Sensing Place

"a partnering of words and imagery deftly located in place. Environments were selected, some iconic, others almost unknown. Each artist crafted shape, texture and meaning on site, returning home to complete the work. Separate creative works which create a dialogue, a tension rather than merely illustrating a shared intent; 12 paintings, 12 poems, 2020.”

—Marla Guppy, Guppy Associates

Sensing Place celebrates a connection to Country and the diverse landscapes of the Shoalhaven. Through complementary visual and literary explorations, the works acknowledge the distinct experiences individuals take from a ‘place’.

Over the course of a year, 12 sets of unique works are created from seasonal expeditions to regional sites. Through creative meditation and reflection, the artists connect to ‘place’, forming artistic responses to each site, revealing the essence of landscape. Through this creative lens, the viewer is invited into vast and deep experiences, linking cultural stories through the window of the 20cm x 20cm format.

Each month, over a year, the artists travel together to a different location in the Shoalhaven region. Spending time connecting to ‘place’, they individually respond to the site through painting and poetry. The works are completed in isolation, to ensure the individual integrity of each response. Soundscapes are recorded in situ to form an ongoing immersive reference and experience.

The completed project has been executed as a printed publication and multi-artform exhibition.

The artists would like to give sincere thanks to Shoalhaven Arts Board for their generosity in allocating funding to us for this project in 2019/2020.