Re-installation of Restored Windows, Tumut NSW
11 Apr 2021
Fully refurbished and reinstalled
Mid-March found me and my site team in the large country town of Tumut, in the high country, Southern NSW, re-installing two 150 yr old windows which we had removed last October. They were in a rather dilapidated state, with large gaps appearing between the lead came and the glass, and many repairs carried out over the years.
Commencement, inside view
Commencement, outside view
Fortunately Tumut Catholic Church has its own aluminium scaffold, so that was set up ready for us, and the external steel scaffold was erected by a local contractor. First job was to remove the plywood covers we had installed previously for weather proofing.
Half cuts to timber bead
Foil at apex installed
In some ways timber frames are even more tricky than masonry installs. For the top foil and the arches we used a very old but simple and effective method to bend the timber beads, making small half-cuts to the timber and filling these afterward with "builders' bog", later sanded off and painted.
Filling saw cuts
Sash clips to hold leadlight
At the bottom of the window set were a pair of ventilating steel sashes: these present their own particular issues. In this case we used traditional sash clips to hold the leadlight panels in place. In the photo above you will see small holes in the side of the steel frame to accommodate these clips. The rebates are then puttied up, burying the clips and keeping them safe from corrosion.
Ventilating sashes completed
Reinforcing rods
Replacement of damaged glass
As is often the case with refurbishment of old stained glass windows, there were quite a few pieces that had been repaired previously. With such an important piece of glass as the Sacred heart of Jesus I deferred to the Parish committee for a decision on whether to replace or no, given that there was a break right across the top of the heart. I knew that I could make a fair facsimile of the original and although it took two attempts, that was what was done in the end.
Filed under: tumut catholic church, nsw, restoration, historic stained glass, | View Comments
REQUIEM:RESCRIPT
29 Jan 2021
Grounds of the old Reservoir
In the evocative environs of an old water reservoir in Sydney's Paddington this January a most unusual event took place. Curated by Janet Laurence, it was a part of the Sydney Festival and comprised art installations, musical performances and a durational performance piece by my good friend Julie Vulcan Balmoral Village in the Southern Highlands of NSW was hit particularly hard by the fires. Julie and her partner's house was fortunately saved but their property was largely reduced to ash.
Bags of ash from Balmoral Village
Hanging of fragments
You can see more of the performance, as well as a visual diary documenting the regrowth on Julie's Instagram: mzvvv.
Photographer Robert Knapman (Insta: robertknapmanphotography) has documented one of the other performances which took place Jan 27th in the same space, that of the Sydney Red Rebel Brigade
There were also quite a few art installations scattered around the rather majestic space, including a collection of charred branches with ceramic inclusions by Juz Kitson and a a large faggot of burnt branches inscribed in white with comments about the the devastation wrought. At the conclusion of the two week event these were gathered up and carried through the streets of Sydney
Installation by Juz Kitson
Installation by Dirt Witches
Participatory work by Tony Albert
Water bar by Janet Laurence
Janet Laurence created a Water Bar for the event with multiple glass pieces containing ash water collected from many areas affected by the December/January/February fires. Tony Albert's piece invited guests to select one of the many bird species decimated by the fires and draw their version in white on a black ground. The Reservoir itself is such a strong architectural entity that it did take some effort to appreciate the depth and gravitas of the artworks installed. I only managed the one visit but it was definitely worth that effort.
A portion of the historic reservoir
Filed under: paddington reservoir, sydney festival, janet laurence, julie vulcan, juz kitson, tony albert | View Comments
Clare Belfrage @ Sabbia
31 Oct 2020
It was such a treat to catch an exhibition of new blown glass forms by Clare Belfrage at Sabbia Gallery early October. Vieing objects online in virtual shows is a very poor cousin to the experience of being with the work in person, sensing its scale, the relationship to the self and the relationship of one work to another, particularly when grouped together.
The subtle depth achieved within the surface decoration of the vessel is captivating. Clare's forms carry such gravitas, they are a joy to behold. Being with the work seems to engender a state of meditation.
This piece was actually my favourite in the exhibition. Many of the works take the form of large pebbles. This is even more obvious when viewed from above:
The video accompanying the exhibition was most informative and gave a good insight into Clare's creative processes. The influence of the Australian bush is quite evident when viewing the works. All in all a delightful exhibition. Congratulations to both Belfrage and Sabbia.
Filed under: clare belfrage, glass artist, sabbia gallery, redfern, sydney, nsw, | View Comments
Restoration of Windows, Boorowa Anglican Church
25 Feb 2020
On Monday 3rd February me and my team headed out of Sydney toward Boorowa, a medium-sized country town about 130km west of Goulburn. We were booked to excavate two stained glass windows from St John's Anglican Church. I'd looked at these windows about 12months prior, to make recommendations as they were clearly in need of remedial work. It took some time for the Parish to gain the necessary funding for the work but its very good that they did; when I saw the windows again the other week, they had deteriorated significantly in the intervening time. In the Good Shepherd window the buckling of the lower portion had reached a stage where glass was about to break.
St Johannes Window
External scaffold: commencing work
Top arch removed
Cutting out the sacrificial border
Lifting out the next panel
Hacking out putty to free overglazing
Lifting out the overglazing
Removong the last panel
Lifting out the inscription
The Good Shepherd Window
Overglazing removed from the arch
Removing timber bead
Arched panel removed
Removing next panel
Separating panel 2 from panel 1
Boarding up the opening
Filed under: boorowa, new south wales, restoration, heritage stained gass | View Comments
The Other Art Fair @ Barangaroo
25 Oct 2019
Like all such events this was a real mixed bag. There was some terrible art on display, I mean really bad, but also there were many brilliant pieces on display and some truly outstanding new artists. As would be expected, it is a very eclectic mix in terms of genre and technique, with probably something like 50% very attractive and affordable abstrsact and realist paintings.
The Australian-Russian artist Yulia Pushtoskina was there with her beautifully rendered works of fantasy; there was a special display of contemporary ceramics, an intereactive light wall and see-saw by ENESS, and a plastics recycling factory shredding, melting and moulding rings and other objects.
Filed under: art fairs, barangaroo, sydney, contemporary art | View Comments
KIN: Shaelene Murray @ Stanley Street Gallery
15 Oct 2019
Gramma
When I spotted Shaelene Murray's name amongst the art news that comes across my desk had to make an effort to see this show. I knew Shaelene many years ago, through Ausglass Conferences in the '90's. And then saw a delightful and surprising work bearing her name at the Art Gallery of NSW Wynne Prize, which includes both landscape and sculpture, in 2013. The trustees generally select just one outstanding sculpture to represent the genre and there was Shaelene's "Blossom", a woven or knitted or knotted wire (actually sewn I have since discovered) skirt suspended in the middle of a large room, just above the floor. It had a powerful impact.
Scallywag
Scallywag is, exactly as the name suggests, tearing away from the family group below.
Mamma, Toddle & Bubbie
All the works carry many layers of meaning, with stories woven around them. Mamma's right leg is stubbornly restraining Toddle from wandering off. And with Bubbie's outstretched arms we can almost hear her screaming.
Confection
Sookie Chookie
On the side wall opposite the main family group there is a series of small studies, bonnets mostly, each with a particularly idiosynchratic title. Small contemplations of detail and patience.
Gramma, detail
While somewhat media-shy, Shaelene does have a website where some of her earlier work in glass can be seen. Stanley Street Gallery is a treasure trove of fresh new artists and established names, showing a diverse array of media, with a strong representation of jewellery and sculpture. Murray's show continues through until 2nd November.
Filed under: figurative sculpture, shaelene murry, stanley street gallery, darlinghurst, sydney, steel wire sculpture | View Comments
Kirstie Rae @ Sabbia Gallery
01 Oct 2019
Still- like water
The Creek
Snow Gum 1
Snow Gum 2
Still Presence
Presence Remains
Opening address by Francis Lindsay, AM
Presence Remains
Filed under: kirstie rae, contemporary studio glass, sabbia gallery, redfern | View Comments
Farewell Alison Mortiss
21 Sep 2019
Alison at a glass painting workshop
New South Wales lost an enthusiastic and talented practitioner this month. Alison was much loved within the community, always bright and cheerful, full of energy and passion for all things glass.
Discussing her work at a recent exhibition
Kiln-fired wallpiece
An avid collector and intrepid traveller with her partner Michael, who she referred to as the "world's best roadie", Alison attended several Ausglass Conferences and continued to broaden her skills with many workshops, including glass painting in Italy
Kiln-fired wallpiece
With Peter Whittaker @ the Leadlighters' Xmas Picnic 2017
With Grace Cochrane & myself @ the Leadlighters' Xmas Picnic 2016
She worked from a home studio in Jilliby, an idyllic bushland community on the NSW Central Coast. Probably Alison's best work is a beautiful commission for St Cecelia's Church, restrained and elegant. An image can be found in the Gallery section of her website Creative Moods Stained Glass
With Michael
Guard of Honour, Saturday 14th September 2019
Filed under: creative moods stained glass, alison mortiss, new south wales, leadlight | View Comments
Rhett Brewer: Cape Banks
29 Jul 2019
The Sentinels
Australian artist Rhett Brewer showed a new collection of landscape and seascape paintings in oils and acrylics at Project Gallery 90, Oxford Street Paddington for a three week stint in July 2019. I enjoyed the show very much; it was refreshing with many vigorous works full of energy, firmly rooted in the geometry teased out of rock formations and fault lines, juxtaposing mass and horizon.
Faultilines 2
The Hikers
Faultilines 1
Rhett and I go back a long way: we grew up together in Sydney's Georges
Hall and subsequently attended Condell Park High School. He then
vanished into the Public Service until we crossed paths once again while
Rhett was teaching Fine Art at the University of Western Sydney
Rhett Brewer at Project Gallery
Heavy Weather & Drift
The Edge
These paintings hover between opacity and transparency and in addition to the spatial geometry I think that's what's so intriguing about them. Rhett's masterful handling of water is clearly evident in Bays entrance. The transparency he achieves in Floating Wall is arresting. And it is literal as well as metaphoric: in the midst of the standing wave, about to break, we are actually looking through a kind of glaze to the under-painting beneath.
The Small Freighter
Bays Entrance
Floating Wall
As the title of the exhibition implies, all of the paintings are of or around Cape Banks, a very easterly promintory at Sydney's Little Bay. Covering bright sunshine and cold and gloomy days, Sydney's sandstone coastline lives through these paintings.
Filed under: painting exhibition, landscape, seascape, oils, acrylic, rhett brewer, project gallery, paddington, nsw | View Comments
Fast Life Neon @ m2 Gallery
01 May 2019
Jacob & Leonard with Tiger
Vanessa
Gallery view
La Rosa
Boxer
Fast Life is a collaboration between graphic designer Jacob Pramuk and product designer Leonard Velich. The project started about two years ago when they combined a graphic drawing, a functional product and the old craft of neon sign making to create a unique combination of art, light and function. The goal was to create handcrafted art objects that are not only visual pieces but also functional lighting products.
Gallery view
Amelia
Yakuza
Heart
Tiger
Filed under: neon artwork, m2 gallery, surry hills, nsw | View Comments
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The Latest Happenings in my World
This blog is where you will find my latest news. It can range from posting images of progress of the current commission to art crit to political or social commentary, both national and international. Anything, basically, that's commanding my attention and I feel is worth sharing with you, my reader. Enjoy. My previous blog can be found at jeffreyhamilton.blogspot.com