The Warmth That Was

Cosy and art clad, it was a family frenzy.

Enjoying toasty treats and terrific company, my first solo show turned out quite delightfully.

Thanks for stopping by to everyone who could make it!

 

Stay tuned for more photos shortly- in the mean time, you can find a few words on the show each by

Yolande Norris at Useless Lines -here

Also Annika Harding at her blog -Thewriteart -here

Warmth and Welcome in wool

Wooooolies(detail from zine) 2011 Fiona Veikkanen

I can't wait to see you this Thursday night for wool based art and laughs.

6 pm at The Front Gallery and Cafe!

Warmth and Welcome

What: Warmth and Welcome

Who: Fiona Veikkanen

Where: The Front Gallery and Café, Wattle Street, Lyneham Shops.

When:  6-11 July 2011, opening drinks Thursday 7^th 6pm.

Open 6:30-late Mon-Fri, 7:30-late Sat, 8:30-late Sun.

I Hope to see you at the opening for some tasty homemade treats!

Wild woollen objects, sculpted, stitched and crocheted, will occupy the inviting Front Gallery and Café in Warmth and Welcome.  This exhibition is about warmth - warmth and welcome, comfort and coziness - on a chilly Canberra evening.  The artworks convey the ways we keep warm, and the nourishment derived from a lovingly handmade object. Artist Fiona Veikkanen is making a name for herself working with tactile, homely materials, and making the familiar seem strangely new and wonderful. Resonating with the intensity of making, Veikkanen’s objects retain the spirit of the act of creation.  Woollen garments, blankets and yarn have been collected and transformed into a show that includes sculpture, textiles, books and drawing. So don your worst woollens for a warm-hearted welcome.

CCAS Studio Residency

The mess that is all mine at CCAS studio Gorman House.

I currently have a studio at CCAS Gorman House. I am loving being hard at work towards my upcoming show at The Front in July. So far my studio time has included:

multiple cups of tea and coffee
drawing with textas
painting -a bit
attempting to make books
cutting and sewing various inflatables, blankets, jumpers and mattresses
writing about my day
eating hawthorn berries from the tree outside my window.

My studio residency continues until the end of july -I would most welcome a visit from you.

Double Hitch in review

Photo: Tulitha King

I am pleased to direct you to some of my favourite bloggers who have  also written a few words about Double Hitch.

The lovely Annika Harding writes about Double Hitch on her site The Write Art.


Yolande Norris, prominent Canberra writer and spruiker for art and the like includes both word and image at Useless Lines.

The following photos are courtesy of Tulitha King, photographer extraordinaire- she also shares some more inviting photos and thoughts on her blog Tulkin.

Thanks Tuli!

Scouts Honour

Thanks to the guys at CCAS for the entirety of these words:

On Friday evening a number of artists and art fans assembled at the O’Connor Scout Hall for a good ol’ fashioned DIY exhibition: Double Hitch. When Fiona Veikkanen first told us about the exhibition we got a little excited, because when emerging artists make their own opportunities the results can be pretty incredible. And what a group of artists. Not only were there two current CCAS studio residents in the show (Fiona Veikkanen and Bettina Hill), there were also three former residents (Tim Dwyer, Chris Carmody and Adam Veikkanen) plus Luke Penders, Poppy Malik and Hannah Bath. Double Hitch did not disappoint- a few interactive artworks (including Chris’ Ball Game with Picture Frames and Hannah’s interactive wallpaper) and some intriguing interventions in the space (including Bettina’s fireplace and Fiona’s warm woolen heaters) made the scout hall come alive as a space for interaction, fun and warmth. It didn’t feel like an ordinary exhibition: the artworks complemented and even referenced the space and its scout hall paraphernalia instead of the usual artworks-in-white-space-formula; and the audience became giddy kids, completely engrossed in looking, colouring in and playing, and happy to simply hang out at the cosy old hall with a cup of hot soup. We’re keen to see some more group DIY exhibitions, and soup is always welcome! Annika reporting from O’Connor 

More to be found at the  CCAS Social Pages- there may even be a photo of you.

Is it Art? Is it some kind of Scout handicraft?

Is it Art? Is it some kind of Scout handicraft?  

Chris, Drew and Ruby viewing Coin Collection (1966-2010) by Chris Carmody and Hannah Bath.

Street View of the O'Connor Scout Hall during the show.  Photo: Adam Veikkanen

Paintings, Banners, ball games, knots and engravings.  Paper signs, wooden pieces, woollen blankets, cardboard boxes, colouring in, TVs, and a wasp's nest in the corner. 

Many of the bits and pieces you might expect to find at a scout hall, except last weekend hundreds of people came down to O'Connor Scout Hall to check it all out.

(More photos to follow in the days to come!)