The Operative - Kelly Robson and Daniel Hollier: upcoming artists-in-residence

The Operative - directors Kelly Robson and Daniel Hollier, with Ella Barclay's installation Maelstrom Studies, 2012

The Operative is a new creative industry service run by Sydney based husband and wife team, Kelly Robson and Daniel Hollier. During their residency Kelly and Daniel plan to further develop The Operative's business strategy, company structure and marketing plan. By combining their skill-sets and experience, Kelly and Daniel are uniquely positioned to provide an innovative service to the creative industry sector. From concept to crate, they are passionate about each step of the artistic process and assisting creative producers. Together, their expertise spans exhibition design, exhibition installation, curating, fabrication of exhibition furniture, project management, professional development and creative consultancy. theoperative.com.au

Kelly Robson at Gaffa, photo by Helen White Photography

Kelly Robson is an artist, curator and creative industries consultant. Kelly was the Founding Director of Gaffa, in Sydney 2006 and has now taken the role of Special Projects Manager, stepping aside from her role as Acting Director at the beginning of this year. Gaffa is an artist-run initiative with a long established reputation for their commitment to providing space and support to emerging artists and designers gaffa.com.au. Kelly's curatorial work focuses on cross-platform, collaborative work, with a particular interest in the point of intersection between art & design, as is reflected in Gaffa's program of exhibitions. In 2010 Kelly facilitated the relocation of Gaffa Gallery from its home of 4 years in Surry Hills to its current heritage listed premises in the Sydney CBD. This involved the design and coordination of building renovations, the preparation of development applications and liasing with the National Heritage Council. In recent years Kelly has managed and coordinated significant public art projects including out-door art installations for The City of Sydney's Live Laneways Festivals, and pop-up exhibition programs utilising empty spaces in The Rocks provided by the The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority. Kelly is regularly asked to participate in industry round-table sessions, panel discussions & workshops.
In November 2013 Kelly began a new role in cooperation with The City of Sydney developing and managing their new Creative Tenancy project, the Creative Live Work Spaces,
in Sydney's Darlinghurst area. In this role Kelly is instrumental in developing the application and selection criteria and works closely with the tenants to ensure maximum professional development opportunity and connection with the wider creative community.
Read an interview with Kelly

Daniel Hollier, Shibuya Colour Series, 2014, gouache and acrylic on polyester, installation view

Daniel Hollier has a Bachelor of Fine Art with Honours from the National Art School Sydney. He was the recipient of the 2008 Clitheroe Foundation Scholarship and a 2009 Queen Street Studio Residency Award at Fraser Studio Projects. In 2010, Hollier was the recipient of the Storrier Onslow Cite de Paris Residency, which he undertook in early 2011, and later that year was also awarded a New Work grant by the Australia Council for the Arts. Hollier has been a finalist in the Helen Lempriere Travelling Scholarship in 2011 and 2010. His work has been exhibited widely in Australia and overseas, including You Give Good Colour in 2012 at Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne, and in New Orleans, USA in the ALASKA Project As Above-So Below, at Good Children Gallery. Hollier's work is represented in the collection of Artbank as well as private collections in Australia, United Kingdom and Holland. Hollier works and lives in Sydney where he is currently undertaking his Masters in Fine Arts at Sydney College of the Arts, supported by an Australian Post-Graduate Award Scholarship. Recently Daniel held a solo exhibition at Chalkhorse Gallery and participated in a group exhibition at Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney. 
See more of Daniel's work on his website danielhollier.com

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Marynes Avila: artist-in-residence June 2015

Marynes Avila, Working at Gunyah, June 2015

The Gunyah artist residency offered me a precious opportunity to reflect, explore and further expand my work. The contact with the land, the waters of North Arm Cove and the wonderful architecture of Gunyah house has been invaluable.

Marynes Avila, Gunyah nights, June 2015

I used Gunyah’s studio and house to ponder and to develop new projects. During my residency the weather was sunny and warm and I spent several hours a day exploring the local region. The outcome of my investigation was an extensive new body of work including thousands of digital photographs, digital micro photographs and a series of site specific temporal installations as a response to the surrounding landscape, in particular the amazing sand dunes at Dark Point.

Marynes Avila, Si02 - Echo III, June 2015

The works entitled ‘SiO2’ and  ‘SiO2, Echo I’ SiO2, Echo II’ and ‘SiO2, Echo III’ are tackled in a macro and microcosmic way. They make use of mirrors (found at Gunyah) and sand to extend on the concept of multiplicity’s complexities.  

Marynes Avila, Si02, digital micro photographs (sand grains under the microscope), June 2015

‘SiO2’ takes us through a journey of multiplicity not perceived by the naked eye. Exploring sand grains under the microscope, the outcome unveils the unperceived beauty that surrounds us all and confirms we are the sum of a myriad of particles in a complex universe of multiples. Each sand grain is unique and completely different.

Marynes Avila, Si02 - Echo I, June 2015

The works ‘SiO2, Echo I’, ‘SiO2, Echo II’ and ‘SiO2, Echo III’ reflect on the concept of multiplicity and the estimate that the total number of all the sand grains on the planet could be approximately 2000 billion, billion. Utilizing mirrors, these site-specific installations simultaneously denote the dunes’ magnificent details and emphasize the importance of each sand grain to form the Dark Point’s dunes.

Marynes Avila, Si02 - Echo II, June 2015

The series of digital photographs entitled ‘Gunyah’s Dusk’, ‘Gunyah’s Nights’ and ‘Gunyah’s First Light’ are the result of hours of my contemplation at Gunyah’s waterfront. The effect of the light reflected on the water at different times of the day mesmerized me.

Marynes Avila, Gunyah's first light, June 2015

The Gunyah Residency has enriched my current practice and the experiences at Gunyah will certainly informed my future artistic endeavours.

Marynes Avila, Gunyah's dusk, June 2015

Thanks to Kath Fries and the Gunyah Board for their generosity and for providing me
with such a fascinating and unique opportunity.

Marynes Avila       

Marynes Avila, Gunyah's visitor, June 2015