Art Wank

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Today's podcast features James Winter, the visionary co-founder and director of Brand X, which has been creating affordable spaces for artists since 2005. With a background in dramatic and performing arts, James recognized a need for reliable, affordable rehearsal and creative spaces, leading him to establish Brand X over 20 years ago.

We spoke with James about the changing face of Sydney and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on artists. He shared why he founded Brand X, how it operates, and his concerns about the lack of diverse arts programming in the city. James highlighted how this gap could lead to fewer opportunities for unique, high-quality art to be created and showcased in Sydney, ultimately affecting the city’s cultural landscape. 

Brand X now manages the City of Sydney Creative Studios, offering a wide range of subsidised spaces for musicians, dancers, actors, and artists, available for both short-term and long-term hire in the heart of Sydney. Each year, Brand X also organizes Petite Suite, a performance residency set in a hotel. Fiona and I attended this year, and it was an incredible experience!

Currently running is The Flying Nun, another Brand X initiative, which we highly recommend. For just $25, you can see these unique performances. The Flying Nun provides performing arts residencies where each project receives $2,600, a week in the venue, and a two-night performance run, keeping the majority of box office revenue. Grab your tickets here!

 
Brand x -
We re-purpose empty properties so performing, recording and visual artists can practice their craft.

'We do this by working with Property Developers, Landlords and Local Governments to transform empty spaces into cultural places that allow artists to contribute, flourish and be sustainable in the community. We are driven by the belief that artists, when given appropriate space, inspire a renewed sense of belonging, harmony and pride of place for the entire community.

Brand X provides subsidised workspace and creative development programs alongside facilities for hire where artists can traverse the entire creative process from development to presentation. We maintain a charter that is relevant and responsive to the Independent Arts sector dealing specifically with arts-practice sustainability, skills development and capacity building.

Our objective is to afford artists the opportunity to take risks, innovate and to create work. This is achieved by offering artists affordable rates for hire, residencies and opportunities for income-generation through our activation projects. By providing Independent Artists with support while reinvigorating local communities we stimulate a vibrant cultural life for Sydney.'

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Thank you to artist Tom Carment for speaking with us on Art Wank! We visited Tom at his home in Sydney and talked about his long career as an artist. He predominantly paints outdoors, carrying a backpack filled with supplies and capturing interesting sights along the way—whether it's a jacaranda tree, rooftops, or a unique view. His work is like a visual diary, immediate and in the moment. When he paints at home, he often focuses on the everyday, like typewriters, eggs, and vegetables—anything at hand.

Tom is also a prolific and gifted writer so check out his website to read some of his works. 

He is represented by King Street Gallery in Sydney. 

'Tom Carment was born in Sydney in 1954. He studied for one year at Julian Ashton Art School in 1973. Tom is a painter of landscapes, portraits, and still lifes, and is also a writer. His pictures have been exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions since the 1970s, and his stories and essays have been published nationally. During the 1980s, he lived overseas for four years in Africa (Zimbabwe and Zambia) and in France, returning to Sydney in 1988.

Tom has been represented by King Street Gallery since 1993. With his most recent solo exhibition ‘The Long Way Round’ in October 2023.

Tom’s portraits have been selected for the Archibald Prize twelve times, and his landscapes for the Wynne Prize eight times. His works are held by the Art Gallery of NSW, City of Melbourne Art & Heritage Collection, NSW State Parliament, State Library of NSW, Kedumba Drawing Collection, Macquarie Group Collection and many others.

Tom was the winner of the 2014 NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize, the 2008 Gallipoli Art Prize and the 2005 Mosman Art Prize. Over one hundred of Tom’s works were shown at the 2014 Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial at the Art Gallery of NSW. In 2008 the Hawkesbury Regional Gallery held a survey of his work entitled, People, Paddocks, Coastlines.

From 2004-06 Tom worked on a commission for the City of Melbourne to document in words, paintings and drawings the construction of Council House 2 – the ‘greenest’ office building in Australia.

Tom’s work is a reportage on his life – the external environment through his landscapes, the internal environment and friendships through his still lifes and portraits. Tom’s pictures are usually small in scale and notable for their sensitive interpretation of light. Nearly all of his works are painted and drawn from life.

Tom’s published books include Days and Nights in Africa (1985), Seven Walks – Cape Leeuwin to Bundeena (2014) and Womerah Lane – Lives and Landscapes (October 2019).

Tom currently resides in Sydney, NSW.' King Street Gallery Website 

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We’re excited to celebrate our 200th episode of Art Wank with the incredible Idris Murphy During our visit to Idris’ home studio, we had a captivating conversation about his journey as an artist and his thought-provoking philosophies on art and painting. Idris is a bold, well-read artist who constantly pushes the limits of his practice, and our discussion was truly inspiring. A big thank you to Idris for his time.

Idris is represented by King Street on William  in Sydney

‘Idris Murphy is a contemporary figurative landscape painter born in 1949, Sydney. He graduated from National Art School with a diploma in Painting in 1971, and then became the institution’s Head of Drawing in 1997.

Idris completed a Doctor of Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong in NSW and a Graduate Diploma (Education), SCAE, in Sydney whilst he was Head of Painting at the College of Fine Art from 1988-2007. In 1982, Murphy was a lecturer at the University of Wollongong, NSW, and was instrumental in establishing the printmaking department of the newly founded School of Creative Arts.

From 1976-1977, Idris completed his Postgraduate studies in painting & printmaking at Winchester College of Art, UK. To date, Murphy has had 40 solo exhibitions across Australia and internationally. Idris’ survey show I & Thou: Survey Exhibition 1986-2008 was exhibited at King Street Gallery in Sydney, Hazlehurst Regional Art Gallery and Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, NSW. In 2022, a major retrospective of Idris’ work Backblocks was exhibited at the ANU Drill Hall Gallery from August 16, 2022 which then travelled to Orange Regional Art Gallery and the National Trust S.H. Ervin Gallery, in 2023.

Idris has been represented by King Street Gallery since 1993.

Intrinsic to Murphy’s art making process is an engagement with the environment which surrounds him, and by extension, his en plein air practice. Murphy explains that his ‘expeditions’ through the Australian bush ‘offer him enough to last a lifetime’. (Catalogue Essay, 2017, Gregor Sloss) His work aims to ‘transform an already imagined landscape’ (Sloss, 2017). Murphy’s practice attempts to mirror Indigenous respect for the Australian landscape. Murphy suggests that an Indigenous Australian landscape painting is a reinvigoration of the landscape and is sustained by its Dreamings.

Murphy’s work can be found in a number of public, state and corporate collections such as the ANU University Drill Hall Collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, State Library NSW, Artbank, Allens Collection, and the Westpac Collection.

Idris’ studio is located in Kurnell, Sydney.’ - King st Gallery website 

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Tanya Linney currently has a show, 'Cocoon', on at CBD gallery, Erskine St., Sydney until 9th November 2024. 

'Tanya Linney is a Sydney/Gadigal based multi-disciplinary artist. Passionate about the representation of the everyday and domesticity through the lens of historical art references . Linney looks to transform the materiality of paint and gesture through multiple processes developed on the studio floor. A tension between conscious and coincidental mark making anchors these works.
Linney is a graduate of The National Art School, Sydney (2017-2020) . She has exhibited her works in Australia and internationally and has been a finalist in numerous art prizes including The Sir William Dobell National Drawing Prize, The Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize, Omnia Art Prize The Waverly Art Prize, Redlands Art Award, The Alice Art Prize and The Fisher’s Ghost Art Award, and she was the winner of the Richard Luchesse Abstract Painting Prize. Publications of her work have been featured in Vogue Living, Belle Magazine, RUSSH, Pan and The Dream (New York) and The Sydney Morning Herald.'

Thanks Tanya and good luck with the future.

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Deirdre Bean

We interviewed Deirdre in her home studio in Newcastle surrounded by her wonderful paintings. We spoke to her about residencies, techniques of her work, working with Margaret Olleys objects for her current show at Tweed Regional gallery, her PHD in drawing mangrove species, creating an Australian postage stamp, and much more…

She currently has a show on at Tweed Regional gallery, ‘Domestica’, which is on until 17th November. 

Deirdre has been recently selected as a finalist in the 2024 Portia Geach exhibition at SH Ervin gallery. Congratulations!

‘Inspired by the natural world, Deirdre has always been fascinated with intricate details and perfect forms that the eye sometimes misses.

Her attention to detail and considered compositions continue to be features of her work.

Watercolour applied to paper or vellum with a fine-pointed sable brush are traditional materials Bean uses to illustrate the complexities of the botanical world. She spent seven years researching Australia’s mangrove species for which she was awarded a PhD from the University of Newcastle. Deirdre has broadened her subject matter to include military paraphernalia after artists’ trips to Gallipoli and the Western Front.

Since 2020, Deirdre has been working with oil paint, a medium she has returned to after many years. Since then she has been a finalist in the Muswellbrook Art Prize, the Calleen Art Award and the Portia Geach Memorial Award for portraiture. In 2022, she was the winner of the Gallipoli Art Prize. 

Her work is held in major collections including the Hunt Institute of Botanical Documentation, Pittsburgh, USA: The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London: The Shirley Sherwood Collection, Oxford, UK: Parliament House, Canberra: Australia Post: The Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney: Gallipoli Club, Sydney.’

Deirdre is represented by Stella Downer Fine Art, Sydney 

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We had the pleasure of interviewing Euan in his studio, where we were immersed in his incredible artworks and drawings. Euan shared insights into his life as an artist, his views on the art world, and his creative process. With a career spanning over 50 exhibitions and numerous accolades, his achievements speak for themselves. See more below! 

Thanks for your time Euan.

Euan is represented by King Street on William in Sydney. Euan and photographer Craig Potton have collaborated on a stunning hardcover book ‘Look Out’, capturing the awe inspiring landscape and thought-provoking human connection to the iconic Southern Alps of New Zealand.

Available now with signed limited edition etching. Contact the gallery via email [email protected].

Euan is also represented by Niagara Galleries in Victoria, Bowen and PG Galleries in NZ. 

'Euan Macleod was born in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1956. He was awarded a Diploma of Fine Arts (Painting) by the Ilam School of Fine Arts, Canterbury University, in 1979, before moving to Sydney in 1981. He has held more than fifty solo shows in New Zealand and Australia and has taken part in numerous group exhibitions in Australasia and internationally.

Euan's work is represented in many private and public collections, including the National Gallery of Australia, Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, and the Metropolitan Museum, New York. Euan has won art prizes in Australia, including the Archibald in 1999, the Sulman Prize in 2001, the Blake Prize in 2006, the New South Wales Parliament's inaugural Plein Air painting prize in 2008, the Tattersall’s Landscape Prize in 2000 and 2009, the Gallipoli Art Prize, 2009, and the King’s School Art Prize in 2011.

In 2010 Piper Press, Sydney, published a monograph, Euan Macleod: the Painter in the Painting, written by Gregory O'Brien. 

Surface Tension: the art of Euan Macleod 1991-2009, a Tweed River Art Gallery touring exhibition, curated by Gavin Wilson, toured six regional Australian galleries, beginning at the S H Irvin Gallery, Sydney, in November 2010.

The touring exhibition, Euan Macleod - Painter, curated by Gregory O'Brien, travelled to several New Zealand regional galleries between 2014 and 2017.

​In 2019 Macleod collaborated on High Wire, a book of drawings and words, with Lloyd Jones. It was published in 2020.' -Euan Macleod website 

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Julie recently sat down with Michelle Grey and Susan Armstrong, the co-founders of Arts Matter, for an interview. Unfortunately, Gary couldn’t join as he is currently overseas.

Arts Matter is a membership platform that offers a series of intimate programs in contemporary spaces around Sydney. What Michelle and Susan have built is truly remarkable. They come from diverse backgrounds, yet both are perfectly suited to running this kind of platform. Their impressive CVs speak for themselves, and we’re fortunate to have them creating such a dynamic, multidisciplinary arts program in Sydney.

When are you signing up?!!!

'Arts-Matter is a membership platform that hosts a series of intimate programs in contemporary Sydney spaces with the creative minds shaping our shifting culture. Through a series of thoughtfully curated conversations and experiences spanning the cultural gamut - from art, music, fashion, film, theatre, dance and literature - we cultivate community, spark debate, and thrive on bridging cultural, social and gender divides.

But most importantly … we've always believed the best part about Arts-Matter is our incredible community of members, creatives, friends and family. While our programs are always about supporting the cultural arts, community is at the heart of everything we do.'

Thanks for speaking to us ladies and keep doing what you are doing!!

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Gary Seller (co-host of Art Wank) wanted to interview us—Julie and Fiona—about our practices and the podcast. Its been a smooth transition as Gary joins the podcast, and Fiona steps back to focus on her commitments at NAS. Gary delves into the origins of the podcast and its future direction.

Fiona shares her experience of returning to university as a mature-age student and gives insights into life at art school. Julie discusses her evolving art practice over the past few years.

Enjoy...

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What an incredible collection! Gary and I visited their fantastic terrace house in Erskineville, where every wall is adorned with art. Tune in now to discover how they built their collection, the day jobs that support their passion, how they select each piece, and what they hope their legacy will be. It’s a great conversation with two fascinating individuals—thank you, Gordon and Michael!

'The Elliott Eyes Collection (TEEC) of contemporary art is housed in a private Victorian terrace house in Erskineville, Sydney NSW.

The collection of approximately 400 works (sculpture, painting and ceramics) focuses mainly on Australian and New Zealand art, but also includes work by German, Belgium, American, South African and English artists, all of which are on display. Four major outdoor sculptures extend the collection beyond the usual interior walls, tables, mantels and, in our case, even the floor of the house. 

The decision to open tEEC to public tours was prompted by a visit to Terry Stringer’s sculpture park “Zealandia” north of Auckland and by our inclusion in Skadi Heckmueller’s book, “Private: A Guide to Personal Art Collections in Australia and New Zealand” (Dott Publishing, 2015). It also follows the opening of the Lyon Housemusem and the Justin Art House Museum in Melbourne; both exceptional collections and buildings well worth a visit.

It is also motivated by the realization that once works become part of a private collection they can easily be ‘lost’ to public view. Sharing these works, and listening to other people’s comments and responses adds immensely to the pleasure we are lucky to experience as we engage with and enjoy the collection on a daily basis.

The wonderful experience provided by the recent trend of house museums, is that each venue is truly individual and unique; expressing the personal interests and character of the owners/collectors. Allen Weiss in "The Grain of the Clay" (Reaction Books,2016) has described collecting, or a collection, as an autobiographical statement. Unencumbered by the boundaries, rules and bureaucracy of public galleries, the house musem displays the passion of the collector – individualistic, subjective, imaginative and zany.

It is important to say that we live permanently with our collection. We are not a museum or a gallery. Artworks are displayed and incorporated into the everyday spaces of our house, working around the normal aspects and tasks of a standard household. We find ourselves drying off in the shower, trying to avoid knocking over Jim Cooper’s large ceramic flower and duck or, in quieter moments, spending endless hours trying to decipher just what is going on in Mark Whalon’s mysterious and deliciously perverse paintings. Some works are functional – Michael Snape’s security door - while others are more traditional, decorative pieces, acquired and admired simply because they are beautiful or significant works in contemporary (Australian) art history. 

While our collection is constantly growing, sometimes in divergent, unexpected directions, it’s central focus is on the figure in the landscape. This theme is only loosely adhered to, so an outlier work of art can easily capture our attention and find it’s way into the collection. Some works are ‘serious’ (e.g. our obsession with the 1950s and 1960s paintings by James Gleeson) and others are just ‘fun’ (e.g. Madeleine Child’s ceramic popcorn).'

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A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of interviewing Rachel in her home studio in Newcastle, NSW. Thank you for having us and treating us to a lovely lunch.

'Rachel Milne is a professional fine art painter based in Newcastle, NSW. Rachel specialises in figurative and observational oil painting, in the style of the impressionists, mainly focusing on the genre Intimism. Originally from the UK Rachel now lives and works in Newcastle, Australia. Before leaving the UK Rachel exhibited regularly with the Royal West of England Academy and is now represented by the King Street Gallery on William, Sydney and the Sophie Gannon Gallery in Melbourne

Rachel paints in all genres but is best known for her Intimist impressionist fine art interior paintings – room paintings and studio paintings – paintings of the everyday clutter of a working and living space.'