Chelsea Morris
St Philip's Christian College - Port Stephens
PATTERNS OF CONNECTIONS
Collection of Work
Lino print, ink, clay, scratchboard
My body of work examines and celebrates my profound connection with both the tropical landscape of Cairns (far north Queensland) and the temperate coastline of Port Stephens. It conveys the contrasting beauty of these environments and my personal interactions with them, experienced through my transition from the vibrant, exotic atmosphere of Queensland’s rainforests and coral reefs to the rugged coastal bushland and serene beaches of Port Stephens. My intention in this work was to represent the essence of these two regions, honouring the unique flora and fauna that have shaped my experiences and continue to inspire my art.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Margaret Preston, Peta West, Linda Lunnon
Marker's Commentary
Patterns of Connections is a sophisticated Collection of Work exploring the artist’s deep personal connection to place and the flora and fauna of two unique environments. Two highly competent, large lino prints in landscape orientation present the coastal and tropical environments in rich deep black tones contrasting the clean white of the paper. Each carefully executed print invites deep inspection and holds a depiction of a native bird within the landscape, cleverly breaking the frame provided by the border. This compositional technique allows the print to mimic nature as it spills over, expressing the essence of growth and natural beauty in these unique places.
In an experimental interplay of printmaking, ink, clay and scratchboard the artist has deftly curated a series of 30 small-scale square works as snapshots of intricate environmental aspects. These intimate works act as a reflective window, asking the audience to look more closely at the environmental elements within the habitats and spend time observing and appreciating the natural world and its interconnectedness to human experience.