Rhonda Pryor: upcoming artist-in-residence

Rhonda Pryor, Dispersed Accounts, 2014, copper mesh, deconstructed military uniforms, 
reclaimed woollen jumper, thread, approx. 120 x 200 cm

Rhonda Pryor is an artist based in Sydney, working with reclaimed materials, textiles, installation and photography to explore themes of memory and narrative. With a background in fashion design and production, Rhonda went on to study drawing and painting at the Julian Ashton Art School and UNSW College of Fine Arts, where she completed a Master of Fine Arts in 2012. Rhonda is particularly interested in the natural and inevitable deterioration of material and recollection, combined with the ability of handwritten text to convey emotion and character, as a way of reflecting on the role of memory in our contemporary world. 

Rhonda Pryor

Her most recent solo exhibition, Lines of Communication, was a body of work researched at the State Library of NSW and the Australian War Memorial, combining photographic imagery of original handwritten documents and vintage textiles, in an examination of emotion and written communication between servicemen and their loved ones from WW1 through to the Afghanistan conflict. Rhonda has also been a finalist in the 2013 North Sydney Art Prize, Willoughby Sculpture Prize, and Hidden Sculpture Walk, and was winner of the 2014 International Women’s Day Art Prize.

Rhonda Pryor, News,  2014, Archival pigment print on cotton rag,
silk & mohair yarn, hand stitching, 75 x 49 cm

"While at Gunyah, I intend to draw on the tranquil, contemplative aspects of the surroundings focusing on ‘being in nature’ and its meditative triggers. As my work has always had an undercurrent of place, belonging and attachment, I’d like to extend this concept to include the natural environment. Place has an important impact on our lives, I find it absorbing to discover links between people and places, and seek, and ultimately express, meaning within those relationships."

Rhonda Pryor, Testimonies, 2014, installation view at Lines of Communication exhibition,
Incinerator Art Space Willoughby, archival pigment print on polyester georgette, thread

Please visit Rhonda's website to see more of her work - www.rhondapryor.com

BONUS CARD: artists-in-residence March 2015

BONUS CARD, Model sculptures - work in progress, 2015 Gunyah

We arrived at Gunyah full of excitement for our two-week residency. Driving into North Arm Cove we were taken by the natural beauty of the area. It is truly spectacular and reveals itself to you slowly over the course of time. During our stay we discovered wonderful bushland and fantastic swimming spots all within walking distance. Kookaburras laughed at us as we joked on the balcony while cooking our BBQ dinners. And the house itself is like a wooden spaceship floating in the trees above the sea. We couldn’t have been more comfortable.

BONUS CARD, Gunyah yoga - Lucy and Vivian, 2015

The studio space was our main focus and the engine room for a very productive time. While our 11 month old, Vivian, played at our feet we made more than 60 model sculptures. With windows allowing a flood of natural light into the space we spent many happy hours talking, scheming and importantly, making art. We would take breaks from the studio to walk down the backyard to the pier and feel the sea breeze blowing across the blue water. Really quite magical family time.

BONUS CARD, Model sculptures - work in progress, 2015 Gunyah

On small daily adventures we walk around the area, enjoying majestic gums, bird song and a thriving ecosystem. Venturing further afield we visited wonderful inland towns, took in Newcastle and on a small trip through the Myall Lakes National Park we discovered rainforest, she-oak forest and a plethora of different ecological environments within arm’s reach of each other.

BONUS CARD, Vivian and the stairs, 2015 Gunyah

Our regular morning trip in search of coffee took us to Hawk’s Nest to a great cafe not far from Jimmy’s Beach, which is an amazing place to swim. Gunyah had art magazines for intellectual inspiration and a complete sense of comfort for allowing the creative juices to flow. Importantly, it feels like a home. A place to be at ease and to feel the confidence to be yourself and tap into your inner creative drive without distraction or concern.

BONUS CARD, At the beach, 2015

We left Gunyah with renewed energy, a dozen wonderful family memories we’ll treasure for ever, and a completely mapped out plan of attack for getting our exhibition together in time for its launch in September in Bendigo at the La Trobe University Visual Arts Centre. We couldn’t recommend this more for artists looking for quiet creative time. Thanks Gunyah!

BONUS CARD, Bush walk North Arm Cove, 2015

BONUS CARD is the collaborative partnership of husband and wife artists Kent Wilson and Lucy James. Bonus CARD will be exhibiting work from their Gunyah residency in September 2015 at the La Trobe University Visual Arts Centre in Bendigo.

Kate Moore: Upcoming artist-in-residence

Kate Moore, Dances and Canons, 2014,
album released by ECM New Series, performed by Saskia Lankhoorn

Kate Moore is a composer of new music. Originally from Sydney, she's been based in the Netherlands since 2002, and this year she's back home - participating in a number of creative projects in Australian including the Gunyah artists-in-residence program. Kate creates worlds of sound for acoustic and electroacoustic media and writes instrumental music, concert music and sound installations. She specialises in creating surprising performance scenarios that feature virtuosic instrumentalists and musicians set amidst unusual and alternative performance circumstances. Her work has been performed in venues including Carnegie Hall, The Sydney Opera House and the Concertgebouw Amsterdam and at major festivals including The Holland Festival, The Sydney Film Festival, ISCM World Music Days 2010 and MATA 2009. Kate has worked with many ensembles including Slagwerk Den Haag, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Nieuw Ensemble, Alarm Will Sound, Bang on a Can All-Stars, Calder Quartet, Ensemble Offspring, and Asko|Schönberg. She holds a doctorate from The Conservatorium of Sydney (Sydney University 2008-2012), she completed her masters at the Koninklijk Conservatorium (2002-2004) and received a Bachelor of Music with first class honours from the Australian National University (1998-2001). Kate was awarded prizes including Den Haag Toptalent (2012), De Komeet cultural award (2010) and the Carlsbad Festival of Music Composition Prize (2010) among others.

To find out more about Kate's work please see www.katemoore.org

Kate Moore 2014, during a rehearsal at at the Tivoli Vredenburg, Utrecht Netherlands, 
photo by Johan Nieuwenhuize

"During this residency at Gunyah I will be working on a collection of pieces, with the working title Survivors and Dreamers, which will be written, performed and documented to form a complete and self-sufficient body of work of around 60 minutes. This work will illuminate a philosophical and historical perspective that consolidates and sums up my recent research into the context and origin of the creative process. Survivors and Dreamers ties into my larger current series of commissioned pieces and collaborations with Australian performers. 
I would like to bring to life a set of pieces for myself to perform."

Kate Moore, PUUR, 2008, with dance work performed by Andreas Kuck and
Juan Martinez, choreographed by Neel Verdoorn

"The work, once complete, will toured to national and international festivals and venues. The body of work will be comprised of a set of shorter pieces that constitute chapters within an overall narrative, each one with it’s own character and specific theme. Each piece will be varied in instrumentation and set-up, creating a spatial, enveloping sonic-theater. Some pieces will be a variety of instrumental combinations within the given resources for example solo instrument, voice and electronics, electronics only or prerecorded sound installation to name a few options. My setup for this will revolve around instruments including the voice, cello/ electric cello, keyboards and live electroacoustic installation. I will use this work as a vehicle to pursue research and analysis into the current political climate of Australia, immigration policies and history, the definition of nationalism and its implications, the environment, gender politics, education and social history. This research will provide the backbone and content of the folio that will manifest in the employment of text, field recordings, titles and program notes. 
The work will not shy away from dark and serious thematic material and will be woven and distilled within intensely beautiful, enrapturing, all encompassing sonic discourse formed from structures based on natural cycles found within the Australian biosphere."

Kate Moore, Cello Concerto, 2014, performed by Ashley Bathgate and ASKO|Schoenberg Ensemble
at the Tivoli Vredenburg, Utrecht Netherlands