PRESS RELEASE for next solo exhibition 'PULSE' at Doggett Street Studio, Brisbane 13 October-4 November

Media release: 22 August 2006

Pulse of life at the heart of Kathryn’s spiritual art

The heartbeat – something every human has in common - is at the core of the latest solo exhibition by Brisbane artist, Kathryn Brimblecombe-Fox.

Fitting then that this small collection of large paintings is entitled Pulse, and that one of the paintings, called Earth’s Pulse, represents a planet superimposed with a pattern like that of a heart monitor expanding into the Universe.

“When you bring us back to fundamental human qualities, there is no difference. Everybody has a pulse, it is the basic sign of life,” says Kathryn, whose latest exhibition opens at the Doggett Street Studio at Newstead on October 13 and continues until November 4.

In a world of chaos, war and negativity, Kathryn prefers to focus on people’s similarities rather than their differences: “It’s about people operating in a rhythm that’s natural and positive, not destructive.”

“Life should be a celebration of what people can do together and my art is about connectivity - what is symbolic and identifiable across cultures and religions, such as the circle and the tree of life,” she explains.

Other motifs that recur in Kathryn’s current work are mountains, the concept of time, and rain, which she sees as the connection between heaven and earth.

“It’s about energy and abundance and it’s cyclical. Blood gives life and rivers are like the earth’s blood vessels – they feed the earth.

“I use elements of the landscape as metaphors for life that draw us back to the earth. “

“My cellular memory of the land is from my ancestors,” said Kathryn, a fourth generation Australian. Both sides of her family come from the land and she’s lived on it herself for 35 years.

Kathryn grew up on her parent’s grain farm on the treeless Pirrinuan Plain between Dalby and Jandowae, with the Bunya Mountains as a backdrop.

She started painting as a child, sold her first piece of art at 14 years, won the senior section of a state wide art competition at 16, and held her first exhibition aged 17.

Her dream then was to be the director of a major art gallery which is why she went to university and studied art history. When she graduated she went to Canberra and worked at the National Gallery of Australia.

“Then I got married,” said Kathryn, who moved to Goondiwindi where she lived for the next 18 years. In 2000 she moved to Brisbane with her daughters, Clementine, Edwina and Winsome, now aged between 15 and eight years.

Kathryn, 45, is a full time artist and solo parent. Her studio is the garage under her house and her dream today is to be still painting at 90 and to be reputed as one of Australia’s leading and most thoughtful female artists.

For several years Kathryn has exhibited overseas, predominantly in the Middle East – Abu Dhabi (2004) and Dubai (2005), as well as London (2002) and New York (2004). Her next international exhibition is part of a group exhibition in Dubai from November 8 – December 6.

“My work is very layered. It is not just about what I see, but what I feel. My images are bigger than the actual painting itself, because emotion takes the viewer beyond what they see,” says Kathryn.

“Since I was little my work has been about feelings and things that I see in my mind rather than with my eyes. I can visualise ideas in my imagination.

“People have spoken about the spirituality that emanates from my paintings. Some have said I am like a medium channelling in some way, but I do not do this consciously.

“I believe there is a universal subconscious and that people can tap it in a way which unifies them. I do go into another place when I paint – it’s very much like a meditation.”

Kathryn said her work was not didactic or narrative: “There’s no definite story or any one meaning. I feel the work goes beyond that, allowing each viewer to bring their own experience as a way of embracing the work.

Others who view her work say they see diverse connections that range from Aboriginal and Arabic, to medical and scientific.

“This comes from the colours, designs and patterns. For instance I’ve had many people from the medical profession say they see blood vessels, sperm, ovaries, lungs and brains in my work,” said Kathryn.

In Abu Dhabi a medical professor from Eastern Europe asked her if she had studied histology, and here in Australia, a zoologist and his law academic partner have used images of some of Kathryn’s paintings when giving presentations on DNA and the legal/ethical ramifications of testing.

Pulse: Throb Vibrate Quiver Thrill Rhythm = Sign of Life

Media inquiries: Nikki Shrimpton W: www.nscomm.com
Ph: 07. 3395 3883 / 0412 64 55 47
More information: http://www.kathrynbrimblecombe-fox.com/

Blame Mike

I know I have not been blogging for a long time, and you guys are moving away to younger, more hard-working, and prettier bloggers, but sorry la, blame the angmoh, coz when he is here I feel very bad to leave him alone and go blogging...

But just to compensate, here's like a deluge of photos... May not be very substantial but I think at least quite interesting and got a few eye candies :D

Very random!




With Rozz









With Rozz again! This time with the fabulous food we had in Secret Garden. Yummy! Just got my hair dyed at Kimage too! Ash blonde. Love it!






Mike, staying at my place this time. :D






Rozz and boyfriend Joey brought the angmoh to eat at JB!

So nice right the food? The drunken prawns was especially fabulous lor! It's at some god-forsaken kelong though, super far in and damn scary.


Chio! Cropped Mike away so I get all the attention.



Made this myself! Been playing a lot of mahjong so I better start keeping track who I lose my money to!

And I know I drew the bird very ugly lar ok, it's supposedly beside the fa and the jiu shuo, which are also pretty unrecognisable. Bah!


Hehe this is how yi shuo should look like!

I bought it to hang on my emergency pouch coz it is my lucky 3-time 13 yao winning card! I love puffs, I put them everywhere! Fluffy and soft....


And inside the pouch!

Pantyliner wrapping a tampon and tied in a pink ribbon, eyelashes holder, Blink eyedrops, perfume, and also a rubber band for tying hair! I love my pouch! :)



Bought this at Taka! Isn't it cute? Can put whatever photo you want inside, and got diamond somemore! Only $6.90.


Why do people keep asking me what the B is for? Not obvious meh, BOMBSHELL LAR!


Mike is amazed by Sakae Sushi's conveyor belt thingy.


He likes Mos too!

Brought him to Sentosa!


Underwater World touchpool


With fishies


Sea Angels!

They are really stupid, keep getting tumbled and blown around the tank by some wind at the bottom! Hahaha! But they are really cute, they flap their fins like wings!


Hello, this is a damn skinny crab lor!


Waiting for the Dolphin show to begin...


I can see myself in the sunnies!

The baby eating Ramen at Ajisen...







Yummy!

Mont Blanc 100th Anniversary Party

Rozz invited me to this, and it is the most glam party I have ever been to! Look who was there!








With Rozz


Tanya Chua!


May and Choy, with Eliza and Rozz!
I don't know who is the girl in white actually...


Pulled poor Mike into the picture...


With Janice - model! Damn these tall people! My fake Juicy bag from JB! Super fluffy and cute. :D


Howie


Debbie and Shan

Party was at Civic Plaza, and Mont Blanc booked two huge tents and a stage!


Show's starting...



FIREWORKS! They really generous ah, these Mont Blanc people... Confirm super expensive party...

Plus they had like loads of Mediacorp artistes who came to attend the party, and what I heard is that these artistes don't come to any party unless you pay them a fee!


Fashion show, which is utterly useless for their pens and watches... I think.


Took a photo with the very pretty Michelle Chia...

And most exciting of all....

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Stefanie Sun!

I was asking her manager if I could take a photo with her, and when she saw me, she said, "Hey, you are that blogger right?"

Oh MY GOD STEFANIE SUN READS MY BLOG! Or at least heard of it lar! I am SO FAMOUS LAR! Think I will die happy now. :D

Abundance

This painting 'Abundance' rejoices in abundance of all kinds. It is a vibrant painting which I completed after pondering the sense of possibility which exists in the world, but which is overshadowed by the media's focus on 'bad news'. I was very excited and honoured when the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation decided to buy this painting for their permanent collection. The painting is an oil on linen 120 x 180 cm.

Histories

I painted this painting with history of the individual in mind ie: the tree of life and concentric semi circles indicating ancestry. After many discussions with visitors to my exhibition at the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation in the UAE I realised this painting spoke also about shared history of all people. Each concentric circle showing difference from the previous gneration but with enough similarity to recognise we all share of time and history. The tree of life symbol is trans-cultural and trans-religious.

Life

This painting is a visual timeline of a woman's life. Each figure tells a story and provides a history. Having said it is a timeline there is the notion of life's cycle, a continuum. The figures are placed on road [indicated by the broken line]. The cycle of life is majestic and each one of us is part of a cycle which is linked to other cycles like a chain mesh.