Outstanding art at University’s premier exhibition

Dwarfed by huge floral paintings, diminutive third year visual arts student Karen Stone simply shrugs and says - “I like flowers” - as she prepares to exhibit in Southern Cross University's premier art exhibition TRANSIT 2011, opening on Friday, October 14.

Karen’s works and their inspiration, though, are far from simple. On closer inspection the ‘paintings’ are actually paper made from pulped clothing.

The Lismore artist has developed a fascinating technique using discarded clothing cut into tiny pieces and pulped into a fine ‘chicken soup’.

“The varied items provide delicious colours,” Karen said.

“Denim blues; soft, faded reds; gentle greens; strong, velvet black.”

Karen ‘paints’ by filling squirting sauce bottles with the coloured pulp, which is then left to dry and bond, leaving a fine, paper work of fragile beauty.

“I feel like Alice in Wonderland amongst this enormous garden,” said Karen.

Flowers were an intrinsic part of Karen’s upbringing.

In her grandmothers’ houses they were everywhere: in the curtains, the carpets, their frocks, their aprons and their tea towels.

“Floral images are a strong representation of traditional pre-50s femininity, underpinning the practicality of women who lived through deprivation,” said Karen.

Karen fondly recalls that her Aunty Phil would darn her frocks and when they were obviously exhausted she would wear them inside-out.

With Karen’s re-purposing of clothes it is as though she has woven fabric, memories and meaning together, bonded with gentle feminine strength that remains clearly resonant in her works that will hang in TRANSIT, Southern Cross University's visual arts graduating student exhibition.

Forty of Australia’s newest emerging artists are exhibiting at TRANSIT which opens at Southern Cross University’s Lismore campus in the visual arts V block on Friday October 14 from 5.30pm to 8pm.

The exhibition will continue from Saturday, October 15 through to Friday, October 28. The opening hours are 10am to 4pm from Monday to Saturday (closed on Sundays).

Vicky Attenborough from Byron Bay will also be showing her work in the TRANSIT exhibition and said her work was inspired by a haunting evening at the Cape Byron lighthouse.

“A full moon bathed the lighthouse precinct in an ethereal, other-worldly glow and for once a quiet calm descended on one of the busiest, most photographed tourist spots in Australia,” Vicky explained.

“My sense of belonging was profound and I wanted to capture the experience.”

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, reflecting the diversity of visual arts studies that was available at the University.

"The visual arts degree satisfies a set of graduate attributes by developing creativity, ethical integrity and a broad set of personal, professional and social networking skills," Mr Smith said.

"The career destinations for our graduates include practising artists, designers, teachers, arts administrators, curators, gallerists and so much more."

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

For more information call 02 6620 3831.

Special thanks to TRANSIT's major sponsors: North Coast Radiology, Caddies Coffee, Northern Rivers Echo and the Lismore Regional Gallery.
Photo: Flower child … huge floral paintings dwarf artist Karen Stone. Event: The TRANSIT 2011 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 14 from 5.30pm to 8pm. The exhibition will continue from Saturday, October 15 through to Friday, October 28. The opening hours are 10am to 4pm from Monday to Saturday (closed on Sundays).