Shelley Pisani

In late 1992, four artists who hailed from Bundaberg held a celebratory exhibition at the then Childers Art Gallery, celebrating the completion of their fine arts degrees at the University of Southern Queensland. Fast forward 30 years and three of those artists found each other again and held a reunion exhibition at Childers Artspace.

 

3 Cups Full is a celebration of the collective creative journeys of Fiona Dyer, Julie Middleton and I. Whilst theses journeys were very different in many ways, there are consistent cup fillers – people, places, conversations and memories.

 

We came together in April 2022 at a residency at Kepnock State High School. Together with mentor Jennifer McDuff, we taught each other techniques and collaborated, whilst experimenting and developing their concepts for bodies of work for this exhibition.

 

The artworks Julie created for 3 Cups Full were a documentation of memories symbolised by a vastly sublime nature. These memories were an important recall of significant relationships, conversations, places and events over the past 30 years of her life. The sedimentary layers of her work utilising timber, lime plaster, unique organic matter and beeswax; embossed and etched within them her stories, the chapters of her life, as if trapped within time. This organic composition of texture, colour and imagery is an ongoing story which has no end. Julie’s cup will forevermore be full, gratefully full. 

 

Fiona Dyer is not your ordinary artist.  For too many years to count she has poured her heart and soul into growing students and teachers often neglecting her own passions.  For Fiona, 3 Cups Full was about making time and space in her fiftieth year to express the things that were important to her – connection to land and people.  She is a full time Deputy Principal, mother of two and lives remote so why not add in creating artworks to the mix.  Fiona enjoys printmaking and fabric colouring.  She combined these with stitching and drawing to produce pieces that are unique and reflective of the landscape that she is privileged to live on, the land and waters of the Alnigth people.  Facing adversity, overcoming obstacles but doing it with a smile, surrounded by great people is a thread through Fiona’s life, teaching and these exhibited works. 

 

I have worked in the arts since graduating, mainly as a curator and arts administrator, helping other artists to reach their potential. Three years ago, I started to practice what I preached and began experimenting again with ceramics, printmaking, textiles and painting. My work in this exhibition was inspired by objects and places that have sentimental memories or relatable stories. My work took the title of the exhibition quite literally, exploring how a simple cup of tea has kept me connected to my creativity. Some of my final year university assessment works were inspired by teabags. I took that further and included teacups and teapots, representing special moments and conversations with people over a “cuppa” who have encouraged my creative journey as both an artsworker and artist. 

 

Thank you to Kepnock State High School for hosting the artist residency in April 2022. With thanks to funding partners Bundaberg Regional Council, Arts Queensland, City of Gold Coast, Regional Arts Fund and Flying Arts Alliance.

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Images: Sabrina Lauriston Photography and the Artists