This 16x40x6cm cityscape wall sculpture is called Once a Mighty City 1. I created it on a large grey rectangular tile. Components included a drab green painted piece of wood, rusted sheet metal, rusted and non-rusted bent metal, and rusted bolts. All of these bits and bobs I found on the streets of Melbourne during my daily walks.
This work was first featured in the exhibition Aarwun Salon at the Aarwon Gallery in Canberra in 2021. Subsequently it was in A New Belonging for the Sustainable Living Festival and Geelong Design Week 2022 at The Reimaginarium, where it was sold.
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. 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.
