"My time must be spent doing my work" Ruth Burgess

'Meandering around Mosman'  today involved spending time with Ruth Burgess at Mosman Art Gallery. 

With the  Mosman Art Gallery backdrop of a lifetime of images from her backyard forest, expressed through Ruth's  woodblock prints - she guided us through how it was done. 




Mosman  Art Gallery - 
Ruth Burgess - Artist  

 

 

 

Hand of the printmaker

 

 

Material of the artist




Woodcut with paint applied

 

 

The final woodcut - three block, printed on Japanese paper



Interpretation of  forest 

For a long time I have lived in this forest,  

symbolic inspiration of the printmaker
to express the landscape's power and energy.
Forest canopy and its understory
insects, birds, moon, distant sky, wind
create chaotic order; an  enigma of illusion.

 Meditative Zen-like  process
equalises wood, ink, paper, tools
with the imagery and hand of artist.
There is no formula; you are not alone
wood and paper work with you,

ink the servant of the woodcut.

 

'My time must be spent doing my work'  Ruth Burgess 

Poem from Ruth's words - Claire Mitchell

 

 

 

 



Ruth Burgess is a star

 Hi there
Make sure you see this exhibition.
I'm passionate about it because it's not only amazing from a exhibition of her works, but also from the physical process which leads to the producing of these works.
Claire

Ruth Burgess: From the Forest - 30 years of woodcuts and wood engravings

Saturday 16 March – Sunday 19 May 2013

From the forest celebrates the art and life of Ruth Burgess, who has had a career spanning three decades and is widely regarded as a leading force in Australian printmaking as an artist, teacher and mentor. With her home and studio immersed in a verdant rainforest in Turramurra on Sydney’s northshore, the enduring themes evident within her work are the spirituality and the immediacy of her bush environment and the interconnectedness of man and nature.
Ruth Burgess’s first visit to China in 1988 proved an artistic and spiritual revelation and her life and practice has been profoundly influenced by China’s paintings, calligraphy and Buddhism ever since. While her artworks share many of the aesthetic qualities of Chinese and Japanese woodcut traditions, Burgess’s works have a distinctly Australian sensibility and a visual iconography developed through living with such proximity to the Australian bush, its flora and fauna.
Ruth Burgess’s art practice stands apart from her peers through her intensely original, distinctive and compelling woodcuts and the palpable sense of unfettered energy they contain. Together the artworks in this exhibition reveal the artist’s continuing journey through landscape, figuration and abstraction and the marriage of process and material in her work.

 

Mosman Meanders is launched!

Hi Mosman Lovers

Mosman Meanders & foreshore flavours is launched! We had a fabulous night at the Mosman Art Gallery with about 200 people passing through. Thanks to Paul Delprat for your entertaining opening speech and to all who attended for your support and interest.

Many bottles of wine were enjoyed, compliments of Tony and Rory  of Watershed PremiumWines Ltd,   www.watershedwines.com.au, 
Beelgara Wines also supplied great wine at a great price.  Sincere thanks to the cafes and delis for the wonderful food platters -  Avenue Road Deli, Bacinos and Ripples at Chowder Bay, Quattro Formaggi on Raglan and Fourth Village on Vista. 

Special thanks to Graham for a great job as MC and Chris for all the innovative organisation  and his family and friends for their generous help.
Here are a few photos of the night thanks to  Bill Lyndon, Photographer.
Thanks for being there - we felt megasupported.  We hope you enjoy the book.
Claire and Chris