Artists
The Salons is proud to support our elegant and electic rabble of artists for the Chrissie Cotter Gallery program in 2022.
Welcome painters, poets, singers, sirens, thespians, collagists, sculptors, printmakers, dancers, photographers, musicians, metallurgists, recyclists, upcyclists, meditators, mystics and grand orators!
Carol Archer
Through drawing, painting, and printmaking I explore the sense of wonder and immersion that comes of being among trees. My recent exhibition standing still the trees (2021, The Shop Gallery, Glebe) centred on the forest near my home in rural N.S.W., while earlier projects were inspired by artist residencies in Norway, Spain, Cyprus, Iceland, Sweden and Australia (Bundanon). During my years in Hong Kong and Macao, collaborative artmaking became important in my practice, and I initiated projects such as Postcards between Friends. As an art scholar, I have published scholarly articles on feminist aesthetics, contemporary women painters, artistic collaboration, contemporary Macao art and visual arts education.
For more about Carol’s work visit:
IG: @carolarcher_art
Daragh Byrne
Daragh Byrne is an experienced meditation teacher and published poet. He has been running The Sydney Poetry Lounge since 2019. He is thrilled to offer this experience combining his deep love of each discipline.
To learn more about Daragh’s work visit:
IG: @hellostillness
Anna Couani
Anna Couani is a writer and visual artist who runs The Shop Gallery in Glebe with her husband, sculptor Hilik Mirankar.
Her out of print writing is downloadable from www.annacouani.com Some of her visual art is on https://sesquitria.blogspot.com and her musical compositions are on https://annacouani1.bandcamp.com. Her recent books of poetry are Thinking Process and local.
For more about The Shop Gallery visit:
Angie Contini
Angie Contini is an experimental interdisciplinary artist and writer living on Gadigal land, and the creator/organiser of The Salons. She has a BA and first class Honours in music and film studies, and a PhD from the University of Sydney (2018). Specialising in the connection between art, nature and mental health, Angie works across a broad range of media, including photography, music, handcut collage, mixed media, theatre and poetry. Her work explores themes of mythology, occult, ecology, existence and identity through styles of surrealism, absurdity & burlesque, with a rabid curiosity to harness and celebrate the ever-unfolding delights of sustainable arts practice.
For more about Angie’s work visit:
IG: @angiecontini
For Salons enquiries contact Angie directly:
IG: @the.salons
Thea Elder
Thea Elder is a film photographer living and working across the unceded Cadigal/Gadigal land of the Eora Nation (Sydney). Thea's practice is experiential and involves exploring landscapes and people, allowing her mind to weave her poetry through the physical act of taking photographs in order to create final images that reflect the dreamscapes she has wandered through in her mind. Her self-portrait work, as well as her work which focuses on the feminine paired with the natural, explores bodies as poetry, and poetry as healing. This is an area she aims to expand on in years to come. Thea is currently exploring the medium of cyanotype, and 8mm videography, aiming to produce short films that incorporate her poetry and love of mystical realism. She is open for commission and contract based work.
To enquire for commissions please contact the artist directly:
M: 0432 212 690
Stephanie Di Giacomo
Stephanie Di Giacomo is an actor and writer whose debut solo show, the self-written one-woman play, titled ‘NINETEEN, TWENTY-NINE’ premiered at Sydney Fringe in 2019. Her outstanding work was met with rave reviews and received festival recognition in nomination for the NIDA Emerging Artist Award.
Stephanie’s second play and first short film are currently in development for production in 2021/22.
For more about Stephanie’s work visit:
IG: @stephdigiac
Geneva Gilmour
Geneva is a qualified Speech and Drama teacher who has been teaching Inner West kids for 6 years. She is currently undertaking her Master’s degree in education and aims to specialise in Performing Arts. Geneva has a deep interest in fostering self-confidence, creativity and strong communication skills within young people. She believes Drama is an effective tool to nurture this development.
Christiaan Hoppenbrouwers
Christiaan Hoppenbrouwers has been creating and instructing the whole of his professional teaching life, predominately in design for ‘film’ and live stage production. A gravitation to all things quirky, with a well-developed eye for good composition and balance. He enjoys imaginative, re-application of materials that create design difference. These lamps are just momentary suggestions of such a process. I hope you like them.
For more about Christy’s work visit:
Leura James
Leura James is a 34 year old poet and musician who spends her time writing about innate human experiences. Her debut poetry and photopoetry collection ‘An Organ and a Blade’ weaves together a tethering of spines in a tangled thought of violence and toxicity that spirals in severity. Three narratives give voice to violation of many kinds, the festering notion of secrecy, and our catastrophic ability to harm. Intentionally dichotomic; grotesquely uncomfortable, yet softly lulling, the works navigate without distinctive persona, context or concept of self, the true capabilities of relationships and the unsettling reality of confusing love and cruelty.
All sales donated in entirety to w*men’s shelters around the country, to assist g*rls and w*men experiencing violence.
The Salons welcomes Leura to the Opening Feastival!
For more about Leura's work visit:
IG: @leura.james
Kit Kelen
Christopher (Kit) Kelen is a poet and painter, resident in the Myall Lakes of NSW. Published widely since the seventies, he has a dozen full length collections in English as well as translated books of poetry in Chinese, Portuguese, French, Italian, Spanish, Indonesian, Swedish, Norwegian and Filipino. A Greek bi-lingual volume is in preparation. His latest book of poetry in English is Poor Man's Coat - Hardanger Poems, published by UWAP in 2018. Kit's Book of Mother is forthcoming from Puncher & Wattmann in 2021. Emeritus Professor at the University of Macau, where he taught for many years, Kit Kelen is also a Conjoint Professor at the University of Newcastle. With Björn Sundmark, Kelen has edited two large scale Routledge anthologies in the Children’s Literature area: The Nation in Children’s Literature (2013) and Where Children Rule? (2017). In 2017, Kelen was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Malmö, in Sweden. Literary editor for Postcolonial Text and Series Editor for Flying Islands Pocket Poets Series, Kit Kelen has mentored many poets and translators from various parts of the world, and run a number of on-line communities of practice in poetry (most notably Project 366 [from 2016-2020]). Kit is a Fellow of the Royal Society of NSW.
For more about Kit’s work, including his work-in-progress, visit:
Anastasia Keros
Anastasia has enjoyed a lifetime working in art studios and advertising agencies, followed by a rewarding career teaching graphic design at Enmore Design Centre and Raffles College. Set design for theatre has also been a consuming passion through the years. Simultaneously, Anastasia has done a twenty year stint in events, and a host of art-derived projects….hand-painted ceramics; caricatures; stained glass work; paintings; decorating masks; mosaics; mannequins ‘dressed’ in re-cycled bits of metal etc. and fabric jewellery pouches. And for the last decade, Anastasia has found the greatest love of her life….Argentine Tango.
The Salons welcomes Anastasia’s tango group Tangeuros de la Belle Epoque to the Opening Feastival!
Recycletastic
@recycletastic are Deby and Alan, the creators of Enmore Road’s new social artspace @recycletastic189enmore
Deby uses vintage books, patterns and images to create inclusive, feminist works that challenge and reject the patriarchal narrative. Deconstructing stereotypes, gender assumptions, misogyny and patriarchal attitudes through reframing these destructive narratives. Deby is ardently passionate about the therapeutic act of cutting vintage Mills and Boon text and Disney fairy tales. Together Deby and Alan create unique, upcycled art, jewellery and homeware designs from preloved, discarded and found items. They're passionate about repurposing and recreating narratives for familiar objects that have become devalued by time and over consumption. They love trawling through op shops and tip shops, finding treasures waiting to be reimagined and reloved. Using retro pieces including dolls, toys, vinyl, kitchenware, snowboards, musical instruments, images and text they create wallart, jewellery, skateboards, homewares, cards, clocks, lights and quirky things that connect with nostalgic memories of fun while deconstructing stereotypes and reimagining purpose.
For more about Recycletastic’s work visit:
IG: @recycletastic
The Third Voice
The Third Voice is a vocal trio of three strong female voices, mainly unaccompanied, that weave, blend, caterwaul and serenade with new and pre-loved songs that will both challenge and soothe. Gemma Turner, Clarita Derwent and Christina Mimmocchi have followed various musical paths including songwriting, a cappella singing, fronting bands and choirs and confronting diverse musical settings. They share a love of voices in harmony and music for the body as well as the mind. The Third Voice was planning a first set of gigs and a recording when COVID struck, and was finally able to make its live debut in late 2021 at The Gaelic Club and Loaded Dog Folk Club. They are currently playing at various places around Sydney and also running singing workshops on many themes including Afro-Cuban songs and rhythms.
The Salons welcomes The Third Voice to the Opening Feastival!
to learn more visit:
IG: @the_third_voice
Alana Tracey
Alana Tracey is a multidisciplinary artist based in Sydney. A Fine Arts graduate of Art & Design UNSW (formerly COFA); with post-graduate studies in Media Arts and Production at the University of Technology Sydney. Her work investigates abstract, colourfield and op art visual and spatial sensibilities through painting and installation using colour gradient interactions and pattern repetition.
She has exhibited and screened her works at the Sydney Film Festival, This is Not Art, Electrofringe, Rainbow Serpent, Regrowth, Subsonic, Earthcore, Lost Paradise and various artist run initiatives within the urban jungle of Sydney. In 2012 she participated in the Ne’na Contemporary Artspace Residency program in partnership with Monfai Cultural Centre, Chiang Mai Northern Thailand. She is currently a resident studio artist at Mothership Studios in Marrickville Sydney.
For more about Alana’s work visit:
IG: @alanatracey
Kell Wallwork
Kell Wallwork is a multidisciplinary artist with a diploma of art from the QCA and post grad diploma in animation from the VCA. Always an artist, Kell lives in Newtown, and has recently returned to studio practice part-time where she is often inspired by found/recycled materials. Kell’s first love of scenic art/ set painting is revived in the form of mural art. Her public experience has been in schools and festivals, TV & theatre and on the street in paint & chalk. Professionally, Kell is a photoshop artist, particularly in animation.
Kell has a strong community presence, with her practice based at Lennox Street Studios Newtown, and recent public art projects including mural commissions for Petersham Park, Elsie’s Walk in Glebe, and the Welcome project at the Newtown Asylum Seekers Centre, where Kell is also a volunteer.
For more about Kelly’s work visit:
W: LinkedIn
IG: @kellwallwork
