#tbt This artwork is from my past. ‘Aurum’ has inspired me to look back, and forward, with a new perspective.
@atopp’s ‘Aurum’ from @ausballet's amazing 'Verve' program has become a part of me. The beauty of it for me is the deep sense of connection. There is so much strength and tenderness and pulsating energy.
I’m inspired personally and artistically, and I truly thank Alice for her incredible insight and the inspiration I have gained from her and her dancers. I don’t know if I’ll be able to capture what I feel when I’ve been in rehearsals in my new artwork, but I’ll try hard to. “Aurum is a piece inspired by kintsugi (golden joinery), the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with gold or metallic lacquer. … By illuminating the fractures with gold, the repair often leaves the object more beautiful than it was in its original form. …
Aurum (the word means gold in Latin) looks at the concept of learning to celebrate our own scars, imperfections and history with a sense of illumination and transformation, embracing the human condition in all its vulnerability, authenticity, fragility and impermanence, and discovering beauty in the broken.” Alice Topp
These oil paintings were created in the same way as my monotypes - wiping back the paint to reveal the light from the dark. Many thin glazes where applied over the raw painting when it was dried, for warmth and depth.
#Artwork : Light & Shade 1 (2006) Oil on canvas 123 x 61cm
#painting #oilpainting #art #artist
best medicine when you’re crook #lemons from mum beautiful flowers and fresh bok choy from the garden too, but I love this massive bowl of lemons. Smells great. #hothoneyandlemon
Chookas to @ausballet for their Opening of The Sleeping Beauty in Adelaide tonight! #fbf to being very inspired in their studios in 2015 when @ausballet first rehearsed @davidmcallisterausballet’s The Sleeping Beauty. I’ve never used so much colour in my life! Loved it. #Artwork : Carabosse (2015) #Monotype on #VelinArches paper 45 x 60cm (@amyharris_7 #TheAustralianBallet and Guest Artist #LynetteWills , rehearsing #DavidMcAllister ’s #TheSleepingBeauty )
Finally. A day at @brightstonecrystalsingingbowls #Heathcote . #chooks #greatfood #greatfriend #greattime #inspiration and #rustystuff
#fbf I first saw #TimHarbour ’s ‘Filigree and Shadow’ in 2016 and immediately asked if I could sit in on rehearsals if it was performed again. And it’s back! In @ausballet’s ‘Verve’ showing in Melbourne now. It is strong, powerful, raw. Very exciting. The dancers are amazing. This monotype is inspired by @brett.chynoweth, a pretty incredible dancer who I have been very lucky to watch from my first day at @ausballet. From rehearsals of another of Harbour’s work, 'Squander and Glory’. #Artwork : Chynoweth (2017) #Monotype on #VelinArches #paper 58.5 x 44cm (#BrettChynoweth #TheAustralianBallet rehearsing #TimHarbour ’s #SquanderandGlory ) Photo: #FilippoMessina @messinabout
#tbt to paintings from over 10years ago. 'Light & Shade' @atopp’s ‘Aurum’ from @ausballet's 'Verve' has inspired me to look back, and forward, with a new perspective. It has become a part of me. Extremely grateful to Alice and her incredible dancers for their insight and inspiration. “Aurum is a piece inspired by kintsugi (golden joinery), the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with gold or metallic lacquer. … Aurum (the word means gold in Latin) looks at the concept of learning to celebrate our own scars, … and discovering beauty in the broken.” Alice Topp These oil paintings were created in the same way as my monotypes - wiping back the paint to reveal the light from the dark. Many thin glazes where applied over the raw painting when it was dried, for warmth and depth. #Artwork : Light & Shade 3 (2006) Oil on canvas 76 x 101.5cm #painting #oilpainting #art #artist
#tbt This artwork is from my past. ‘Aurum’ has inspired me to look back, and forward, with a new perspective. @atopp’s ‘Aurum’ from @ausballet's amazing 'Verve' program has become a part of me. The beauty of it for me is the deep sense of connection. There is so much strength and tenderness and pulsating energy. I’m inspired personally and artistically, and I truly thank Alice for her incredible insight and the inspiration I have gained from her and her dancers. I don’t know if I’ll be able to capture what I feel when I’ve been in rehearsals in my new artwork, but I’ll try hard to. “Aurum is a piece inspired by kintsugi (golden joinery), the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with gold or metallic lacquer. … By illuminating the fractures with gold, the repair often leaves the object more beautiful than it was in its original form. … Aurum (the word means gold in Latin) looks at the concept of learning to celebrate our own scars, imperfections and history with a sense of illumination and transformation, embracing the human condition in all its vulnerability, authenticity, fragility and impermanence, and discovering beauty in the broken.” Alice Topp These oil paintings were created in the same way as my monotypes - wiping back the paint to reveal the light from the dark. Many thin glazes where applied over the raw painting when it was dried, for warmth and depth. #Artwork : Light & Shade 1 (2006) Oil on canvas 123 x 61cm #painting #oilpainting #art #artist
Very lucky to see a dress rehearsal of @ausballet's Verve today. An incredible program of beautiful, powerful, and emotional performances. It is the world premier of @atopps ‘Aurum’, which you will not want to miss. More soon. Opening Night is tomorrow and it’s in Melbourne until 30 June.
Had the best time at @ausballet’s The Merry Widow. You must see it if you can. Hilarious, beautiful, great dancing, wonderful costumes, fantastic music. I could not stop laughing at a brilliant drunk @tykingwall. And then he and @lana_jones_ were amazing. @chris_ausballet and @benedictebemet were gorgeous, danced beautifully and had us all giggling. @davidmcallisterausballet was hilarious, and he and Stephen Heathcote had me in tears of laughter and Stephen had me in just tears at the end. As Mum said, #JollyGoodShow ! Congratulations @ausballet!
Morning rituals. Bas isn't too well so we're off to the Vet today, but not before a quick mirror check and #catkisses . #luccioslovecopper #basquet #studio #studiocat #catsofinstagram
Leaping into the new week with a monotype inspired by the wonderful @dimityazoury of @ausballet rehearsing Murphy’s The Silver Rose. @ausballet dancers are performing The Merry Widow and rehearsing Verve, and I'm very lucky to be immersed in it all. These dancers and choreographers are so inspiring, in every way. Amazing people. #luckygirl #Artwork : Untitled (2018) #Monotype on #VelinArches paper 45 x 60cm (Dimity Azoury, The Australian Ballet, rehearsing #GraemeMurphy ’s The Silver Rose)
#tbt to being inspired in @ausballet studios during rehearsals of ‘Murphy’. An etching from a sketch during rehearsal of Scheherazade. Chookas to @ausballet dancers for the Opening of The Merry Widow in #Melbourne tonight! #Artwork : #Etching on #VelinArches paper 25 x 20cm (Dancer of The Australian Ballet rehearsing #GraemeMurphy ’s Scheherazade)
#tbt 2nd etching inspired by dancers in class at @ausballet studios a couple of months ago. This one is a work in progress with a couple of lines still to add. #Artwork : #Etching on #VelinArches paper 25 x 20cm (Dancer of The Australian Ballet, in Class)
#tbt to being in @ausballet studios a couple of months ago. Chookas to the dancers as they prepare for the Opening of The Merry Widow in #Melbourne tonight! #Artwork : #Etching on #VelinArches paper 25 x 20cm (Dancer of The Australian Ballet, in Class)
Creating a monotype … The finished artwork. Inspired by the beautiful @dimityazoury of @ausballet rehearsing Murphy’s The Silver Rose. It’s hard to express how generous the dancers, choreographers and the company’s artistic director @davidmcallisterausballet are, in allowing me to have the freedom to create what I am inspired to from being in their studios. The technique of monotype is so reliant on chance - there is pressure to complete the work in a day, it’s hard to control (the dancers are much more beautiful/handsome than I could ever hope to capture), but all the elements are so satisfying as an artist - the textures, movement and energy created are hard to beat - and I just love the way the etching ink feels to move on the copper sheet. #Artwork : Face in the Mirror (2018) #Monotype on #VelinArches paper 60 x 45cm (Dimity Azoury, The Australian Ballet, rehearsing #GraemeMurphy ’s The Silver Rose)
Creating a monotype … The finished monotype on the copper plate before printing … The beauty of the monotype is the element of chance - and when I finished rolling the etching ink onto the plate and began forming the dancer, I realised there was a face created in the mirror by the rollers (actually 2 different faces if you can make them out) They are very abstract - more easily seen in the close-up. I’ll point them out in a post later. (pls excuse the yellow from the lights, it was very late when this was finally finished) Inspired by @dimityazoury of @ausballet rehearsing Murphy’s The Silver Rose. Monotype on Copper sheet 60 x 45cm
While I’m very lucky to be back in @ausballet studios as the dancers prepare for opening night of The Merry Widow in Melb this Thu and Verve beginning 21 June, I’d like to share a monotype I recently made. Creating a monotype … The beginning of the plate … Can you see a face beside the dancer?
#silverrosesaturday :) it’s great to be back in the studio creating monotypes and etchings of the dancers. Here's my first monotype inspired by the beautiful @dimityazoury of @ausballet rehearsing Murphy’s The Silver Rose. #Artwork : Silver Rose (2018) #Monotype on #VelinArches paper 60 x 45cm (#DimityAzoury #TheAustralianBallet , rehearsing #GraemeMurphy ’s The Silver Rose)
Last post for the day. The collagraph itself. PVA on old cardboard. Bit bigger than the actual wasp 60x65cm. Lessons learned 1/ I'm definitely not patient (24hrs for each layer to dry) 2/ I'm ridiculously messy (lucky PVA & not superglue) 3/ heaps of fun (although monotype is finger painting, so being a kid is never far away in my world)