Monday, October 27, 2014

My interview post Global Art Project Venice workshops July 2014

Donna Malone was a keen participant in the GAP workshops and attended several. She quickly became a regular at Ca'Zanardi and an honorary GAP member. To get a workshoppers’ perspective Donna was asked similar questions to those put to the artists. Donna is a full time artist based in Brisbane, Australia. Her main medium is Drawing with mixed media and found papers. In her words, “I am an instinctual artist and rely on improvisation and spontaneity to make marks and images. I need to be inspired and my work is usually done quickly on the spot using what I have at hand.” From the other side of the bench: reflections on GAP by Donna Malone • Did the GAP experience meet your expectations & how or how not? “I heard about the Global Art Project through participating artist, Lorna Crane, only very shortly before booking my ticket to Europe. I didn’t have very many expectations. I just trusted that if Lorna was involved it was bound to be great and it was!” • What was your experience with workshops, facilitators & students? Which workshops did you attend? “I attended as many workshops as I could. I did several with Lorna, two with Akiko and one with Vered. I hung around the Ca’Zanardi foyer/workshop a fair bit. It was such a great atmosphere in the gallery. I felt at home there and there was always someone interesting to talk to, like Carl or Chaewon. The participants were amazing as well and I feel I now have a few more kindred spirits in the world.” • Has GAP affected your arts practice since returning home? If so how? “I have become totally addicted to collage! I am presently involved in several collaborations, all coming after the GAP event and not initiated by me, which I think is very interesting. I have “friended” many more global abstract and collage artists on Facebook with encouragement from Lorna. Through seeing others of a higher caliber I feel I have gone up a notch in my arts practice which is what I was really hoping for.” • What did it feel like to meet the artists and walk into Ca’Zanardi for the first time? “I was a bit nervous to meet such excellent artists. I was early to the event (the GAP Exhibition opening) and was very excited to see their fantastic art on the walls, which I had only seen on the computer screen before. The venue was amazing. All the artists were very approachable and Vered even shared her “process” and ideas with me, which I thought was very generous. I soon relaxed and felt a part of it all.” • What were your impressions of Venice & the Venice art scene? “Venice is one of the most awesome places I have visited! I felt completely safe and the lack of cars gives the city an amazing calmness. The light is exquisite and the art and the old buildings housing it are sublime. I couldn’t get over the vast array of art everywhere. The atmosphere was literally saturated with it.” • Any other personal insights: “I would definitely go to Venice for an art reason again. I am so pleased I went.”

Monday, October 13, 2014

the time may be right!

After years of fiddling around and randomly entertaining myself with my creative urges - producing, deconstructing, creating, travelling, connecting to like minded arty souls and making quite a mess...i have now decided to get serious and 'start a blog'! I think the time may be right... that I may now be grown up enough to have what it takes...i will do my best anyway and start from here!