Artisans in the Gardens 2009

Artisans in the Gardens will be held from 24 October to 1 November at Lion Gate Lodge and its own cottage garden, Mrs Macquaries Road, inside the Royal Botanic Gardens. The exhibition is open from 10 am to 4 pm daily and late until 7 pm on Wednesday 28 October. Entry is free. All works are for sale with proceeds going to support the work of the Friends of The Gardens and the Botanic Gardens Trust.

Artisans in the Gardens Opening Party

Friday 23 October, 6 pm - 8.30 pm

Join special guest Jill Wran and the artisans for an exclusive preview Opening Party. Enjoy superb food and wine while relishing an exclusive opportunity to purchase original works before the exhibition opens to the public.

Opening Night tickets are $45 or $35 for Friends’ members. Tickets for Opening Night are SOLD OUT.

Turning the discarded into useful works of art

Increasingly artists are turning to the environment for inspiration, to the beauty and wonder of the natural world and to possibilities of renewal offered by the industrial world through recycling, reusing and reinventing. They are using discarded objects and modern day detritus and turning them into works of arts that are both playful and beautiful but have a strong underlying ecological message. This year, a group of exhibitors in the Artisans in the Gardens’ exhibition has embraced the philosophy of reuse.

Jane Gillings admits to being a hoarder with an eye for reusing other peoples’ cast-offs. Her Australian bird and insect sculptures are comprised of candy-coloured plastic bits and pieces such as drinking straws, plastic cutlery, bread tags and old biros. By her own admission she brings a set of 'weird skills' to her art; her training as a dental technician taught her how to make wax models and casts, then a stint at the Australian Museum gave her the opportunity to set up interactive displays, build fibreglass stands and dabble in taxidermy. Later she worked as an architectural model maker and studied Chinese.

Jane hopes that her work, which attempts to draw attention to the amount of waste we produce, will make people aware of what they are throwing away and its potential for reuse. Currently she shares her talent with young people as part of Creative Youth Initiatives, a program run by Mission Australia to teach disadvantaged youth painting, craft, design and music.

Bowral-based artist Michael Yabsley also recognises the potential for reusing what he calls 'orphan artefacts' by creating unique lamps that speak of another time when bespoke work was the norm. After leaving the cut and thrust of State politics behind in the early 90s and running several businesses including corporate hospitality and a national corporate advisory firm, Michael started using carefully selected industrial and historic artefacts to create an inspiring range of one-off lamps. Michael calls it 'adaptive reuse' and designs each lamp to emphasise the integrity and quality of discarded objects such as shoe lasts, oil cans, surveyors’ tripods and blow torches.

Botanic Gardens’ apprentice horticulturist, Julie Cooper, also turns industrial and commercial waste into eclectic works of art. Julie says her surrounding environment has a lasting and integral influence on her art. In her search for creative inspiration, she collects old billboards peeling off inner city walls, derelict signage and detritus in neighbourhood clean-ups.

Surfaces with layers of flaking paint, old graphics and scars that tell of a previous life have particular appeal and pose a challenge to create something beautiful in its second chance at life.

Also looking for the beauty in old and well-used timber is Sydney designer Brian Wood. Brian has worked as a photographer, yacht and house restorer as well as running a restaurant in Spain and several furniture design companies. The aesthetic appeal of Brian’s work is immediately apparent - strong lines, simple design and exceptional Australian timbers like spotted gum, silver ash and hardwoods - but it is the beauty of recycled timber that this artist admires.

Sculptor and designer Noelle Rigaudie, who likes to shape beautiful pieces out of recycled cardboard such as relocation boxes, takes her inspiration from history and creates mirrors, frames, pot holders and much more.

Binalong landscape architect Hayley Crossing admits that returning to rural NSW where she grew up has fuelled her creative desire. She designs whimsical metal sculptures with fruit, birds and galloping horses that have struck a chord with garden lovers. She says her motivation is simply to reflect the beauty of gardens.

Also taking inspiration from the garden is Melbourne sculptor Daniel Burgermeister whose intricately wrought copper water features of Boston Ivy reflect the warm rich colours of seasonal change.

Reflecting a totally different landscape, that of sub-tropical northern NSW, is the work of glass artist Noel Hart. Inspired by the birds and habitats around him, Noel’s work captures the flick of a wing, swooping and curling in the iridescent colours of a King Parrot, Blue Eyed Lorikeet or Galah.

Natural themes are also reflected in the subtle colours and botanical etchings of Harriet Schwarzrock’s functional glass ware. Examining form and colour is ceramicist Aleida Pullar whose pots and tableware reflect the colours of the ocean in bold stripes, swirls and dots. Somchai Chareon makes delicate tableware in gelato tones and Barbi Lock Lee adds wonderfully quirky Australian birds to sit atop gorgeous jugs and bowls. And, for ceramics of a different kind, Lino Alvarez takes us into a Lilliputian world with his pots and colourful totems for the garden.

This year's exhibition offers an eclectic range of beautifully crafted jewellery. Kristina Brenke designs jewellery using silver and semi-precious gems that reflect the fine design and sound craftsmanship that is her hallmark. Lisa Cooper designs under the label ‘The Butcher’s Daughter’ (her father was a butcher). She calls her pieces 'garden compositions' and likes to think of them more as sculptural pieces than jewellery. The Strutt Sisters from Newcastle create engaging lightweight funky jewellery that is both whimsical and amusing, and joining us again from Queensland with a totally new range of work is Michael Hofmeyer.

This year’s Artisans in the Gardens is broad in its range and appeal and promises to be an exciting presentation of colour and form.

Peta Rattray
Curator, Artisans in the Gardens 2009