Our group exhibition opened last Saturday night in wild winter weather at the lovely Zig Zag gallery in Kalamunda. Our group’s previous exhibition had been ‘Boom’ to fit with the economic times in W.A so it followed that this one was called ‘Bust’. I exhibited three pieces exploring change and the fragmentary nature of life in mining towns. Fellow artists took the theme and ran with it in their own wonderfully diverse and creative way.
One of my pieces is on an old rusted mirror that I’d found in a Goldfields’ ghost town. My great Grandmother was a logical choice for subject as much of her life was spent in towns that have since been swallowed by the desert, but I wasn’t happy with the result, so found a photo of her youngest daughter, my grandmother as a teenager, to paint over the top of it. As I did so that curious thing occurred where her mothers face became hers then hers became very like other family members - mostly my cousin and then another cousin’s daughter. The surface is broken in places, so placing the face was tricky. The hole towards the bottom right has become a slightly misshapen nostril (sorry Grandma). Not sure if I’ll continue ratting goldfields ghost towns for rusted mirrors, but it was an interesting challenge.
The exhibition runs until next Sunday , so call past and have a look if you are in the area.