Everywhere

Moving on with my series "behind closed doors" ... here is my latest piece ... Everywhere.

My good friends Barry and Fiona donated this wonderful rescued timber to me and immediately it gave me the inspiration for terrain - which then sparked the idea of travelling over the terrain - and that led me to think of the great Australian song from the sixties " I've Been Everywhere" ... and so here is the result of this inspirational process ... the work stands 400mm high.

 120 tiny hand-made books are titled with the names of the towns in the song .. 

more books on the second shelf ...

and finally the 17 states and territories of the Australian Continent

The Story :

This artwork is based on the great Australian song ..

I’ve Been Everywhere -

Lyrics by Geoff Mack, as sung by Lucky Starr (1962)
check it out and sing along !!!!  -  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UAh7ogwAYQ

Well, I was humpin’ my bluey on the dusty Oodnadatta road,
When along came a semi with a high and canvas-covered load.

(Spoken) “If you’re goin’ to Oodnadatta, mate, um, with me you can ride.”

So I climbed in the cabin and I settled down inside.
He asked me if I’d seen a road with so much dust and sand, I said
“Listen, mate, I’ve travelled ev’ry road in this here land.”

Chorus:
Cos “I’ve been everywhere, man,
I’ve been everywhere, man.
‘Cross the deserts bare, man;
I’ve breathed the mountain air, man.
Of travel I’ve had my share, man.
I’ve been ev’rywhere.

Been to:
Tullamore, Seymour, Lismore, Mooloolaba,
Nambour, Maroochydore, Kilmore, Murwillumbah,
Birdsville, Emmaville, Wallaville, Cunnamulla,
Condamine, Strathpine, Proserpine, Ulladulla,
Darwin, Gin Gin, Deniliquin, Muckadilla,
Wallumbilla, Boggabilla, Kumbarilla,
I’m a killer.

Chorus

(Spoken) “Yeah but listen here, mate, have you been to…”

I’ve been to Moree, Taree, Jerilderie, Bambaroo,
Toowoomba, Gunnedah, Caringbah, Woolloomooloo,
Dalveen, Tamborine, Engadine, Jindabyne,
Lithgow, Casino, Brigalow and Narromine,
Megalong, Wyong, Tuggerawong, Wangarella,
Morella, Augathella, Brindabella, I’m the feller.

Chorus

(Spoken) “Yeah, I know that, but have you been to…”

I’ve been to Wollongong, Geelong, Kurrajong, Mullumbimby,
Mittagong, Molong, Grong Grong, Goondiwindi,
Yarra Yarra , Bouindarra, Wallangarra, Turramurra,
Boggabri, Gundagai, Narrabri, Tibooburra,
Gulgong, Adelong, Billabong, Cabramatta,
Parramatta, Wangaratta, Coolangatta, what’s it matter?

Chorus

(Spoken) “Yeah, look that’s fine, but how about…”

I’ve been to Ettalong, Dandenong, Woodenbong, Ballarat,
Canberra, Milperra, Unanderra, Captains Flat,
Cloncurry, River Murray, Kurri Kurri, Girraween,
Terrigal, Fingal, Stockinbingal, Collaroy and Narrabeen,
Bendigo, Dorrigo, Bangalow, Indooroopilly,
Kirribilli, Yeerongpilly, Wollondilly, don’t be silly.

Chorus

I’ve been here, there, ev’rywhere, I’ve been ev’rywhere.

(Spoken) “Okay, mate, you’ve been ev’ry place except one, and ya don’t need my help t’get there.”
(Sound of door slamming and truck driving off.)

I hope you have enjoyed this blog - do call again sometime ...

to view more of my artworks, visit my website

www.kenmunsie.com

My never travelled / stay at home / inside puss - Tom

Refused

This is my latest offering in a series titled - behind closed doors ...

The work is an artists' book in the genre of rescued assemblage ...

I have been moved to create a piece that reflects the plight of displaced and at-risk peoples of the world, and the hard-hearted attitude that many in our society have towards them - refusing them protection, and in so many cases, labelling them undesirable. 

We must remember that we are all - including our indigenous population - aliens in this land and we must open our hearts to the needs of others whose lives have been placed in jeopardy by cruelty and misadventure.

 Refused - behind closed doors

 Refused - behind bars

Refused - detail

Refused stands 400mm tall and is created from discarded metal and timber and hand-made paper - the lettering is in Arabic.

The Story ...

The situation in Australia has never been so bad for asylum seekers escaping danger in their homelands. Where is the protection they deserve and to which they have a legal right, when both the Government and Opposition are aligned against them?

Australians have been coerced into believing the myth that our borders must be protected at all costs from this invasion of queue jumping ‘illegals’ who have no right and do not deserve to be here. After all, it is difficult to resist such united fear mongering, so ably assisted by an often compliant media.
However, it is unthinkable and irresponsible, for decent Australians to accept these myths without trying to decipher the truth, and thereby be able to make an informed and balanced decision about issues concerning asylum seekers.

But where do we go to accomplish this? Who do we ask? Luckily for Sunshine Coast residents, a small active local group is doing something to address the imbalance.

Buddies Refugee Support Group feels passionately about ensuring the fair treatment of those escaping persecution and who come to our shores for protection. Buddies could no longer stand by without creating an opportunity for the public to hear the truth from people working closely with asylum seekers and refugees.

Thinking people of the Sunshine Coast ( Queensland - Australia ) are urged to attend a public forum to hear a distinguished panel of speakers consisting of a lawyer, refugee advocates, a journalist, and a former asylum seeker, namely Julian Burnside AO,QC, Freddie Steen, Pamela Curr, Paul Syvret and Homo Forotan.

Buddies, in association with Graduate Women Sunshine Coast, encourages residents to come for two hours on Sunday,16th October 2011 to learn the facts and participate in a dynamic discussion with a respected panel. ( check out their website for more details - http://refugeebuddies.com/ )

- media release from Buddies

 

Hippeastrum - Ken Munsie

www.kenmunsie.com

 

New Work from Ken Munsie

Keeper of the Words

At last a new piece of rescued assemblage is complete and ready for the world ...

Open the front door to reveal three more doorways ... open the top and bottom doors and you'll find the scrolls containing the words ... then behind the two middle doors sits the Keeper - but to see him, you'll have to visit my studio ...



The work stands 450mm tall and is for sale at $Aus650.00.

I trust you've enjoyed this post - and I do hope you'll return ...

cheers - Ken

www.kenmunsie.com

WEEDS INTO MALENY LIBRARY ...

Maleny Image 9:introduced
As part of the Sunshine Coast Council’s Weedbuster Week, 18 artists from the Collaboration of Maleny Artists have mounted an interesting exhibition of paintings and sculptural works at the Maleny Library.
COMA convenor, Ken Munsie, invited artists to research introduced species from along the Range, and reflect on how they have affected – or infected – our local natural environment … and to then create an artwork based on what they found.
Subject matters vary from Petterson’s Curse to Hemp to feral goats and Mistflower, with all the works created on canvasses of a similar size. Artists have also included a statement with their work that describes the effects of each specie and what inspired the artist to work with that subject matter.
The exhibition opens on Friday 02 September at 5.30pm - then runs for a fortnight at the library and moves to the Up Front Club in Maple Street for a further four weeks from 13 September.
All artworks are offered for sale at $120.00.
 

Fiona Dempster

Barry Smith

Cath Nash

Dianna Frank

 

 Helen Almberg

 Helen Campbell

 Jinty Stockings

 Jo Murray

 Johan Tijssen

 Ken Munsie

Kim Schoenberger

 Marianne Osborne

 Noela Mills

 Penny Rogan

 Sonja Georgeson

 Stephanie McLennan

 Tory Richards

 The Gallery Wall

Thank you for calling by -

I hope you'll visit my blog again ...

cheers - Ken 

http://www.kenmunsie.com/



Congratulations Shannon Garson

The winner of the Noosa Regional Gallery Travelling Scholarship national contemporary 3D art prize, presented by the Sunshine Coast Council, was announced last night at the Noosa Regional gallery.

Division 12 Councillor Lew Brennan presented Ange Leech from Victoria with the overall winner award and Shannon Garson from Maleny with the Highly Commended award.
“The purpose of the scholarship is to enable the winner to undertake study or training interstate or overseas. This may be through a recognised art institution, participation in short-term workshops or study with a nominated artist,” Councillor Brennan said.

Ange Leech was thrilled with the win and said that her winning work, Booth 1. ‘Not without my Carby’ is an interactive sculpture.

 

“Viewers are invited to place their hands into gloves so that they can assemble and reassemble the work,” Ange said.
“The prize will enable me to attend a puppet-making course in Prague and receive guidance in traditional wood working techniques such as carving and designing as well as attending lectures and performances.”

 

Maleny based artist ( and COMA member ) Shannon Garson is well known for her delicate porcelain vessels decorated with lively drawings. Her winning pieced entitled, Wallum Mapping – Diurnal Variation is from a body of mixed media work inspired by the Wallum Swamp eco-system.

“There is so much to be learnt through simply observing the world and being aware of the physical elements that surround us,” Shannon said.

The Noosa Regional Gallery Travelling Scholarship for 2011 is currently being exhibited at the Noosa Regional Gallery until 11 September, open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm. For more information visit http://www.travellingscholarship.com.au/

Text and images from http://www.mysunshinecoast.com.au/

Thanks for calling by - please visit again ...
http://www.kenmunsie.com/

Margaret Olley - an Australian Icon ...

Australian Artist Margaret Olley found dead at her home in Sydney ...

Tuesday 26 july 2011 - article by Isabel Hayes

 

Margaret Olley was not afraid of dying and her death in her own home was "the perfect way to end", her protege says.

Ben Quilty, the artist who portrayed the still-life painter in his award-winning Archibald prize entry this year, said he was "devastated" at the loss of his friend and mentor.

"I just spoke to her last night. She was her normal, bright self," an emotional Quilty told AAP on Tuesday. "I was going to see her tomorrow."

Olley, 88, was found dead at her home in Paddington, in Sydney's inner east, early Tuesday morning.

"It was the perfect way to end. She would have hated being attached to a machine in a hospital," Quilty said.

"Instead, she was in her home, her haven, I can't imagine a better end to her life."

He described Olley as a "modern, contemporary lady", tough and at times brutally honest, who just "wanted people to strive to be better".

"She was never fearful of death," he said.

"It was never a topic she shied away from. It was physically obvious to her that this was something she was about to deal with and she dealt with it with such grace."

NSW Art Gallery director Edmund Capon described Olley as "one of the most unforgettable people" he had ever met.

"I have never met anybody so rarely passionate, committed and yet always retaining a wry sense of the absurd that life inevitably presents to us," he said.

"She was probably the most politically incorrect person I knew. Margaret Olley brought a new dimension to the word individual."

Mr Capon said Olley was a true painter - "there was absolutely no other career for her" - who found beauty in humble things such as a bowl of fruit or flowers.

"We often talked about colour and what was her favourite colour. Her answer was swift and straightforward: 'green', she would say 'it's the colour of rebirth'."

Born in Lismore on June 24, 1923, Olley began painting as a girl at Somerville House boarding school in Brisbane, going on to become one of Australia's most respected still-life and interior artists.

She was also one of the country's most generous benefactors to public galleries, including the Art Gallery of NSW and the Museum of Contemporary Art, and she held honorary doctorates from Macquarie, Sydney, Queensland and Newcastle universities.

"She was the last of a generation of empowering figures in Australian art," said Professor Colin Rhodes, dean of the Sydney College of Arts at the University of Sydney, which awarded her an honorary degree in 2000.

"Olley was a leader in that generation that brought home-grown Australian art to the rest of the world, but importantly to Australia itself.

"Although she lived to a grand old age, she never lost her relevance."

In 1948, Olley was the subject of William Dobell's 1948 Archibald prize-winner.

Attending the prize announcement for Quilty last April, she told reporters how proud she was of him.

"That second Archibald Prize win meant a lot to her," Quilty said on Tuesday.

Nicky McWilliam, director of her late mother's gallery Eva Breuer Art Dealer, said Olley's death was "a real loss for Australia".

In 1991, Olley was made a Member of the Order of Australia for service as an artist and for the promotion of art.

In 2006, she was awarded Australia's highest civilian honour, the Companion of the Order, for service as one of Australia's most distinguished artists, for philanthropy to the arts and for encouragement of young and emerging artists.

"It's such a great award. I'm overawed," Olley said at the time.

"I thought just judges and just very important people got it.

"I'm not important. I just do what I want to do."

Thank you for your visit - please call again ....

http://www.kenmunsie.com

Winner of the SCAP 2011

The winner of the Sunshine Coast Art Prize 2011 was announced tonight at the Caloundra Regional Gallery ...

Anatye (Bush Potato)Artist: Margaret Loy Pula 2009
Medium: Acrylic on linen
Size: 120 x 120cm
Date completed: 2010

Artist Statement:-

“This painting is about my culture. That’s my father’s dreaming. This is from my father’s country, that country is called “Unjangola”. That is north of Utopia, not too far but really desert country”

Margaret has been exposed to art for most her life and lived for some time at Utopia where the Utopian art movement began with batik works. She paints her fathers dreaming and the stories that she depicts include country, bush food and ceremonial designs. Her main story is the “Anatye” or bush potato dreaming which is portrayed using a series of fine, microscopic dots.

The bush potato vine grows after the rains. The women go out to collect the potato using crowbars to dig up the ground. The potatoes can grow quite large, depending on the amount of rain. Once collected they are cooked in the hot coals of the fire. They are an important source of bush food for the Anmatyerre people.

Congratulations to Margaret ...

The Sunshine Coast Art Prize (SCAP) is a national acquisitive painting and 2D art prize valued at $26,000 and includes an artist residency in Maleny on the Sunshine Coast hinterland. The exhibition of forty finalists is a showcase of contemporary 2D practice by leading local and national artists. www.scap.org.auPlease call again ...

During SCAP 2011 the Caloundra Regional Gallery will be open daily from 6 July to 24 July, 10.00am– 4.00pm.



http://www.kenmunsie.com/