Studio Work ABOUT my art & others

I don't know what the story is.  As many of you know I am in the studio every day and it is at night, when I go up to the house, I do slow stitching.  This piece was set aside many times and evolved over many months, where each stage brought with it a 'what now?'. Slowly it became 'Under a Big Sky'.   This is how it went.  I began by creating little squares from my shibori scraps, brought in white and eco printed cotton, silk and linen, ironing the little squares around a template i created. One evening, from the box of 'little squares', i began to lay them out in what was a pleasing arrangment to me.  Sewed the squares together into a single cloth and then i tacked it to a calico cloth backing, extending the borders. After it being set aside for many months, i came to the orange stitching idea - a stacking stitch created within a circle. This image shows the stitched circle and stitching the borders creating a 'whole' detail of the stacked stitching...

these little pieces on Japanese papers are trials/play in the studio this week - enjoying switching to oils after months of monoprints using acrylic on the gel plate.  see previous posts here and the 'what if' premise, here   

On a recent trip to Hobart and i ducked into TMAG (Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery) to find an exhibition of Oliffe Richmond (1919-77) - a Tasmanian born artist who built a distinguished career in Britain as a sculptor and educator. I particularly loved the sketchbook drawings. and i loved this vehicle in the pottery & ceramics room

I wrote  here  about delivering 4 works to the Out of Hand Exhibition held by Stitching and Beyond.    This year, I have exhibited, for the first time, in the exhibition held by Stitching and Beyond, Hobart.  I have been a member of the group for a few years and have been stitching for many many years; decided for the first time to exhibit.  With over 200 entries in the exhibition I am honoured to have received the Curators Choice Award for this piece 'Conversations by the Creek (Winter) the other 3 pieces are Conversations by the Creek (Summer) and Conversations by the Creek (Early Spring) and Under a Big Sky .

UPDATE:  an article in Art Guide Australia 2 October 2025. It wraps up with this thought " “Wright’s works are not easily reduced; they draw you in with beauty, then unsettle and provoke with layered meanings.” Shapeshifting: The Art of Helen Wright Queen Victoria Museum and Gallery: Art Gallery  at Royal Park Until 1 February 2026 This article was originally published in the September/October 2025 print edition of Art Guide Australia." Helen Wright - I  have loved this artist's work for years. And how fortunate we are to have an exhibition of her works showing in Launceston at the QVMAG Royal Park .  Do yourself a favour ! a few of my favourites here that are representative of the diversity.   and i love the titles she comes up 

I took a few photos of the exhibition at the opening and after all the excitement of winning the Curator's Prize I never got back to it. This is the Out of Hand exhibition organised by Stitching and Beyond Hobart. I love these baskets ...   As well as hunting down my own pieces, these are some of the entries that took my eye at the time.  My apologies to those whose names i did not get - if you know please let me know to update my images.   my blog post does not do the exhibition justice - do get along to see it if you are in Hobart.  a few more links here to explore about the 2025 Out of Hand Exhibition - Christie Lange  Salamanca Arts Centre Stitching and Beyond

 click the image to see all Collage at Blackfisharts Gallery

beginnings. Loving the immediacy of this one ...  tomorrow is the dangerous stage ... fear and fiddling ... i try not to ...  lets see where this goes 

Heading to Hobart to deliver works for 4 of us from the Northwest. The Stitching and Beyond annual exhibition called "Out of Hand" opens on Thursday 25 September 6pm at Long Gallery Salamanca Place, Hobart. a sneak peek here - i will post each one in full once the exhibition opens. I have been stitching for many years - my night time activity while watching shows on TV.  This is the first time i have chosen to exhibit textile works - it took some figuring out how to hang them; each requiring 'something different'.   

Places are starting to fill for this upcoming workshop  in Turners Beach Tasmania - thank you - all consumables and materials are provided such as bookboard, drawing papers (200gsm), matboard & foam core (recycled) for lightweight covers, glue, thread, etc  and i have been having fun creating handmade papers for use in covers and/or wraparounds for signatures or collage to embellish your books with. DETAILS of the workshop HERE . message me if you have any questions

  W O R K S H O P   1  Sunday 14 September 10-4pm small groups preferred  held in the artist's studio, Turners Beach Tasmania  In the workshop you create two books - an A4 size accordion sketchbook with pockets & hard covers - bonus paper weaving embellishment PLUS  a scrap landscape sketchbook with lightweight hard covers BOOKBOARD ACCORDION FOLD SKETCHBOOK   This A4 sketchbook containing 62 pages is created using bookboard for the pages in accordion/concertina format that creates valleys to take 6 signatures and    we create 3 pockets as part of the structure, PLUS, from the scrap cuttings you create a paper weaving element on the cover.       video of the book here      second book - SCRAP LANDSCAPE SKETCHBOOK This highly practical size sketchbook is created from the cut off's from creating book one (above).    This book contains 22 pages in a long landscape format and is covered using ...

i have said this before.  In trying to simplify it gets a little complicated  In creating a 'website' I have, in 2025, transitioned back to blogger as i am finding various website providers far too expensive and promises made remain unfulfilled as well as charging extra for basic pre-requisites.  Blackfisharts Art Gallery hosts any works for sale, finished works and exhibitions I have been in.  All in the process of being created and/or updated.   Studio work about My Art & Others is just as the title says. Regent Park Tasmania is about lifestyle - of an artist and those she lives with, its about discovering #countryliving since moving to this place 3 years ago and exploration of a sense of place and our place within it. I work across media, including painting (oils, watermedia, pastel), book making, collage, assemblage, slow stitching, photography and writing. Emerald13 is my pseudo for poetry - having written short form for many many years with ov...

This print came out of a residency and ultimately an exhibition at Cradle Mountain. Titled:  MAPPING TIME (the road to Cradle) click the image for details .  I was fortunate enough to be accepted for 2 residencies at  Cradle Mountain  which was such a wonderful experience.  Each residency was 4 and 6 weeks duration during 2017 and 2019 culminating in an exhibition in 2020 at the Cradle Mountain Hotel Gallery.  Blog articles on the residencies and solo exhibition, culminating from the gum trees on the road to Cradle. This is a limited edition of 13 prints -  details &  purchase here

  workshop4 - workshop4 - workshop4 - workshop4 - Create a book out of a single sheet of AO x250gsm cartridge paper with hard covers.  Then we do some contour drawings within the book - draw from home magazines or your own photos of the rooms in your home. CONTOUR DRAWING in a handmade sketchbook with lightweight hard covers utilising your own drawings.  Bring your own photographs to work with, house design magazine or use whats in the studio to create your finished sketchbook. a video on this book here your list of things to bring : a cutting mat a stanley knife (must have sharp blades) a steel ruler a clean rag, a mug and your lunch wear comfy clothes & shoes contact me if you are interested.

On many drives up to, and during 2 residencies at Cradle Mountain   it was the gum tree that became my focus and ultimately a solo exhibition.... I love these shapes and noticed the impermanence of some of the trees as i travelled the road back and forth from Devonport, over an 18 month period. see some of the exhibition artworks here. explore limited edition prints here