Unearthed Treasures Exhibition

It is a great honour for me to have work in the current exhibition Unearthed Treasures at Caloundra Regional Gallery.

“Local residents reveal their extraordinary hidden collections and share the fascinating stories behind them in this unique exhibition, Unearthed Treasures. Bringing together an eclectic combination of paintings, sculptures, historical objects and keepsakes, this exhibition reveals the rich and diverse passion for collecting held within the Sunshine Coast community.” – Caloundra Regional Gallery.

A very special thank you to Julie Hauritz (Public Art Officer Sunshine Coast Regional Council) for nominating my art work for selection from her private collection – other works include distinguished artists like Charles Blackman, Norman Lindsay, Pro Hart, Ken Done and many more.

Ladies Fan & Lidded Box II (detail), 2015.

Exhibition dates: Wednesday 2 December, 2015 to Sunday 17 January, 2016. 

22 Omrah Ave,

Caloundra Qld 4551

(next to Caloundra Library)
Ph: 07 - 5420 8299

book launch celebrations...

I would like to send a massive thank you to everyone who attended my book launch yesterday, and especially to the beautiful Kari for her heartfelt speech.

Also, I would like to thank Noosa Regional Gallery and staff for giving me the opportunity to host the event in the gallery.  

A few photographs to share with you...

Kari and I preparing for the speech. 

Everyone getting seated...

Introduction by Margo Miranda (Gallery Programs Assistant) 

Everyone enthralled with Kari's beautiful speech

Thanking everyone for coming...

...and thanking the lovely Janet De Boer OAM (CEO TAFTA) for all her support and writing the foreword for my book.

And lastly, the book signing...

Book Signing - Mapleton Community Library

It'll be straight back into the saddle for me on Saturday 28 Nov with a guest spot and signing to promote my book at the Mapleton Community Library's Summer Book Sale and Mini Market. With the Book Launch the previous day (Fri 27 @ Noosa Regional Gallery) it's going to be a couple of fun filled days sharing and interacting with the community.  I'll be at the Library from 8 am to 10 am, it's a free event and everyone is welcome!

I hope you can join me on one of these happy occassions...

Mapleton Community Library 

Obi Obi Road (Opposite Pharmacy)

(07) 5445 7011 

The Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Sunshine Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

  This project is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.

Library display + stockists

Earlier in the week, a window of opportunity presented itself for me to showcase my work in one of the display cabinets in the Maleny Library. What perfect timing to promote my forthcoming publication Expressions of Love and Book Launch (Fri 27 Nov 2015), only 11 days from today!

Also, I am super excited to announce Rosetta Books Maleny has approved my application to sell my books - yay! So now the locals (on the range) have an easier option for purchasing a copy. (other stockists include, Books of Buderim, Caloundra Regional and Noosa Regional Gallery Gift Shops, or via my website).

Pictured below and on the right is the actual book - how excitement!

Selected works on show...

Sharing an insight into my process and how I transform ordinary used tea bags into works of art - in this case, tea bag process in preparation for spinning.  

And local chap, Petrus calls in to deliver his beautifully dried used tea bags. His previous cache incorporated into Latched with Love and in the knitting above.

Book Launch - Noosa Regional Gallery

It gives me great pleasure to invite you to join me in this momentous occasion to celebrate the publication of Expressions of Love ...

Book Launch Friday 27 November 2015 at 10.30am 

Noosa Regional Gallery  

Riverside 9 Pelican St

Tewantin Q 4565

Please RSVP Noosa Regional Gallery on 07 5329 6145 or gallery@noosa.qld.gov.au

RELEASED Friday 27 November, 2015 - anyone wishing to purchase Expressions of Love the book, can find it at Books of Buderim, Rosetta Books Maleny, Caloundra Regional and Noosa Regional Gallery Gift Shops or by PayPal via my website www.kimschoenberger.com Retail price AUD $34.95 

The Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Sunshine Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

 This project is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.

Expressions of Love, the book!

Seriously peeps - I don't know if it is the same for you - but the older I get the quicker time seems to just fly right by!

Earlier in the year I received funding from the Queensland Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) to publish a book highlighting my two exhibitions Expressions of Love I and II, and shivermetimbers it has definitely kept me on my toes! I have also been working on the (previously mentioned) commission, which still remains confidential, hence, my extended silence on social media.

Writing the story and compiling the book (entitled Expressions of Love) so far has been a wonderful experience and interesting process. There has been so much to do (and still is), and at times I have felt quite emotional. Anyone familiar with me will know how the works ended up forging their own path, entwined with my own life's story - having to revisit and write about it certainly stirred the sediment.

However I am super excited because as of today, the final design is burning up the tarmac in express post bound for the printers - yay!! Being a virgin self-publisher and an eager beaver I am finding a fair amount of patience is required on my part with the lengthy processes involved, and I still have a few more steps to go through before the final hard-copy is in my hot little hand. So in the meantime, there's a book launch to prepare and I have just received confirmation (hot off the press!) that the book launch will be held at Noosa Regional Gallery - so stay tuned for the dets.

I am also delighted to announce that Janet De Boer OAM has written the Foreword for the book and here's a sneak peak of the front cover...

An overview of the contents inside... designed as a coffee table style book, Expressions of Love will feature photographs of both collections (by professional photographer's Natalija Brunovs, Lindsay Ham and Tony Webdale) as well as the history of the development of my concepts throughout the exhibition journey, while also highlighting the overwhelming community support I received along the way. Expressions of Love containing 104 pages with 60 photographs illustrating 40 works plus 38 support photographs and Foreword by Janet De Doer OAM will be available at Art Galleries and bookshops on the Sunshine Coast in late November, 2015.

tea bags mounted to canvas

The intensity of working on a certain medium over several months can open the flood gates for more creative ideas and experimentation, working on Expressions of Love II last year was no exception, it was super intense utilising over 10,000 tea bags, the ideas were literally oozing, it was challenging to juggle these creative juices and remain focused on the task at hand. I was able to steer off the beaten track every now and then, to explore this new found 'inspiration' and capture its intensity - so many fantastic concepts are given birth in these moments and they are not to be missed! I would often find myself working on a piece for Expressions of Love II then take a giant sideward step to initiate a new idea and document it, knowing when I could confidently come back to it at a later date, I would pick up the previous project again.

Expressions of Love II was carefully curated to build a sense of nostalgia upon entering into Gallery 3 with the object based works suituated on plinths, my intent was to draw my audience into a familar setting as seen with the works in Expressions of Love 2010 i.e 'Cols Cushions', the 'L' shaped gallery space allowed for it perfectly.  The direct view saw 'Close Knit CommUNITY' which lead the way for my new direction, by ustilising one knitting needle and hung 'partially literal' paved the way for this new direction with the final works in the larger open space - the three major works mounted to stretched canvas brought my audience with me into a new area I wish to explore - moving from the 'literal' sense into a contemporary context with wall based works.  This is not to say I am finished with object plinth based works, just for now, I wish to push the boundaries from the norm!

Which leads me into here, one such idea I have been entertaining and decided to explore...using original photos - process driven work exploring the element of rhythm and repetition with printed imagery on square shaped tea bags and mounted to stretched canvas...

A detail of the completed work comprises 374 recycled tea bags, entitled, Steel Square Tubing - Painted (30"x40)

 

Recycled tea bags drying on the deck - the humble home brewed!

 

On my treadle sewing machine, several individual panels were sewn first...

 

Then sewn together, at each interval ironed to maintain their shape and for easy sewing.  I seriously feel in love with the back view - I have most certainly made a note to explore this at a later date!

 

A backing sheet and binding was sewn with the panel for added strength.

 

Completed work, mounted to stretched canvas - detail.

Mark of the Artist

I am delighted to announce I will be kicking off the first ‘Mark of the Artist’ 2014 event at Noosa Regional Gallery.

Following on from my recent solo exhibition, Expressions of Love II  I'll share insights into my ceramic arts practice and how I go about creating the Southern Ice porcelain component to accommodate my recycled tea bags works, as seen in the image below.

Please accept this warm invitation to join me for morning tea, on Friday 11 April, 2014 between 10.30am and 11.30am – Riverside, Pelican St, Tewantin – gold coin donation – RSVP 8 April Email : gallery@noosa.qld.gov.au

hightlights

I am feeling all sentimental after downloading the last exhibition images (yesterday's bump out) and thought it might be nice to share a few highlights with you. The whole process of working toward my exhibition has been great fun, certainly one of my highlights was working and sharing with the community. It also provided me with an opportunity to get out from the isolation of my studio and form new friendships along the way - together we created a buzz leaving behind a trail of tea dust from collecting well over 10,000 tea bags!

It was a challenge narrowing it down to a dozen photographs because all the moments were special, nonetheless, here are some of my highlights from Expressions of Love II...

Embraced by the community...my first tea bag call out, February 2013, via social media, unprepared for the response I was inundated with tea bags coming in from all directions, I quickly established four collection points across the Hinterland.

 

Tea Bag Tea Parties ...  Rosebed St Gallery, Maya (& former partner Annie) kindly shared my tea bag call-out in their e-newsletters and before long Tea Bag Tea Partes were on the agenda (a big thank you to Rosebed for their generousity in providing the venue).

Team effort... all eager to lend a hand while having a cuppa adding to the collection!

 

D-day, installation day.... with all the hype working around the clock, installation day came around so quick - it was a day filled with many emotions, with a little time for reflection.  The title and name going up made it feel all very real.

 

Anticipation and excitement with placement... one of the biggest works (containing 3600 tea bags in total) layed out to calculate wall placement. 

 

...freshly painted walls, nails going in, work going up... I only ever viewed latched with Love layed on the floor, this was the most defining moment, finally veiwing on the wall and in place.  Internal dialogue..."Yay. Relief. Yes!!! Looks great! Validation - all the hard work, it was worth it, yay!!!"

 

Day one, doors open to the public... what better way than to share the day with a special friend who needs some TLC ♥

 

On another day... a special bus trip organised for a special group of tea bag collectors - Kureelpa Spinners & Weavers, and a dear friend, Petrus.

 

Opening night celebrations.... with special friends

 

mammoth crowd of people filled the gallery rooms...

 

Fun with Janet De Boer...

  

 

'Meet the Artist' Morning Tea... an awesome opportunity to meet gallery visitors and talk about my work.

 

Family Day, Artist Demo Day.... time for interaction and conversation.

 

My most loyal... sharing the whole experience, from the birth of the idea all the way along to bump-in.& bump-out with my best friend ever, Glen.

Artist Demo Day

Today was Family Day at Noosa Regional Gallery, a regular monthly event for the gallery (Gallery Public Program), Family day is where volunteer staff host interactive art activities; clay, paint etc., for the kids, while one of the current exhibiting artist contributes, usually in the form of a demonstration or similar for the visiting public.

A wet drizzly day weather wise today, however, it didn't stop folk from coming to the gallery. I was fortunate to have the gallery Foyer to spread out (pictured below), while the outside undercover area graced several long tressel tables full of happy little creatives and a sausage sizzle.

Just alongside me in the gallery were more tressel tables and more little creatives, this time being creative with tea stained watercolour paper, tea bag paper and tea leaves. Unfortunately, I was too busy to take photographs... the results were most intriguing!

My Foyer display.

 

Below, an Interactive display area I provided for the gallery and the duration of Expressions of Love II, latch hooking in progress for folk to have a try.

 

Additional interactive work, displayed just for today for further exploration. Foreground; Twinnings - Raspberry, Strawberry & Loganberry flavoured, yield pink coloured tea bags; knitting with spun tea bag yarn; prototypes, sewn patchwork panels, the making of Deconstructed Quilt; and crocheting with spun tea bags and a few sample crochet flowerettes.

 

After a quick run down on how to prepare the recycled tea bag yarn for spinning - everyone was most intrigued when the spinning begun.

 

Then it was time for others to have a try.

 

Thanks to all whom came today, 'twas a most enjoyable day!