Artisans in the Gardens 2011

Artisans in the Gardens will be held from Saturday 8 October to Sunday 16 October at Lion Gate Lodge and its own cottage garden, Mrs Macquaries Road, inside the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. The exhibition is open from 10 am to 4 pm daily. Entry is free. All works are for sale with proceeds going to support the work of the Friends of the Botanic Gardens and the Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust.

Artisans in the Gardens Opening Party

Friday 7 October, 6 pm - 8.30 pm

Join special guest Professor David Mabberley, the new Executive Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust 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 $55 or $45 for Friends’ members. To book tickets for Opening Night click here or call the Friends’ office on 9231 8182.

Handcrafted Beauty

Each year Artisans in the Gardens proves to be an outstanding success with the public, reaffirming the value the handmade artefact continues to have in today’s society. Gayl Leake gives us a preview of some of the exquisite works that will be on display this year and, if you’re really lucky, may find a place in your home.

Featuring emerging artists and those with established reputations, Artisans is aimed at the discerning collector of contemporary art. Visitors to this exhibition appreciate the rich tradition that lies behind each artisan’s approach to their materials. However, today’s artisans are more often using media in contemporary ways, meeting the challenge of scarcer natural resources, recycling and the technology available. With new boundaries in place, they are finding different paths to produce craftwork that has a valuable role to play in the modern context. Their work celebrates the richness of natural materials, telling the story of each maker.

Metal and Wire

Judy Holding uses characteristic symbols to depict the flora and fauna of Kakadu. Her powder-coated metal tree silhouettes capture the timeless quality of this ancient landscape, coloured to convey its energy. Ulric Steiner has a Swiss background and his father worked as a maker of heraldic shields. He combines that artistry with a bold treatment of Australian subject matter, seen in his large-scale animals.

Beautiful Wood

Richard Raffan is an internationally respected wood turner. As well as his famous bowls, he is exhibiting his new work: a fleet of painted toy boats. These cartoon boats in claret ash rock playfully on their hulls. A similar spontaneity is found in the work of Welsh artist Adam Humpheys, who uses a chainsaw to sculpt animals from logs, capturing their essence in a lively, impressionistic manner. Also using wood is Deep Blue Designs, from Tasmania, whose laser-cut trees and ornaments have a Scandinavian influence of simple lines and clean design.

Inspired by Nature

Many artists work with forms that are best seen in the open landscape or garden setting. Tim Hankinson produces organic forms both large and small, from tall spiralling pillars to his garden pouffes. With perfect symmetry recalling sea urchins or seed pods, these circular structures make comfortable seats. Based on European tradition, it is work made to last a lifetime.

While some artists work in abstract interpretations of the landscape, others show more representational work. Working with stainless steel and copper wire, Ulan Murray creates organic sculptures and intricately wrought trees with roots laid bare, which become a study in balance. Resembling bonsai, he aims to bring his work down to a human scale. Conversely, Karen Herring has fabricated steel fruit, some standing over a metre tall.

Textiles and Fabric

Meredith Woolnough works in embroidered thread on paper or canvas. She uses delicate free-form embroidery to explore the beauty of coral reefs. Julie Hickson also works on canvas, using the pochoir technique. Her fine art stencils feature Australian botanical motifs. Zoe Wall explores colour and tactile fabric with her felting work, making scarves, shawls and wraps. Liz Hardy and Helen Burgess have exquisite handmade bags.

Ceramic Art

A great diversity of expression in ceramic art will be seen at this year’s Artisans, from the delicate blue and white porcelain by Keiko Matsui, which is hand painted with cobalt or hand curved with a chrysanthemum motif, to the bold colourful tiles by Kathie Najar, in which we see influences of Islamic art, Delft designs and characters from children’s storybooks.

Bern Emmerichs also explores the narrative function of hand-painted earthenware panels in her historical scenes. These panels tell many stories. Set in Australia at the time of British colonialism, history and humour are equally evident. Using a vernacular, folkloric style resembling a patchwork, the scenes revel in an anti-institutional stance.

The ceramic horses of Susanne Fraser are inspired by figurines from the Tang dynasty, her equine vessels have multilayered decorations and hint at layers of social and political meaning. The role of women in Chinese culture and the close ties between women and horses are explored. Kate Dorrough will display ceramic tree sculptures for the garden and Ray Stevenson will show ceramic water bowls, which feature lizards and goannas basking cautiously around their rims.

Glass and Jewellery

The translucency of glass always attracts attention. Janet Laurence will exhibit her distinctive installation art that reflects her belief that all living things are interconnected and all art is grounded in nature. Robert Wynne is a pioneer of the studio glass movement in Australia. His expert glass-blowing skills and distinctive design aesthetic are sure to generate excitement.

Carol Marando is well known for her exquisite one-off pieces of glass jewellery using lamp-worked glass beads. Carol uses Moretti glass from Venice for its translucence and vibrant colour.

Other emerging contemporary jewellers include Toby Eagle, a metalsmith who uses 100 per cent recycled sterling silver and gold and Gabriella Hirst, who produces a range of colourful ceramic jewellery inspired by coral.

Plants and Animals

Working with images from nature such as animals, plants or insects that we often see, these artists draw our attention to the familiar and encourage us to observe nature more closely.

Marguerite Derricourt is a sculptor of large-scale work who uses a wide range of media such as cast or welded metals, fabrics, neon or fiberglass, all with a focus on animals. Her latest work highlights the bogong moth. Working in steel and producing shapes inspired by their surroundings are Gavin Stewart, who will be showing rusty laser-cut farm animals and birds, while Natalie Reid’s work in welded metal focuses on farm activities, reflecting the hardships found in rural Australia. An icon of domestic life is our best companion, the dog, and Geoff Harvey is best known for his characterful dogs made from wood, metal and found objects. His sculptural assemblages are widely represented, including work at the National Gallery.

Jim Curry makes humorous wind vanes in copper, bronze and wood that celebrate Australiana and reflect his love of rural life in Victoria, while Mark Thornton works in pewter making functional household objects such as spoons, knives and plugs on which a frog, platypus or insect sits.