In the Drawer: The Silver Lining – Found object assemblage sculpture

In the Drawer: The Silver Lining – Found object assemblage sculpture

Exhibitions
Melbourne was in lockdown longer than any other city in the world: 262 days. During these times, I collected a wide range of trash – including numerous wooden drawers – on my daily outdoor walks. To me, these drawers symbolised containment, lockdown, isolation, quarantine: the situation in which we found ourselves. Yet during this time, I also witnessed immense resilience and spirit. People were undertaking imaginative family activities, exercising in unusual and creative ways, developing productive hobbies, and engaging in stimulating pursuits, all within severe public health restrictions. Despite the cloud of COVID-19, many people were creating their own silver lining. I have used this variety of positive experiences as a trigger to create images in the drawers – often abstractions rather than representations. I assembled them from the metal,…
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Artists Create a Magic Space

Artists Create a Magic Space

Media
Several artists from River Studios created a gallery at The Pavilion in Fitzroy Gardens from July to December 2021. Writer Ellen O’Brien interviewed me about the exhibition, called CoLab Arts in the Park. The North and West Melbourne News published the story in the Spring 2021 issue, p. 9. (Click on the title or photo to view the story.)
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Instagram Live with Incube8r Gallery

Instagram Live with Incube8r Gallery

Media
During lockdown, Elle-May Michael from Incube8r Gallery interviewed me on Instagram Live. I had an opportunity to talk about my rather strange arts practice of found object assemblage. View this post on Instagram A post shared by in.cube8r | handmade shops (@incube8r)
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Group Exhibitions 2018 – Many Venues, Many Themes

Group Exhibitions 2018 – Many Venues, Many Themes

Exhibitions, Gallery, Past Events
In 2018, in addition to my group shows at Incube8r Gallery in Fitzroy, I participated in several other group exhibitions at a range of venues. Each one presented some interesting challenges - whether it be theme, venue, weather or technology. The work, or one of the works, from each exhibition is shown to the right. Not So Gentle Arts - In Fact, a Shark Early in 2018, I attended a meeting of the Artists Guild. In addition to discussing art, we had the chance to create an embroidery. It was for their exhibition, Not So Gentle Arts, which was part of Rebel Embroidery at Docklands from 9 to 29 March 2018. My work ‘Cookie Cutter Shark’ included pieces of metal I’d picked up on the way to the meeting. It…
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From the Streets of Melbourne

From the Streets of Melbourne

Exhibitions
Exhibition at the Melbourne City Library What better place to display works made from found objects from the city streets but the place that many city dwellers consider their home away from home—the Melbourne City Library. My solo exhibition ran from 9 January to 4 February 2018. You can view the exhibition on Instagram using the hashtag #nancydeecitylibraryshow. Planning for the exhibition The library has a range of display cases throughout the ground and mezzanine floors. The venue was perfectly suited to my small-scale works. At first I thought there wouldn’t be much room. However, I began to realise how many nooks and crannies there were. I calculated that I would need about 45 works to fill the space. Preparing for the show required lots of measuring and decision-making. I…
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My First Solo Exhibition – Luang Prabang, Laos

My First Solo Exhibition – Luang Prabang, Laos

Exhibitions, Past Events
When I moved to Luang Prabang, Laos, in 2017, I had been creating wall sculptures from street trash for about six months. In Laos I worked as a volunteer in the Australian Volunteers for International Development program, which was funded by the Australian government. I wasn’t sure whether I would have any time there for making art, but just in case, I brought along my glue gun. Luckily, I found plenty of trash to use as raw material. I was also able to eke out some space to work in my small room that overlooked the Nam Khan River. How different the trash in Luang Prabang Luang Prabang trash was very different from Melbourne trash. Melbourne has lots of building and construction going on, so I find lots of nails,…
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