This found object assemblage wall sculpture is called Billabong 1. It is 21x21cm in size and freestanding – ready to set on a bookshelf or desk. I made it from broken ply in a wooden stand, a sheet of old metal, rusted sheet metal with blue paint, a blue marble, and a piece of metal that looked like a bird to me. Despite suggesting the Outback, I found all these bits and bobs on the streets of Melbourne.
Exhibitions
This artwork first appeared in the exhibition Rivers Run Free at the Dirty Dozen in 2020. This was a group exhibition with several artists from River Studios. It also featured in From Then to Now at The Reimaginarium in Geelong in early 2021. This exhibition was part of both Geelong and Melbourne Design Weeks.
My Inspiration
Working as a found object assemblage artist and jewellery designer, I create wall sculptures, 3D sculptures and brooches. I limit my ‘raw materials’ to the metal, wood, tiles and plastic that I gather from streets and skips.
Many of my works are inspired by the Melbourne skyline, especially at sunrise and sunset. Often I try to incorporate ‘natural features’. A bent nail can suggest a meandering river. A washer converts itself into a sun or moon. A broken tile becomes a mountain. Or in this case, a piece of blue metal becomes a billabong.
My more abstract works are stimulated by the found objects themselves, which I often place in juxtaposition. At other times, I emphasise their rusted, scratched or variegated surfaces.
Sustainable art
My art is inspired by a strong interest in sustainability through repurposing and upcycling. My hope is that this artwork makes you smile and, at the same time, reminds you of the 5Rs to help our planet: refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle.
