Follow-up from a previous post Old clothes. Recycling. Art Making.
Playing with textiles, wax and trying to work out my new camera.
De-constructing a man’s suit.
Wafers of wax, felt & linen
Specimens to play with flesh- like
Waxed string twined
Spirals
Hand- sewn surface marks
Links to Joseph Beuy’s felt works and underground spaces seen in Paris
Similar to scientific or, geological specimens from an antique book
Found Abstractions
Manholes utility holes, cable chambers, access chambers, inspection chambers, maintenance holes, confined spaces) Top openings to underground spaces.
Photographs taken in Paris, France and England by Jenny Davis. 2005,2007 & 2009.
Fresh from the studio…
Touching Gaudi’s curves in Barcelona.
Acrylic paint, ink and sealer on gallery wrapped canvas
12″x 16″ X 1-3/4″ (30x40x4cm)
Signed by the artist
Ready to Hang
Sitting with Catherine at Tuileries
Little wooden chairs dotted around .Sitting enjoying the Tuileries garden after the Louvre.
Acrylic paint, Oil pastel and sealer on gallery wrapped canvas
12″x 16″ X 1-3/4″ (30x40x4cm)
Signed by the artist
Ready to Hang
Touching Gaudi’s curves in Barcelona.
Acrylic paint, Ink and sealer on gallery wrapped canvas
12″x 16″ X 1-3/4″ (30x40x4cm)
Signed by the artist
Ready to Hang
Playing under the arch in the Tuileries garden after the Louvre.
Acrylic paint, Oil pastel and sealer on gallery wrapped canvas
12″x 16″ X 1-3/4″ (30x40x4cm)
Signed by the artist
Ready to Hang
ABOUT THE ART – Red Orange Float.
Pure abstraction. A play with color, movement and line.
Acrylic paint, Oil pastel and sealer on gallery wrapped canvas
12″x 16″ X 1-3/4″ (30x40x4cm)
Signed by the artist
Ready to Hang
Warm Collage – Lafayette Pink
( Please see all my other collages from “30 Days of Collage” at Cottontail Art Design and Vintage)
Thinking of my daughter today, living in Paris France. Last time I was there I experienced my first ever white Xmas. It snowed and snowed. We went to Galleries Lafayette but didn’t buy anything as it just too expensive but I did grab samples, advertising papers and junk for my art.
The colours that Winter were hot pinks with oranges. In this collage I wanted to capture the feeling of extravagance and contemporary Paris.
I painted the background of the canvas board with warm acrylic paint in yellow ochre , next , paper scraps from Galleries Lafayette in gold flourish, then orange and red velvet fabrics, squares of hand painted paper in hot pink, orange piece of French packaging and a little snow flake in hot pink created with a little punch I bought in Asnieres. Topped off with a little perfume bottle cut-out from Lafayette advertising. I also added some gold glitter paint in areas for sparkle.
( Please see all my other collages from “30 Days of Collage” at Cottontail Art Design and Vintage)
Underground Spaces & Art. Beneath the City of Paris. Throughout the world underground complexes criss cross beneath the surface of the above-ground world. There is a thriving underground world where the average person never gets to see…unless that person knows where to look. Fascinating subterranean cities and hidden underground spaces that dwell beneath our feet.
For instance, beneath the city of Paris below the Metro tunnels under the railway, stations, is another thriving world where people work 24hr’s maintaining the entire transport system to keep it working at its peak. There’s the famous underground cemetery the Catacombs”les carrières de Paris” full of caverns and tunnels. The walls are laden with an interesting installations of skulls and bones.
Wherever I go, I like to explore hidden underground spaces. In Paris I found a very special space under an apartment. Down there, I create stories, art and listen to the silence & chatter of the walls. I like to set up little dioramas between the red doors, damp earth walls and the ground. I then photograph and make little video’s of the scenes for later projects.
Happy Holidays & Stop Procrastinating…
As 2012 ends, I would like to thank my followers at Outlook8studio blog, for all your support and comments over the past year.
“Happy Holidays” to all of you and hope you will continue to come back now and then, to see what’s new.
Procrastination…My thoughts now race ahead to the new year and plans for my arts business…What plans? I have been procrastinating far too long in this area and have promised myself in 2013 I will organise my time better…
So, I checked out some of my favourite blogs and found this article from, Carolyn Edlund at Artsyshark that may help all you procrastinators out there…
I just love this story …inspires me to keep working on my art projects which link back to my own treks of working in underground spaces below Paris over the past 5 years.
Thirty years ago, in the dead of night, a group of six Parisian teenagers pulled off what would prove to be a fateful theft. They met up at a small café near the Eiffel Tower to review their plans—again—before heading out into the dark. Read full story by Jon Lackman …
I miss Paris today. I miss the homeliness of Paris …I woke up feeling a longing for the white snow on the rooftops outside my little studio window in the cubicle.
I miss my dark dungeon, with its odour of oldness and mold and even miss the creepy feeling that lashes me when I go there to work on my never- ending arts project.
I miss the fresh no- nonsense food, the culture, the artists and especially, the realness of Paris.
I miss not knowing the language and guessing what people are saying.
I miss seeing something new and the ordinary down the streets of Asnieres with my daughter.
I miss the walk to the park with its topiary trees, gardens and boulie men.
I miss the newness of the place plus the old familiar places I like to go to.
I miss not being able to play and sit in the gardens around the corner where Vincent sat and created.
I miss the little art/design ateliers down in Bastille with their windows full of high design handmade, one- off pieces of jewellery, glassware, sculpture, furniture and funky home-wares.
I miss knowing that every time I stroll through the Louvre I still, haven’t seen it all and will need to come back.
I miss not being able to visit Camille , Manet Doré, Degas, Cézanne, Rodin, Monet , Picasso, Renoir, Rousseau ,Gauguin, Lautrec,Valadon, Bernard,Matisse, Rouault,Brâncuş’, Dufy, Picabia, Braque, Metzinger , Delaunay, Arp , Chagall, Duchamp, Ernst ,Soutin,e and Masson for the day.
I especially miss the closeness to Modernism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, Symbolism , Art Nouveau, Primitivism (art) Modernism, Cubism, Puteaux Group, and my favourite ,Dada, and Surrealism The art squats, street art and local artists with avant guard ideas. I miss my most loved Pompedou gallery.
I miss the trips to Dave’s parents. I even miss,the rattly old one person lift we squeeze into,going up to the apartment. I miss their welcome and sitting at the table eating delectable foods with the now, familiar Eiffel, out the window .
I miss Champs. Montmartre, cemeteries , beautiful old buildings and new places I haven’t seen before.
I also miss the things I haven’t done, or seen yet, in Paris.
I miss the smells ,textures and sounds when living,in Paris. Even, the nightmare trains I don’t mind anymore.
I miss the nostalgia of Paris. There are triggers in Paris, that send me back to my childhood in Australia. It’s usually only something small that will set this feeling off, like the simplicity of design in the everyday domestic object, or the rawness and feel of a well made cotton dishcloth or tea-towel.The aroma and taste of fresh foods straight from the farms and markets.
I especially get this nostalgia when Dave and Amy come home from the patisserie across the road with the morning baguette or my favorite Frasier cake. All this will send me back to my childhood in Australia when everything was more authentic, honest and more, homely than it is today.
Paris is just like a comfortable old jumper to me now. I do miss Paris today and my wonderful daughter…
My French- inspired handmade shop Atelierinparis
POCKET ART SERIES
Small one of a kind transportable patches of Abstraction ready to go…Compact pieces of art for people on the move. My pocket art pieces came about when I needed to transport artwork from country to country. They are small mixed media textile pieces connected to my love of abstraction textiles, text and street art.
Walking my way across the surface I use coloured wools and wires as I would my paintbrush or charcoal, adding, whatever interests me at the time including, advertising papers, cards and packaging from Paris
RUE PIERRE
OOH LA LA
HEARTS IN PARIS
TOURISTS
Each one is a tiny 3.5″x2.5″ – 9x7cm and they come snuggly displayed in a clear acrylic card holder
MATERIALS
Indigo blue denim
canvas cloth
wire
press stud
button
paris clothing label
originalParis stamp
Colored wools
found fonts
Acrylic sealer and more….
SIGNED and DATED by the artist
I really had fun creating these pieces and were created with a lot of care
WATCH my…
Gleaning Paris for Art Materials video. From the streets of Paris I collect stuff,junk to create with, plus other inspirations behind my ideas. Works in progress from my studio’s in Paris, Spain and Australia. Photos taken in Paris, Spain and Australia.
All artwork copyright to Jenny Davis
Latest news!
I’ve just been featured at Artsy Shark. Thank you! Carolyn Edlund for all your hard work and for doing such a great job promoting artists and getting their work seen.
Featured Artist Jenny Davis
Artsy Shark presents Australian artist Jenny Davis. Her mixed media work uses recycled and reclaimed materials. Enjoy her portfolio and see more about Jenny here.
Jenny Davis is an Australian artist, working from studios in Victoria, Australia and Paris, France, where she sometimes lives. As an artist, she enjoys working in many disciplines including: painting, sculpture, photography, installation, video, collage, recycled design, sound and virtual worlds. Jenny has shown her work in many countries, including Australia, Germany, Spain, France and USA. Her work is in private and public collections across Australia, UK, Europe and the U.S.A.
Starting out primarily as an abstract painter and sculptor, Jenny’s arts practice has evolved and crosses over into many areas and disciplines. Recycling and reusing items in her work is very important. Stuff that usually goes into landfills and gleaned from the streets of Melbourne and Paris, or wherever she travels. Street litter, food packaging, advertising materials, advertising materials and all kind of paper ephemera are collected and saved for this purpose.
“All this wonderful stuff I reclaim and use in my collage and sculpture.”
“My source of creativity is spontaneous. It can mean spending days even weeks in the studio and strange places contemplating and “collecting energy”. Once I focus and sit with that energy it can take off in all areas. I then definitely need to put down a feeling or emotion, with colour, marks, words, assembled objects, or digital images still and moving. Whatever it takes to get it out! I use various techniques, materials and tools to realize my ideas.
The same goes with my photography. It’s spontaneous and unrehearsed. I like to tell strange stories with my photography and will put myself in uncomfortable spaces to achieve this. I have a wonderful space I found in Paris, I call the dungeon. I can spend hours down there waiting for something to take off. “
At the moment, I am fascinated by the narrative we tell ourselves, when placed in unfamiliar situations. Our mind seems to fly into “spontaneous imagination” and not focus in the moment. I want to seize those imaginary stories and create something with it.
I love spaces underground. There’s a life underneath the earth, and people don’t know about it, but it’s very busy and living, I have taken photos of the Eiffel Tower but I go under it, and look at closer fragments. I’m inspired by many things: Creative minds, Science as art, varies art movements and artists, Ernst, Miro, Tapies, Surrealism, Dada, Abstract Expressionists’, Natural history, Psychology, de-construction , Chaos theory, collecting found- objects and street litter, graffiti, street art, books, vintage and antique, travel and more.
Upstairs at Duroc is an English language literary and art journal based in Paris.
The next issue no. 13 of Upstairs at Duroc will be out late 2011
Why am I pleased ? because 2 of my art pieces “Parisgrit” and “250 Degrees” have been selected to be published alongside notable writers.
I will let you know more about this exciting news when Upstairs at Duroc No. 13 magazine is out and ready to read.
My French son-in-law can be so much fun. When I go over to Paris we both go out and glean stuff off the streets. We do it on foot as we don’t have a car. Usually we leave my daughter at home as she is not as keen as us, to collect what we like. Once we are back at the apartment with our stash, I sift through it and set aside a little to play with and then I send the rest back home to Australia.
I haven’t been to France for over a year now and today I received a mysterious brown box in the post from Paris.I wasn’t expecting anything so, I was very excited to open it.
I eagerly opened the box and inside was a gorgeous pile of stuff. When I say stuff, I don’t mean glamorous things from Paris, like Loreal , Chanel or Louis Vuitton hand bags. I mean, the box was a treasure trove of French ‘detritus” litter, junk, rubbish. Stuff that usually goes into landfill, stuff gleaned from the streets of Paris. Food packaging, pretty boxes, champagne bottle tops, clothing tags, fabric scraps, glow in the dark bits of plastic, advertising and all kind of paper ephemera plus a replenish supply of baguette bags for my handmade books ….
All this wonderful stuff I reclaim and use in my collage and sculpture.
Merci, Merci , Merci ! Davidx
View my video on “Gleaning Paris for Art Materials”
“Handmade Urban Trash book + Bag of Bits” 100% Recycled
*Recycle
*Reuse
*Remake
I don’t like to waste anything, so,recently I made a series of wire-bound books made from materials I recycled.The books are inspired by the 3 R’s and my interest into underground spaces, tunnels, derelict warehouses, city apartment storage areas, dilapidated factories & industrial spaces in Melbourne and Paris. I collect the debris left behind in the streets,consumer packaging,found objects, postcards, clothing tags, wires, bottle tops and more. All these things I like to incorporate into my pieces.
About my Books
A series of wire and hand punched, bound books decorated with wires and junk from France, plastic sheep tags and other found items. The front and back covers are glossy images from my original artworks created using street litter found from the suburbs of Melbourne Australia. Throughout the books you will discover, recycled papers, white with vintage graph papers, envelope patterned papers with hand – dyed tags and baguette bags from Paris made into pockets.Under the “Best Friends” rubber band you will find a bag of bits to embellish.
If you would like to buy a book for yourself or as a gift you can buy them here
MEET THE TENANT BOOK (20% discount)
During the week I was cleaning out my book shelves and came across my book, “Meet the Tenant”. An underground survey of Paris. It’s an unusual photographic survey of Paris. My photographs in this book are a “non-clichéd” look at Paris. Instead of focusing on the famous monuments, I zoom in on what is beneath the surface, photographing hidden places, including a storage area under an apartment.
I know I’m crazy but, I love spaces underground.
“There’s a life underneath the earth, and people don’t know about it, but it’s very busy and living,” she said.“I have taken photos of the Eiffel Tower but I go under it, and look at closer fragments.”
If you would like to buy a copy of my book…
DESCRIPTION: ” Meet the Tenant” Photography in Paris Australian Artist Jenny Davis. After a venture into the dungeon area under a Paris apartment. I could feel past lives lurking within its damp walls and eerie narrow chambers of numbered red doors. I spent many days down there alone soaking in the atmosphere of the space in order to connect to some sort of creative energy which eventually took off in all directions. I am fascinated by the beauty in the unseen the contained and murky, sometimes thought of as dirty and ugly.
11 Feb 11 @ 06:01am by Kimberley Seedy
Jenny Davis shows some of the paintings and photographs at her Burrinja Cafe exhibition.s LAWRENCE PINDER N33FP405
A COLLECTION of paintings and photographs featuring some overseas locations are on display in a new exhibition in Upwey. Abstraction and Beyond, featuring the work of artist Jenny Davis, is on at the Burrinja Cafe until March 1.
It consists of seven framed abstract oil paintings on paper, created in Barcelona in 2005, together with mounted night photographs shot in underground locations in Paris in 2010.
Davis describes her photographs as a “non-cliched” look at Paris.
Instead of focusing on the famous monuments, she zoomed in on what was beneath the surface, photographing hidden places, including a storage area under an apartment.
Davis said she loved the spaces underground.
“There’s a life underneath the earth, and people don’t know about it, but it’s very busy and living,” she said.
“I have taken photos of the Eiffel Tower but I go under it, and look at closer fragments.”
Exhibition update:
Feb.2-1 March
Burrinja Cultural Center
351 Glenfern Road (cnr Matson Drv),
Upwey, VIC, 3158 .
Open Daily 9am-5pm.
If you are heading over to the Dandenongs over the next month, checkout my exhibition “Abstraction & Beyond’ at the Burrinja Cultural Center in Upwey, Victoria.
I just finished hanging the exhibition on Tuesday with the help of Amy Jo Jory, who runs the gallery at Burrinja. A cross-cultural mix of oil paintings I created at an arts residency in Barcelona, Spain, together with mounted night photographs I shot in Paris last winter.
I’m very pleased with the way it looks. My Spain paintings really connect to the space. At Burrinja they have taken on a very Australian feel yet, they are also Spanish. I can see both cultures in the paintings.
I’m relieved it’s finally up and running and all the hard work has been done. Now I like to sit back, let go of the work and relax. Although I love having exhibitions, once they are over, I am always glad to move on and begin new ideas and projects.
Burrinja Café & Bar
Open every day
Bookings: 9754 5707
Burrinja Café provides great food and coffee in a fantastic intimate atmosphere that continues the indigenous theme of Burrinja Gallery. It is an 80 seat fully licensed café that will seduce you the moment you walk in. Escape the hustle into warm ochres, great art and comfy lounges. Enjoy lunch, group get-togethers, music events, or just relax. Burrinja cafe is the ideal place to eat while visiting Burrinja to enjoy the great art or day-tripping in the Dandenong Ranges.
Functions
Burrinja & Café Bar caters for all types of functions.
Call for details on our wide range of tailored menu options
Music – see Events for the line up of music, spoken word and more at Burrinja Café
Fabulous cakes, coffees, chai and more – all fresh!·
Menu selections are always being updated, and we can cater to your individual needs
More Café Gig & Events Info at the Burrinja Cafe website
SPIRIT OF THE VALLEY
An abstract feeling ….In this painting I wanted to capture the “Spirit of the Valley” in an abstract way. The colours connect to the mood of Yarra Valley’s lively communities, rich in it’s, various cultures. The arts, food and wine intermingled with the tranquillity and soul of the surrounding landscape
To see all my work please go to my ‘Gallery”
Funny how things seem to workout. Recently I had a fall and broke my arm.
I have been wanting for ages to update my” Gallery” but, always find it too hard to drag myself away from the studio. Since breaking my arm though, I’ve had too slow down and take it easy. Over the past few weeks I have managed to use the computer with my left hand to upload more paintings, drawings and sculpture for you to browse.
I offer all my art at studio prices, eliminating huge gallery and agent fees.
Saving you $100’s…
Please see Buyer Info
If you have any questions or would like to see a high resolution photo of a piece, please contact me at Outlook8studio and I will do my best to help you.
Hope you enjoy !
“Stimulate your senses.Suggestive and powerful abstract art with a spark, to generate new ways of thinking, to move and inspire us. Jenny Davis award winning, Australian Contemporary artist , paint’s what she feels. Bold and stunningly colorful abstract paintings, that reveals the power and brightness of color, through the different effects of form and texture which spring from the canvas.”
Paula Trevisan, International Art,Ferrara , Italy in 2010
A couple of exciting things have happened to me lately that I’d like to share with you.
My latest exhibition at TPTP Project space in Montmartre Paris, France.
ROOM OF REFERENCES invites artists to share idea-evoking images and objects, and look into the ones of others. The piece can be of any kind (art work, photo, drawing, music piece, book, magazine, letter or other object) as long as it has very special/profound meaning to you, and has worked as inspiration source for you during a longer period.
You can see more about the exhibition at the gallery’s website.
https://sites.google.com/site/roomofreferences/
This is one in a series of shots I took in the underneath
area of an apartment building in Asnieres-sur-seine, Paris 2007.
The image inspired me to create “Meet the Tenant” project.
Since 2007 I have continued the project, had an image
published in a horror magazine in Australia,created a portfolio of photographs, a video
and sound installation which was exhibited in Melbourne
Australia, 2008. I also developed an art proposal seen here
http://www.outlook8studio.com/2010/01/24/meet-the-tenant-project/
In 2009/10 went back to Paris to photograph and video in
the same space including other other underground areas for future art projects in Paris and Melbourne.
Also ,when I was in Paris earlier this year I was selected to put in 3 of my paintings into a new publication “Abstractions 2010” ,New Art Review magazine, MI.USA
You can purchase the book here http://new-art-review.com/bookstore.html
Cheers for now
