I responded to her time at Arthur Boyd’s Bundanon – the artist’s gift to the Nation in 1991. In August 2020, the ground was blanketed with English Oak leaves- shed in Autumn then dried and distorted through Winter. As I observed the presence of these ubiquitous leaves, I reflected on the history of the property. The site is forested with common and endangered eucalyptus trees into the hills beyond the picturesque Shoalhaven River and yet installed on the flood plain is an English garden with a few massive Oak trees. In the distance, and referenced in some of Boyd’s paintings, there are also glorious Illawarra flame trees. These trees embody the colonial story of the site.
My wearable objects are a small portrait of this site – the series of metal pieces, 8.20am In Residence/InBundanon, reference the English Oak leaves and those of the flame trees that cast strange shadows (physically and metaphorically) on the landscape in the strong morning light. It is hoped that the works invite the viewer to observe, feel and reflect on another, competing, narrative of this special place.
Each piece is formed using repousee and chasing (pushing and incising) copper. Brooches are attached to the body with stainless steel pins; necklaces and suspended using stainless steel cable. They are variable in size between 8cm-10cm in width.