I saw a flower in my garden
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artist statement
images of the artwork in this series
notes
a list of Australian and New Zealand galleries that exhibit these etchings
how to buy an etching from this series
copyright reminder
artist statement
My garden here in the humid north coast of NSW grows anything. I inherited established trees and shrubbery going back half a century when I moved in: the garden continuing to flower and fruit at apparently random intervals, almost in spite of my own haphazard gardening style. There's a sort of native Christmas bell in flower now - another of the remnants of old Lismore: I first saw it some years ago, and made notes then for an etching still to be realized.
Meanwhile, my work on other etching series had continued. Completing the dragonfly diaries earlier this year, I was pushing the boundaries of traditional printmaking in order to resolve issues of representation: my usual multi-plate strategies were adequate but something was missing. An “accidental” combination of techniques resulted in a dragonfly image telling a different sort of story than the others had, up until then.
By printing a lift ground (an etched impression of a found object) as the under etching, I found that this image described not only what the dragonfly looked like, but also implied something of its transient nature. The new technique suggested other potential subjects too, so I created a second as well - a picture of a bird - beginning a new suite of images to explore the idea that was forming: that of change being the indicator of life itself. Around me, in my garden, I see movement: the birds and insects that live here, the blue tongue lizards, the echidna, last week a snake, sometimes a koala. I think about the almost nomadic re-appearance of the Christmas bell and the trees’ seasonal transformation evidence of their constant change and inevitable growth.
In the meditative stillness that is my garden, I saw a flower. Pausing for a moment before it continues its journey, it turns and I can feel it quietly looking back at me.
Christine Porter Lismore, November 2010
the artwork
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dragonfly etching (masked island print) printed by the artist at Full Moon Editions, Lismore
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bird etching (masked island print) printed by the artist and Marie Nelson at Full Moon Editions, Lismore |
notes
For more information about techniques described go to the glossary.
Work from this series may be included in selections for the narrative project.
Prices in this series from $110 (AUD) unframed
on exhibition (when in edition and/or available)
New Zealand
Wellington: Millwood Gallery, Thorndon 04 4735179
Australian city galleries
Brisbane: Red Hill Gallery, Red Hill 07 33681442
Melbourne: PG Printmaker Gallery, Fitzroy 03 94177087
Gold Coast: Gallery One, Southport 07 5528 0110
Australian regional galleries
NEW SOUTH WALES
Alstonville: Barratt Galleries 02 66280297
Bangalow: Barebones Artspace 02 66871393
Gladstone, via Kempsey: The Old Lodge Gallery 0265674366
Lismore: Christine's studio/gallery (by appointment) 02 66225733
Tenterfield: Forest to Furniture 02 6736 1305
Moree:The Moree Gallery 02 6767523927
QUEENSLAND
Goondiwindi: Fairway Studios 07 46713101
ViCTORIA
Beechworth: Divine Linen 03 5728 2088
how to buy an etching from this series
Selected etchings from this series are available at the galleries listed above. Contact Christine directly for information about the current availability, whereabouts and price of any work. She can organise a direct sale but if your sale comes from a gallery contact, Christine will organise for the commission to be paid to the gallery - studio door prices are not cheaper than gallery prices. For more information about buying directly from the artist go to the buy an etching page.
copyright reminder
This note is a reminder that copyright of all content on this website is owned by the artist. This means that copying and transmitting individual images in any form is prohibited by law. If you see an image and would like it in a larger format please contact us. If you see any of these images used inappropriately elsewhere, please let us know.