After a meeting with Maria Koulouris from Corinbank and Caro Roach from ArtsAbility, Hands On Studio art teachers Liam O’Rourke (painter) and Agnieszka Berger (sculptor and ceramicist) developed artworks with ‘leave not trace’ in mind and that are site specific, for the students at Hands on Studio. Hands on Studio is an art making facility located at M16 Artspace for adults with disability, where they can meet, learn and help drive each other’s creativity.
Lights sculptures constructed from balloons and wool have been made to live in the trees for the festival, along with flags made from an old artwork, recycled and repurposed for this occasion. With the assistance of the Men’s Shed in Tuggeranong and their range of carpentry and cabinet making skills, an interactive installation piece ‘face in hole’ has been constructed and painted, reminiscent of fairground attractions. Trial and error, ingenuity and a lot of collaboration is how these works have come together. Friends and volunteers at the studio have all contributed to the making and problem solving, as the ideas developed over time, many thanks for their help.
Hands on Studio has been developing the idea of working collaboratively and the Corinbank project has given the students an opportunity to continue to do this with the added dimension of purpose: making artworks for a specific place and event. The students have found the experience very enjoyable and exciting. Thanks to Corinbank for the opportunity to create works with such a sense of fun.
Peta Mackenzie Davey
Hands On Studio – Coordinator
Hands On Studio art teacher Agnieszka Berger will exhibit “Woolen Pods” at Corinbank, a light sculpture made of fabric, bottle cups, steel, chicken wire, concrete all wrapped in wool. More information on Agnieszka Berger can be found at www.berger.art.pl
