Brisbane Patterns
I have always used my surrounding landscape to locate myself. When I was young I lived at the foothill of Black Mountain, Canberra. As long as the mountain rose up to obscure the horizon behind, I knew which way was home. Three years ago I migrated north to Brisbane, the landscape that surrounds me has changed, and so have my points of reference. The cardinal points of the compass are now dominated by natural landscape including: to the north are the Glass House Mountains; to the east is Moreton Island and North Stradbroke Island; to the south is Lamington National Park; to the west are the peaks of Mount Coot-Tha; and at the centre Brisbane city. Since arriving in Brisbane I have been literally making my place here. Even though it has been three years I still love to walk and explore the city. Each wander through the streets I discover new places, spaces and details that come together to create Brisbane’s uniqueness. I discover, investigate and respond to a place through observing, documenting and making.
There is a recognition that feelings for and about a specific place are deeply personal, however they evolve out of a collective experience that is unique to that place and does not occur in the same way anywhere else. The places that are the catalysts for this body of work are specific, yet can be read universally from Brisbane and beyond. Through the objects I will examine how place, in this case Brisbane, has patterned my thinking and influenced making.
