Resilience exhibition

It gives me great pleasure to extend this warm invitation to my next exhibition ...

The opportunity for this exhibition literally came out of the blue, however, I am really happy with the thread I've created between the works - the two larger works, Resilient I and II have been previously exhibited - Resilient I in Living Change, the Flying Arts Alliance Inc touring exhibition of the 2013 Queensland Regional Art Awards, and Resilient II in Reflections, Friends Noosa Regional Gallery Taste of Art 2015 group show at Noosa Regional Gallery. I've wanted to showcase these works together for some time now and it's great the opportunity presented itself.

New works also featured are the prototypes for my recent commission, to design and make the 2016 Sunshine Coast Australia Day Awards Trophy - four unique designs were created for the Trophy with one exclusively chosen, the remaining three designs (executed differently) feature in this exhibition.

Held at the Butter Factory Arts Centre, Cooroy the exhibition opens on Friday 8 January, 2016 at 6pm with guest speaker Nina Shodforth, Director, Noosa Regional Gallery, and officially opened by Julie Hauritz, Public Art Officer, Sunshine Coast Regional Council. It would be wonderful to see you there, if you can make it. My work will showcase in the Foyer, and Kym Barrett in the Creamery who is also exhibiting - both exhibitions open on the same evening.

Exhibition dates: 8 January - 17 February, 2016

And, to compliment the exhibition the gallery has provided Public Program of events:

Please direct all inquiries to the gallery

Thursday 14 January 2016 at 11am

Guided Tour with both myself and Kym

Please RSVP by 13 Jan bfac@iinet.net.au or 07 5442 6665

Saturday 16 January - Sunday 24 January 2016 10am - 3pm daily (closed Mondays)

APT8 Kids on Tour - no RSVP required - please click on this link for all the details.

Butter Factory Arts Centre

11A Maple Street,

Cooroy Q 4563

07 5442 6665

bfac@iinet.net.au 

www.butterfactoryartscentre.com.au

Gallery Hours:

Tues - Fri 10am - 4pm

Sat - Sun 10am - 3pm

(Closed Mondays and on public holidays)

Sunshine Coast Australia Day Awards Trophy

I am delighted to announce that earlier in the year, I was commissioned by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council to design and make the 2016 Sunshine Coast Australia Day Awards Trophy.

Mateship, kinship and uniting as one, were the inspiration behind my design. The idea behind the concept was to design a trophy that represented what it means to be Australian and living on the Sunshine Coast.

It was an honour to be chosen to design the Sunshine Coast Australia Day Awards trophy - I believe the nominees for this award are people worthy of celebrating and honouring for the unconditional service they provide, not only for the people around them but also the broader community.

Designed to hang on a wall rather than sit as an object on a shelf, each trophy is cut from recycled corrugated iron using a waterjet cutting technique, and finished with a stainless steel and Jacaranda backing – while an original photograph was painstakingly converted into a vector file to create the design – the finished trophy however a different design is the same concept as
Resilient I pictured below.

Example concept - NOT ACTUAL WORK

Winners in the seven categories will receive their award at the Sunshine Coast Australia Day Awards Ceremony, on Monday 25 January 2016.  

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.

an evening with ATASDA

My artist talk was warmly received last Thursday evening, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank ATASDA (Aust Textile Arts Surface Design Assoc) for inviting me and everyone for coming along and making me feel very welcome - it was a most enjoyable evening. After sharing conversations with like minded folk on the various methods of re-using the humble tea bag, I was surprised by how many people are actually recycling and using them! (simple method for drying used tea bags, please see end notes).

Keeping in with tradition (using a vintage spinners wheel and foot-treadle sewing machine), my talk and demo was delivered in an ole fashioned manner by showcasing a selection of artworks from my Expressions of Love exhibitions, and providing a tactile area of  spun, sewn and partly crocheted tea bags for closer inspection.

A few snap shots from the evening, with photography courtesy of Jolanta Szymczyk

For anyone wishing to know how to dry used tea bags, here is a simple method for drying them:

Place wet/used tea bags on a porous surface* to dry i.e wood or concrete, all intact - tea, string, and label. Or alternatively, they can be air dried on oven racks, mesh trays or similar.

Tea bags can be dried in the sun or shade, however in a dry, shaded and warm positions is preferable. When the tea bags are completely dry store them in paper bags not plastic, as they go mouldy and are rendered unusable.

*a note of caution, staining may occur if drying wet tea bags on porous surfaces.

Artist Talk + Demonstration

I am delighted to announce, I will be conducting an Artist Talk and Demonstration for the
Australian Textile Arts & Surface Design Association (ATASDA). 

Close Knit CommUNITY, 2013 (Detail). One thousand sewn & spun recycled tea bags and thread. 

My artist talk focuses on the process and praxis behind my ‘Expressions of Love‘ exhibitions and how I created this series of works from over 17,000 donated recycled tea bags.  As part of my Artist Talk, I will also explain how I transform ordinary used tea bags into yarn and deliver a tea bag spinning demonstration.

Tea bag process for spinning.

My Artist Talk + Demonstration will take place at Queensland Spinners, Weavers & Fibre Artists Fibrecraft House on Thursday 18th June, 6.30pm for a 7pm start.

Tea bag crochet coral forms

Over the last little while (in between commissions and studio time) I have been crocheting a small collection of tea bag coral forms for my contribution to the Sunshine Coast Satellite Reef project and I am excited to be attending the official exhibition opening today!

Representatives from the Caloundra Regional Gallery, in particular Julie Hauritz launched the project at World Environment Day 5 June 2014 - I also volunteered on the day and since its launch hundreds of entries have flooded in from all over around Australia contributing to the installation.

Below in the first two photographs show a sneak peak of my humble contribution. It is a small offering due to the lengthy process involved with the making - its hard to see the hundreds of tea bags that went into them. It was fun making them however the nature of the material presented me with a few challenges along the way.

And then another little teaser, the latter two photographs show a snippet of the display in the gallery, which, is complemented by large sculptural sea birds and sea creatures by artist Tony Rice (see large suspended sea turtle) with underwater coral photography of local reefs - the exhibition runs until 28 June.

The Sunshine Coast Satellite Reef is part of the worldwide Crochet Coral Reef Project created by the Institute for Figuring and directors Christine and Margaret Wertheim. The Crochet Coral Reef is a response to the devastation of living reefs due to global warming and ocean acidification while celebrating the intersection of higher geometry and feminine handicraft.

Taste of Art exhibition - Noosa Regional Gallery

The time lapse between my posts is seemingly getting wider and wider! Hope you are all well and happy J

I have been quietly working away in the shadows on a few projects which, unfortunately remain confidential at the moment so I am unable to share any juicy goss.  However, I have an artwork hanging in Noosa Regional Gallery for the Friends Noosa Regional Gallery's fourth group show Taste of Art, showcasing an array of rich and diverse local creatives responding to the theme Reflections - on display until Sunday 22 March 2015.

My exhibiting piece entitled Resilient II and pictured above may look familiar to some - it is the reverse sister to Resilient I featured in Living Change, Flying Arts Alliance Inc touring exhibition of the 2013 Queensland Regional Art Awards.  When creating the artwork the positive impression (cut) ended up being just as effective as the negative impression, so I created two artworks from the one cut.  For those of you that are interested in process... I discovered a great resource on my travels, a machine that cuts through corrugated iron (and thickened steel, marble etc) with great precision and of course by skill of the operator Steve, a man of great efficiency from Caloundra Waterjet Cutting.

Above, a detailed photograph water jet cutting the corrugated iron, and full view of the machine below, as you can see, this is a serious piece of equipment! 

post firing - success!

Fortunately, luck was on my side this week and I was able to push the Roman Artefact firing through quicker than expected, in between facilitating two separate children's workshops at Caloundra Regional Gallery, which was a load of fun I might add!

This morning I was eager to do the unloading, keen to see the final results. And yay, all looks great!

A few snapshots from yesterday's workshops...making clay dragons is always a hit with the kids!

(photo credit, Julie Hauritz)

(photo credit, Julie Hauritz)

And assembling Sacred Temples and Tree Houses from a plethora of materials; paper, cardboard, canvas, string, skewers, pipe cleaners etc... little Ziggy, with her tree house.

2015, and back to work!

Seriously, is it 2015 already? Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and holiday season, mine was a quiet one enjoying quality time around the home and catching up with close friends and family.

But now its back work and picking up from where I left off from last year - this week finds me in the ceramic studio finishing the Roman Artifact commission.  Loading the kiln and firing the bisque earlier in the week and today glazing and re-loading, a bit of a workout glazing the large amphorae!

Above picture, the kiln stack all loaded and ready to go.

Using a little artistic licence and creative stacking, the two large amphorae are stabilized using the up turned medicine bottles. And, a little wadding pad in between (detail below), for releasing easily after the firing.

Will post the outcome in a week or so...