Week 12

"Bush Medicine Leaves"

Product Code: 15091

Acrylic on Canvas

120 cm x 60 cm

Margaret Scobie

The above Bush Medicine Leaves painting is one of many variations that Margaret Scobie has created. 

Margaret has drawn inspiration from her culture, surrounding environment and in particular the body painting seen from her Anmatyerre heritage, found within the Northern Territory.

A multitude of colours have been incorporated, in particular the warm desert tones, to define each leaf and create contrast. Each fine stroke starts and curves in the opposite direction and is repeated till a cluster is formed. This cluster has the physical shape of lady finger bananas. These clusters are the appearance of leaves with there unpredicted and free flowing nature.

As an interpretation, the overall feel is bush medicines leaves in summer. The fine strokes are closely intertwined between each cluster to give the interpretation of a medicine bush leaves from above. The series of colours are eye catching and have a warming and friendly feel. Bush Medicine Leaves is a painting that once again can be viewed by all audiences and has a continuous flow. Its simplistic strokes form together to create the overall piece and shows that simplistic strokes and an artistic eye can transform and depict anything.  

Week 11

"Wild Yam Flower", 2012

Catalogue: 5753

Acrylic on Linen

180 cm x 120 cm

Dulcie Long Pula (Pwerle)

Wild Yam Flower is Dulcie's depiction of the bush yam. The bush yam is a vegetable that is grown beneath the ground, with a pretty flower seen above ground. 

Dulcie's surrounding environment and cultural background has spurred her interest and 

exploration of the bush yam through the artistic pathway.

As seen in the two smaller images above, the Wild Yam Flower is created using acrylic paint on linen. A series of strokes at various sizes are used to help create depth and movement through each section. The warm summer dessert tones are used to help define each petal and also to help show the movement, flow and depth of each petal. 

Its intriguing looking at the pressure points of each stroke. The paint/pressure is thickest at one end and trail off as the brush moves in the opposite direction to the initial point of contact. 

Individually, each stroke has its own flow and direction, although when viewed from afar and colour is introduced, the overall meaning is seen. 

This painting is completely and utterly stunning. As mentioned above, the movement and flow between each petal is intriguing and eye catching. Its simplistic strokes placed together help create and understand the story and meaning behind this painting. Its contemporary and abstract style is universal and can be appreciated by all audiences.

Similar to Dulcie's above painting Wild Yam Flower, below is another interpretation of the 

bush yam in blue and white tones.  You can see similarities between the two 

paintings and the intricate pattern.

Wild Yam Flower

Catalogue: 5748

Acrylic on Canvas

90 cm x 59 cm

Dulcie Long Pula (Pwerle)

Week 10

Walka Tjukula

By Karen Kulyuru

As mentioned in a previous post, Walka is any meaningful marking found within the environment. 

Karen's interpretation, describes rockholes, sand hills and the roads between.

The shapes are influenced by the landscapes around Karen which draw colour from both the desert tones and various brighter tones as seen on the lacquer bangle above.

The vine style pattern raps its way around the top of the bangle representing the sand hills separated by roads. The lower half of the bangle describes the rock holes and the movement from one to another. 

This simple design aids the use of colour to define each element. The pattern is universal and can be worn amongst modern day clothing styles with ease.

Karen's work often expresses aspects of her surrounding environment. 

From her desert surroundings to her current surrounding environment of Adelaide, she draws from these influences to depict how she feels.

Week 9

Family and Country

by Damien and Yilpi Marks

Family and Country depicts the dry season of Damien's homeland in the Northern Territory. 

It illustrates aspects past down from generation to generation of the landscape and culture at the 

time of Damien's great-grandparents. 

This painting describes a community preparing for a ceremony. Women and children collecting bush potatoes (as seen with the red shapes at the top), and a man with his spear. With the dry season, the community would use controlled burnings to help rejuvenate and replenish the life of fruit. 

In preparation for the ceremony, women's body paint is presented as small star like symbols which are splatter across the painting. 

The warm colours help represent the dry season, cracks, dry creek beds and the heat of the day and the fires. The white creates contracts and shows the movement through the story.

Overall this card is very complex and detailed. It expresses a large community and their routine ritual leading towards a ceremony. Although I respect the story and representation, I find it hard to fully appreciate the story with its complex imagery. As the application of this story is in a gift card, i feel it wouldn't be appreciated as a whole as it would be if it was a painting. In a painting form, this story would be admired by those who truly understand each mark and its intension.

Week 8

In a previous post, I have looked at the Better World Arts group and what they have helped 

accomplish since they were established in 1991.

The Better World Arts group help produce a vast ranges of products which 

include stainless steel jewellery, various other styles (which will be looked at in coming posts) and gift cards, to name a few. 

Walka

By Mulykuya Ken

This card design is a snippet from Mrs Ken's original painting created during a weekly art workshop at the Better World Arts space in Port Adelaide. The title of this piece, Walka, describes any meaningful mark or pattern which could be found amongst the natural environment. These markings have a cultural and ritual significance which can be seen on the body during a traditional song, dance (inma) or a ceremony. 

This representation of Walka shows various animal footprints and markings alongs the Australian 

landscape and in particular around Mrs Ken's homeland.  

As Mrs Ken has presented, the environment is a source of inspiration. The use of colour describes the change of season with its rich wildlife inhabitance. As seen, the background fades between an orchid and a warm pink and shows the heat of the dessert sun. The use of gold and silver placed around each black mark creates movement through the card. 

Overall this card is striking with a contemporary edge and speaks to a wide audience. Although its not set for any particular theme, this card can be used for any occasion especially when given with any gift.

Week 7

Mondo Rondo Utopia Collection

The Utopia collection features the artists Minni Pwerle, Gloria Petyarr and Barbara Weir who are from the Utopia region, 240km North East of Alice Springs. As the other collection, all pieces are handmade by Mondo Rondo and have the artists name and art work name engraved on the back. 

The Utopia collection has a more contemporary feel utilising both black and white and colour.

Gloria Petyarr

Utilising both colour and black and white, Gloria has created flowing designs using a seed style shape. Each piece has a mind of its own leads you around the page and describes a particular plant that is used in bush medicine

Minnie Pwerle

Likewise, Minnie has explored both black and white and coloured pieces that showcase her unique contemporary feel with a high contrast. Both circles and lines are used also showing a 

directional downward flow. 

Barbara Weir

Using a more muted colour palette, Barbara uses lines to depict grass seed. The yellow highlights create hierarchy and the starting point which the flow moves from. 

As a whole, the collection is quite contemporary compared to the Warlukurlangu Collection. The style presented by each artists is different by works together to compliment each other within this collection.

This would have to be one of my prefered styles of Aboriginal Art as it is something that can be worn in a contemporary context and can match various styles. 

Week 6

Mondo Rondo Jewellery

Mondo Rondo is a Jewellery company that collaborates with various Indigenous artist's and communities to bring Aboriginal art into a modern context. The pieces of work are imprinted onto necklaces and earrings to and sold at various locations around Australia. Mondo Rondo feature three main collections which will be touched upon over the next few weeks.

This week I will be looking at the Warlukurlangu Collection.

The Warlukurlangu Collection is an amalgamation of Aboriginal artists that come from the Yuendemu Arts Centre, a remote community 300km North West of Alice Springs. This collection features numerous artists that have more of a traditional style of Aboriginal art. Each artist has created a design which is then imprinted onto both a necklace and earrings.

Below are some of the artists featured within this collection.

The collection features 12 Aboriginal artists, with each showcasing a different style. The colours and patterns predominately show dots and lines and when seen from a far the combination changes the depth to each design. 

Week 5

'Better World Arts is an innovative social enterprise working with Aboriginal artists primarily from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjara Lands, Yuendumu and other remote communities from Australia.'

Better World Arts amalgamated in 1996 with the Kaltijiti Arts centre situated in the isolated Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands (APY Lands). This area is located in the north west corner of South Australia.

The Better World Arts group produces fine handcrafts that are made in the Himalayan region of Kashmir, Peru and the Tibetan community in Nepal. Although the products are produced overseas, it is a collaboration between the APY Aboriginal Lands and these overseas sources that the production of such amazing hand crafted products are born. The opportunities created by the Better Works Art group allows for remote communities and cultures to have a sustainable economy.

The products available expanse over a large range including jewellery, paintings, scarves, rugs, home wares and more. The patterns and prints come directly from the Aboriginal artist and illustrate numerous dream time stories, which are then turned into the final products.

Silver Brooch - 'IWI944'

by Inawinytji Williamson

This brooch is sold under the Better World Arts group on behalf on Inawinytji Williamson, the artist.

The brooch illustrates the dream time story of the Seven Sisters who travel across the land, trying to escape from a bad man. 

The story explains how the Seven Sister create rock holes along their journey while walking on dry creek beds. To flee the man, the Sisters leave earth and take to the sky. The Seven Sisters and the man can be seen today amongst the Orion Constellation.

Overall the brooch has a unique and meaningful quality. The lines have a continuous flow that moves yours eye around the piece. The rock holes are created using large circles with a smaller circle within. The inner circle has a thicker line to emphasis that it is a significant part of the story. Singular lines are places next to each other to form a path between each rock hole and to show there is a connection.

Overall the brooch design by Inawinytji Williamson is beautifully created, with a complex definition yet it is expressed in the simplest of forms.

Week 4

"Honey", 2011

Oil on plywood

180cm  x 180 cm

Ildiko Kovacs

Ildiko Kovacs is a contemporary artist that has used various mediums over the course of her painting career. At the age of seventeen Kovacs began her further education for three years specialising in art. After travelling around Europe, looking through galleries and museums Kovacs began her trip back to Australia to start paining.

Working with various artists gave Kovacs the edge and confidences which is seen with her contemporary abstract style of painting. A pivotal point in Kovacs career was in 1995 when she travelled  around Australia and settle in Broome for a period of time. This experience changed the way she saw her own painting from a European and American style to an Australian focus on the landscape. 

Over the year Kovacs line work has been created with paint brushes. Recent years have seen Kovacs move from paint brushes to rollers which has expanded her pattern and mark making results. 

Above is Kovacs painting called Honey. Using oil on plywood, she has created movement throughout the piece showing the Australian landscape at the same time. Looking from a far, this piece is abstract and the meaning behind the painting is lost without the paintings description. Although the meaning is lost, the appreciation of the work is not pushed aside. Each line moves and interlines, creating a continuous flow across the piece. The colour scheme is warm and gives a homely feeling which everyone can relate to. 

Recently, Honey was exhibited and the main advertising piece for the exhibition Roads Cross at the Flinders Gallery in Adelaide. This exhibition saw a contemporary direction in Australian Art with artists using various mediums and forms to present their work.

Overall, Ildiko Kovacs has a unique contemporary style which incorporates the Australian landscape. Her work most definitely is an experience to see in life not just in print. The textures, patterns and the detail of the work really add another level and appreciation for her work.

Week 3

As mentioned in my last post, I will be looking at the Yuendumu School Doors.

The School Doors are something that have intrigued me with their colours, patterns and how movement is created through each door.  These School Doors were created in 1983 as a project started by the community elders and artists of the Yuendumu region. The Yuendumu region is located 300km North West of Alice Springs and is seen as a remote community.

This project started as something to help refurbish and change the attitude of the Yuendumu school students environment so they can understand and respect their heritage. The Doors within this school were predominately battered and graffitied, and the community elders decided that they needed to be repainted or replaced. The community elders made the decision to repaint the school doors with dreamtime stories that originate from the Yuendumu region. This decision saw the Aboriginal Art movement move from traditional etchings on the ground to using canvas and modern material.

The main contributing artists for this project were Paddy Japaljarri Stewart, Paddy Japaljarri Sims, Roy Jupurrurla and a few others that are now deceased. These artists collaborated with local community members with the Dreaming designs and negotiating the content which is to be produced.

As a series, the Doors work together to express a range of Aboriginal Dreamtime stories that are particular to the Yuendumu region. After numerous years passed, the condition of the refurbish school doors began to degrade due to wind damage and graffiti once again. The Yuendumu region entrusted the Door series to the South Australian Museum rather than selling each one individually. As part of the conditions of the the Doors being placed in the South Australian Museum, the Doors were to be restored to their original condition and placed on display for all to see.

Above is Door number 4: Old Men and Boomerangs 

Painted by Paddy Japaljarri Sims

'Old Men and Boomerangs' is a dreamtime story featuring men getting their boomerangs ready for battle. The lower half of the door features axes and boomerangs each positioned so they flow into each other, where as the top half shows boomerangs, waterhole, snakes and tracks of flacons. The predominate colours used are brown, red, yellow, white and navy and these help express the emotions and tell the dreamtime story. The emotions from this door is warm and shows two sides battling for each other possibly for the land.

Overall, the Yuendumu School Doors have sparked my interest into the patterns and colours expressed through each of the paintings. All of the patterns flow into each other and draw the viewers eye around the piece to gain the full experience and it is something that takes your breath away. 

Week 2

This week brought on an excursion to the South Australian Museum.
The SA Museum is home to one of the largest Aboriginal collections which describes and sheds light on Aboriginal Art, Culture and their societies. The Australian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery expands over two floors and is a great exhibition to start at, for any one who is new to and those that are intrigued in Aboriginals lifestyle.

This Gallery was opened in March 2000 and was refurbish late last year (2011). The refurbishment saw the introduction of new lighting, signage and interactive screens.

The ground floor of the exhibition features mostly the hunting, gathering and craftsmanship techniques and various tools used. The center part of this floor features the main aboriginal tribes that inhabited South Australia and Adelaide.

The first floor introduces Aboriginal dreamtime stories, craftsmanship of carking, basket weaving and bark paintings. Similar to the lower floor, the inner section features information about Aboriginal tribes around Australia.

To appeal to all ages, interactive computer screens are situated around the floors allowing viewers to follow areas in more depth. The comfy lounges match quite nicely making the viewer linger a little longer.

Both of these floors are hard to navigate as they do not have a natural flow. The inner spaces break up the overall floor, but they do not have a flow into each section. The dark atmosphere lighting also does not help with the navigation, but maybe this is the intension. The intension to make your own path through the exhibition and discover each section are your own pace.

Overall, the exhibition is insightful and gives the viewer a good understanding into what Aboriginal lifestyles are. This exhibition was a great place for me to start to grasp aspects that intrigue and inspire me to look further. In particular I was intrigued in the first floor display with the dreamtime section. The Yuendumu School Doors was a particular interest that sparked my attention. The marks and patterns created movement and describes dreamtime stories. The next post will feature more on the Yuendumu School Doors.

The link below is to the South Australian Museum website that features the Australian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery.

http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/whatson/whattosee/permanent/aacg

Week 1

This blog will be a place where Indigenous Art, Culture and Design will be explored. I will post aspects of these areas that interest me over the course of many weeks. We shall see how this goes.