Dear good beings

I have a exhibition of new works opening this week at Scott Livesey galleries – 5th of October until the 22nd of October. It is a series of small paintings on aluminium, the title is Veneration.
This body of work took a long time to take its shape, in medium and in other ways. It’s grown from personal experience and others people’s expreinces who have been generous to share their time and story.

Here is a link to the work LINK. The works are for sale, contact info@scottliveseygalleries.com

Here is my artist statement:

VENERATION

I originally intended for these pieces to all be of me, but over time the subjects became performers, sex workers, life models and friends – those who modelled for me became examples of women who found freedom and empowerment through their sexuality and physicality. In the past while my work has explored the physical form it’s been as a non-sexual expression, and with this work I wanted to illuminate the two spaces that women often live in – that of desire and of repression.

Often the sexuality of women is seen as inherently degrading, something to be subjugated or disparaged, but this body of work is a release of that censorship, both internal and external. The time I spent with the models I work with was sometimes a secret endeavour, and the work is representative of women’s sexuality existing in secret spaces, and the hidden power of embracing it.

Familial exhibition with artists Janelle Low, Snehargho Ghosh, Jo Lane & Lily Mae Martin

At Divisions Gallery, Pentridge. 22nd of September to the 23rd of October.

Who are the people around us and what is our relationship to them? 

In this intimate exhibition of sculpture, drawing and photography, ‘Familial’ looks at relationships between friends, family, the self and others.

Greetings good beings,

Second epidose is out, here is a link: LINK

When Daniel Browning and I talk we draw at the same time. It’s a beautiful thing and I am in dream land – this is an amazing experience.

The next episode will be live this Wednesday – we talk hands.

Have a good week

LMM

Hello !

Hope all are well – spring. I am longing for it for the flowers and a bit more sunshine and warmth.

I am so happy to tell you that I have been invited onto Radio National to talk drawing with Daniel Browning on The Arts Show. It will run for a month and the first part was aired yesterday, you can still listen to it here:

THE ARTS SHOW

In May Bernhard Sachs passed.

He was one of my lecturers at the Victorian College of the Arts who encouraged and pushed my drawing practice.

Ashley Crawford wrote a piece about Bernhard Sachs over at artist profile which I recommend reading – LINK 

Sunday – there was sun and I planted more things. I made banana bread at Kidlet’s request, I’ve not baked with this oven before so I hope it turned out ok. The house smells delicious at least.

I have a few busy months ahead of me, it’s a little overwhelming to look at from here but I just have to break it up into smaller tasks day by day. Always easier said than done but I’ll give it a crack.

The above image is a corner of a drawing I have nearly finished, it is of the Otways – a very special place. I have another drawing sitting next to it, half complete, Mt Cole. I abandoned it in 2018, I found it when I finally moved out all my stuff from my old studio. Silly me, I think it’s worth finishing.

Anyway, time to go read up on some pathophysiology and get into the next week. Well, after I make popcorn.

Blessings good beings x

Hello – August – so windy last night, no one could sleep. The magpie nest is still up in the tree, I watch them building it from my porch some mornings. I’m glad it is there.

Back ay uni, semester two, we kind of went back weeks earlier. A lot of study to do, I am enjoying it a lot. I’m better set up now in my own place. I have no boyfriend which is absolutely excellent, my last couple of experiences have been awful.

The drawing has just been coming out, I do it almost all the time again. They’re not all good but who cares. I am filling up books and have a number of works on the go. It’s like it has all been building up and stuck inside of me and now it’s opening up and coming out.

Whoosh!

A couple of people who have floating into my life seem to have taken up drawing, which warms my heart.

“Most people when they become adults stop drawing – but you didn’t”

There are many more but these are the better skecthes and I have to go now and study later. Three papers to write, I promised myself I’d do better this term.

Above is my study buddy – who sits on top of my work and watches the laptop..

Seeya

What a time it has been.

It is semester break and I have been at my drawing board working away at a large drawing which I have not done in years now. It feels good.

Though we have been sent uni work to do in our break, haha.

I have taken a break from employment for now, a big risk but I need to focus on study, I did have some pretty bad times with it this semester and not sure where I stand. Just a lot of disruption, a lot of hurt – but a lot of support and kindness from neighbours and friends and mumma.

Oh I have been gardening too, I have baby turnips, silverbeet, all the herbs, beans, cornflowers, marigolds, poppies, heaps of different daffs growing. My porch gets the northern sun and it’s glorious.

Anyway enough for now. Time to take my awesome kid to see a silly movie 🙂

It’s come for my daughter, rough night last night but today the sun is streaming through our windows and she’s up with her lego and a normal temp.

We are tired but day two is going ok so far.

Pfft.

HIIII.

I just finished up my job at the hospital, I have to focus on study and my art. Life has just been huge. I’ve never had my own place before and it is my safe space so of course there’s a lot of grief to wade through, for so many things. Then on a more practical level there’s also the constant discovering of the things I do not have – like a can opener and of course this is only truly realized when I NEED IT.

I’m getting there.

Today was a rough day but I walked through the cemetry and watched the birds. Sulphur crested cockatoos, you lovely screaming jerks. Yesterday I was near there also and it was pretty glorious, I helping a friend with a log and then we had too much coffee in the late afternoon.

Today I can’t do anything. I have an assignment that is close to being finished but I have lost a lot of confidence with everything lately, I feel like I can’t do it.

Anyway I cannot concerntrate, I can’t draw or write (academically) so I thought I’d have a look through my sketchbooks. It’s significant to me how much I have turned back to my sketching these last few hard years, similar to when I was so very lost in Berlin. (My project Berlin Domestic, which I still believe saved my life as well as the doctor who gave me a jar of vegemite saying  – “You Australians, you are the only people who eat this”). I look at these drawings and I recall the feelings, the places, the people and their smiles, people in their last weeks, days and moments of their lives and then what the place feels like without them.

Different but the same.

I really love working in hospitals and look forward to being back there again one day.

Then there are other memories, which are just that, memories.

Now there’s more but I’ll save that for another time. I’ll keep wading and hopefully the hurt will pass soon, it always does.

Time to continue writing and look if I fail I’ll bloody do it all again.