Catriona Pollard

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by Catriona Pollard

Profiled in Home Design Magazine

by Catriona Pollard

Opening night of Love.Honour.Cherish

I had such a wonderful opening night with so many friends, family and art lovers turn up. It was such a special evening.


by Catriona Pollard

Sculptural Basketry exhibition video walk through

Here is a video walk through of the Love.Honour.Cherish sculptural basketry exhibition.

by Catriona Pollard

Sculptural basketry artist Catriona Pollard explains random weave

https://theartofweaving.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/0144fac0d2f37162182e88de85c3b0d21418a9aff9.mp4

Sculptural basketry artist Catriona Pollard explains random weave

by Catriona Pollard

New sculptural exhibition explores our ancient connection with earth and nature

Love.Honour.Cherish is a new emotionally-charged, nature-based sculptural exhibition by emerging contemporary sculptural basket maker, Catriona Pollard, which explores the connection and relationship we have with our environment and the beauty it shares with us.

Running from 7 – 19 October at The Lane Cove Gallery, the exhibition explores the concept of holding sacred our link to forests, bushland and trees as our ancestry is so closely connected to the earth and the vines, leaves and plants that grow from it.

Love.Honour.Cherish is a collection of beautifully woven pieces that honour and worship the earth beneath our feet and the new growth that can emerge from it.

Using only found or gifted organic material, Ms Pollard harvests plant material and salvages garden ‘waste’ to weave beautiful sculptural baskets and vessels. Her work contains nothing but the organic fibre - she uses no glue or synthetic dyes, and most don’t even use anything to bind it together, such as thread or wire.

Commenting on her exhibition, Ms Pollard explains, “This collection is about seeing the extraordinary in everyday moments. For me, it’s about being still, and letting the beauty emerge.”

“I’ve really wanted to use the materials to tell my stories and they represent every facet of me. I wanted to use nature as a way to connect with people that goes beyond physical beauty, but really touches them in a personal and profound way.”

This exhibition explores connection with nature and the juxtaposition of society’s current disconnection with it. “Walking down the street with your only view being the piece of glass in your hand checking Facebook, means that you’re missing the moments in time that nature gifts us; a beautiful sunset, the sun through the trees or leaf drifting by in the breeze.”

Ms Pollard first picked up vine to weave only a few years ago and since then she has steadily matured as an artist with a strong vision and story. Her artwork has been described as emotionally-authentic, uniquely contemporary, raw and visually stunning.

As an emerging artist, this is her first solo exhibition and she has been shortlisted as Emerging Artist of the Year Craft NSW (2014), finalist North Sydney Art Prize (2013-2015) and Mosman Art Gallery 2088 (2011-2015).

Growing up in country NSW with summers at the beach and every other school holidays camping and walking through National Parks with her family, Ms Pollard has a deep connection with the natural world around her.

“As I walk through the bush tracks around Sydney Harbour inspiration presents itself. I see a fallen tree with the roots exposed and an idea for a sculpture is illuminated. Or as I wade through the rock pools at Balmoral, the shape of the water against the rocks becomes an idea for a sculpture.”

“Weaving using organic material is about listening to what it wants to be. I may have an idea about what I’m going to create. And then I’ll pick up the material and start the sculpture and the material decides what it wants to become.”

“My work adds a contemporary layer to the ancient art form of weaving, which is often dismissed as functional craft. My work forces the viewer to review their assumptions about craft and its potential in art,” said Ms Pollard.

Exhibition details:

When: 7-19 October 2015
Where: Lane Cove Gallery, Upper Level, 164 Longueville Road, Lane Cove, NSW
Opening night: 7 October from 6.00pm
Artist talk: 10 October, 11am

Opening with special guest speaker, Jason Woodland, Interior Designer, Fanuli Furniture.

Preview of exhibition works (other images and high res images are available upon request)

	CherishHold dear, my love. Cherish the breath, the moments, your dreams and the souls around you. Material: Watsonia, Sari Fabric Size: 1m x 400mm
	FlowFeel the energy. Float in the current. Let it take you to places you've never been. Material: Bangalow Palm Inflorescence. Size: 1.3m x 300mm
	Soul’s JourneyOur life glides, wraps, connects & pulls apart. It has a beginning and an end. It's a journey. A soul journey. Material: Vine, Beach stones Size: 800mm x 600mm
	New GrowthNew Growth is about honouring and worshiping the earth beneath our feet and the new growth that can emerge from it. Material: Bangalow Palm Inflorescence. Size: 500mm x 100mm

Catriona Pollard CV

I have dedicated time and energy in creating sculptures that explore my desire for “colouring outside the lines”.

I have done weaving sessions with Tim Johnson (UK), Robyn Djunginy (NAIDOC National Artist of the Year), Tjanpi Desert Weavers, Mavis Ganambarr, Meri Peach, (the late) Jim Wallis and acclaimed Australian basket artist (the late) Virginia Kaiser.

I also spend time creating ephemeral works as I have an interest in the concept of impermanence within nature, and further, the juxtaposition of society’s current disconnection with nature. I use ephemeral artworks to explore these concepts. The process of disintegration of organic material – and spending a day creating art that is simply left to disintegrate is an integral aspect of this exploration.

My baskets, vessels and sculptures have been featured in a number of exhibitions:

• 2015: Solo Exhibition 7-19 October 2015: Love.Honour.Cherish – Lane Cove Gallery
• 2014: Finalist, Emerging Artist of the Year 2015, Craft NSW
• 2015: Kangaroo Valley Arts Festival
• 2015: Mosman 2088
• 2015: Finalist, North Sydney Art Prize
• 2014: Finalist, Emerging Artist of the Year 2014, Craft NSW
• 2014: From Small Things, Basketry NSW
• 2014: Glenaeon Art Show
• 2014: Women on Boards Art Prize exhibition
• 2014: Mosman 2088
• 2013: Primrose Park Art & Craft Annual exhibition
• 2013: Glenaeon Art Show
• 2013: In Situ: Mosman Festival of Sculpture & Installation
• 2013: Finalist, North Sydney Art Prize
• 2013: “What’s a Basket?” exhibition, Basketry NSW
• 2013: Mosman 2088 exhibition
• 2012: Joint exhibition, “Common Threads”, Chrissie Cotter Gallery. The exhibition was a collection of sculptures and iPhonography
• 2011: Mosman 2088 exhibition
• 2011: In Situ: Mosman Festival of Sculpture & Installation
• 2011: Breathing Colours art gallery’s Tiered exhibition.

by Catriona Pollard

This is what happened when I stopped looking for balance and instead discovered my creativity

We talk so much about finding balance between work and home, but I think there is no such thing as balance.

I know for me, a few years ago I got to the point where I was starting to get burnt out by the intense pressure of constantly managing the ups and downs of a running business and the million other things I do.

I did some reassessing and realised I needed to incorporate creativity and art into my life. For me it wasn’t finding balance, it was deeper than that.

I needed to find creativity that wasn’t about perfection, but more about exploration and play. I wanted think in new ways and use creativity to gain new insights and perspectives that I could also use in my business.

Slowing down
I’ve always been interested in many forms of craft, so I booked into a week-long basketry class. I picked up a vine to weave and was hooked. For me it’s about the combination of nature, imagination and beauty that attracted me to sculptural basketry.

We have seen noticeable resurgence in creating traditional crafts in the past few years. I think it’s the combination of how virtual our lives have become – how busy we all seem to be which has resulted in people looking for arts and craft that reconnects them with slower, traditional creative experiences.

I believe many women need to incorporate a form of ‘slowing down’ into their lives, and creating art helps us slow down, quieten the mind and put us in touch with our inner wisdom.

While many may think that practices such as meditation are too hard, weaving or knitting are very similar to meditation as they are such simplistic tasks that force us to do one thing at a time, slowly – the exact opposite of what we all do in our jobs every day.

For me, it’s about being still and letting the beauty emerge.

Seeing different perspectives
Arts and craft practices highlight how differently we all see things. They help us appreciate that many different points of view expand our world view. They help us overcome business (and life) challenges and different perspectives are essential in dealing with the complexities of everyday life.

What they do is create an environment where we are combining right-brain imagination with left-brain logic which increases the capacity for breakthrough ideas and insights.

I have found basketry is the perfect representation of this concept. You can give 10 people the same plant fibre and teach them the same technique and you will get 10 different baskets.

When I’m weaving, no two pieces are the same, even if I’m using the same material and technique – they will be different. That’s because weaving using organic material is about listening to what it wants to be. I may have an idea about what I’m going to create, and then I’ll pick up the material and start the sculpture and the material decides what it wants to become.

Reframing what’s in front of you
It’s also about seeing potential, which may not be readily apparent. You may walk past a fallen branch and not even notice it, but I may see the beginnings of a sculpture. It’s pure joy to pick up a vine, stick or seed pod and imagine what they could be.

We are so disconnected from nature in this digital world that we’re barely paying attention to what’s around us. Walking down the street with your only view being the piece of glass in your hand checking Facebook means that you’re missing the moments in time that nature gifts us; a beautiful sunset, the sun through the trees or leaf drifting by in the breeze.

These moments are missed because we are no longer looking at the world around us, and often completely disconnected from where we are. It’s about reframing what’s in front of you.

It’s never too late
I’ve always had a secret, unspoken desire to be an artist. I didn’t start truly exploring art until my 40s, and it’s only been recently that I felt that I could call myself an artist.

For me, slowing down has been the key to my health. It took a very stressful period in my life to force to me find creative experiences that allow me to see new perspectives and have a break from constant noise of a busy life.

I sit for hours at a time on weeknights and weekends just working on my weaving. I’ve spent most of my evenings after work in the last six months sitting on the floor surrounded by leaves and sticks; because of my A type personality is never far away...I set myself the challenge of a solo exhibition at this year.

Putting the exhibition together has been at times challenging, but never stressful. Love.Honour.Cherish is a collection of beautifully woven pieces that honour and worship the earth beneath our feet and the new growth that can emerge from it.

I know this to be true. We all have new growth ready to emerge, and art and creativity can help you reconnect with your imagination, and give you new insights and perspectives. But remember, the key is to slow down and see what emerges.

Love.Honour.Cherish is on from 7-19 October, at Gallery Lane Cove. See the online catalogue of contemporary sculptural basketry pieces.

by Catriona Pollard

Lots of media interest for my exhibition

I've had lots of support from the media for my upcoming exhibition, which is very exciting!

Here is some of the coverage:

by Catriona Pollard

Starting to weave a piece of Bangalow Palm Inflorescence

https://theartofweaving.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/0144fac0d2f37162182e88de85c3b0d21418a9aff9.mp4

Here I am starting a random weave with Bangalow Palm inflorescence.

The final piece was Losing Your Dreams - Throw your dreams into the light. Some fall, to be lost forever.  Material: Bangalow Palm Inflorescence, wood. Size: 100 (h), 20 (w), 30 (d) cms.

by Catriona Pollard