This found object assemblage wall sculpture is called The Found Cat and Dog Home. It is 16x25x7cm in size and can either be hung on a wall or set on a shelf. I made it from all the lost dogs and cat toys, dog collar tags, footprint bottle tops and a small white shelf I found on the streets of Melbourne.
Exhibitions
An earlier version of this work was created for the exhibition In the Drawer: The Silver Lining, held at the Melbourne City Library from December 2021 to March 2022. The current version has appeared in the exhibition Exuberance at Proudkind on Errol Street, North Melbourne in May 2023.
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.
However, this work is a bit different from my others. I brought together all the lovely creatures and their paraphernalia that had been lost or discarded on the streets.
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.
