Blog: Patricia Casey

Winter in the Eurobodalla

The June long weekend is a great chance to get away to our holiday shack and the South Coast of New South Wales is always beautiful – even in winter.  On Sunday we spent the day driving around with a little bit of bush tracking through the forest.  We drove to Batemans Bay for breakfast and then inland along dirt tracks to Nelligen and up to the trig station for panoramic views. Afterwards we headed back to Lake Tabourie via Shallow Crossing on the Clyde River.

The bush landscape is different in winter.  The light softer and the shadowers longer.  There was a beautiful contrast between the red dirt roads and the green of the grass and the bush.  I photographed along the way and this is a visual narrative of the day – both the macro and the micro view of the landscape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shallow Crossing Wandering

I spent Easter in the Shoalhaven on the South Coast of New South Wales.  Autumn is my favourite time of year – still warm, but not too hot and the light is so beautiful.  Easter Sunday we drove on the bush tracks through the bush to Shallow Crossing on the Clyde River.  This a tidal river that flows to the sea.  At Shallow Crossing there is a causeway that you can drive across the river.

Further down the river there are sharks, but this stretch is safe for swimming.  During summer it is a busy place with people swimming and canoeing but this time of year it is much quieter and we spent a couple of hours along the river bank.  The river is much too cool for swimming just now, but the colours and the reflections are mesmerising.

I took a few photographs with my iPhone and wanted to share them with you.  I’ve been uploading a daily diary to instagram and Facebook but these are a few that I have not posted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little Secrets – Installation Shots

I am a little sad now that my show at NG Art Gallery is over.  I was so happy with how the work looked in the beautiful gallery – a restored gothic revival church.  It is a great space for an artist to work with.  High ceilings and beautiful light.  Lots of breathing space for the work.

As well as my wall based embroidered photographic works, I also included a sculptural work Sustain Me.  Made with crocheted wire and Swarovski crystals, it was  a delicate veil hanging from a beam in the gallery.  With the light from the large windows behind it draped down and tumbled onto the gallery floor.  Sustain Me formed an interesting link between the the dreamlike states of the 2D images and the physical or “real” world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Podcast of Radio Interview with Eastside FM

In this interview I talk to Maisy Stapleton about what lead me to being an artist and how my practice has developed.

http://eastsidefm.org/2014/03/61703/

 

Little Secrets II (detail), Photographic montage on archival cotton, embroidery detail

 

 

 

Little Secrets Exhibition – Feast for the Senses Dinner – NG Art Gallery

Let me tell you some of my Little Secrets …….

http://vimeo.com/88303425

NG Art Gallery presents artist Patricia Casey’s exhibition, Little Secrets.
Track: PJ Harvey – The Wind

Opening Night of Little Secrets Exhibition

My exhibition Little Secrets opened at NG Art Gallery last night – what a fantastic turnout!  Such wonderful support.

 

 

 

Renowned Australian Photographer Juno Gemes opened the exhibition.  Juno has a wonderful career working with Aboriginal people and was the official photographer at the National Sorry Day.  She has worked as a producer, writer, academic and is an absolute treasure.  Juno spoke with such heart  and understanding of my work.  Here she is lit by her iPad as she refers to her notes.

 

 

 

 

Crocheting with silver wire threaded with Swaroski Crystals has resulted in this work Sustain Me. This filmy sculpture tumbles from the ceiling onto the gallery floor, linking the internal world of my photographic images with the physical world.

 

 

Several of my models came along with friends and family and it was so good to see them talking to people in the gallery about the experience of modelling for these works.  These young people are fresh and shiny and full of possibilities.  Working with them was great fun and they were so generous with me.

 

 

Jenya and I beside two of the artworks in which she features.  Jenya’s beautiful face features in several of the works – and she loves to model!

 

 

 

Not only does Grace have a beautiful face she also has an amazing voice.  You can read more about her and her band Burn Antares here.

 

Marcus and I “feeling the love” in front of A Visiting Stranger .  He has such a beautiful face and an amazing profile.

 

 

 

Trees at Dusk

I’ve just got back from two weeks on the South Coast of NSW.  We spent our time between bush and beach – reading, swimming, walking, with lots of time for daydreaming. Looking at the images in my camera these photographs of the sky and the trees at dusk really stand out.  I love the softness of the sky contrasted by the gnarled coastal trees.

 

 

 

 

Interview with TextileArtist.org

 

TexileArtist.org is a great resource for artists and art lovers featuring a variety of work from all over the world.  The site has interviews, reviews and articles that are updated every week.  While my work is predominately located within photography, they were interested in my process and the incorporation of embroidery into my work.   To read the interview and check out the rest of the site just click here

Work framed and ready for viewing – Stephanie Hoppen Gallery

I’ve just received news that a selection of works from my new series “Little Secrets” is framed and ready for viewing at Stephanie Hoppen Gallery, Walton Street, London.  Charlotte, the Gallery Manager sent me through these photos of the work in their new silverleaf frames and I am so excited to see what a fantastic job they have done.

We all have an inner core that we choose to keep private, that we don’t share with even with those we are most intimate with.  Caught in a moment of private reverie my subjects are viewed through a veil created by the natural world.  Their secrets are kept close.

If you are able please call in and have a look at the works in the gallery.  To view hi res versions of these works please click here.

 

 

 

 

 

Stephanie Hoppen Gallery

Select works from my new series Little Secrets are now available for viewing (and to buy, if you love them!) at Stephanie Hoppen Gallery London.  This is a beautiful gallery in Knightsbridge with a varied stable of artists and a lively profile.  I visited the gallery during my recent trip to Europe and am delighted to be working with Stephanie and her staff.

These are the works  currently available in London.   I will be showing the whole series, Little Secrets, in Sydney in March 2014 which NG Art Gallery.

 

Beams Festival 2013

The Beams Festival held in Chippendale Sydney,  last night was a wonderful night of illuminations, art, music, food, wine, performance and workshops.  In its second year the Festival organised by the Chippendale Creative Precinct brings together a diverse group of creatives for a one night festival of all things bright.  The local streets were closed down and visitors wandered amongst contemporary art installations and enjoyed a meal at the 50 metre communal table.  The feature of the table this year was whismically decorated candle lights supplied by Studio Artes a supported studio for adults living with disability.  They were jewel like, glowing treasures that were definitely the high light of the night.

I was lucky enough to have my work “Breathe” hovering above the communal table.  “Breathe” is a photographic work on georgette with embroidery detail that evokes meditative states.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Breathe” installed in Little Queens Street, Chippendale ready for the Beams Festival.

 

 

 

 

Irish Landscapes

I was going through my photographs from my recent research trip to Europe – I had forgotten how amazing the Irish landscape is.  Here in Australia we never experience the intensity of the Irish green.  These photographs are a couple of my favourites and are sure to end up in my next body of work.  I have not manipulated them or adjusted the colour at all!  The green is almost lurid, but so refreshing on the eye.  Ireland is definitely one place that I plan to revisit soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saatchi Gallery London – Screen Project

A work from my upcoming series has just been chosen to be part of the screen project at the Saatchi Gallery in London.  This is a curated program where artworks from all over the world are shown on a hi res screen in the Saatchi Gallery.  This particular work features the beautiful Grace Farriss as my model – I am so lucky that I have had such generous young people to work with.  I’ll be able to visit the Saatchi Gallery while I am in London next week and see my artwork shown on the screen.  A pretty good start to my trip.

http://www.saatchigallery.com

Little Secrets – new work nearing completion

 

I am very close to finishing my new series which will be exhibited at NG Art in Sydney early next year.  Just thought you might like to see a little teaser – I’ve been very busy documenting the works before I head off to Europe for a four week study trip.  Thank you to the beautiful Jenya who was my model for this image.

Workshop – The Photograph Transformed – Sydney June, 2013

I had the great pleasure of teaching a workshop as part of my survey exhibition, Looking Backwards Gazing Forwards, at NG Gallery here in Sydney.  We worked in the gallery space surrounded by my artworks.

Using vintage portraits printed on watercolour paper I took the participants through the process of transforming the images with watercolour, coloured pencils, oil pastels and also embroidery.  Everyone had a different approach to their work, and the results were all so beautiful.

This all took place while sharing some wine and delicious savouries – with plenty of good conversation and interchange of ideas.  A pretty good way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking Backwards, Gazing Forwards. An Survey of the Embroidered Works of Patricia Casey

An exhibition of my works over the last 5 years is to open on 21 May at the NG Pop-Up Annexe. I am also teaching a workshop during this time and the details follow below. Come along for an afternoon of artmaking, food, nibbles and conversation.

 

Exhibition – Queensland Centre for Photography – December 2012/January 2013

My work is being exhibited at the beautiful Queensland Centre for Photography over the summer.  It is such a fantastic space and the management team there are so supportive.  While I have exhibited there several times in the past, this is the first time that I have shown my embroidered photographic works, so it will be interesting to get some feedback.

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Models for My New Work

I have been very busy photographing and collecting beautiful landscapes for my new series that I am just starting to work on now. Next comes the wanderers in my landscapes and I’ve put the word out for models.  So far I’ve had four sessions with four beautiful young people who have been generous enough to give me their “likeness” to use in my new artworks.  The spring weather was mild and the trees so green now that  the warmth is coming back. The sessions were relaxed and we shared lunch afterwards. I now have a great start to my work.

Here are a couple of my favourite images from the photo shoots.

 

 

 

 

 

I always feel such an excitement when I start a new series of works and it is no different this time.  The process of combining my human subjects with my landscapes is beginning and they are coming together in new and intriguing ways.

 

Beams Festival YarnBombing Project

I have just at the pleasure of leading a wonderful community based public art project for the Beams Festival here in Sydney.,

What started as a small individual project – probably more as a personal amusement, grew into an inclusive group public art project culminating in a display of colour at the Beams Festival in Sydney’s Chippendale.  The Festival organised by the Chippendale Creative Precinct brought together fine art, video, performance, music and fine food for a special night under the Sydney spring time evening sky.

A call out on social media led to a group of about 25 keen knitters and crocheters joining together under my leadership to decorate the festival site with yarn bombing.  Yarnbombing or guerrilla knitting is a form of graffiti that utilises knitting or crochet pieces to wrap and decorate the streetscape.  Our group included individuals from all works of life, from grandmothers to students as well members of knitting group, Terrific Tensions and Studio Artes Northside, an arts studio in the disability sector.

 

Together the group knitted, crocheted, made pom poms  and adapted beautiful pieces of weaving to wrap and decorate the Chippendale street scape with colour.

Our hard work paid off and we put on a display that I am so proud of.  We covered parking metres, street signs, wrapped trees and decorated buildings transforming Balfour Street. Here are a few photographs of the installation. To view more go to https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.415100351871700.89353.348753235173079&type=3

 

 

 

Perth Centre for Photography, Exhibition – Scented Gardens for the Blind

Scented Gardens for the Blind, an exhibition of photographic images on fabric combined with embroidery and crochet, opened at the Perth Centre for Photography on 27 June, 2012.

The series was inspired by novelist Janet Frame’s work of the same name.  This book deals with secret interior worlds and private spaces.  The results are works that evoke day dreaming, recollection and hint at a disturbing undertone.

 

 

 

 

Opening Night Crowd

Robert Burratti, from Burratti Fine Art in Perth opened the Exhibition

 

                                    

Perth Workshop and Artist Talk

While I was visiting Perth for my exhibition I was fortunate to be able to give a workshop and artist talk in the gallery.  It was a great experience to be able to talk about my work, give some practical tips to those attending the workshop and also to meet some really great people.  The staff and volunteers at the Perth Centre Photography made my stay so enjoyable.  I can hardly wait to go back.

Those attending the workshop brought along their own photographs to work with and I provided the rest!  We spent the first part of the morning looking at examples of other artists working with photography and embroidery.  There are a number of artists both internationally and here in Australia working with the photographic image and embroidery and the participants found it great inspiration to be able to see the scope for this type of work.  Then it was down to work and we went over some basic stitching techniques before embarking on own photographs.  We had a wonderful morning stitching and getting to know one another.  This was followed by an amazing Indian lunch at a local restaurant.  Didn’t feel much like work at all.

 

 

 

 

Subversive Stitching Workshop

 

In conjunction with my Exhibition Elsewhere I led a workshop in photography and embroidery at NG Art Gallery, Chippendale.  It was a wonderful evening with participants becoming fully immersed in transforming their photographs into special mementos.  The combination of photography with embroidery is not such a new concept as historically photographic images of loved ones have been transformed into memento mori and embellished with stitching, feathers and often locks of hair.  While some of the participants took a traditional approach towards their work, others embraced contemporary practice and used the needle and thread as a drawing tool.

Elsewhere Exhibition Opening

 

Elsewhere (Lucid Dreaming)  Photographic Montage on Cotton with Embroidery Detail.

 

Opening night of Elsewhere Exhibition at NG Art, Chippendale.  It was a very hot night, but despite this the crowds came and it was one of the most lovely openings I have had.  Alasdair Foster, Curator and Principal of Cultural Development Consulting opened the Exhibition and spoke beautifully about my work.  This exhibition features works that combine photographic montages with embroidery and deals with the subject matter of dreaming.

 

Nicky Ginsberg, Patricia Casey and Alasdair  Foster

 

My work features beautiful young dreamers wandering through their dreamscapes and fantastical tableaus accompanied by friendly creatures or in states of repose far removed from every day reality.  Luckily I am surrounded by beautiful young people and so had no trouble getting models.  A few of them came on the night and I was able to photograph them in front of the work.

Patricia Casey and Liese Knight with Being There

 

Bree Pagalday with Second Sight

 

 

Cameron Edmond with The Primal Phenomenon