This year the Southward Equinox is pencilled in for 20:44 on 22 September. Nice numbers don’t you agree! The specific dates when the length of day and night are truly equal does vary from place to place though. And then in some places day is always longer than night – like in places near the equator. The equinox really represents a passage of shifting; turning over; or a midway point like when a spinning coin balances on its edge momentarily.

One eye looking out. One eye looking in. Photography by Christina Waterson.

Then there is the saying “All things being equal”. How can different things be truly equal? Perhaps for a fleeting moment or from a surface glance one could make this type of assumption. But for me it’s really about balance, rather than equality, and that looking outward at the external, is only one side of the whole story. Finding the balance within oneself may in fact bring order to the order of things around.

I find balance when I am making.

So this weekend through the passage of the Equinox give a thought to finding balance and accepting each moment as equally joyful, full of knowledge and surprise.

Parallel Nippon at artisan

Parallel Nippon Contemporary Japanese Architecture 1996 – 2006 opened at artisan: idea skill product in Fortitude Valley on 8 August 2013. Photography Christina Waterson.

To conclude my wrap of the exhibitions and events I visited throughout August I would like to make special mention of the thoroughly enjoyable evening I had at the Parallel Nippon opening hosted by artisan: idea skill product, on 8 August 2013.  I attended the opening on the generous invitation of Raymond Quek (Professor of Architecture at the Soheil Abedian School of Architecture).

Professor Raymond Quek, Dr. Paul Emmons and Christopher Hill (Linedota). Photography Christina Waterson.

Raymond was also accompanied by Christopher Hill (International Adjunct Teaching Fellow at Bond University and Co-Founding Architect of Linedota, London) and Dr. Paul Emmons (Associate Professor at the Washington – Alexandria Architecture Centre of Virginia Tech). Paul was in town after presenting his lecture “Embodied Orthographic View of the Architect” as part of Bond University’s 2013 Architectural Lecture Series.

Traditional music accompanied the opening at artisan. Photography Christina Waterson.

Guests attending the exhibition opening enjoyed tracing the evolution of Japanese Architecture between 1996 and 2006 while enjoying traditional music and intelligent conversation.

It was interesting to see many projects I’d personally visited, summarised here in an exhibition format. How hard it is to translate through exhibition the true experience and joy of architecture. One must experience architecture in the flesh; in time; through arrival and the sequence of spaces; and within a greater context.

Parallel Nippon exhibition panels. Photography Christina Waterson.

And then there is the detail, of which an exhibition can offer but a taste and only encourage one to undertake an international quest. I am dreaming of travel; especially a return to Japan in the not too distant future. Parallel Nippon only further ignited this feeling in me.

Now I must hasten to the joyous and ever shifting present…

But first a special thank you to Professor Raymond Quek for such a kind invitation to attend the opening. Further gratitude to Raymond, Christopher Hill and Dr Paul Emmons for making it a most enjoyable evening.

For more on the travelling exhibition see a review by Hayley Curnow for ArchitectureAU. Continuing its international tour Parallel Nippon opened at The High Court of Australia, in Canberra, on the 12 September (running until 4 October 2013). Visit their website for details.

Made Me Smile 02

These are but a few of my favourite things that have made me smile the last few months…

An afternoon drive in the Victorian countryside with dear friends.

Every part of Eucalyptus caesia subsp. magna against a blue sky…

…the gum nuts…

…and the glorious blossoms. One half expects Australian author May Gibbs’ ‘Snugglepot and Cuddlepie’ to emerge from behind the leaves at any moment.

‘Gestures with a Vehicle’ Diptych OR ‘When Bogans celebrate the Full Moon’, near Sippy Downs, Queensland.

The $2.99 Happy Dolphin shower curtain I picked up from my corner store. All I know is the dolphins are really smiling at me!

Consulting as an Exhibition Designer to the Supreme Courts Library Queensland Sir Harry Gibbs Legal Heritage Centre throughout August and September 2013.

Walking from work to catch a bus home with the setting sun making the sky electric!

I wish I could say I’d been Bungy Jumping! But I haven’t lately. Rather I have been working with the talented Simone Barr from Daarc – Design and Architecture on the concept development proposal for the Sochi Skypark Interpretive Centre Interior, Russia. Big thank you to Daarc for getting me involved. Photo Courtesy of AJHackett International.

Watching the talented Anna Varendorff share her beautiful Jewellery.

Dancing brake lights through my balcony.

… and the beauty of the delicate Ranunculus…

…Oh and Haloumi cheese! Especially when the auto correct wants to change ‘Haloumi’ to Helium?

All photos by Christina Waterson unless otherwise credited.

HIGH TIDE’S Brisbane Berth

Crowd gathers for the Official Brisbane Launch of Hightide on 1 August 2013. All photos courtesy of Hightide and Luxxbox.

August started with a bang as the Hightide: Queensland Design Now book by Jason Bird was launched at Luxxbox Showroom in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane.

Formal Proceedings: Jason Bird speaks of his passion for the book as Andrew Mackenzie (URO Media) and Hon. Ian Walker MP wait in the wings.

Hon. Ian Walker MP, Minister for Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts officially launched the book with a heartfelt speech. Guests included design professionals; the DIA; Robert Forster (Co-Founder of the Go Betweens) who wrote an essay for the book entitled ‘Beautiful Loneliness’; media; avid design students; and of course the designers featured in the book.

The Hightide Team: Bjorn Rust (Designer)(Gestalt-Ingenieur), Andrew Mackenzie (Publisher, URO Media), Ellie Gleeson (Editor) and Jason Bird (Author and Founder)(Luxxbox).

The celebrations continue: Hightiders Marc Harrison (Husque) and David Shaw (SG) enjoy a chat with our Minister.

Hightide Catch: Christina Waterson (yes thats me!) with Darcy Clarke (Designer) and Ari Athans (Jeweller).

This man is a legend: Robert Forster (Co-Founder of The Go Betweens) shimmies through the crowd.

Party On: Ok so some of the designers kicked up their heels and had a little fun playing up for the cameras!

Hightiders: Beautiful Fukutoshi Ueno and rogue Darcy Clarke share peace and love.

What’s you name? A kind stranger balances the Hightide Book – Brisbane launch success! Voilà!

STAY TUNED! The Hightide Queensland Design exhibition will open at artisan: idea skill product in late october and run from 25 October to 21 December 2013. On display will be key works from each of the 23 designers featured in the book. It’s going to be a great way to end the year – on a high note!

All photos courtesy of Hightide and Luxxbox. Thank you again for a great evening! For a preview of the Hightide: Queensland Design Now book visit Bjorn Rust’s awesome flick through video or to secure your copy go to URO Media.

Lucky Number: The Seventh Edition of Seven with Another

The “Seven With Another” Concept: Fourteen People – Seven Teams – One IDEA: Create something different.

“By inviting seven pairs of creatives from diverse fields to work together, we’re challenging them to look past their vastly different creative processes and skill sets and concentrate instead on what they do best – being creative.” Seven with Another.

The Seventh Edition of Seven with Another once again uniquely matched the pick of local creatives including a Maker and a VFX Director; a Musician and a Tattoo Artist; a Copywriter and an Architect; an Industrial Designer and Fine Artist; an Art Director and Fashion Designer; a Director/Photographer and Textile Designer; and last (but definitely not least) a Multimedia Artist and Performing Artist.

Kory MCAvoy (Art Director, Enginegroup) and Fashion Designer Deanne Mayocchi’s Installation behind. Photography Christina Waterson.

A refreshing mix of guests from a diverse range of professions. Photography Christina Waterson.

Hailey Bartholomew (Director/Photographer at You Cant Be Serious) paired with Erin Lightfoot (Textile Designer). Photography Christina Waterson.

Hailey Bartholomew (Director/Photographer at You Cant Be Serious) paired with Erin Lightfoot (Textile Designer). Photography Christina Waterson.

“The creative process can be very insular. No matter whether you’re a fine artist, a designer, a developer or a writer, coming up with – and executing – ideas can be a lonely process involving just you and your imagination.” Seven with Another

Marianne Harvey (Copywriter) and Paul Owen’s (Architect) work floats above guests. Photography Christina Waterson.

Maker, Adam Meisenhelter (Doppelfactory) teamed with Zenon Kohler (VFX Director) from Cuttingedge to make the striking cabinet in the background. Photography Christina Waterson.

It is often at the edges that the most exciting things happen and this is where Seven with Another successfully pushes the possibilities of what can come through collaboration;

“The resulting collaborative artworks could be disasterous, or they could be truly mind-blowing, but what they definitely won’t be is boring.” Seven with Another.

Seven with Another’s Co-Founders Monique Kneepkens (Fries Need Mayonnaise) and Jessica Huddart (Creative Director at Josephmark or JM) are just as extraordinary as the creatives they bring together. Their passion ensures each new edition continues to evolve. To celebrate the seventh year, a selection of collaborative duos were invited back from each edition to share their experiences in a series of insightful public talks at the Brisbane Powerhouse.

Seven with Another’s opening event at the Brisbane Powerhouse, 11 July 2013. Photography Christina Waterson.

The opening night was extremely refreshing because guests originated from a broad range of professions and interests; a true sign of success and Seven with Another’s wide reaching support. The Eighth Edition is expected to once again break new ground; create new conversations between unlikely creative pairings and offer a unique platform to imagine beyond the edges of professions.

For more information on the participating creatives, past editions or upcoming events please visit Seven with Another’s website and Facebook page!

FRACTURE by Simone Eisler at SGAR

Fracture by Simone Eisler that opened at SGAR, Spring Hill. Photography Christina Waterson.

Before July and August fly too far into history I thought I would share a snippet of all the wonderful openings and launches I attended in Brisbane during those months. After a 6 month hiatus in my studio I was newly armed with good company and a re-ignited passion to connect.

First was FRACTURE – a provocative collection of new works by Simone Eisler that opened at SGAR Galleries at Spring Hill, on 5 July 2013.

Ophidian I. Carved Cow Horn, Animal Skulls, Glass beads by Simone Eisler. Image Courtesy of SGAR.

In the words of the artist:

“…reconfigured sections of cow horn, miniature animal skeletons and glass beads (are used) to create morphed organic sculptures that are both fragile and robust… Are they simply beautiful objects that extend nature or are they a foreboding scientific glimpse of a new hybridized and invasive life form in a post climate change world?” Simone Eisler

Each object was like a talisman hiding a secret use and meaning. They looked very tactile and I had to stop myself from reaching out and touching them. Mysterious post future artefact attraction!

Interesting work and an enjoyable evening made even more so by the fantastic guests who shared the event. See more of Simone’s work from FRACTURE at SGAR’s Website.