“Hey there Dear Art Loverrrssss!
This exhibition contains mini collections that celebrate the things in life that bring me true joy and happiness. It’s a reminder to all who view it that even during a few global kicks in the arse, we should seek out the beauty, humour and colour to keep our spirits high. I love this life and the people in it, so I focus on those things when the world is stroking out and our blood cells are being invaded. I focus on getting lost and flowed up while painting, making pasta sauce with Osso Bucco, listening to everything Stephen Sondheim and Broadway, hanging with my family and friends and playing with my beautiful boys, Lucky and Lorenzo.
Here are a few of my favourite things:
PANK: MINI COLLECTION 40 x 40
Who doesn’t love the romantic, youthful, sexy exuberance of PINK? Artist, Michelle (PANK) Vescio loved it the most and this mini collection is dedicated to her and the many happy moments we had with her. The world hasn’t seen her art yet but one day it will! These little 40 x 40 lolly poppers brought me a tonne of joy to make. Usually, I sketch up my work using procreate on my iPad. I carefully work out every layer… looking for something that’s right and rare… Then throw it all out, blast some MIKA and go with my gut.
Pink is Cool! Michelle is here!
TROPEA: MINI COLLECTION 50 x 60
I’m missing Italy, so while I eat dinner, I watch the YouTube video ‘Top 100 Places To Visit In Italy – Ultimate Travel Guide’ by Ryan Shirley. I watch ‘The Pasta Queen’ on Instagram and talk with my Pooty sister from another mister, Natalie L about taking off for months cooking and eating our way through the country. My parents are from Calabria so my world was Italian inside the house and Aussie outside the house… so my viewpoint was always Ausalian! These colours are inspired by the terraces in Tropea but also all of the South coast – although I’ve dialled up the brightness…because that’s my business. I’ve used variations in colour and texture within each layer similar to imperfect render. Cue ‘Calabrisella Mia’ sung by Fortunato played at every Italian wedding in the 80s. Hey, who remembers The Villa Rosa or Mediterranean House or Festival House or Miramare? You’re my people!
MAJOR CHORD: MINI COLLECTION 120 x 120
The style I use in this collection reminds me of music; harmony specifically. I think sometime soon I hope to dedicate a complete exhibition using it. My mindset is in a completely different gear while making this work. It’s the closest I feel connected to something way bigger than me. Blasting music is essential and being present is paramount. It’s difficult to explain what is happening when instinct takes over but I just get out of the way and make it.
JUICY: MINI COLLECTION 40 x 40
Remember when life was about riding your BMX to meet your mates down at the park? You would catch tadpoles from the creek and ride around the neighbourhood picking blackberries from overhanging trees… hoping to catch an adventure, many years before the mind flayer from Stranger Things was a thing. And the very best part was buying a bag of mixed lollies from the corner shop for 50 cents. The hard ones, the chewy jubes, the colours, the sherbets, the many flavours and the endless afternoons… You got it! This mini collection is about those days, before we all got posh and responsible. Think of each colour as a Juicy and delicious memory… when life was different and the future was only as far as the end of your street.
(Go ahead… lick the painting. It will taste exactly like the flavours you remember*)
(*Don’t lick the painting as it definitely will not taste like the flavour you remember… Damn legal!)
THE GLASS SWAN IN THE GOOD ROOM: MINI COLLECTION 150 x 150 & 200 x 150
When I was 3, I become obsessed with a hand-blown glass swan that my Mum brought back from a trip to Italy. It was from Venice and it had all the magical things about it that made me stare at it in wonderment. I was fascinated by how the blown glass colours would hang suspended in wild shapes encased with layers of clear glass. I wondered a lot how it was done.
Then I had a realisation! One day when I’m older, I’m going to do something like this…
So I did!
