Open Studio Day 2018

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What a gloriously still and sunny day it was yesterday; perfect for a Sunday drive to Wyndham!

 

 

 

And we met lots of new peeps, which was fabulous (it’s always nice to introduce curious and appreciative contemporary/decorative art lovers to our practice.)

So this year we decided to include the element of a lucky door prize (or in our case, a lucky mugshot prize) to add a little zing to the day. Not everybody subjected themselves to the light hearted ignominy (on the lam from the law, perhaps!) but those who did went into the draw for one of Megsie’s lost wax lead crystal oyster shells.

 

 

 

In the end, because it’s our inaugural Mugshot Prize, we decided to extend the odds to three draws – and the winners, in order, are…drum roll, maestro…

 

 

 

But then of course, while editing the snaps this morning, we were struck by the unutterable charm of those who fully embraced the concept and morphed into ‘beyond disreputable’ mode. So we’ve bunged on an additional “I didn’t do nuffink” prize. Notwithstanding that our recidivists Jen and Penny always go the extra yard, on this particular occasion the loaf of bread was stolen by Leonie…

 

Leonie

 

We’d like to thank every one for being such good sports. The oyster shells will be on their way, toot sweet.

And that’s a rap (in the judicial sense), y’all. Thanks for making it a fun day. Our next annual open studio day falls on Sunday 10th November 2019. Mark your dance cards!

Ginger

Megsie

Face to face…

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Pink bits Neddie

The anniversary of Neddy’s hanging day is nigh (11th November), ergo preparation is underway for our annual open studio day. This year we’re joining the Festival of the Face program, celebrating artists and communities in towns and villages across the shire.

Those of you who have already attended previous open days will know that there’s a facet of the visit that fits in particularly well with the Festival of the Face thematic; our Mugshot Files, which feature art loving perps from across the shire and beyond.

Here’s a glimpse of past parades (by way of example!)…

This year, to up the ante, we’re introducing the Mugshot Prize (our version of a lucky door prize); kicking off with one of Megsie’s lost wax cast Australian lead crystal oyster shells…

Megan Bottari, lost wax cast Australian lead crystal oyster shells

What could be more appropriately representative of our gloriously pristine champion oyster farming environment!

And there’s a further nod to our beautiful region on show this year; Megsie’s newest body of work, the Surf and Turf series. We think of these cast glass pieces as a metaphoric face of the Shire – ostensibly Surf and Turf is an ode to the Far South Coast of NSW, a visual aggregate of our agrarian coastal culture (not least being the local bloke’s fave pub meal!)

Megan Bottari, Surf and Turf #2 (Westernport)

Megan Bottari, Surf and Turf rear

Megan Bottari, It's blue

Megan Bottari Surf and Turf Fleet Review

Megan Bottari, from the Surf and Turf series, lost wax cast Australian lead crystal.

At Prisoners of the Crown we’ve long had an enduring interest in portraiture (particularly those of our fave bushrangers)…

Ginger Bottari, Ned Kelly cameo from the Prisoners of the Crown series, saw pierced titanium

Ginger Bottari, Dan Kelly cameo (from the Prisoners of the Crown series), saw pierced titanium

Ginger Bottari, Captain Moonlight cameo (from the Prisoners of the Crown series), saw pierced titanium

Ginger Bottari, Ben Hall cameo (from the Prisoners of the Crown series), saw pierced titanium

Ginger Bottari, Bushranger Cameos (Ned, Dan, Captain Midnight, Ben), saw pierced brushed titanium

…with Ned, of course, being our magnificent (and principle) obsession.

Our Annual Open Studio day (Sunday 11th November 2018) includes a viewing of the studio workshops (in the old stables) and our gallery (in the old Courtroom) and runs from 10.30am to 3.30pm. We are at the Old Police Station and Courthouse in the Village of Wyndham – just keep an eye out for Maurice de Ute…

Maurice de Ute

Hope to see you then.

                  Ginger                     Megsie

Heritage contemporised…

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When everything old is new again. The charm of contemporary jewellery is that marriage of the craft, the art historic and the zeitgeist of the present day (with mutual respect for all three) – particularly in the case of cultural artefacts. Because tradition is a beautiful thing, all the more so in an au courant context. Which brings us to Giuseppe Jack Alexander Murray’s Christening present: what to gift a wee bairn of Scottish-Australian/Sicilian heritage to fittingly celebrate his entree to the heterogeneous tribe…

 

Ginger Bottari, Murray clan pin, saw pierced brushed titanium, opal and gemstone.

It’s his kilt pin (sans dagger, in the spirit of universal pacifism.)

Over 100 hours in the making (63 saw blades!), 8 layers, the opal to mirror his Antipodean roots – here’s hoping he’ll be a Wild Colonial Boy! – and a bucket of unadulterated Sicilian sentimentality.

A labour of love. Priceless.

 

Ginger

Love story…

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The Owl and the Pussy-cat

by Edward Lear

Megan Bottari, The Owl and the Pussycat #2

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
   In a beautiful pea-green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
   Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
   And sang to a small guitar,
“O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love,
    What a beautiful Pussy you are,
         You are,
         You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!”
Megan Bottari, The Owl and the Pussycat 5.jpg
Pussy said to the Owl, “You elegant fowl!
   How charmingly sweet you sing!
O let us be married! too long we have tarried:
   But what shall we do for a ring?”
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
   To the land where the Bong-Tree grows
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood
   With a ring at the end of his nose,
             His nose,
             His nose,
   With a ring at the end of his nose.
Megan Bottari, Owl and Pussycat (bronze) 1
“Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
   Your ring?” Said the Piggy, “I will.”
So they took it away, and were married next day
   By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
   Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
   They danced by the light of the moon,
             The moon,
             The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.
Megan Bottari, owl and the pussycat 3
Megan Bottari, the owl and the pussycat 11
  congregation

 

Megan Bottari, from  The Owl and the Pussycat series (including She missed the boat and Cat overboard!), lost wax cast Australian lead crystal

Waxing lyrical…

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Megsie’s getting so much pleasure from making these…we’ll let you into a little secret – they’re actually a rhapsody in G (for Giuseppe) minor.

 

Megan Bottari, It's blue 1

Megan Bottari, It's blue 2

Megan Bottari, It's blue 4

Megan Bottari, It's blue 5

Megan Bottari, Surf and Turf: It’s blue (homage to Klausie and Robert), Lost wax cast Australian lead crystal

 

Megan Bottari, Surf and Turf River Mouth

Megan Bottari, Surf and Turf River Mouth (flip)

Megan Bottari, Surf and Turf River Mouth 5.jpg

Megan Bottari, Surf and Turf: River Mouth, lost wax cast Australian lead crystal

 

Megan Bottari, she missed the boat 1

Megan Bottari, she missed the boat 2

Megan Bottari, She missed the boat 3.jpg

Megan Bottari, She missed the boat (from The Owl and the Pussycat series), lost wax cast Australian lead crystal

 

We have the most delicious palette to work through (we love you, James Thompson)…

 

my palette

 

…so we’re beating a constant track to the workshop (…as you do.) Happy happy joy joy.

 

Megan Bottari, Cruisin'.jpg

 

Megsie

 

But wait, there’s more…

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Megsie’s been expanding the fleet, and getting fanciful with a childhood favourite. You can’t imagine how much fun she’s having in the workshop…

 

Megan Bottari Surf and Turf Fleet Review 2

Megan Bottari, Surf and Turf: Fleet Review (against the tide), lost wax cast Australian lead crystal

Megan Bottari, Without a paddle (Bluebell, from the Surf and Turf series)

Megan Bottari, Without a paddle (Bluebell, from the Surf and Turf series), lost wax cast Australian lead crystal

Megan Bottari, Surf and Turf Fleet Review 5

Megan Bottari, Surf and Turf: Fleet Review (against the tide), lost wax cast Australian lead crystal

Megan Bottari, The Owl and the Pussycat

Megan Bottari, The Owl and the Pussycat, lost wax cast Australian lead crystal

Megan Bottari, The Owl and the Pussycat (rear).jpg

Megan Bottari, The Owl and the Pussycat series.jpg

Megan Bottari, Cat Overboard!

Megan Bottari, Cat Overboard!

 

Megsie

Ode to the Far South Coast….

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Fresh from Megsie’s oven is a new series of work, Surf and Turf, referencing all we hold dear about the agrarian-coastal culture of this glorious corner of NSW that we call home. We have the best oysters in the state (Tathra – wins every year!), fabulous seafood, divine beaches, a pristine (Wilderness Coast) environment and, last but never least, moo cows galore.

But of course that’s merely the surface chat (they’re not really just a promo for our delectable region!) – they’re so much more besides, not least being a classic example of Megsie’s inimitable narrative bent (and her predilection for a tasty melange of material and vernacular.)

We’ve only just launched these little sweeties on their Odyssean adventure, and Megsie’ll be back in the workshop this week to expand the fleet…

 

Megan Bottari, Surf and Turf, lost wax cast Australian lead crystal

Cast with our glass of choice, James Thompson’s fabulous Blackwoods lead crystal (love it!)

[Mmm, we can feel our fave culinary fusion coming on…yum yum yum!! n(Ed)]

 

Megsie