Current Exhibition

Ana Young

The catalogue of memory #2

An ongoing project in the tradition of the museum ‘Wunderkammer’.

“As I live in a more enclosed world I choose to revisit, connecting to the simplicity of the collected pieces, looking, speculating and formulating stories behind their physical entities. I question /reaffirm the validity of objects, their temporal associative powers to evoke emotional states and return to a particular moment or place.”

Ana Young is a local artist and currently one of six artists participating in the Primrose Park Artist Studios in 2021. Her work is held in North Sydney Council’s Local Studies Art Collection. Ana holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the National Art School, with Honours in Visual Arts from ANU. She has been selected as a finalist in numerous prestigious art prizes including the Mosman Art Prize, Tom Bass Prize for Sculpture, Blake Prize, Kedumba Drawing Award and Dobell Prize for Drawing at the Art Gallery of NSW. 

https://anayoung.com.au/home

Previous Exhibitions

MIND GARDEN 4

copper wire, cable ties, polyester mono filament, beads, shells, wire, doilies, cotton, needle caps, acrylic, rope, electrical wire, plastic bags, deconstructed necklaces, builder’s line, buttons, sari string, extinguished fire crackers, plastic coated electrical wire, glue, whipper snipper cord, computer parts, jet ski rope, photos, notes, photocopies, curtain rings, netting, ceramic objects and embroidery cotton.

In 2020 artist Minka Gillian was invited to exhibit a selection of works from an ongoing project titled MIND GARDEN as part of PROJECT 2060: HOMEWARD BOUND, a large-scale Arts & Culture North Sydney curatorial initiative featuring works by 150 artists at 5 Council venues throughout March.

In MIND GARDEN 4 Minka has created an immersive, joyful and intriguing installation that funnels the viewer into the internal world of the artist to transform the contained glass plinth into a magical, almost terrarium type world of intrigue, colour and life.

www.minkagillian.com

Jenny Green
Hot Spots
painted steel, 110 x 45 x 28cm

Artist Statement
Hot Spots is a story of optimism, resourcefulness and resilience. It conjures a life of criss-crossing paths and interactions, periods of vibrancy and high energy offset by periods of refection. And, of course, the odd crisis, highlighted with a touch of red! COVID has forced us to reframe priorities, to spend more time ‘being’ rather than ‘doing’. But it will not defeat us. Human ingenuity will prevail. 

jennygreen.net

Nola Jones

Halcyon Days
steel, aluminium armature, papier-mâché & oil paint

73 x 53 x 53cm

Nola Jones playful totemic sculpture is currently on display. The vividly painted work in unusually bright colours, speaks of esoteric ritual and universality. The abstract geometry, and invites the viewer to step closer.

Nola is an established artist who works across a range of media with a more

Ana Young

Subterranean

found objects

12 x 50 x 70cm variable

Ana is currently a studio artist at North Sydney Council’s Primrose Park Artist Studio Program, Cremorne.

Ana Young CV (101KB)

ESCAPE 2015

mixed media sculpture, 68 x 34 x 37.5 cm

Denese Oates combines botanical forms fabricated from copper, which emerge from the inner confines of books, suggesting how these hidden ideas and facts, philosophies and mysteries, can be synonymous with the visual representation of growth. She explores the idea that inspiration springs from a myriad of places, and a universe of knowledge may be encased in small packages ready to burst

Denese was the winner of Site Specific Award, North Sydney Art Prize 2017, and Council purchased that work for its Local Studies Collection.

Denese Oates CV (1MB)

Statement
This work was made in response to the artist’s experience of her marriage to her indigenous Filipino husband on the top of a mountain in his home town Sagada, Philippines. The hilltop has now been renamed ‘the wedding hill’ by locals. The ceremony took place over a number of days, entrails of chickens were read, a cow and a bag of 50 year of rice were gifted as wedding presents, and a village was fed. The depth of community, ritual and connection to nature highlighting the disconnect in her own ‘white-anglo’ cultural experience.

Bridget Kennedy CV (196KB)

Bridget Kennedy Biography (48KB)

Emily Crockford, Bunny 2018, papier-mâché, gold leaf, hand-painted egg,

Phil Sidney, White Bird 2018, papier-mâché, gold leaf, hand-painted egg,

Phil Sidney, Magpie 2018, papier-mâché, gold leaf, hand-painted egg,

Studio A is a supported artist studio based in Crows Nest tackling the barriers that artists living with intellectual disability face in accessing conventional education, professional development pathways and opportunities needed to be successful visual artists. This unique enterprise paves professional pathways for these artists so they can achieve their artistic and economic aspirations.

website: www.studioa.org.au

Kathie Najar

Teenage Games:

#17 Fighting Gully Rd, #19 High St

hand painted ceramic tiles, marine ply, silicon, astro-turf, pavers

Artist Statement

These sculptures were informed by the tradition of 18th century hand painted Dutch delft tiles, and children’s games.

The letterbox is the entry point to a happy family home, but it poses the question: is anyone home? Is anyone there to tend and care for teenagers?

Glenese Keavney

A Mixed Dozen – finding ways we are Connected

Various shaped and sized bottles using a range of basketry techniques: stitching, looping (knotless netting), twining, random knotting, wrapping, riveting

Artist Statement
Such a strange mixture: we human beings. I search for how to see and feel us as cohesive, together, connected.

Glenese Keavney CV (118KB)

Rhonda Pryor
Reminders
polyester & nylon, organza & thread

Rhonda Pryor CV (615KB)

www.rhondapryor.wordpress.com

Rhonda Pryor was the 2018 Coal Loader Artist in Residence

FLUIDITY, POWER, STRENGTH
A symbolic installation by Ridge Street Artist in Residence Bridget Kennedy referencing ideations of 'woman' using sterling silver, nickel silver, steel, threads, various found and donated beads.

Bridget Kennedy Project Space

www.projectspace.bridgetkennedy.com.au

You Are Here

Glass, Reclaimed Western Red Cedar and Ink on paper

32 x 35 x 2 cm 

ALW Clarke's work explores the human condition, alongside self-awareness and growth. She uses art to encourage conversations on mental health and wellness. 'You Are Here' is inspired by the pinpoint of modern location services. Clarke created this piece as a reminder to be present in the moment - unconcerned with the past or future, being fully aware of where you are right now.

Ana Young

The archive of memory 2017

found objects, dimensions variable

Ana Young is a local artist who works in paintings and installations. Ana has had many solo exhibitions and been selected for a number of well-known group exhibitions including the NSW Parliament Art Prize, Salon des Refuse, Kedumba Drawing Award, Dobell Prize for Drawing, Blake Prize, Hidden Sculpture Award and  Fisher’s Ghost Art Award.

Ana Young CV (101KB) 

Journey(Less)

recycled mild steel, 81 x 64 x 65cm

Andrew is an established practicing artist working in a variety of media including sculpture, painting and photography.

Journey(Less) sets put to highlight the emotional weight that humans carry  in the daily grind to find the easiest existence. Contained in the journeys we are all travelling through to find a placing or mooring.

www.instagram.com/andrewmayart/

Luminous

bronze, 60 x 20 x 15cm

Jenny Green is an established sculptor based on the Northern Beaches.  Jenny has had many solo exhibitions and participated in a broad range of group exhibitions across Australia including the North Sydney Art Prize 2013, 2015 and 2017. 

Jenny is represented by traffic jam galleries, 41 Military Road, Neutral Bay.  For information regarding her work visit www.trafficjamgalleries.com or phone 9953 3832

Evolution of the Bag 2017

Mixed media, size variable

Bags have been in existence for as long as we have needed to carry things. The bags in this plinth are an example of evolution which has rendered them totally ineffective for this function.

These objects parody the little bag as a fashion item.   

Desdemona Foster is an artist who incorporates basketry techniques in her creative practice.

She draws inspiration from the natural world with a particular focus on working with recycled materials.

Desdemona Foster CV (150KB)

Today and Tomorrow 2016
mixed media, 50 x 80 x 50cm

Matthew McLarty is an emerging artist and photographer. His painted works often feature bold colours in a simplistic abstract style. His catalogue of photographs is vast and includes macro images of the natural world, impressive landscapes and everyday objects otherwise forgotten. 

Edward Piano Hands, mixed media, 79x19x14cm
Edison, mixed media, 61x19x15cm

Edward Piano Hands and Edison are both made from found objects (chair legs, piano parts, light globes, golf tees, wood). My work expresses contemporary social and environmental concerns and, at the same time, I'm sharing a positive message about beauty and the aesthetic experience. For me, found objects often have inherent beauty due to the affect of aging on the materials. People have expressed to me an awareness that manifests after seeing my found object artwork and surprise in the variety of ways I have utilised them.  

Britta 2010, mixed media, 90 x 30 x 20cm (red sculpture)
Sylvie 2010, mixed media, 91 x 27 x 26cm (green sculpture)

Two distinct and colourful sculptural works by local artist Nola Jones are currently on display.  The vivid totemic works speak of esoteric ritual and universality.  They are painted in unusually bright colours and look to the spiritual as the originator of form.  Rich in colour and abstract geometry, they invite the viewer to step closer and take a look.

Nola is an established artist who works across a range of media with a more recent interest in abstract symbolic, almost primitive forms.  She began her journey in painting in the early 60s and then travelled through disparate media including textiles, paper and working with found objects.  Her journey through sculpture over the past decades reflects her extensive international travels and a determination for experimentation.

Nola completed studies from 1961-3 at the South Australian School of Art, Adelaide and 1964-5 attended the Central School of Arts and Crafts, London.  She has an extensive exhibition history and her works are held in collections across Australia.

pteropods 2015

wire, seaweed paper, Japanese paper, 60 x 60cm

Alex Thorby was a finalist in the North Sydney Art Prize 2015 and is currently a co-Director at NORTH Contemporary Art Space, 53 Ridge Street, North Sydney

mixed media, 60 x 60x100cm

Artist Statement 
Double, double climate trouble;
Fires burn, floodwaters bubble.
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg and howlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Double, double climate trouble;
Fires burn, floodwaters bubble.
Cool it with consumers’ blood,
Then the future’s firm and good.

from Macbeth (apologies to Shakespeare).

John Wright

Lester Las Vegas

timber, plaster & glass, 80 x 40 x 50cm

John Wright is an accomplished sculptor and previously participated in North Sydney Council’s Creative Space Pop Up program (Shiny 2) in 53 Ridge Street, North Sydney.  John was also a finalist in this year’s North Sydney Art Prize.

Contact details:  0410 659 600

Jenny Green

Verdure 2

painted steel, 88 x 55 x 40cm

Jenny Green is represented by traffic jam galleries, 41 Military Road, Neutral Bay.

For exhibition information visit www.trafficjamgalleries.com or phone 9953 3832