This 30x33x3cm found object assemblage wall sculpture is called Exotic City of the Orient 1. Materials include a ceramic tile with stains, melted aluminium, and gold-coloured flat and cylindrical metal pieces, all found on the streets of Melbourne. It also includes weathered wood that I picked up on the beach in Darwin
Early in 2022, this work was included in the exhibition Gold Rush at The Old Auction House in Kyneton.
What inspires me
I am a found object assemblage artist and jewellery designer, creating 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. Others are based memories of temples and pagodas from my travels in Southeast Asia. Often I try to incorporate ‘natural features’ – a bent nail that suggests a meandering river, rusted sheet metal that transforms into a cloud, or a broken tile that becomes a mountain.
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.
Strong interest in sustainability
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.
