Well...

Well, that all escalated quickly… as a result of the virus I’ve decided to cancel my exhibition, planned for June.

The exhibitions scheduled before me had been postponed and, as the uncertainty of me being able to complete the work as I had intended grows, I’ve decided to pull it all.

The gallery, Alternating Current Art Space, has been more than understanding and are keeping the lines open incase we can call this a postponement as well, but we will wait and see. Who know when this will end?

Anyway, love you all, wash your hands, keep yourselves and loved ones safe, I’ll shout you all a drink when it’s over ;)

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Exhibitioning

As mentioned in my latest email, I’ve been accepted to exhibit in Alternative Current Art Space in 2020. Scheduled for June, it will be a show of my large format pencil drawings, and preparations are underway! VERY EXCITED!

I've been doing some studies for a very long drawing, just to get my hand in and get all the creative neurons firing in all the right places.

Study 3, pencil on paper 2019

Study 3, pencil on paper 2019

Above is one of the recent drawings, small at only 57cm wide and 19cm tall, done so they remind my muscles that this is the way that we get it done.

It is amazing though, every time I look at a finished piece I get a little thrill of ‘I did that’. I’m looking forward to having some significant work on the wall in June. I hope you can be there, more details to follow!

Cheers,

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There's an exhibition on!

It's been a while, but you still love me? right?

I've been working hard over the past eighteen months volunteering for Illustrators Australia (IA). We've been moving the organisation to a new administration software system and planning for the future. It certainly been a challenge and I've learnt so much, met some amazingly smart people and hopefully it will stand IA in good stead for the next decade. Fingers crossed.

Along with all that, IA are putting on an exhibition, SHOUT! opening 6pm this Friday, at Collingwood Gallery, 292 Smith Street, Collingwood and runs for two weeks. I have a piece in this! You can check out the details on the IA website here and if you can't make it but what to see (and possibly buy a piece), there is an online auction! (fancy, I know!)

Opening night: 6pm Friday 13 July 2018Exhibition runs 13 - 26 July 2018 Collingwood Gallery, 292 Smith Street Collingwood

Opening night: 6pm Friday 13 July 2018
Exhibition runs 13 - 26 July 2018
Collingwood Gallery, 292 Smith Street Collingwood

There is amazing work on display, digitally printed on wood, collaged, drawn, painted, carved - the illustrators have pushed this theme to the max, worth seeing for sure!

Cheers,

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NGV Triennial

I went to the Triennial at the NGV. I have no words. Nothing I type here could possibly do it justice. Ron Mueck’s work Mass, is just astounding, the sheer scale of it, the curation and placement in the room, the colour of the walls…

You can see the scale by the person I caught in the photo on the top left, this person was a about 180cm (nearly 6ft). These skulls are huge.

I would encourage anyone to make time to see this exhibition. Impossible, as it is, to see it all in one day try but at least see some of it if you can.

Cheers,

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Some you win…

Last weekend I had my work Unravelling in the Derinya Art and Craft Exhibition (DACE), and although it didn’t sell I did have lots of positive feedback.

After picking it up I’ve put it on one of the gallery walls attached to the studio space here in Artspace8. It looks great (even if I do say so myself) and I haven’t got tired of it.

Unravelling (1,2&3), pencil on paper, Hilary Cresp, 2016

Unravelling (1,2&3), pencil on paper, Hilary Cresp, 2016

The intricacies of doing a piece quite this large is a challenge but one I’m willing to take up and I have a lot of this on my mind so I think it will form the backbone of a new exhibition. 

At DACE we did make a purchase… Eddie Zammitt and Travis Price collaborated on a limited edition print, which ticked our fancy. It’s a beautiful image well executed by a master of the genre. I love it.

I also took down the exhibition Endless, at Frankston Art Centre (FAC). It had been up there for a while and made a few sales, which was great. The curator there was really supportive as well as being pragmatic, which is of great benefit as I am not alone in being somewhat unsure of myself, so a guiding hand is wonderful. She gave me a couple of leads which I will follow up in the coming days.

Currently, I am working on a groovy little picture book. Hopefully the magic publishing fairy sees it and loves it as much as I do… and publishes it. I haven’t got a title yet but it will be finalised in the coming weeks.

Birdie, Ink, Hilary Cresp, 2016

Birdie, Ink, Hilary Cresp, 2016

I used the little darling in a screen printing workshop with Tim Growcott, a fabulous textile artist. Held at Oak Hill Gallery, Tim showed us how to make a screen using photographic emulsion and print on a carousel. The following week he showed how to strip a screen and placement printing - but I missed that day… :(

Cheers,

On success and deadlines...

It's been an interesting month. The print put into the local art show sold! Which was unexpected and wonderful. Having no expectation of selling, and printing it for the purpose of getting ready for my own exhibition made this a bonus... and YES, I'm putting together my first solo exhibition.

The studio where I work has a gallery space attached and I've booked myself in and created a deadline. I've even told other people about it so, it is on! 

Dates are to be confirmed but regardless, everything that is to be framed needs to be completed by the end of August. eek! Only a couple of weeks away. 

If you want to be kept informed just sign up to my mailing list or follow me on twitter (@_essayer).

The works will all be about the washing. Yep, I still haven't got it out of my system. Hopefully this will purge it from me and I can approach the laundry with the same disinterest as the rest of the population. But I doubt it. The washing is always there, another load to wash, another to hang out, another to sort. It never f**king ends. You can never retire from the washing. 

Pegs though, are a fascinating bit of kit. Simple, effective, ubiquitous, useful and (dare I say it?...) essential.

Hand study : Roma i

Hand study : Roma i

Hand study : Olivia i

Hand study : Olivia i

Hand study : Rex i

Hand study : Rex i

Hand study: Rex ii

Hand study: Rex ii

AND... This week I'm the featured artist on the Illustrators Australia website. YAY!