Enright Heath Trust – My Chain Reaction Link

Barbara Heath and Malcolm Enright. Photograph courtesy of Enright Heath Trust.

Barbara Heath and Malcolm Enright’s collaborations transcend time, space and scale. Each is a celebrated artist and avid collector recognised in their own right: Barbara is a jeweller and sculptor and Malcolm an artist and commercial designer. Together they explore delicate materiality; reflections on light, space and layered patterns, to lovingly realise works that are enduring. I find the places within and between the elements of their work potent and deeply spiritual.

Two x four x eight (2008) by Enright Heath Trust. Photo courtesy of Enright Heath Trust.

“Each unit is perforated with patterns derived from two historic Ipswich houses, ‘Mona Cottage’ and ‘The Chestnuts’. The patterned perforations like their architectural prototype, imply both protection and barrier, they define permeable boundaries that permit light but also cast shadows.” Enright Heath Trust.

Exhibiting alongside their work Two × four × eight (2008) at the Ipswich Art Gallery for Ipswich House: Heritage House Portraits by Contemporary Queensland Artists was an absolute honour. It further galvanised my long-held respect and love of Barbara and Malcolm’s philosophies, practice and generous spirit embodied in each of their inspirational works.

View more of Enright Heath Trust’s beautiful work at their extensive Viewersite.

Abe Muriata – My Chain Reaction Link

Abe Muriata holding one of his beautiful bi-cornial baskets. Photography by Darcy Clarke.

As one of two artists nominated for the Chain Reaction exhibition by the fantastic Elie Moubarak (Gerard’s Bistro, Laruche and Lychee Lounge), I in turn then selected practitioners whose work and generous spirit continue to inspire me. One such practitioner is Abe Muriata, Girramay man of the Cardwell Range area. Abe is a painter and potter, traditional rainforest shield maker and self-taught weaver.

I feel a deep respect for Abe Muriata through the joy of experiencing his work on a daily basis. I wake each day to one of Abe’s beautiful bicornual baskets, or Jawuns, that hangs beside my bed. Jawans are traditionally woven by women. Abe is the only man to weave them. His delicate and intricate weavings have a modest yet palpable presence. With exceptional skill, precision and material sensitivity, Abe weaves both traditional and contemporary materials into breathtaking bicornual baskets unique to the rainforest people.

The beautiful shadows created by Abe’s lawyer cane Jawun transport me. Photography by Christina Waterson.

In those first personal visioning and awakening moments of morning my eyes often rest on the soft form of his lawyer cane Jawun. Its distinctive strata and layering create a myriad of fragile shadows. My mind wanders and I imagine what it would be like to rest inside the basket, held lovingly by the inner curves of its enveloping surface. In this way Abe’s work engages me to look deeper and transports me to a realm of possibilities and creative moments of insight.

View more of Abe Muriata’s beautiful work through the Girringun Aboriginal Arts Centre.

See Abe’s work close up at artisan: idea skill product from 14 February 2014 as part of the Chain Reaction exhibition, and view the special links Abe has selected; renowned practitioners Emily Murray and Brian Robinson.

Chain Reaction at artisan

A sneak peek of Celestial Analogue (Stellar) 2013/14 my new work for Chain Reaction; a great new exhibition at artisan, opening in mid-February 2014. Photography Christina Waterson.

Chain Reaction is an exhibition opening in February at artisan: idea skill product. It’s special because it highlights the sometimes invisible but essential connections between practitioners.

As the title hints the exhibition was generated by a series of reactions through craft and design practitioners selecting the exhibitors. Creative entrepreneur and local craft and design supporter, Elie Moubarak (Gerard’s Bistro, Laruche and Lychee Lounge; designer, maker and engineer) started the process. Elie nominated two Queensland practitioners whose work inspires him. These two artists in turn nominated another two makers each and so on. Fifteen Queensland creative practitioners working across different mediums and scales form the links in Chain Reaction. They include:

Abe Muriata, Emily Murray, Brian Robinson, Barbara Heath and Malcolm Enright, Andrew Ness, Michael Phillips, Lucas Salton, Russell Anderson, Rebecca Ward, Christopher Trotter, Remo Vallance, Hannah Cutts and Fukutoshi Ueno.

In the making – Celestial Analogue (Stellar) 2013/14. Photography Christina Waterson.

I was one of the lucky practitioners selected by Elie. A beautiful honour! I selected practitioners whose work and generous spirit have personally moved me – Abe Muriata (Girramay man of the Cardwell Range area, Weaver and Sculptor) and Enright Heath Trust (Malcolm Enright, an artist and commercial designer and Barbara Heath, jeweller and sculptor). Stay tuned as I post about these inspirational people as well as the work I am making for the exhibition, Celestial Analogue 2013/14.

Chain Reaction is one of those exhibitions that is an absolute joy to be a part of. It opens at artisan: idea skill product on 14 February 2014.