Tall Poppies in Canberra

Tall Poppies (2013, unique artist book. Pigmented drawing ink
on Khadi paper with cloth binding, 80 x 15 cm, open). 
Collection: National Library of Australia

Pictured top: installation view of Tall Poppies (2013) our vertical concertina book, snapped yesterday at the National Library of Australia along with reflected library visitors. Click on images for a clearer view.

Many thanks to Dr. Carole Wilson for the photos.

The National Gallery of Australia acquires LEAVES OF ABSENCE

With the gradual winding down of 2018 comes some happy news. Our artist book LEAVES OF ABSENCE has been acquired by the National Gallery of Australia.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE poses a question that may be unanswerable: what became of the women who remained in China when their menfolk came to seek their fortunes during the Australian gold rushes? 

Pictured above and below: cover and selected pages from LEAVES OF ABSENCE, 2017, unbound artist book, 32.5 (H) x 25.5 (W) x 4 cm (D). Edition: 10 plus 1 artist proof. Printed by Luke Ingram at Arten.

'Tall Poppies' acquired by National Library of Australia

The National Library of Australia has just acquired my artist book, Tall Poppies (pictured below) in addition to numerous Moth Woman Press zines (see previous post). Tall Poppies is one of the Tall Tales series of vertical concertina books, the first of which were exhibited in an eponymous solo show at Hand Held Gallery, Melbourne, in 2013.

Tall Poppies, 15.5 x 16.5 cm (closed)

Tall Poppies (2013, one-of-a-kind artist book, ink and 

acrylic paint, cloth bound, 80 x 15 cm open).

The books were originally accompanied by a suite of miniature paintings. Although finished works in their own right, several of these (including the painting, Tall Poppies) served as working images for the artist books.

Tall Poppies, 2013, acrylic on canvas, 12.5 x 7.5 cm

Below are two views of the Tall Poppies book in early stages of its development. The Ballarat studio hadn’t yet been built; the image directly below was snapped in our sunroom.

Beginnings of Tall Poppies, Ballarat, 2013

Tall Poppies, progress view

The original Tall Tales series was expanded for the group exhibition, Wonder Room at Maroondah Art Gallery, Victoria, also in 2013, which is where Tall Poppies (fourth from right, below) made its debut. 

Whenever I travel to Canberra, a visit to the NLA is always included. When I was last there in late March, I fantasised about one day having some of my own work in the permanent collection. So the acquisition by the National Library of Australia is nothing less than a dream come true.

Tall Tales (2013, one-of-a-kind artist books, pigmented drawing ink 

and acrylic paint, cloth bound, 80 x 15 cm open). 

Installation view, Maroondah Art Gallery, 2013. Click on image to enlarge.