The name of this found object assemblage wall sculpture is Legacy of Fire 2. It is 11x34cm in size and comes with a display stand. I created it on a piece of board that my German artist friend, Julia Zoellner, had painted in acrylics. She then handed it over to me, and I glued rusted pieces of metal to it. I found all these bits and bobs on the streets of Melbourne.
This work has appeared in several exhibitions in Victoria. In 2018, it was in a joint exhibition that Julia and I held at the Guild Assembly Point in South Melbourne. Later it appeared in several Creativity Cluster exhibitions in Geelong, Docklands, the Dirty Dozen window cases in the Flinders Street underground walkway and the FOUND:ling Reusery in Geelong as part of the Sustainable Living Festival. Now it’s available through FOUND:ling Reusery in Colac, which specialises in reclaimed and repurposed products. It was also included in a blog I wrote for MAHB (Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere at Stanford University in California).
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, rusted sheet metal transforms into a cloud, or a broken tile 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.
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.
