Casting Off with artist Alison

Four Many Triffids.

AWARD winning artist Alison McDonald has added her considerable talent to this year’s Jumpers and Jazz in July visual art program.
Alison has delivered numerous successful collaborations nationally including Watermark 2009 at Newcastle Regional Gallery with artist Jane Gillings and Flow at Bondi’s Sculpture by the Sea and the Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts.
In 2015, she was announced the winner of Townsville’s Strand Ephemera sculpture festival with an artwork titled Shimmer.
Warwick Art Gallery has engaged Alison to participate in a three-week residency at Warwick Art Gallery to create a temporary sculpture to be unveiled on the first day of Jumpers and Jazz in July.
The project is aimed at communicating the festival’s priority to provide visual art that is surprising and creative with the artwork being created from everyday materials.
Warwick Art Gallery takes a leading role in the visual arts program for the festival supporting the introduction of innovative art practice to the festival audience, estimated to be around 30,000.
Many of the projects developed for the festival include the theme of social commentary, and this meaningful purpose is encouraged and supported by the organisers, according to gallery director Karina Devine.
She said in particular the themes of recycling and environment received significant focus, reinforcing the strong pastoral history and respect for the pristine countryside.
McDonald has developed a concept with a strong environmental protection theme.
The large work that will be constructed to fit a site outside Warwick Art Gallery is titled Casting Off, and will highlight the issues of the overuse and disposal of plastic, according to the artist.
“This piece of art, created from everyday materials will carry a fun and quirky side that everyone can relate to while also delivering serious yet subtle concepts,” Alison said.
“I strive to demonstrate what is possible with recycled materials that are inexpensive and common in every town in the Australia and at the same time highlighting something that the whole world is grappling with- what to do with this plastic waste?”
There is also the opportunity for the community to become involved in the creation of the work as it will require teamwork on a large scale. Alison will begin her residency at the Warwick Art Gallery Studio on Wednesday 29 June.
Once Casting Off is installed, Alison is offering places in a fun sculptural workshop inspired by John Wyndham’s 1951 science fiction book Day of the Triffids.
Wyndam’s Triffids are described as a member of a race of predatory plants which are capable of growing to a gigantic size.
Capturing this in essence, these workshop Triffids too are fictitious, exotic and colourful looking like overgrown plants that derive from single-use plastics, a material that grows to enormous quantities and slowly takes over the world.
The workshop participants will install their Triffids on one of the Palm trees in Palmerin Street to enthral festival visitors. Workshop details are available on the Jumpers and Jazz in July website.
These projects will be part of an exciting program of visual arts experiences already scheduled for this year’s festival including Colours of the Country III, the Alice Springs Beanie Festival touring exhibition, 50 Years of Flower Power collaborative artwork designed by Prudence Mapstone and Yarntopia, the next marvelous creation by the team who brought the Kitchen in 2014.
Warwick Art Gallery has received financial assistance from the Queensland Government through the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian, state and territory governments
Jumpers and Jazz in July is Warwick’s winter yarnbombing and jazz festival with a program of over 150 events from 21 to 31 July.
To view the full program head to www.jumpersandjazz.com. For ticket purchases head to www.warwicktickets.com.au.