Oasis Hub - Artist residency in Rainbow Victoria
July 2017
In July this year I undertook an artist residency in the small farming township of Rainbow in Western Victoria. The Oasis Hub Artist Residency was implemented as part of a Transitioning Small Towns Project as an arts and culture hub in the old primary school building. I spent two weeks in a fantastic spacious, light filled studio followed by an exhibition at the conjunct Turbo Gallery in Rainbow. The artist residency provided me an opportunity to bring new life to the Mother's Milk sculpture that I previously presented with a living grass covering.
Working with textiles provided me with new challenges, skills and inspiration. As a labor intensive process, it also encouraged an inclusive workshop environment; where friends and locals took up needles in participation. During the residency I created the new work, Second Skins, from second-hand clothing and produced a spontaneous moving image work, To Market. Transitioning from studio residency to art exhibition I walked the cow sculpture through the streets of Rainbow to the opening event where it joined its offspring to complete the exhibition. The footage of this was then added to the show.
Working with textiles provided me with new challenges, skills and inspiration. As a labor intensive process, it also encouraged an inclusive workshop environment; where friends and locals took up needles in participation. During the residency I created the new work, Second Skins, from second-hand clothing and produced a spontaneous moving image work, To Market. Transitioning from studio residency to art exhibition I walked the cow sculpture through the streets of Rainbow to the opening event where it joined its offspring to complete the exhibition. The footage of this was then added to the show.