Artzability
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Artzability provides a program for young adults with disabilities, focusing on both performing and visual arts. The program is facilitated by an arts worker who accesses local artists to provide a varied program for all the participants. The mural at the Zone Room in Margaret River was facilitated by local artist Sky River, who was coordinating the group at the time.
Sky River
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Sky River is a Margaret River based award winning writer, artistic director, and puppet maker who draws on local environmental influences and worldwide mythologies to explore the relationships between humans and the world.
Sky loves creating regional arts opportunities and utilises her background in Theatre Studies (Griffith University) to lead teams of artists to produce her original shows as ‘Folk of the Puppetree’.
A skilled workshop facilitator, her community work includes coordinating Artzability for adults living with disabilities, teaching drama and art for Barking Gecko and schools and developing arts projects for youth outreach program, The Concrete Club.
Sky holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Visual Arts and English, trained with the Spare Parts Puppet Theatre and was awarded a National Regional Arts Fellowship as a producer with Performing Lines.
Visit: SkyRiver, MargaretRiverArtTrails
Pamela Gaunt
Image source Apparatus
Pamela Gaunt is an artist with a practice spanning more than thirty years. She has a Research Masters Degree in Art History Theory from COFA, UNSW and has received several significant grants from national and state funding bodies including: 2001 ARTSWA Creative Development Fellowship; and 1997 Australia Council Milan Studio Residency, Italy.
Until 2014, she held a fractional senior lecturer position in the School of Design; Art, Curtin University, Perth and was Director International for the School between 2012–14. She is currently working part time with Culture and the Arts, Department of Local Government, Sport, Cultural Industries (DLGSC).
Pamela exhibits nationally and internationally and was represented by Galerie Düsseldorf in Perth, until its recent closure. She has published three monographs on her art practice, and a book: The Decorative in Twentieth Century Art: A Story of Decline and Resurgence, Gaunt P., (VDM Publishing, Germany) 2010.
The main underpinning to Pamela’s art practice stems from a longstanding interest in aesthetics, with a focus on: the ornamental in Art, Design; Architecture; materiality; and sensorial (affective) approaches to art. She is interested in exploring the spaces between Art, Design and Architecture and has peripheral interests in aspects of science, technology and sustainable/environmental issues. This can be exemplified in projects she has completed that explore new approaches to incorporating electro-chromic and solar responsiveness in artwork. Pamela also enjoys working with industry collaborators using existing materials and processes to achieve new approaches to materiality and form.
Through various art commissions over the past decade, Pamela has become interested in incorporating illumination into her work. The current series of prototypes produced between 2016-17 reflect this interest, on a small scale, but have large-scale application potential.
Visit: PamelaGaunt, LinkedIn
Hope Perth
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Hope is a non-Indigenous contemporary graffiti artist based in Boorloo (Perth).
Born in Darwin, Hope grew up in Kwinana. After studying ballet at John Curtin College of the Arts in Fremantle, Hope later graduated with a Bachelor of Science and a Diploma of Secondary Education from Notre Dame University.
During high school, graffiti became an important way to deal with rough times at home. With the help of some inspiring and passionate art teachers and peers, Hope began to develop and expand into public mural work.
Hope’s goal is to find ways to make the community more vibrant and more accessible for our quality of life and public voice.
“I think it’s important we start listening to marginalised people in our society and give them agency to share their stories. I believe public art is a powerful way to do that.” – Hope.
Artist: HopePerth, Instagram, MargaretRiverArtTrails
Ron Roozen
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
It was in the year 2000 that Roozen’s artistic journey took a definitive turn. Fuelled by his love of design and architecture, he began to dabble in colours and textures, creating mesmerizing works of art. Contemporary and abstract, his creations are both subtle and striking.
Many of Roozen’s works now grace the walls of his architecturally award-winning beach house. Guests staying at his iconic beach house, The Roozen Residence, are greeted with a glimpse into his world—a world where art and architecture collide in a harmonious dance of form and function.
While many might see him as a retired surfer (the photo might not be up to date) Roozen’s creativity knows no bounds. With a knack for fixing repairs on fiberglass surfboards, the enormous challenge to engineer an art piece paying homage to Cowaramup, celebrating the international Cow Parade with a tongue-in-cheek reverence to the contentious Chick on a Stick was a red flag to a bull.
Ron remains true to his roots, a humble surfer with and creativity in his heart.
Visit: RonRoozen
Hiroyasu Tsuri (Twoone)
Image source Backwoods Gallery
Hiroyasu Tsuri (b. 1985, Yokohama, Japan) is a contemporary Japanese artist whose work embodies hybridity, combining traditions from East and West, studio practice and street art, representation and abstraction.
He is also well known as TWOONE for his large-scale mural works around the world. Over the past 6 years, Tsuri has garnered strong international recognition and has exhibited his versatile and unique artwork in galleries and museums across the globe.
His diverse practice spans many genres, including painting, drawing, sculpture, site-specific installation, performance, sound and large-scale outdoor murals.
Tsuri has exhibited internationally in the Netherlands, France, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Australia and more. Since 2014 Tsuri has been based in Berlin. His works are held in the permanent collections of The National Gallery of Victoria and the City of Yarra and he is represented by Backwoods Gallery in Melbourne.
Visit: HiroyasuTsuri, Instagram
Miles Noel
Miles Noel (Born 1982) is an artist, painter, graphic designer, illustrator and photographer from Perth, Western Australia. He grew up in a giant sprawling garden created by his botanist father, and has since been instilled with a wonderment of nature. His practice explores his interests in heritage, architecture, ruins, portraiture, the beach, miniature worlds (terrariums), taxidermy, sustainability, education, science and technology. A formal training in design frames his graphic, colourful view of the world, and informs a multidisciplinary approach combining traditional mediums (painting, print making and sculpture) with digital (photography, 3D models, animation and time-lapse).
Miles recently returned from living in Montréal, Canada where he discovered Expo 67, one of the most successful world’s fairs. Expo’s theme ‘Man and his world’ encompassed a marvellous showcase of cutting-edge, utopian modernist architecture. Miles was inspired to create a pictorial world where Expo’s bold structures are enveloped by nature, harmoniously coexisting with idealised plants and animals. These ‘fantasy ruins’ are a comforting vision in a world where humans have somewhat decimated their natural world, and are only recently realising the importance of a healthy, sustainable existence.
Miles’ vigorous approach to his art practice has seen him hold five solo exhibitions, teach painting and participate in numerous local and international artist residences. His work is stocked by Montréal design boutique DOMO, which specialises in 20th century Canadian design and architecture.
Karl Heussenstamm
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Karl Heussenstamm grew up in Margaret River in a family of artists.
It was a natural progression to follow his father Mark Heussenstamm and brother Gabe, pursuing artistic interests and creating work in a wide range of formats from tattooing to murals.
Visit: KarlHeussenstamm, Instagram
Elaine Clocherty
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
As a Land Artist, Elaine works directly in the landscape, using found local natural materials and allowing the stories and characteristics of a place to directly inform the work.
Passionate about helping communities connect with Nature, Elaine has facilitated many Community Land Artworks.
With a BA Fine Art and BA (Honours) Public Policy/Social Ecology, she has been involved in many outdoor exhibitions nationally and internationally, including Sculpture By The Sea, Cottesloe, Bondi, Aarhus, Land Art Poland, Guandu Sculpture Exhibition, Taiwan and kNOw Nature, India.
Visit: ElaineClocherty, Instagram, Facebook, MargaretRiverArtTrails
Mike Barker (Shime Arts)
Image source Mike Barker
Mike Barker, also known as Shime, is a respected street artist with work scattered across Perth.
Some of his most recognisable works include the Mandurah train line urban art project, and the mural of children’s faces on the freeway underpass on Wellington Street in Perth.
Visit: MikeBarker(ShimeArts), Instagram
Sharon Hinchliffe
Image source Sharon Hinchliffe
Sharon Hinchliffe spent many years working as a freelance embroidery design digitiser producing artwork for the commercial embroidery industry. After studying Visual Arts for over 20 years, she finally turned her hand to creating art. She has had a lifelong passion for art from childhood, and has also been strongly influenced by her creative mum throughout her life.
With encouragement from her partner Cameron, she took a suitcase full of her art to the markets. Soon she found what she had made over the preceding years was bringing smiles to peoples’ faces and gave her work a purpose.
Visit: SharonHinchliffe
Diane Hunter
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Diane Hunter is a visual and ceramic artist born and raised in the southwest forests.
After training at Claremont School of Art 1990 to 1999, Diane worked in the visual arts in Western Australia, North America, London and Ireland.
Now residing in Claremont, Diane works collaboratively with Margaret River poet Miranda Aitken, and in Perth with architect and artist Sonal Dave. She focuses on her love of the subtleties and global uniqueness of Western Australia’s environment and culture.
Her work can be found in galleries in Perth and Margaret River.
Visit: Dianehunter, Instagram
Miranda Aitken
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Miranda Aitken is a West Australian poet, musician and environmental arts activist who has written, spoken and sung her stories of life by the river.
Miranda grew up by the Warren River on Bibbulmun Country and lives in Margaret River. She performs as a solo artist, runs writing workshops, sings with her sister in their original band, The Moody Cows, and walks by the river.
People of the River is her second public art project; Seagrass Poems can be found etched in steel on the Busselton Jetty. With a BA Literature and Writing, Miranda’s writing has been published in numerous collections, and she has won and been highly commended for several poetry awards, including the Tom Collins Poetry Prize.
Visit: MirandaAitken, Facebook, Instagram
Robin Yakinthou
Image source Robin Yakinthou
Born and trained in London, Robin Yakinthou is a sculptor and painter working in Western Australia.
His work is designed to create contrasts, and continuously shift in relationship with the time of day, light intensity, and evolving landscape. This reflects his philosophy as an artist; he brings to each of his projects an ability to first and foremost see creative energy in everyday forms and activities that have become invisible in the rush of our everyday lives.
He works extensively with marine-grade stainless steel; a timeless material that embraces the tomorrow, but bewitches us with the present moment, sits with future technologies, but speaks of the earth from which it is drawn; combining industrial with modern. At the same time that it reflects us, it distorts us also, capturing our imagination and our eye. Much of his work comments on the environmental and political landscape that we have created for ourselves.
Visit: robinyakinthou
Mehdi Rasulle
Image source Mehdi Rasulle
Mehdi was born in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1984. From a very young age he was inspired and classically trained in art by his brothers who operated a sculpture business with customers in Europe and the Middle East.
Mehdi came to Western Australia in 2001 and completed his TEE to university entrance standard. He hopes one day to study architecture. Mehdi has been successful in being awarded several public art contracts as well as private commissions. With the artistic freedom he now enjoys in Australia Mehdi is working with various media like sandstone, wood, resin, steel, copper and aluminum as well as exploring new themes and designs.
Visit: MehdiRasulle
Tony Pankiw
Image source Buffalo Creek Art
Tony Pankiw is a professional artist based in Perth, Western Australia. He holds a Fine Arts degree from the Western Australian Institute of Technology (now Curtin University) and a postgraduate degree from the Victorian College of the Arts. Specializing in site-specific sculptures, primarily in aluminum, his works are featured in public spaces such as schools, highways, hospitals, and community areas throughout Western Australia.
Visit: Instagram,buffalocreekart
Peter Graham
Image source Peter Graham
Peter Graham has been a full-time sculptor since 2002. He works in a wide variety of materials, including recycled metals and plastics. Utilising materials expressively to represent his appreciation for the natural world and the contrasts between it and the built environment.
Originally a working as a Geologist which taught him an appreciation for the natural world from a scientific and visual perspective. He eventually abandoned Geology to pursue a career as a sculptor, turning scrap metal into art forms. Mainly working in large, heavy scale metal and have produced memorable Public Art commissions for State and Local Governments.
“I am continually expanding my knowledge in this field, taking a hard rigid material and creating organic shapes that mimic nature.”
His sculptures can be found in private collections around the globe and as public art in Western Australia.
Visit: petergraham
Philippa O'Brien
Image source Philippa O’Brien
Artist Philippa O’Brien created a suite of three arches, an ocean abstract and a column (Sea Architecture) in Mindarie near the marina, which are clad in Bisazza glass mosaic tiles from near Venice in Italy.
In creating this artwork Philippa responded to the meeting of the sky and the sea, and the colours of the ever-changing ocean-side light.
This blue arch, in Salford Promenade, acts as a doorway or a window to frame the ocean-side light and colour, while framing a moment in time. Starting with the delicately coloured arch by the water, the artworks form a procession from the sea via a sequence of mosaic stairways.
To quote Philippa; “For me, this formal landing place is reminiscent of mythical heroes and heroines stepping ashore, to be ceremoniously welcomed home from great ocean voyages.”
Visit: philippaobrien, cityofwanneroo
Ken Sealey
Image source Ken Sealey
Ken Sealey is a Sculptor and Public Artist who is continually evolving and experimenting, his works can be deeply personal one minute and strikingly abstract the next.
“...pieces that fire the imagination and tantalise the senses into life”
Sunday Times 4th April 2010
“considered an exciting emerging artist, one to watch with a very different visual language”
The West Australian 21st July 2010
On his website Ken calls himself a Polymath and Visual Investigator.
Ian Strange
Image source Ian Strange
Ian Strange (born 1983) is an Australian multi-disciplinary artist. His work investigates space, architecture and the home, alongside broader themes of disenfranchisement within the built environment.
Strange lived in Perth as a child, and is now based in New York.
He is best known for his 'Suburban Intervention' projects and exhibitions. Using the suburban home as a canvas, Strange's work incorporates large-scale projects, film, photography, site-specific installation, sculptural installations, drawing, painting and on-going research projects
Independent art advisor Sarah Crown has said that:
"Strange's monumental interventions exist on two extremes of the spectrum of destruction and of elevation. By doing so he challenges our understanding of home and safety."
Visit: instagram, wikipedia, wallpaper, ngv.vic.gov.au
