Still working on small textile collages.
I found an old army blanket from my childhood and couldn’t resist it’s raggedy worn, loveliness and further rusted it. Leaving it in the elements outside for a few weeks.
It can take ages moving pieces around to get the right composition.
then sometimes it just happens straight away.
Adding more marks…
The good thing about using a stretched canvas as a base, I can stitch right into it.
Just like using a embroidery hoop.
I am a visual artist who works with a range of mediums and my process varies.
I use which ever vehicle helps me to express my ideas. Each work informs the other and leads onto the next idea.
The collages I’m working on at the moment are a follow on from my hand sewn fabric pieces and with more experiments I can see 3d objects creeping in
100 yr old cotton textile fragments, vintage found objects, oil pigments,vintage card, linen thread, linen cloth.
The pieces of cloth are extremely fragile so each piece
needs to be reinforced and sealed and stitched into very carefully
before being attached to book board.
Mixed- Media Collage on Vintage Book Pages
3 abstract artworks
Size: Each artwork
Artwork 7.5″ x 5.5″ – 19 x 14cm
Size: with matt, 10″ x 8″ – 26 x 20cm.
Year 2016
“No Goodbye”
Mixed media collage. Found book paper, archive grey matt, thread on vintage book pages (Unframed)
“Indigo”
( Artwork is matted ready to frame)
“Air Attacks”
Signed and dated on the back.
New Paintings, sculpture and more available in the Gallery Some are already framed others are ready to hang with all hardware attached. Shipping included in the price!
I am influenced by abandoned and derelict spaces, vacant industrial sites, structures, old walls & graffiti. The paintings below are about the connections and contrasts of imperfections, found in the urban environment, highlighting, insignificant marks, weathered surfaces.
Wallmatter 13
Wallmatter 17
Wallmatter 14
Wallmatter 16
Wallmatter 12
Small Abstract Oil Paintings. Still & Interruption.
I spent a lot of time trying to get the surface just right, on these 3 paintings, as I wanted each piece to stand on its own, as well as, together as a whole. I also wanted to convey a feeling of stillness. A space to sit awhile.
The 3 below have colour and movement. I feel they are not yet resolved and will probably work back in with more layers.
I’m enjoying, the smaller scale paintings at the moment, especially after all the large ones I did over the past year for my “Wallmatter” exhibition.
Its a whole different way of working. Large paintings have huge sweeping strokes, where the whole body is involved. Smaller artworks allow me to come in close and are not so hard on my body. I can work longer on them, without too much pain to my back and neck.
Digital Collage and Photoshop.
When making my art, I rarely follow rules. Not knowing, techniques, materials and technology, doesn’t bother me and can be a blessing. It gives me more freedom to play around and discover things, that wouldn’t otherwise, be found.
A few images of recent experiments in Photoshop and other programs using my own artworks.
Do you always follow the rules when creating?
Bluethumb Melbourne, Article.
Many thanks to Bek at Bluethumb in Melbourne, for the recent feature article about my exhibition, Wallmatter.
Wallmatter Exhibition update! In addition to the recent Bluethumb article, I was recently interviewed to be included in a book project about female artist’s for release next year. More details on that coming soon!
Wallmatter Exhibition Photos – Jenny Davis – 2016
A huge thank you to everybody who attended the opening of my new exhibition Wallmatter last Saturday. A special thank you to all the people who helped me pull it altogether and make it a special day. I feel so blessed and encouraged with all the support shown for my artwork and the new friendships I made.
Wallmatter continues until Tuesday August 16th at The Memo, Healesville Victoria. Free Entry. All artworks are for sale.
A few photos I took the next day as I forgot my camera on opening night.
An installation of paint, concrete, rust and
textiles, inspired by imperfections and
weathered surfaces, linking to the abandoned
and neglected spaces found in urban and rural
environments.
“Surfaces and objects touched by time tell a
story and are a raw reflection of their environment.
I want to highlight the significance of a random
mark, or the crumbling texture of a wall in an
underground space. They are evidence to a
previous time in history. My abstractions are
investigations into marks and traces left behind
in the urban and rural environment.”
– Jenny Davis, Artist
Crut. New Paintings. Cradled Boards.
3 new paintings, well, it’s actually one painting, a triptych, I did for a recent art prize. Each painting was made with acrylic paint and small areas of oil paint on birch cradled boards.
I love using boards for painting. The surface is much more forgiving than canvas. Perfect for the spontaneous, mark-making and material layering I tend to do. I can scratch, sand, scrape back, engrave and it won’t tear, or break like canvas.
If I could get larger cradled boards and still be able to lift them, I would be very happy. The size of these boards are 50 x 50cm. each. Overall size 150cm. x 50cm.
About Crut
Communication to the masses. Text in the environment can mark territory, give control and can validate those, who don’t have a voice in the mainstream order. Through mark-making in the environment everybody can be heard. I see beauty and at times, desperation in the messages, found in the streets, and in the abandoned, underground and derelict spaces. Layers of tagging, graffiti and found marks on weathered surfaces tell stories about the past, present and future. Aesthetically they can be beautiful, even though they may have been painted illicitly on a wall, or other surface’s. My abstractions are investigations into, marks, traces and messages, left behind, in the urban and rural environment.
As mentioned in my previous post, here are some photographs from my published article in “Sew Somerset Summer 2016” magazine on, how to make your own mixed media collage’s, from vintage, Pulp Fiction paperback books or, any other damaged books.
I love reclaiming and re-using, old tattered books that would otherwise, be tossed in the garbage giving them a new life and a new meaning. Instead of them being destroyed and forgotten.
I collect discarded objects and litter from the streets, along with items people would otherwise throw away and use them in my art and installation work. I physically dismantle my collected items, and then reassemble them, with the intention to reconstruct its purpose, from its earlier meaning and appearance.
My artworks are little mixed-media collage’s, created from, vintage “Pulp Fiction” book pages, old linen cloth, thread, paint, coloured pencils and ink.
As a thank you to all my readers Use Coupon Code PUBL0616 for a 50% discount on this magazine when you checkout at Stampington.com, and buy four (4) or more copies of the title. Click on image below!
“Wallmatter” Exhibition Progress. Jenny Davis 2016.
All my paintings are now finished and have been taken to the framers for my upcoming exhibition, in July and I managed to fit all, 17 paintings, into the car for the short trip to Healesville.
While the paintings are at the framers I have been creating and finishing off, other pieces in the show. It has also, given me pockets of time to concentrate on the written stuff, which I find a bit difficult sometimes.
My art statement has changed a million times, but I think I’m happy with it now. Id rather just let my artwork speak for itself but, finally, after many years, I’m actually starting to enjoy the process of writing the art statement. I see it now, as an extension of my work and not, just an unrelated, add on . As an artist, you know yourself, what your art is all about, but putting it out there, for the viewer, in words, honestly, without all that “artspeak”, is a whole different art, I’ve had to learn over the years.
If you need help writing art statements, here is fantastic book that has helped me. “Art-Write. The Writing Guide for Visual Artists by Vicki Krohn Amorose.” It’s a simple, step by step guide on writing, not only, art statements but also, speeches, proposals, bio, press release’s and more. Its all related to the visual artist.
The ad for “Art Almanac” magazine has been designed and sent off to the magazine and the invite/ad for “Wallmatter” exhibition, has been designed, with some help from my daughter overseas in France… Amazing Skype!
The catalogue price list has taken a long time as every detail of every single piece has to be written down and priced. It’s an ongoing venture and still in progress as I keep adding more pieces. The food and drinks for the opening have all been taken care of, thanks, to a couple of dear friends for their help.
I’m still making some flat concrete stands I want to sit my sculpture’s on. One of them broke, so I’m not sure yet, whether Ill to use them, or not. I also need to find a way to get my paintings to the exhibition. Once framed they won’t fit into my car. Something I didn’t think off:)
The last thing I will need to do is photograph and document all the pieces, before they are sent off to the gallery. Encase they don’t come back home again:) Hopefully!
More details of what? when? and where? coming very soon!
Experimental Painting. Industrial Materials and Methods.
Its been almost a year since I started this group of paintings using traditional, non traditional, industrial, materials and processes. There are 20 paintings altogether.
After several months of research and practical experiments, I finally discovered how to make my textural, gritty surfaces, stable and permanent for a flexible base.
