2009

Phillip Doggett-Williams

2009 Story Vessel for Kildare Ward

Story Vessel Artist – Kildare Ward

My artistic career spans 30 years and I have work represented in major collections that include the Australian National Gallery, Canberra; Gallery of NSW and Artbank. I have been a resident of Geelong for 10 years and in 2007 was commissioned by the City of Greater Geelong to produce the St Leonards 150th anniversary Commemorative sculpture (titled ‘Coles Journey’). The subject of ‘Belonging’ and ‘Place’ are common themes in my artwork. This project ’Connecting Identities’ is a unique opportunity to reflect on this subject with the privilege of local knowledge, shared experience and the promise of a deeper insight as to who we are as individuals and community.


Cinnamon Stephens

2009 Story Vessel for Cheetham Ward

Story Vessel Artist - Cheetham Ward

Originally from Geelong, this Surf Coast artist creates distinctive metalwork sculptures. Inspired by her natural environment, Cinnamon enjoys incorporating flowing lines, spirals, copper embellishment and a touch of whimsy to her creations. Successfully living from her artwork for close to 20 years, Cinnamon has experienced many facets of the artworld by producing a cultural newsletter for 11 years, reviewing art exhibitions for the Geelong Advertiser, owning an art gallery for 2 1/2 years, encouraging emerging artists, and artistically collaborating with communities and schools.

"I am looking forward to working with the inspiration gleaned from my designated community of Cheetham, and creating a story vessel to be utilised in the mouth to mountain project 2009." Cinnamon Stephens

 


Nicole Thompson and Helen Brotherton

2009 Story Vessel for Windermere Ward

Story Vessel Artists - Windermere Ward

Born in Geelong artist Nicole Thompson has embraced the Connecting Identities Story Vessel project with enthusiasm for the themes of ‘story telling’ and the exploration of ‘a sense of place’. These are two themes central to her growing body of sculptural work, influenced by many years of living away from Geelong in diverse locations from remote Indigenous communities to the vibrancy and pace of Sydney.

“Returning to my hometown is like a rediscovery and it is exciting to see with fresh eyes that which would have previously been overlooked had I not left and returned after some time. I have thoroughly enjoyed engaging with the community within Windermere ward and hearing their personal stories of connection to their place”.

The Connecting Identities project has also created an opportunity for Nicole to continue to collaborate artistically with the large talent pool of local Indigenous artists. Helen Brotherton has eagerly applied both her local knowledge and contemporary painting techniques to contribute an uplifting, colourful and contemporary Indigenous design for the Windermere Story Vessel.


Trevor Sault

2009 Story Vessel for Beangala Ward

Story Vessel Artist - Beangala Ward

My work has always had something of Zen about it. Not "simple", but I like to keep it uncluttered. I like texture. Surface and form stand out for me. Sometimes I despair at the amount of talk about Art. The visual arts are for looking at - they shouldn't need an explanation. But this work is part of a much broader scheme. Music, stories and peoples' event as well as sculpture. My hope is for a sculpture that works as a part of this larger event and also stands and speaks for itself, in its own way. I hope that people will be able to look at my sculpture and get a sense of the water, the tides, the dunes, the river with it's bridge, the farms and towns and the lifestyle we enjoy - all that is Beangala.


Zoe Snyder

2009 Story Vessel for Austen Ward

Story Vessel Artist - Austin Ward

I have been working been working as a teacher and a visual artist since coming to Australia 35 years ago. Since 1985 I have returned to study to refine my skills in ceramics and sculpture, been involved in over 70 exhibitions and an artist on 20 community art projects, locally and as far away as Western Australia. This project has connected me with the Whittington Community Centre and the Geelong Invitation Homing Pigeon Club. Neither group has worked with an artist before and they seem excited about the process of collectively making a potent and lasting statement about their communities.


Victor Ceburgs

2009 Story Vessel for Coryule Ward

Story Vessel Artist - Coryule Ward

Site Specific Art has completed many sculptural installations locally, Australia wide and internationally. Victor Cebergs project manages all aspects of the design and implementation process. Viktor believes that including the community in all stages of the design process helps to foster a strong ownership and connection to the public art piece. In turn helping them find relevance in the history of the places they live, and the people and culture that came before them. Working in the Coryule ward will be really interesting, the area has such a rich histories and many community groups. They have all shown real interest in the project and a strong passion for their ancestry and the environment in which they live.

www.sitespecificart.com.au


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Rod Gear

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Composer

I graduated from the Victorian College of the arts, specializing in the double bass. I’m also a recording engineer and music instructor. Keel-la, written for CONNECTING IDENTITIES, is a short musical piece that highlights the tension between the present and the past, flight and repetition, arrival and yearning. The city of Geelong is in the process of change, of re-assessing past identities. Keel-la (the word for walk in Wathaurong) seeks to give voice to some of these elements. At times the music hints at flight and yet the rhythmic repitition refrains it. The indigenous sounds seek to harmonise with the contempory and vice versa. The sung melody (Kella-walk) floats a voice from above, time to walk, time to slow down, time to reflect.


Richard Thomas

Distillation Installation by Richard Thomas

Richard Thomas has exhibited in 17 different countries over a 20 year period in art spaces, non art contexts and in the landscape. His work addresses ecology and the confluence of man made and natural systems, forms and spaces. Media includes installation, sculpture, photography and video. He has also durated and directed various artist initiated events such as “The Bridge” (Construction in process VI) in 1998, and the Australian Pavilion at the “Satellite” project coinciding with the 2006 Shanghai Biennale. He has participated in artist’s residencies in Okinawa, Belfast, Spain, the Netherlands and New York. For more information please go to www.richardthomas.com.au


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Philip Lethlean

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Philip Lethlean has designed lighting for over 250 original Australian productions in his 30+ year career. Working in collaboration with diverse creative teams, Philip has lit productions across all genres from theatre, opera, ballet, concerts, puppetry, circus, and comedy, both within Australia and Internationally.


Sam Spry

Sam Spry is an artist and art teacher. She enjoys and appreciates the creative community of Barwon Heads, where she lives with her son and daughter.

Sam’s role in the Mouth to Mountain journey was to design, facilitate and produce the 'River of Dreams'. The 'River' is an 18 metre silk banner that shows the dreams and memories of grade six students from six different schools between Barwon Heads and Lara.

M~M2009 Silk Banner by Sam Spry
Photo by Bindi Cole

Sam decided to use batik to create this artwork and enlisted the help of fellow artist and art teacher, Maggie Hall, who became an invaluable asset to the project.

"I have loved hearing all the stories that are now immersed in the ‘River of Dreams'. The children’s stories and the personal meaning attached to their images, as well as the stories from the team of dedicated and enthusiastic artisans who brought this artwork to life. It has been an amazing and inspiring experience and I am looking forward to seeing it flow forth on the 9th May.”