TRANSIT Art Exhibition: University’s premiere art exhibition to open

Third-year visual art student and sculptor, Mel Robin, is celebrating increasing recognition for her works as she prepares to exhibit in Southern Cross University's premier art exhibition TRANSIT later this month.

In August this year she won the sculpture category of the National Campus Art Prize, receiving $250 in prize money and inclusion in a national exhibition held at Monash University Student Union in September.

The prize-winning work, 'Trudy', was also shown at the Byron Bay Writers Festival this year; has been on display in the Byron Shire Council Chambers and will be exhibited along with other examples of her work in the TRANSIT exhibition.

Mel's sculptures are carved mostly from camphor laurel but she said she likes to work with any found or unwanted timber.

"My initial attraction to camphor laurel was simply because of its availability however once I started working with the wood I found that it is a beautiful timber to carve with because of its soft and colourful grain. By using camphor laurel I am trying to give these unwanted trees a new life where they can be more fully appreciated," Mel said.

"With camphor laurel being considered a pest in the Northern Rivers everyone is cutting it down and now that more people know that I work with it, I get told about just about every tree felling that goes on in the area.

"My sculptures are all figurative forms. I really enjoy sculpting hands. I love how expressive they can be and how you need little else to express an emotion. I try to create a sense of movement in all of my pieces," Mel said.

Tiffany Sassafrass from Rosebank will also be showing her work in the TRANSIT exhibition and said her work was inspired by the time she spent with her estranged father in the last few weeks of his life.

"It was the first time in 20 years that we'd really talked. My father was a highly creative, eccentric collector, but years of alcoholism and a broken heart had destroyed him. He asked me to make an artwork with all his stuff, so I promised I would," Tiffany said.

"The project has been fantastic and it has also been emotional. All my emotions have come to the surface, grief, anger, sadness, and even joy. Through the artistic process I have come to realise that holding onto anger is not good for anyone and I have felt incredible compassion, forgiveness and love towards my father.

"My art practice this year has been incredibly healing and I am looking forward to sharing my final installation at the graduation show," Tiffany said.

Tiffany's work makes use of her father's lifetime collection of memorabilia including newspaper clippings, crossword puzzles, Playboy magazines, books, receipts, scrapbooks, maps, beer cans, video tapes and lots of odds and ends.

A total of 46 students will have their works on show in the exhibition. John Smith, course co-ordinator for the Bachelor of Visual Arts, said this year's exhibition would include a broad range of visual arts media including painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, installation and film and this reflected the diversity of visual arts studies that was available at the University.

"The thematic and conceptual scope of the projects on display shows the depth of cultural creativity that these emerging artists have achieved within this course. Individuality of expression and engagement with social and cultural issues provide a significant and provocative experience for the spectator," Mr Smith said.

Most of the artworks included in the exhibition will be available for sale with a pricelist available on the opening night. Last year, prices ranged from $25 to $2000, with most works selling below $500.

The TRANSIT Exhibition opening event is open to the public and will be held at Southern Cross University Lismore campus in the visual arts V block on October 15 from 6pm to 8pm.

The exhibition will continue from Saturday, October 16 through to Saturday, October 30. The opening hours are 10am to 4pm from Monday to Saturday and closed on Sundays.

For more information call 02 66203831 or visit http://scu.edu.au/creativeartsshowcase/index.php/87

Photo: Visual art student Mel Robin with one of her works that will be included in the TRANSIT exhibition.