[Not A] Basket Case Exhibition
I'm delighted to be selected for the exhibition [Not A] Basket Case including Australian and International basketry.
Making a case for contemporary basket art. This exhibition brings together the best of basketry from Australia and overseas and showcase a selection of absolutely stunning sculptural and wall pieces, all handwoven from diverse natural and found materials. See the best this medium has to offer this month at Gallery76.
A not to be missed exhibition, with so much stunning basketry on display.
Sat 6 Mar to Thu 1 Apr 2021
Cost: Free,
Venue: Embroidery Guild, 76 Queen St, Concord West NSW
More info click here.
Being In Balance Exhibition - Bathers' Pavilion, Balmoral
I will unveil my new body of work at the Bathers’ Pavilion in a duo exhibition with Tracy Dickason titled ‘Being In Balance’ which showcases the art of slow making and connection. This body of work was largely made during my art residency at BiCI (Bilpin international ground for Creative initiatives) in December 2020.
Running from 3 March 2021, with the official opening 8 March, the artworks explore the mindful connection on the balance of self and place in our community.
The past year has highlighted the outcomes that slowing down creates such as the importance of how we see ourselves in the local community and also how our actions can influence the global community.
The exhibition is a call for us to all slow down and fall in love again with the world around us and see that we are bound by nature and community to claim its place in our heart.
Exhibition details:
When: 3 March – end of April 2021
Official opening: 6-8pm, 8 March 2021, RSVP essential: https://events.humanitix.com/being-in-balance
Where: Upstairs, Bathers’ Pavilion, Balmoral
Cost: Free
Gallery hours: Open 7 days, 7am – 10pm
Awarded the 2021 Northern Beaches Artist in Residence
I'm so thrilled to be awarded the 2021 Northern Beaches Artists in Residence. Once a year, they invite artists and creatives to apply for residency opportunities through the Northern Beaches Artist Residency Program
Sydney Northern Beaches Council and Eramboo Artist Environment have partnered together to provide the six-month artist residency, in an inspirational bushland environment, for an artist to develop a new body of work or a site responsive creative project. My work will be around the connection of hope and nature, and am being funded to create a body of work relating to this.
I have been provided a studio in an inspirational studio environment at Eramboo Artist Environment, rent-free, and have a rare opportunity to experiment, express my artistic vision. It is in Terrey Hills, adjacent to the Ku-ring-gai National Park means I can connect to nature directly.
I feel like it’s a ‘room of one’s own’ moment. Through six solo exhibitions, countless group and selected exhibitions ... I’ve used my kitchen floor, balcony, lounge room floor, dining table, garage, my desk in the office. Now I can close the door at the end of the day and know I can come back to my work in progress and I don’t have to step over it or eat dinner next to it.
The exhibition will be in 6 - 15 August 2021.
Featured in international weaving book
Woven Together Weavers and Their Stories profiles 24 weavers from around the world including me!! It's such a lovely book and I'm so honoured to be included.
It’s wonderful to have an international publisher, Sandu Publishing, to profile handmade and slow craft. Weaving, as a traditional technique of interlacing yarns or fiber, has a long history and has been given many forms over the years. This book invites 24 DIYers, designers, artists, and craftsmen to talk about their weaving stories. These projects are diverse, from traditional basket weaving in eastern Asia, woven wall hangings made by self-taught craftspeople, to artistic pieces done by designers and artists.
Readers are able to look into the production process and detailed patterns of these projects. Featured projects include: Bamboo, grass, and rattan weaving; DIY textile weaving, such as wall hangings, rugs, and home decorations; artistic installations.
Available in book stores and online.
Amazing ABC TV story
I was interviewed by ABC journalist's Wiriya Sati and Emma Siossian about my weaving and teaching. Its a wonderful video and article. Watch and read it here.
Solo Exhibition: Circle Me
I hope you can make my next solo exhibition:
Exhibition details:
When: 9-22 November 2019
Meet The Artist: Saturday 9 November 1 - 4pm
Times: Wednesday – Saturday 11:00am - 4:00pm
Location: ME Art Space, TWT St Leonard's Creative Precinct, 25 Atchison St, St Leonards NSW 2065
Sculptural exhibition of foraged and discarded plants explores the concept of the circle form
Celebrated Sydney fibre artist Catriona Pollard’s sixth solo exhibition ‘Circle Me’ offers stunning works of sculptural basketry and assemblage works that is an exploration of the circle form.
Running from 9 – 23 November at Me Art Space, St Leonards, the sculptures are made from foraged plant material, and through the observation and interaction with nature Ms Pollard has developed works for this exhibition that explore the interplay of one circle onto another one.
“In this body of work, I’m exploring different forms of the circle to invite the viewer to step inside the circle and experience interconnectedness and explore the expansiveness of the cycles in time, life and nature,” said Ms Pollard.
“We see circles all around us and the form is both the circle and the centre. Through the sculptures I’m beckoning the observer to experience whatever symbolic message it may hold for them.”
“For me, the circle represents the infinite nature of energy. It’s the sun, the moon and the stars. It’s never ending and brings life to us all. The energy is continuous,” said Ms Pollard.
Ms Pollard uses the process of exploring nature to inspire her, and the work offers glimpses of shapeshifting natural forms, from unnoticed branches, leaves and seedpods into shapes that celebrate the abundance of nature.
By transforming organic material into sculptures, she is investigating the battle humans have between controlling nature and seeing ourselves in harmony with it.
Through this reinterpretation of nature, her work offers up the concept that we should actively see nature as part of us rather than simply an object that has no meaning or spirit. This investigation also leads to a reflection on our inner landscape and questioning control versus harmony within our lives.
Ms Pollard has exhibited extensively in selected and group exhibitions and has been shortlisted in art awards including Emerging Artist of the Year Craft NSW, Ravenswood Women’s Art Prize, Northern Beaches Art Prize, North Sydney Art Prize, Warringah Art Prize, Little Things Art Prize and Mosman Art Gallery.
Exhibition details:
When: 9-22 November 2019
Meet The Artist: Saturday 9 November 1 - 4pm
Times: Wednesday – Saturday 11:00am - 4:00pm
Location: ME Art Space, TWT St Leonard's Creative Precinct, 25 Atchison St, St Leonards NSW 2065
About Catriona Pollard
Catriona Pollard’s unique sculptural work offers glimpses of shapeshifting natural forms, from unnoticed branches, leaves and seedpods into works that investigate human’s personal connection with the natural world.
Her sculptural abstracts use foraged and discarded plant material with traditional basketry and assemblage techniques.
By transforming organic material into sculptures, she is investigating the battle humans have between controlling nature and seeing ourselves in harmony with it.
Through this reinterpretation of nature, her work offers up the concept that we should actively see nature as part of us rather than simply an object that has no meaning or spirit. This investigation also leads to a reflection on our inner landscape and questioning control versus harmony within our lives.
Catriona Pollard’s unique sculptural work uses foraged and discarded plant material with traditional basketry and assemblage techniques to showcase nature and the beauty it shares with us. Her work is emotionally authentic, uniquely contemporary, and visually stunning.
She uses nature as a way to connect with people that goes beyond physical beauty, but touches them in a personal and profound way. Transforming discarded organic material into sculptures forces people to view the natural world around them in a different way.
Catriona Pollard has exhibited extensively in selected and group exhibitions and she has been shortlisted as many art awards including Emerging Artist of the Year Craft NSW, finalist Ravenswood Women’s Art Prize, Northern Beaches Art Prize, North Sydney Art Prize, Warringah Art Prize, Little Things Art Prize and Mosman Art Gallery.
Her work is profiled across major art and design media and is featured nationally in galleries, high end design spaces and private collections. www.theartofweaving.com.au
Listen to this podcast
I had a wonderful chat with Stacey Peterson on the Thrive and Survive podcast where we talked about how I created space in my life to focus on both my art and work, what my creative process is and how I stay balanced and grounded while tackling two full time jobs.
You can listen to the podcast here: