Like many artists, I need to do other things to support myself. Before committing myself to collage, I used to work in advertising, most recently at Belgiovane Williams and Mackay. Now I have a little outfit where I run The Wood Agency; where I create campaigns, write and bake baked goods. My commute is normally about 10 paces but, today, a meeting in Sydney means … Continue reading The sacrifices artists need to make
Today, the latest edition of GQ Australia arrived in the post. That’s not the strange thing. I don’t remember subscribing but that’s not the strange thing either. The weird thing is that as I was flipping through the pages I realised that I wasn’t looking at the articles or the ads. I was looking at the colours and textures of the pages. I was thinking; … Continue reading A strange thing happened to me today
This collage is very different in style to my other collages so far, I’m trying to use the way I tear and cut the paper to create texture. In this way, this baby’s jacket is reminiscent of the knitted original. The keys and the angel wings are all about freedom, as ultimately the discovery of Azaria Chamberlain’s matinee jacket in a dingo lair was all … Continue reading Collage: Matinee release
After Azaria Chamberlain was taken by a dingo, Aboriginal trackers traced dingo footprints in the sand that was carrying a large bundle. There were clear imprints of knitted clothing where a dingo had rested a large bundle. This testimony was inadmissible as the man giving evidence spoke on behalf of his wife, but in first person, which was the local way. This collage is of … Continue reading Back tracked, collage of Aboriginal tracker
It’s really exciting to see the Top 300 artworks selected for the Saatchi Online collage showdown. I am disappointed that my work didn’t make the cut, but the voting is a “Hot or Not” style voting and I knew it was always going to be an outside chance that I’d be shortlisted. It good news for the shortlisted artists and exciting to think that an … Continue reading Collage Showdown finalists announced
This is the sixth collage in the series, A dingo ate my baby. Lindy Chamberlain allegedly fed her eldest son a can of baked beans while she went into a tent, where her other son was sleeping, and stabbed Azaria to death and stuffed her body in a camera bag. Of course, none of this was true. A dingo had taken the baby. This collage … Continue reading Blood and beans collage; a dingo ate my baby series
With the fourth inquest into Azaria Chamberlain’s death scheduled for February 24, I need to complete the entire series before then. Here’s the next two: Spilt Milk The forensics in the Azaria case were flawed and unreliable but were used to sentence Lindy Chamberlain to life imprisonment with hard labour. A sticky substance was found under the dashboard of the car and the prosecution successfully … Continue reading Latest collages using magazines and paper
Back home after a mixed media course in Sydney and I feel the spectre of the blank canvas goading me. Just checked my schedule and I need to be very prolific over the next few weeks if I am going to make my February 6 deadline. Feel like I’ve been going through a manic phase and today anything and everything is distracting me – our … Continue reading The onerous weight of a blank canvas
Today was the last day at the Mixed Media course at the National Arts School. Officially we weren’t supposed to take our works down till 4.30pm but I had to do a runner and when Kerrie Lester left the studio, I pulled my work down and snuck out the back door at 2.30pm. I had finished the final chicken and had a four hour drive … Continue reading Final Day; Mixed Media course. Final chicken.
I like the sense of accomplishment you get from learning new skills, even though it can be extraordinarily frustrating until you find some comfort and confidence in your new found skills. After four days under the direction of Kerrie Lester I’m finding that I am trying new stuff and enjoying it. Although I will certainly be glad to see the back of the chickens! Continue reading Day 4: Mixed media at National Arts School
Ray Monde 