Back in the Studio. New Year. New Work.

Susan Buret, Untitled(as yet), 2012 from the Inequality Proposition Series, Acrylic on Linen, 70 cm x 100 cm.

Circumstances largely beyond my control have kept from the studio, and this blog, for most of the latter part of 2011. 

When I returned to the studio I resolved to start blogging again and this raised heaps of questions. 

Should this blog only focus on my work and if so should I include new work which may form part of my next exhibition? If I show most of the work on the blog the exhibition will hold no surprises.

Should I talk about personal matters on a blog which is a professional platform? In my last post I mentioned the fact that personal matters do often, without any conscious decisions, inform the work I make.

The questions still remain unanswered so I am beginning this years blogging with a new work. I have decided to return to the geometric works begun in 2006/7 as part of the in her high heels series. I enjoy  making these works as of resolving the image is very different to the repetitive process of making the collage works.

Cycles

Currently my life is governed by cycles. However it was not until I had written the artist statement for my latest body of work that I realised that it may have been influenced by this.
So once again I think about how powerful making art is for the artist and how it is an integral part of my life.

Susan Buret, Penelope Series #7, 2011 

The works will be exhibited at Cloud Farm, Tourist Road Mt. Murray for the next weekend as part of the Southern Highlands Arts Trail. To read more about the works and see the series so far please visit my website .

Susan Buret, Penelope Series #5, 2011

After thinking about how I make art and it's importance to me I read a very interesting article on the relevance of art  in Inside Story by Andrew Ford. 

There are so many reasons to make art from the pure delight of creating an object to voicing opinion, creating universal narratives, giving voice to issues and ideas of our time. 

I am not doing justice to this topic with a rushed blog post so I hope to return to it in future posts.

Dream Cabinets Now In Melbourne

Installation view Precursor, Anita Traverso Gallery 

A selection of my works from the Dream Cabinets Series are currently on show as part of the exhibition Precursor: A foretaste of solo artists scheduled from now until December 2012 at Anita Traverso Gallery, 7 Albert Street, Richmond. VIC 3121. The exhibition continues until 11 June.

Image Update

I have spent a few hours today updating my website with professional images from my latest exhibition and decided that this blog was due for a facelift too. I'm not sure that I am happy with the results as it looks a bit stern. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Home Town Advantage. Some thoughts about exhibiting.

Last Saturday my exhibition flight dreams opened at loft gallery in Bowral 20 kms from where I live.
The opening was a great success and I had fun. Fun is not something I usually associate with openings. I think most artists would agree that they are often hard work.
I have described openings in the area here before and always comment on the warm atmosphere of a 'country' art  opening and, this opening was no exception.
When I woke up feeling happy instead of a bit flat on Sunday morning I thought about where we chose to exhibit and why.
I am fortunate to show with a Anita Traverso Gallery in Melbourne where their professional approach builds a market and following for my work and  several years ago I exhibited in North Carolina and was invited to talk about my work. This was also an enjoyable experience and made me hungry to show overseas and interstate in Australia. These are definitely a good career moves but, for me, nothing compares with the fulfillment that I get from showing my work to friends and peers. I hope I always have a good gallery near by to show my work.

Susan Buret, Dream Cabinet #7 Bees, © 2011, Mixed Media on Beech Panels, approx 20 cm 31 cm x 16 cm.

Steve Gray recently interviewed me about my art practice and upcoming exhibition on his blog Art-Resource.

The blog is a place where students, artists, art workers and enthusiasts could find information on how to do things, who does things, and how it all comes together. "Ideas, thoughts, theories, exploration, views, process, people, galleries, etc." The site includes interviews from artists working in a wide range of medium and style and provides insights to the inspiration and studio practices of artists which adds immensely to my appreciation of the artworks.

Thank you Steve for your interest in my work and for publishing the interview.

Opening flight dreams

You are warmly invited to my exhibition flight dreams in Bowral to be opened by Andrew Ford, writer, composer and presenter of The Music Show on ABC Radio National, at 3:30 pm on 2 April 2011. Apologies to those on facebook who may already have received an invitation. Now that most of the hard work is done I am really looking forward to seeing my work installed at loft gallery. I have made a series of small to medium sized works which I think will look really good in the space. Images of all the works have now been posted to my website.