Gillie and Marc Like to Challenge and Amuse…

Tags

animals, Archibald Prize, Art, Australia Zoo, Dogs, Florence Biennale, Gillie and Marc, Marc, Painting, Sculpture, Sculpture by the Sea, Steve Irwin, Sydney, The Crocodile Hunter

‘It Takes Two’ by Gillie and Marc
Bronze
Acquired by Woollahra Council for permanent display in Paddington, Sydney.
This sculpture is installed on the corner of Glenmore Road and Cascade Street 
(Image from Gillie and Marc)

It feels like the world has sort of been conspiring to get me to investigate Gillie and Marc’s sculptures since I posted about the 2012 Sculpture by the Sea exhibition and their entry for this year held pole position. Just in case you need a nudge to remember it, here it is…

‘The Travellers Have Arrived’ by Gillie and Marc
Bronze Paint, fibreglass
Featuring in this years 2012 Sculptures By the Sea, Bondi
(Image by TSL)

So, I saw the Travellers and posted its image, then received lots of comments about the work AND then, LM and I went to Paddington for lunch over the weekend and drove past ‘It Takes Two’ (top). I went for a wee ferret and this is what I learned about the artists…

As husband and wife, Gillie and Marc Schattner collaborate to create art as one, applying the now iconic imagery of the dog/human hybrid to celebrate the powerful spiritual relationship that exists between man and animal. So far so god, me-thinks!

Gillie and Marc reference their own love story in their works, perpetuating a pursuit of happiness and encouraging us to challenge the status quo and the perceived safety of societal convention. They say their love is the cornerstone of what they are and of what they create.

They apparently met in Hong Kong. According to their bio, “She was a nurse from England and he, a boy from the ‘burbs’ of Melbourne. They wanted only to find a soul-mate with which to share their passions for art, travel and adventure, seven days later they were married at the foothills of Mount Everest.  They not only share an unsurpassed dedication to their art but also love for their two children, whom Gillie describes as their ‘best friends’ – along with their mutt, Moby, of course.” Have to admit, just the weeniest bit schmaltzy for this cynical Kiwi, but I do kinda’ like their kooky animal hybrids… (LM always accuses me of anthropomorphising Bella.)

Initially, Gillie and Marc painted and designed, but they have now become very interested in sculpture. They produce sculptures in a variety of mediums including bronze, brass, steel, wood, fibreglass and polyresin.

In 2006 they were Archibald Prize finalists. Their ‘He’ll never be famous but he doesn’t give a damn, he’s a musician’ painting (below), earned them first prize at the 2009 Chianciano Biennale, set in Tuscany. This work features a Dalmatian dog/man hybrid, playing guitar.

‘He’ll never be famous but he doesn’t give a damn, he’s a musician’
By Gillie and Marc
Acrylic on Canvas
Winner of 2009 Biennale di Chianciano, Tuscany, Italy
(Image from Gillie and Marc)

Their life-like fibreglass sculptural piece, Bondi Coffee Dog, appeared in the Florence Biennale in the same year. Stretching controversy further is their work, If Jesus was alive today he would be a skateboarder, which featured in the inaugural 2009 Blake Prize Director’s Cut, an online exhibition.

And, if that’s not enough, Gillie and Marc have been commissioned by a number of zoos in Australia and New Zealand to create sculptural works. Their latest can be seen below…

Crikey means gee whiz, wow! (Steve Irwin)

‘Run For Your Life’ by Gillie and Marc
Bronze
For permanent installation at Australia Zoo, Queensland. This massive bronze crocodile was created in memory of Steve Irwin to be unveiled on Steve Irwin Day, November 15, 2012 – a day for remembering the Crocodile Hunter
(Image from Gillie and Marc)

If you’d like to see more of Gillie and Marc’s work, check out their website here.

So much more than a rat with a cuter outfit, S.J.P…

Tags

animals, Australia, London, New Zealand, Outdoors, Recreation, Sarah Jessica Parker, Squirrel, Travel

A squirrel is just a rat with a cuter outfit! (Sarah Jessica Parker)

We don’t have squirrels here in Australia. Nor did we have them in New Zealand. The animal that comes closest, for me, is the possum. Australia protects possums. I have no idea why – perhaps because they are native to here. In New Zealand, they are considered vermin. Some enterprising Kiwis make hats and gloves out of their fur. It’s very snuggly.

My first encounter with squirrels was as a teenager. My family had travelled to Frankfurt for a white Christmas with my German Grandmother. My wonderful Omi would feed the birds and the squirrels in feeders outside the large picture window in front of her garden. The squirrels would appear from the eaves and shamelessly watch us from the safety of the other side of the glass. They fascinated me. I spent ages looking out for them. I have had a soft spot for them ever since.

O sweet September, they first breezes bring dry leaf’s rustle and the squirrel’s laughter, the cool fresh air whence health and vigour spring and promise of exceeding joy hereafter. (George Arnold)

I suspect Londoners laugh at tourists taking happy snaps of the squirrels while wandering through Hyde Park, but that didn’t matter to me as LM and I encountered this little guy during one of walks…

Hyde Park Squirrel – take I
(Image by TSL)

Hyde Park Squirrel – take II
(Image by TSL)

Hyde Park Squirrel – take III
(Image by TSL)

Hyde Park Squirrel – take IV
(Image by TSL)

Hyde Park Squirrel – take V
(Image by TSL)

Hyde Park Squirrel – take VI
(Image by TSL)

Hyde Park Squirrel – take VII
(Image by TSL)

Good Bye Mr Squirrel…
(Image by TSL)

 

Monkey Business with Jill Greenberg

Tags

animals, Books, Greenberg, Jill Greenberg, Monkey, Monkeys, Photographer, Photographs, Photography, Shopping, Tumblr, William Congreve

Wilding by Jill Greenberg
(Image sourced from Kopeiking Gallery)

I am captivated by Jill Greenberg’s Monkey Portraits.

I confess freely to you, I could never look long upon a monkey, without very mortifying reflections. (William Congreve)

You look into the monkey’s expressions, their faces – and somehow see yourself.  It is scary and disorienting and exhilarating and totally awesome. I’m not above unconsciously anthropomorphising my dog (sad but true), but with Greenberg’s monkeys, it is almost as if you can’t help but identify with their gaze, and be reminded of people you know and expressions that you have seen before. Wow. Just WOW.

Yikes by Jill Greenberg
(Image sourced from Kopeiking Gallery)

Worried by Jill Greenberg
(Image sourced from Kopeiking Gallery)

Uh-oh by Jill Greenberg
(Image sourced from Kopeiking Gallery)

Undecided by Jill Greenberg
(Image sourced from Kopeiking Gallery)

Joker by Jill Greenberg
(Image sourced from Kopeiking Gallery)

Rocky Portrait by Jill Greenberg
(Image sourced from Kopeiking Gallery)

Kenuzy Insane by Jill Greenberg
(Image sourced from Kopeiking Gallery)

Jill Greenberg was born in July of 1967 in Montreal, Canada. Over the years, she has made memorable images of many of the world’s most recognisable celebrities.  She is recognised as being an early adopter of digital effects, and (according to her bio), “has developed a world that is more intense, more razor-sharp, let’s say supra-real, than the one in which we actually reside. Jill Greenberg creates portraits that seize our attention, that create an altered universe staring back at us.”

Certainly, her other work is amazing, but I just keep coming back to the monkeys…

If  you’d like to see more of Jill Greenberg’s work, you can get to her Tumblr site here. A more comprehensive portfolio of the Monkey Portraits series can be seen here. And, if you’re keen to pick up a book of the Monkey Portraits, Amazon sell it here.

(I am off taking a wee sojourn to sunny Queensland over the next few days which means my response times to your comments may be a little slower than usual. I do love hearing from you, so please don’t stop! – It may just take me a little longer to get back to you. Cheers!)

Shauna Richardson and her ‘Anything Can Be Art’ Crochetdermy

Tags

animals, Conceptual Art, craft, Crochet, Fibre Art, Lionheart Project, Olympic Games, Prince Harry, Sculpture, Shauna Richardson, Taxidermy, The Guardian, The V & A

‘Prince Harry’ by Shauna Richardson
‘Unofficial Portrait’ commissioned by the Guardian Weekend Magazine
(Image © Shauna Richardson)

For all you regular readers of This Sydney Life, I have a small confession to make. I have finally accepted defeat. I gave it my best shot, but I will never be a crochet-er extra-ordinaire. Sadly, it is just not within me to achieve these lofty heights. My talents must lie elsewhere. And, I am gutted.

Do you want to know why…?

I keep finding these amazing artists who create amazing crochet art. I just love their work. And, Shauna Richardson is one of them.

According to her bio’, Shauna Richardson’s background is in conceptual art. She calls herself a ‘Crochetdermist’. The unique body of work she terms ‘Crochetdermy’ evolved out of the exploration of the theory that  ‘Anything can be art’. She uses crochet to sculpt realistic life-size animals – uncanny taxidermy-like forms.

Shauna has received much critical acclaim. Her work is receiving worldwide media coverage and selling into collections across the globe. In 2009, she won ‘Artists taking the lead’ part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad with the ‘Lionheart Project’. For two years she has been creating the largest single-handed crochet sculpture in the world. The finished piece will be housed in a mobile glass taxidermy style case and tour the United Kingdom before the Olympics. You can read more about it at: lionheartproject.com

Have a look at some of her crochetdermy work:

‘Stag’ by Shauna Richardson
(Image © Shauna Richardson)

‘Fox’ by Shauna Richardson
(Image © Shauna Richardson)

‘Baboon’ by Shauna Richardson
(Image © Shauna Richardson)

‘Arctic Hare’ by Shauna Richardson
(Image © Shauna Richardson)

‘Bear’ by Shauna Richardson
Exhibited at ‘The Power of Making’ at the V & A
(Image © Shauna Richardson)

Crochetdermy pieces are created to commission. Selected works on Shauna Richardson’s website are available for purchase. If you’d like to learn more, you can access it here.

Woop Studios and their Corker Collection of Collective Nouns

Tags

animals, Arts, Collective noun, Gifts, Graphic Design, Harry Potter, Interior design, Limited Edition Print, Natalie Dee, Shopping, Visual Arts, Woop Studios, Words

LM has a birthday coming up. It’s in July. I have to get organised because, as we’ve already established (here), it is almost impossible to find a suitable (read: meaningful, gasp-worthy-in-a-good-way, unexpected, tasteful and/or funky) gift for him. I am not exaggerating. He’s a guy – if he wants something, he gets it for himself. And, before you suggest I make something, my response to that is:

1. have you seen my recent post on learning to crochet, and
2. I have, on more than one occasion, made something (which could possibly fall under my ‘haberdashery‘ label).

Exhibit A: the teepee embroidery I made for LM (based on a Natalie Dee Cartoon)
(Image by TSL)
And yes – I did all that embroidery by hand and it took me a hell of a long time*.

Anyway, in my search for the right gift for LM’s birthday, I came across the awesome design team that is Woop Studios. Their website says they are the graphic designers of Harry Potter, so they must be cool! In addition to the Harry Potter connection, Miraphora Mina, Eduardo Lima, Harriet Logan, and Mark Faulkner have a love of words, specifically collective nouns and terms.

They have created gorgeous alphabets of limited edition prints to reflect their love of collective words. Even better, their website also offers the visitor the opportunity to learn about and have fun with the images and phrases. Each of the images is accompanied by fascinating facts about the animal depicted.

So, the one that caught my eye first was the ambush of tigers…

‘Ambush of Tigers’ by Woop Studios
(Image © Woop Studios)

Did you know that an adult male tiger eats 150kg of meat per month? – or, that the roar of a tiger can be heard more than a mile away? – or, that tigers don’t purr? – or, that tiger stripes are like fingerprints in that no two are alike? – or even, that a tiger’s saliva contains antiseptic?

I didn’t know any of that.

Here are some more of their seriously groovy images:

‘Bale of Turtles’ by Woop Studios
(Image © Woop Studios)

‘Mob of Kangaroos’ by Woop Studios
(Image © Woop Studios)

‘Gaze of racoons’ by Woop Studios
(Image © Woop Studios)

‘Aurora of Polar Bears’ by Woop Studios
(Image © Woop Studios)

‘Zeal of Zebras’ by Woop Studios
(Image © Woop Studios)

If you want to go and check out the full collection, you can find it here. It is well worth a visit. I promise.

*So that you have some context for the embroidery, it should possibly be mentioned that LM doesn’t have a lot of hair on top. In the past, when I have suggested it may be time for a hair cut, he has been known to threaten to grow the sides so long that he will be able to form a tepee out of his hair. This would be an alternative to a comb-over, if you will. He then believes he could create little dioramas inside this ‘head tepee’ which could reflect different holidays or celebrations throughout the year. For example – Guy Fawkes, Hanukkah, Easter. This has turned into a bit of a running joke.

I think I may be in trouble for over sharing…

Kelly McCallum Has a Thing For Victorian Taxidermy

Tags

animals, Art, Birds, Canada, culture, Design, Ephemera, Jewellery, Kelly McCallum, London, Precious Metals, Taxidermy

Art is far too important to be taken seriously

When you see a quote like this on an artist’s website, you know you are in for something, although perhaps just not what that something may be.

Welcome to the slightly macabre world of Kelly McCallum…

A Canadian by birth, Kelly McCallum is currently based in London. She is celebrated for combining her fine goldsmithing skills (focusing on scale and incredible attention to the most minute detailing) with a keen interest in Victorian taxidermy. Her pieces embody her interests in story-telling, natural history, taxidermy, insects, precious metals and other treasures from her carefully curated collection of oddities and natural wonders. And, as you will soon see, her work typically explores dark themes of death, decadence, decay and rebirth as well as challenging perceptions of preservation and disintegration.

According to Kelly, herself, “I am interested in the stories of how things age, how they decay or are preserved, are forgotten, covered in shrouds of grime, only to be found again and given new meanings by our own sentimentality. Taxidermy seeks to preserve life by celebrating death: it is a strange half-live, a suspension, an illusion. Insects on the other hand, through their lives, destroy this illusion: they feed on death, breaking down, demolishing, creating movement from a silent tableau, forcing change and action.”

Kelly McCallum’s work is a bit like a car accident for me… I know I shouldn’t look, but I really want to. What do you think?

‘General Eenzo Bianchi’ by Kelly McCallum
(Image © Kelly McCallum)

‘Dutchess Anne Louise Chapman’ by Kelly McCallum
(Image © Kelly McCallum)

‘Contessa isabella Mancini’ by Kelly McCallum
(Image © Kelly McCallum)

‘Gryfalcon’ by Kelly McCallum
(Image © Kelly McCallum)

Kelly has exhibited in many different countries, including Canada, the United States, France, Korea, The United Kingdom, and Poland, and her work has been displayed at The Victoria and Albert Museum and Liberty of London. I have to admit, I quite like the way her work refuses to fit easily into one category, and challenges assumptions and preconceptions.

And, just because I picked some of the less macabre, and more fantastical, images to show you above, check this one out…

‘Do You Hear What I Hear’ by Kelly McCallum
(Image © Kelly McCallum)

Did you have to look twice?

For a more comprehensive selection of Kelly McCallum’s works, you can check out her personal gallery here.

Laura Straßer is a Rare Breed of Ceramic Artist

Tags

animals, Art, Ceramic Art and Pottery, Ceramics, craft, food, Germany, Homewares, Ilmgold, Laura Straßer, Olivier Dupon, Pratt Institute, Product Design, Quirky, Shopping, Tableware, The New Artisans

(Image sourced from here)

I am loving the work of ILMGOLD product designer, Laura Straßer. Her latest range of quirky ‘Rare Species’ bowls feature the most gorgeous and whimsical animal creations…

'Zebear'
(Image sourced from here)

'Flyfish'
(Image sourced from here)

'Fennelduck'
(Image sourced from here)

'Artichedgehog'
(Image sourced from here)

And, if the quirky wee bowls weren’t enough to set your heart aflutter, you can also get matching lids-come-sideplates in the same delicate-yet-dishwasher-safe porcelain…

Ilmgold Rare Species 'Artichedgehog' with 'No Sharing' lid
(Image sourced from here)

Laura Straßer features in the fabulous Olivier Dupon book, ‘The New Artisans‘ (page 134, if you’re wondering).

Born in Frankfurt am Main, and now based in Weimar, she studied at the Pratt Institute in New York where she became hooked on porcelain design.

She has a beautiful philosophy in that she “hopes to create items for porcelain lovers that offer the possibility of offering  associating (hi)stories with them and letting them become favourite items able to be kept for a lifetime.” I reckon’ she has achieved this with her ‘Rare Species’ range. They are heirloom pieces, to me. What do you think?

Ilmgold ships internationally. Although their website is in German, for all of us anglophiles, there is a lovely link to an english order form here.

Hannah Haworth Knits Up a Whale of a Storm

Tags

animals, Asia, craft, Design, Hannah Haworth, Knitting, New York, Scotland, Storytelling

I fist saw an example of Hannah Haworth’s work on a post by polarfox.  Her life-size (10ft!) knitted beluga whale had me utterly fascinated.  Imagine coming up with the concept, let alone the logistics and effort required to complete it?  I thought it was incredible (and clearly, I am not alone in this).

Currently living in New York, Haworth was born in Scotland and spent much of her childhood in Asia.  She’s a nature-lover who loves storytelling and craft.

Check out some of her earlier installations…

How amazing is her work?  I just love that last image (it’s titled ‘Nest’!)

(All images sourced from Hannah Haworth here)

Jeff Thomson is the (Corrugated) Iron Man of Australasia

Tags

animals, Artist, Australasia, Australia, Car, Colour, Corrugated galvanised iron, Giraffes, Holden, Jeff Thomson, New Zealand, Photos, Te Papa, Weaving

Jeff Thompson has made a successful career out of creating amazing sculpture out of corrugated iron.  He has made corrugated iron animals, birds, cars and people. He has manipulated corrugated iron into intricate and beautiful forms.

Corrugated iron is a distinctively Australasian material.  With much humour, Jeff Thomson pokes fun at our icons and puts them in the spotlight, making us look at them in a whole new light.

Jeff Thomson HQ Holden (1991) - Now exhibited at Te Papa, Thomson did not put his HQ Holden into a gallery straight away, but drove it around on the open road, both in New Zealand and Australia. It was his only vehicle for three years, and he carried all his rusty corrugated iron on the roof.

Jeff Thomson Giraffes (2007) Private commission, life sized (truly! I have seen them!)

Jeff Thomson Mat (in detail) (2008)

Jeff Thomson Weaving (in detail) (2007)

Jeff Thomson White (2008)

I have a couple of small pieces of Jeff Thompson’s corrugated iron sculpture.  I would love more (although perhaps not a life-sized giraffe!)

My Jeff Thomson Pohutukawa

Jeff Thomson, I love your work and I would love to come and visit your studio one day…

Jeff Thomson Studio

The artist and his (you guessed it!) corrugated iron boat

(Image of the Holden (top) from the museum of Te Papa.  All other images from Jeff Thomson’s website here.)

Crackers for animals

Tags

animals, Art, brooch, Childrensware, Coral & Tusk, Cushion, Fox, Homewares, New York, Penguin, Stationery, Textile

I was given the Nov/Dec 2011 edition of Selvedge magazine by a good friend. If you have any interest in textiles, it is well worth a squizz.

Anyhoo, as I was leafing through marvelling at all the talented people there are out there, I came across an article on Stephanie Housley and her beautiful ‘Coral and Tusk‘ range of embroidered bits ‘n’ bobs.  Stephanie started Coral & Tusk in 2007 with her husband Chris Lacinak.  She is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design and is clearly a massive animal lover, too.  She lives and works in New York.

I was already familiar with some of her work, having picked up one of her lovely brooches last year.

My Coral and Tusk Bluejay Brooch

When I purchased my wee brooch, I had no idea how extensive her collection is.

There is the stationery, which is designed as a keepsake and fits into a standard frame (how gorgeous!):

Fox with Present Embroidered Card by Coral and Tusk

Monkey with Balloon Embroidered Card by Coral and Tusk

The children’s ware (and in my favourite colour, too!):

Good Luck Booties by Coral and Tusk

And the home and gifts (sigh):

Penguin Pocket Pillow by Coral and Tusk

Foxy Badge by Coral and Tusk

Best of all, Coral and Tusk sells directly from their website and ships internationally.