26 December 2009

Happy New Year


I've done it! Survived another Christmas Day. Far too much to eat at the homes of various relatives. Most of my presents were either soap or chocolate; not to read too much meaning into that. It's more a case of what-do-you-buy-somebody-who-hates-owning-Stuff. I promise this year I will ration the chocolate over the next couple of months, not eat it all in the first week. Oink oink, flap flap. How about you?

For those who don't read German, the little picture above wishes you a Happy New Year. My great-grandfather was a journalist, illustrator and photographer who worked for various different newspapers; he moved around a lot to keep ahead of his creditors. After fleeing to Sydney from New Zealand he ended up in Hobart as head of the Process Dept at The Mercury about 1897. Among his books I found an 1894 type catalogue issued by J.G. Schelter and Giesecke, Leipzig; it has my great-grandfather's signature and the date 1907 in the front. This is one of their samples. My current project is to scan all the images and if anybody is interested I might share them. I'm not sure how many there are, but the word "lots" should cover it.

In the meantime, I hope you are celebrating the Festive Season of your choice and have a very happy and prosperous 2010.

19 December 2009

Tasmanian Gothic in Berlin

Over the past couple of years several of my paintings, drawings and prints have been purchased by a private collector in Germany.

Now this person invites interested people to view the works at their home in central Berlin, just off Kurfurstendamm. If anybody is interested, they can contact me for more information and to make an appointment.

Here are two of the paintings:



Green Mansions - oil on canvas. 84cm x 91cm




Golden Blossoms - oil on canvas. 106cm x 152cm



I think the world needs more incredibly generous art collectors like this.

08 December 2009

The following is from a publicity release from the Huon Valley Environment Centre. The case is an attack on everybody's right to engage in peaceful protest, whether or not you choose to support the particular issue (i.e. defence of Tasmania's Old Growth forests). I am exhibiting two paintings in the exhbition at the Hogan Gallery in January. Do come along!

Free Speech and Tasmania’s Forests On Trial

This February Six Defendants will stand trial in the long running Gunns 20 case.
Gunns Ltd, the Tasmanian native forest logging company, is suing five individuals and one grass roots environmental organisation. The case has already cost Gunns Ltd $2.8 million and is likely to cost much more by the end. It is one of the longest running and most expensive cases of its kind in Australian legal history. Fortunately, this planet is blessed with courageous people who are prepared to fight for a healthy democracy and the public good, to defend freedom of speech, and to fight for the future of our forests and wildlife. By supporting this fundraising exhibition, you are supporting the defendants in this nationally and internationally significant court case. It will have far-reaching implications for the right to protest and the right to free speech.

Background:
Five years ago, in December 2004, Gunns Ltd issued a $6.4 million, 216 page writ against 20 environmental activists and organizations. Multiple writs later, with cases variously dropped, dismissed or otherwise discontinued, six defendants remain. The case is set to test the legal limits of protest, activism and free speech. The six remaining defendants are individuals with limited assets plus a small grassroots organisation, the Huon Valley Environment Centre, based in the south of Tasmania.
The Gunns20 case will go to trial in February 2010 in the Supreme Court in Melbourne. The case may run for up to five weeks. The defendants are preparing for the trial. Unlike Gunns, which is a company, they are being sued as individuals. They face the possibility of being taken to the cleaners by a court case like this - and indeed into potential bankruptcy. It affects not just the defendents themselves, but also their loved ones, their families, friends and other people. And there is the impact on the wider community, from the potential for intimidation by a large corporation to restrict freedom to protest.
But the legitimate right of people everywhere on this planet to stand up for what they believe can’t be taken away if we are going to have a healthy democracy. The woodchipping industry in Tasmania is destroying native forests at the greatest rate in history; this year approximately 150,000 log truck loads will go the woodchip mills for export to Japan, China, Korea, and the great majority of that is through this company called Gunns Ltd. You only have to look at what’s happening to the magnificent forests of Tasmania and the wildlife after the loggers for Gunns have been through, and you see total devastation. Nothing is left alive.

Events
Freedom to Speak A Corporate Unmasking - Gunns 20 Fundraising Collaborative Exhibition – 20 Artists At Hogan Gallery, Smith St, Fitzroy Melbourne. 15 Jan - 28 Jan 2010

Comments
Australian Greens Leader, Senator Bob Brown says; “In the Franklin campaign, we broke the law, we were prepared to pay the consequences, and everybody I run into who was part of that movement at the time feels proud that they were. Because a great benefit came out of it, including investment, jobs, and of course the retention of beauty. Where do you draw the line?: you draw it in your own conscience, and you have to be well aware of the consequences and you have to, in your own lifetime, either accept every law that’s brought through, or determine whether there are other higher moral principles, ethical principles, including the rights of future generations, which are an inherent law of human activity, which have to be obeyed as well. "

Prominent Melbourne Barrister, Brian Walters SC says; “I don’t think anyone should say that the corporations shouldn’t have rights. They do have rights, and they should be able to access the courts. The question is, for what purpose? And the question is, what do we sacrifice if we allow them to just use their corporate power rather than their corporate rights? In the United States, following the huge explosion of SLAPP suits in the 1980s, nearly every state has now adopted anti-SLAPP suit legislation. It’s usually called Protection of Public Participation legislation, and under that legislation, if a corporation brings an action with the purpose of silencing public debate, they are liable to punitive damages in the courts. And that’s been applied, it’s meant a huge drop in the number of SLAPP suits, and an increase in the creativity of public debate within the United States. We should have that here.”

The Remaining Defendants
Adam Burling
The ancient and wild forests of Tasmania inspire and nurture Adam's spirit. He has campaigned for a number of years with the Huon Valley Environment Centre for their protection from the woodchip companies. It was the threat of industrial forestry near his home and the impact on the local community that pushed Adam and other local residents to take a stand for their small rural valley. It was this stand for the wildlife, forests and people of Lucaston, that has resulted in him being sued by Gunns Ltd.

Louise Morris
Louise Morris initially came to Tasmania in 2001, after campaigning for the protection of Western Australia’s forests, for a short summer vacation. From that point on Louise fell in love with the Tasmanian landscape and lifestyle and become heavily involved in the campaign to protect Tasmania’s forests. Louise spent much of 2005 coordinating the Friends of Forest and Free Speech national tour. The tour highlighted the Gunns 20 case and the need for a bill of rights that protects free speech and the right to peaceful protest. Louise is currently working as a climate campaigner for Friends of the Earth, while attempting to complete a degree in Politics and International Studies. Louise was honoured with the 2005 Australian Conservation Foundation’s Peter Rawlinson Conservation Award.

Mrs Lou Geraghty
Like many Tasmanians, Lou never for a minute considered that one day she would become involved with an environmental campaign, nor be in danger of losing her home and life savings over a court case bought by Tasmania’s largest logging corporation. Married with children and grandchildren, Lou and her husband were in the process of developing their property for eco-tourism when the magnificent forests next to her Lucaston property became an industrial logging zone. All plans were put on hold while she and her neighbors fought for the peace, safety and amenity of their families and the surrounding wildlife and forests. This struggle became a ground breaking documentary entitled ‘The Battle of Bakers Creek’ and Lou ended up as one of the Gunns20.

Neal Funnell
Neal is the youngest member of the Gunns 20. One day he would like to make lots of money at the expense of those around him and go on to become a powerbroker in one of Australia's two major political parties. He would like to thank Gunns for this invaluable legal opportunity.

Brian Dimmick
A well known Tasmanian film and documentary maker, Brian produced the ground breaking 2003 documentary "The Battle of Bakers Creek". Hailed as one of the most powerful environmental films ever seen, the documentary covers the battle waged by members of a small Tasmanian community against Gunns Ltd plans to log the beautiful forests of the Lucaston Valley, 40 minutes south of Hobart. Brian knows only too well the high price of telling the outside world about environmental destruction in Tasmania. While filming traffic footage for the documentary in a public place, Brian, and his camera equipment, were attacked by a log truck driver. The attack was caught on film and broadcast nationally giving a window for the rest of the country on the realities faced by brave people trying to raise awareness about logging in Tasmania.

The Huon Valley Environment Centre Inc.
Located in Southern Tasmania’s woodchipping heartland in the town of Huonville, the Huon Valley Environment Centre stands against incredible odds and is a brave beacon to the community. The Centre is a meeting space for environmentalists and has a great range of gifts, books, plants and a lending library. It has become an oasis for many environmentally minded people. It is staffed by a committed group of Tasmanians volunteers. Established in 2001, the centre's activities include forest campaigns, herb health and organic expos, and coordinating events about local environmental issues. Huon Valley Environment Centre campaigns for Tasmania's threatened World Heritage value southern forests. It is spearheading the campaign to protect the Lower Weld Valley, a valley of ancient forests and wild pristine rivers.

07 December 2009


Want to learn to paint/draw? Of course you do . . . So here is a list of my tutorial activities for next year:

ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES
Firstly, I will be back at Adult Education - now known as the Community Knowledge Network, but they're not fooling anybody. We know better than to notice re-branding. Classes will include Absolute Beginners' Painting, How to Draw Everything, Oil Painting introduction, Oil Painting for complete Beginners and Landscape Painting for Beginners. It is Adult Education policy to teach everything at Beginner level. However, the only class above that is really a beginner class is Absolute Beginners' Painting. The others usually consist of a few beginners and a number of people enrolling for the second, third and in some cases fourth, fifth . . . time. They carry on with their own projects while I attend to the beginners, but there is plenty of interaction between students at all levels and it works really well having a mixture of people who know each other and some new faces every term. The only drawback is that some people have been coming so long they really can't be called "beginners" any longer; unfortunately they will just have to swallow their pride as I could not change the names of the classes this time. I'll try again for the Winter term next year!
SUMMER SCHOOL
Landscape Painting for Beginners will be a two-day Summer class at the Church St Adult Education Centre in North Hobart. This will be Sunday 7th and 14th February 2010, and enrolments are open. Although it says "beginners" and "landscape", and I will most certainly adhere to that, my usual approach to weekend classes is to look around the assembled students and say "well - this is what was advertised. Now - what do you REALLY want to do?" and carry on accordingly.
FORESHORE ART SCHOOL
The big news is that I will also be offering classes at the Foreshore Art School's brand new premises at Rosny Park - Level 2, 6 Bayfield St (above Eyelines). Courses will be: Getting Started (similar to Absolute Beginners' Painting), Intermediate Painting (a continuation class) and Basic Drawing.
Courses are ongoing; you can pay for a block of lessons at a time. After an introductory course you can keep coming as long as you like. This means we can explore different aspects of drawing and painting in much more detail than when limited to ten lessons. An added bonus is that the studio is also a gallery, so you can look at a new exhibition every month, and may eventually exhibit your own paintings there.


20 November 2009

A Decadent Night Out . . . well, sort of

A busy week in the studio. The intention was to complete some of the unfinished paintings I have lying around, but all that seems to have happened is that I did a completely new one - which may need some adjustments, so is added to the List of Unfinished Paintings. Then I began reworking one I'd long discarded as a failure. Still, I'm not going to run out of Things To Do for quite some time.
To reward myself for my diligence I dressed up and went to the opening of the annual CAST (Contemporary Art Services Tasmania) Members' Exhibition. Every year this exhibition gets better. There was an exciting variety of work in pretty much any medium you can imagine, and some you probably can't (Honey? Lawn clippings? Dandelion seeds?). Some were clever, some were cute, some thought-provoking and one or two just a bit too obscure for a delicate lass like me, but it all worked well together. My painting was hanging nicely at eye level, just as I'd hoped. I found some people to talk to, renewed a couple of old acquaintances, and drank one more glass of champagne and bitters than I should have. As I know from long experience only a small quantity of alcohol is enough to skew my critical faculties big time, so there's no point in trying to do anything artistic for the rest of the evening. What a good thing I've got a book to read!
Meantime, this is the painting I have in the exhibition:

Landscape with Melting Church - 61cm x 41cm
CAST Members' Exhibition - 27 Tasma St, North Hobart, Tasmania
21 November - 20 December 2009
Well worth the visit!

11 November 2009

Unease in the foliage

The following article appeared in The Mercury magazine 7 November, 2009



There is always something slightly unnerving about Elizabeth Barsham's oil paintings although such a feeling often defies analysis.

Just out of sight of the evocative rural scene or the smiling family group some unpleasantness is possibly lurking behind the sinuous foliage.

Alternatively it can be in the form of entrails of once noble trees but there are also adults with sinister saws and occasional forlorn, vulnerable children. The suspended reality of her many strangely compelling scenes have an added drop of the macabre - perhaps because Tasmania, for a complexity of reasons, has elements of perversity and eccentricity; and that is not just the weather.

Maybe Barsham's memories of the Tasmanian environment of yesteryear have been darkened by its subsequent degradation?

Clyde Selby

04 November 2009

About the Exhibition - gallery director's description

Betty Nolan, director of the Foreshore Gallery, provided the following information:


Dali's Moustache is a celebration of three Eastern Shore painters who use in their work methods popularised by the great Spanish Surrealist Salvador Dali (currently a great retrospective at the National Gallery of Victoria) and his fellow artists.


The three painters featured in this exhibition, Elizabeth Barsham, Alex Wanders and Betty Nolan, are building the visual culture of our island. Using the formal means of Dadaism and Surrealism they create unique contemporary visions of what it is to be Tasmanian underneath the surface of things, whether the spiritual, the fantastic or the world of the object.


Distortion, antigravity, non local colour, transparency and viscous space are used to show their different philosophies.


Elizabeth Barsham's works remind us of Max Ernst's great masterpiece Europe After the Rain. Similar to the devastated vegetal ruins he depicts, her immaculately painted forests are strangely compromised, at once fecund, living organisms, but also mutating in strange directions. Rich with possibility, verdant and potentially explosive they watch the watchers. The colours and forms metamorphose into manmade forms and human viscera. Something unexpected is at the edge of the clearing.

In Alex Wander's works a flame burns without consuming wood, a bronze snake is lifted up on a pole and a staff blossoms in the desert. Is this Arcadia or Eden before the fall - a time when the lion lay down with the lamb? Their painted perfection speaks of a nobility and permanence that is something more than visual perception, that is richer and more than real (surreal). Suave varnishes are lit from within, illuminating enigmatic spiritual form, informed by belief.


Betty Nolan's paintings are a response to European travel in 2008. The world's great cities throng with shoppers who desire the object, whether it is the designer handbag, the antique or the missing part of an obscure collection. Back in Tasmania we trawl markets to find our own object of desire. Sometimes we don't know what it is, but it will speak to us when we have the encounter. This conversation is the subject of her works, where little clocks sculpted from coloured varnishes converse with the young shopper or objects assume a metaphorical scale consistent with their significance in the mind of the collector.

Betty Nolan, 2009


Betty Nolan's website: www.foreshoreartschool.com.au

Inaugural Exhibition of Foreshore Gallery

Where better to begin a new blog than with the inaugural exhibition in a brand new gallery? Not only that, but it is the first commercial gallery to be established in the Eastern Shore suburbs of Hobart.

The Foreshore Gallery is located on level 2, 6 Bayfield St., Rosny Park, Tasmania (Australia, for our overseas friends), conveniently close to the shopping centre.









For photographs of the paintings I have exhibited, visit my website:
www.tasmanian-gothic.com