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| Bethany Wheeler, Fog on the Hume Highway 6 am |
We set off for North Arm Cove from Melbourne at 4:30am,
driving through fog we arrived at
Gunyah just in time to see the last rays of sun reflecting off the water.
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| Bethany Wheeler, 8am looking up North Arm Cove |
We woke see the sun rise over the glass-like water of the
Cove turning the moored yachts into silhouettes. As the morning sun filled the house, the
wooden interior started to glow and poured over the studio desks.
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| Bethany Wheeler, Sun pouring into the studio 8:24am |
The country surrounding Gunyah was beautiful to
explore. We visited The Myall Lakes, The
Grandis – tallest tree in NSW, Mungo Brush, the ocean beaches, their islands
& the still waterways of Port Stephens.
We kayaked out into The Kaurah River stopping at secluded inlets -
viewing the big sky & landscape from the water.
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| Bethany Wheeler, Mungo Brush 11:30am |
The wildlife in the backyard was abundant with regular
visits from wallabies, kookaburras & dolphins, we saw koalas at Hawks Nest
& whales passing by at Anna Bay. We
spent time bush walking the dirt roads of North Arm Cove & visiting the Gooreenggai
Aboriginal site.
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| Bethany Wheeler, From the land & from the sea |
I began pressing & collating collected botanical
specimens from the local area & spent time documenting & developing a
sense of place through photography, drawing & engraving.
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| Bethany Wheeler, Engraving on the jetty |
I spent time recording the ever-changing light of the cove
through photography & began engraving landscapes, pressed botanicals &
maps of North Arm Cove onto sheet glass.
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| Bethany Wheeler, Reflections on the Cove |
My final days were spent creating glass sheet assemblages,
accumulating layers of pressed botanicals, ash from the fire, salt form the
cove & engraved silhouettes with copper & wood.
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| Bethany Wheeler, Layered pressed botanicals and engravings |
Spending time at Gunyah allowed me time to focus on
creative research & to explore the beginnings of a new body of work.
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| Bethany Wheeler, Pressed Acacia ash and engraved glass |
Bethany Wheeler,
Gunyah residency report June 2017
