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Tuesday 22 March 2022

PRINTS & GREETING CARDS INVENTORY * 2021 RESEARCH ON PROMETHEUS, PHYLOSOPHY OF FREEDOM, THE NATURAL SELECTION, IDENTITY, OWNERSHIP.



THE IMAGE ARTWORKS 

The Artworks here are only available as an image.

You can ask for greeting cards & Prints. 
Paintings come in A2 prints and Drawings in A3 prints

IMAGE OF PAINTINGS 
  A2 $ 115.00 AUD +GST & Postage 

IMAGE OF DRAWINGS
A3 $ 65.00 AUD +GST & Postage 
 
TO ORDER
Email : syndyartist@yahoo.com 
with your full name, address, contact phone number, image figure letter label and what you would like to order.
25.00 dollars of each purchase will be donated to a pre named brumby rehomer by the artist.  

 IMAGES of PAINTINGS 



Figure A 

'The Problem with Prometheus' 2020
 Oil on cotton canvas  (Exhibited)

 Likened to a wild brumby called Splash that is now rehomed

  GREETING CARDS & A2 Prints on application


  🍃


Figure B 

'The Grey Divide of the Brumby' 2020 Oil on cotton canvas (Exhibited)

132cm x 81.5cm x 3.5 cm

Seeing the Soul: Hoofbeats Sanctuary Art Prize and Exhibition 2022

$2300.00

  GREETING CARDS & A2 Prints on application



  🍃


IMAGES of DRAWINGS 



Figure C 

'Amongst the Dandelions' Dark days for Barmah Brumbies 2021 
Pastel Pitt Pencil on Black canson paper 140gm

Photos references from now Barmah Brumby Preservation Group Sanctuary


   GREETING CARDS & A3 Prints on application

                                  

  🍃


Figure D 

'Dark days for Barmah Brumbies' Barmah Brumby 2021 
Pastel pitt pencil on black A3 canson paper 

Photos references from now Barmah Brumby Preservation Group Sanctuary

  GREETING CARDS & A3 Prints on application

                                  

  🍃




Figure E 

'Where have the Dandelions been?' Tom KNP Brumby 2021 Rehomed to NEBS 
Rembrandt soft pastels and Derwent colour pencils & faber castell polychromos on A3 white acid free sketch paper 225gm

Photo reference from New England Brumby Sanctuary (NEBS)


  GREETING CARDS & A3 Prints on application

                                  

  🍃



Figure D 

RED
 'Where have the dandelions gone?' May 2021 KNP Brumby rehomed to NEBS.
 White charcoal and derwent colour pencils & faber castell polychoromos on A3 Black canson paper 140gm

Photo reference from New England Brumby Sanctuary (NEBS)


  GREETING CARDS & A3 Prints on application

                                  

  🍃






Figure E

'Joey Eating the Dandelions' Guy Fawkes Brumby rehomed to NEBS
Derwent colour pencil and white charcoal on A3 black paper 140gm

Photo reference from New England Brumby Sanctuary (NEBS)


  GREETING CARDS & A3 Prints on application

                                  

  🍃





Figure F

'Arrow Boy Eating the wild Dandelions' 2021. KNP Brumby in the wild 2021. 
In china ink and rotring tikki graphic  ink pens on white A3 canson paper 225gm.

Photo reference by Karen Ferguson wildlife photographer


  GREETING CARDS & A3 Prints on application

                                  

  🍃

Figure G 

'I am the twilight of the wild dandelions, I am Shadow, I am a wild brumby.' 2022
 Shadow in KNP' 2020/21 Rotring tikki praphic pens china ink white charcoal on white and graphite. A3 canson paper 225gm  

Photo reference Wild life photographer Karen Ferguson.


GREETING CARDS & A3 Prints on application

                                  

  🍃



Figure H 

'Uncertain Days' Spirit of the mountain 2021 in Kosciusko Park 2020 
Polychromos on black A3 canson paper 140gm Photo reference 

Reference Karen Ferguson wildlife photographer


GREETING CARDS & A3 Prints on application

                                  

  🍃




Figure I

 ' I know where the dandelions lay' 2021/22 Mr Winx rehomed KNP Brumby 
ONE EYED CHAMPION BRUMBY 
Faber Castell polychromos on A3 Black Canson paper 140gm.

Reference from and Owned By AJBR, Brumby Rehomer.


GREETING CARDS & A3 Prints on application

                                  

  🍃



Figure J

'The wild dandelions are few now' 2022 Aurora KNP Brumby rehomed February  March 2021 
From Cooinbil, Coolamon Long Plains area. Was expecting Galaxy when caught. 
Colour Polychromos and white charcoal and willow charcoal on A3 white canson paper 225gm.

Forever Rehomed to Bec Clark via Clearview Brumby Rescue.  


GREETING CARDS & A3 Prints on application

                                  

  🍃

 

 PROMETHEUS

  THE PHILOSOPHY OF FREEDOM 

  'NATURAL SELECTION' OF NATURE

 Reference Figure 20 of Inventory
'Annie is running through the dandelions now' Feb 2022 Annie in the wild when found.  Rotring tikki graphic ink pens, white charcoal, willow charcoal, graphite, fabercastell pitt pens, Staedtler tri plus fineliner and Faber Castell pitt pastel pencils with Micador Fixative.  Photo reference Karen Ferguson Wild Life Photographer.

THE WILDERNESS AND WILD DANDELIONS 

Annie,  a beautiful orphaned filly, with a hopeful beginning and a sad end,  was a reminder of how nature looks after itself. Annie confirmed the question of 'what is natural selection' . Thus it prompted the need for me to draw this beautiful filly. Annie's story begins around the end of September of 2021 with Karen Ferguson a wild life photographer.  

Annie was a little filly found orphaned by Karen Ferguson on one of her Photographic expeditions to Photograph brumbies, in the Kosciusko National Park.  She rescued her and Nikki Alberts of White Alpine took her in, but despite all efforts she passed away suddenly to the forever fields of the dandelions. 🐎🐎Following are the written events as per the post in 'The Keepers Pocket - Photography by Karen Ferguson' FB page  written by Karen on the post dated 30th October 2021, the post reads as follows, and quote:

Annie in KNP Photo reference used.
Photo by Karen Ferguson
 "I've been wanting to share the story of this little girl, but   waited out of respect for Hazel who lost her battle in the   early hours of Friday morning. RIP beautiful girl...your   battle was immense but you can rest now ❤

  After work on Thursday, I spent the afternoon in the   Tantangara area hiking and falling over in the mud. I   hiked for around 4 hours, taking photos and enjoying the   company of quite a few brumbies. It was getting late,   and   as I made my way out of the dam area I was   planning on   heading home. When I got to the Long   Plain  gate I should   have turned right, but instead I   turned left...telling myself   I'd just take a quick look   around the Kiandra area and t   then head home.

  As luck would have it I came across Harry's mob, and I   was excited to see them because I'd taken a photo of their   new foal the week before but it wasn't very good. Mama   was very protective and wouldn't allow me close enough,   so I thought I'd pull over and see if this week would allow   me a closer look.

As I started walking towards the mob, I noticed Harry and Gus had their attention focused a little further down the hill, and I thought there must have been another mob close by.  I took a few photos, and then got curious about why Gus was so agitated with whatever was down the hill. I headed down that way, but couldn't see another mob anywhere. I was about to turn around and sit with Harry and the mob when I noticed a little tail wagging from behind some trees.

That's when I discovered Annie. I looked around for her mob and even though there was another mob not far away, they seemed to have no interest in her. She had take refuge in a little triangle of trees. It was her safety zone. She didn't appear to be injured, but she was weak and obviously hungry.

I sat with her a bit, and she came out and suckled my hand but went back to her triangle when she realised there was nothing to be gained from my hand. It was late and I knew I couldn't leave her there alone, but I also knew I needed to find help. I reluctantly left her there and headed to a nearby campground to seek help. My pleas for help went unanswered at the campground, so I drove a little way up the road to get phone service. By this time I was getting frantic and planning to spend the night in the bush. Thankfully Nikki and Kyle answered my call for help and they came to the rescue. The three of us guided this little angel to their vehicle and she was such a trooper, making the task much easier than it could have been. So, Annie is now safely in the hands of White Alpine Equine being well taken care of. 

Apart from being dehydrated and very hungry she appears to be in good health. 

I'd had such a big day and I was exhausted, but I'm so glad I made that split decision to turn left instead of right. It was a chain of events that unfolded in just the right way to lead me to Annie, and I'm so grateful for the help I received in getting her to safety. I am certain she would not have survived out there on her own, and that little triangle of trees she had claimed as a safe zone would not have protected her from starvation or wild dogs.

I cried most of the way home, mostly because I'm an emotional basket case at the best of times...but also because I was relieved that Fate had intervened and saved this beautiful little girl from certain death.

❤🐴❤🐴❤🐴❤" 🐎💕🐎 

 I like to think that the stallions Harry and Gus knew that Annie’s only chance was with humans, as nature works on natural selection. Instinct tells the horses or most other mammals really that one that will survive and the one that does not. Stories similar to Annie's are widespread, whether it be a horse, a donkey, an elephant, or a lion cub. 🐎🐘🐒  To strengthen this, In my last venture, to Clearview Brumby Rescue QLD, I also observed the difference in the domesticated horses to the wild brumbies. The brumbies, seem more still and calmer, they think before they act, they seem to have an independence because of this,  that the domesticated horses do not seem to have, I put it down to the conditioning of the domesticated horse, as he from birth is directed and ordered, where the brumby was born free and in a equine family structure.  The question of freedom as well as the natural selection,  also became of value in the thinking process. 

Annie Unfinished Stage of drawing
I then as I was drawing Annie,  did a post while the drawing was at an unfinished stage. To note my thinking process.  Here I related the natural selection to that of our conditioning.
My Post was put up on St Valentines day 14th February 2022 and it read as follows;

Not sure if everyone has heard of little Annie. She was a filly found in the wild by wild life photographer Karen Ferguson.  Annie was alone, hiding between trunks of trees. She was rescued and White Alpine took her in. Despite their great efforts little Annie did not survive and eventually passed away. It broke many hearts hearing of her passing, and more so for Karen and White Alpine Equine.

 Wilderness is nature and nature works on the 'natural selection '.  We are so far removed from the wilderness, that we don't understand nature as well as we should. Hence we recreated a world of citadels and try to control nature and contain nature,  not thinking of the consequences of what we do to nature herself. These beautiful sentient beings belong in the wild. Nature wants them there and needs them there. 
We cannot change the past and our laws do not favour brumbies relating to the 'native' of things. Brumbies are post native and so are dandelions and many other fauna and flora. We cannot eradicate the past we should let nature re-establish herself and let her do what she does best, control her own wilderness by her natural selection of things. She will have a better answer than us.
The drawing of Annie is not finished yet and is still in progress.  My reference is one of Karen Ferguson's photos of when she first rescued little Annie. You can see Annie asking for help and love in those eyes. In which she got from Karen.  As I draw her, she to me, as I stare at her she stares back and asks me, 'why?'  I don't know why Annie, I really don't.  
But we are doing our best to try and save your brothers and sisters. My promise to you, Annie.
And you turn away and I see you now  happily running through the dandelions that are swaying in the breeze.   I see also your mum who waits patiently to join you, with a tear in her eye and asks herself why. 
Syndy 🌬🐎💙"

Because of Annie, the birth of ‘The philosophy of Freedom.’  became a thought as I was visiting a friend, Tracy Stirzaker, at her solo exhibition called 'More Myself, a journey of self love'.🎨🎨🎨  .  We talked about empowerment and the self and about how one can change one's conditioning by re programming our thoughts on our 'self', as we were relating conditions and enlightenment, regarding nature and conditioned of one's environment. 

Annie had started the conversation as we were talking about natural selection and wilderness opposed to conditioning of our citadels and our family structures. A brumby that is in the wild, learns within their freedom and their family structure. Opposed to a domesticated horse, that is commanded and told what to do and taught to be amongst humans, unless their owner leaves them to be as in the wild. It was a very interesting conversation and topic and then we talked about maybe doing a group exhibition together, and the title came up.  If we do a group exhibition it will not be all on Brumbies.  I will though concentrate on Brumbies myself. 

Equitana is still on the cards for November 2022 and that is solemnly regarding brumbies. That will be a solo exhibition with one or two rehomers on toe. 

The drawing of Annie will eventually be up for sale but I need to keep her drawing for a while as I will be exhibiting in the year.  Annie still belongs to the series of ‘Prometheus’ she is one drawing of a continuation of A3 drawings that once finished most will be up for sale and the photographic rights will remain with me as I will also use each photo of the artwork to create greeting cards and promotions of the plight of the brumbies. Please note that if you are interested in purchasing the Drawing of Annie, we can negotiate a time frame of purchase.  I can email when she is ready for sale.  

Regarding my references, up to now I have used mainly Karen’s photographs as reference, Annie is also available as a photo from Karen, she has quite a few. 🐎💕  Other references used are from other Wild life photographers involved with brumbies.  I also receive photographs from primary rehomers or as gifted by secondary rehomer to create the artworks.  I now also have my own from my Clearview visit February 2022. I always note my references Unless using my artistic licence where many references are used and the artwork becomes its own identity.   


References



🍃

IDENTITY AND A WILD BRUMBY
 OWNERSHIP AND LABELS 
A WILD BRUMBY NAMED SHADOW 

'NOT A BRUMBY NO MORE'

Shadow's drawing was done prior to Annie and posted on the 4th February on FB.  Post as follows:

Latest artwork of SHADOW

'I am the twilight of the wild dandelions, I am Shadow, I am the wild brumby ' Ink Rotring tikki graphic pens and china ink, white charcoal, on A3 white canson paper 225gm. Photo reference by Karen Ferguson

SHADOW is one of the lucky ones as a rehomed Wild brumby and resides now with Clearview Brumby Rescue QLD. His now forever home. He is a favourite of Karen Ferguson and she misses him. He is a favourite of mine I choose my artwork carefully, and as I choose each brumby for an artwork, each has a story to tell, and each speak to me ethereally. Shadow became a favourite of mine and when Moreen Levin communicated that they had him, I was sad but delighted as I knew he is in good hands.
Shadow is the twilight of the wild dandelions as we take each horse from the wild, each is another mark of disgrace to our laws and government. Man wants to change everything and regulate everything he abstracts the world with his wants his thoughts and his art. I draw and paint what I see, for nature has created beauty that can only be the reflection of ones soul. Then a thought came to mind as I stared at the photograph of Shadow and He said to me; 'You can take me out of the mountain, but you cannot take the mountain out of ME. His name remains 'Shadow' he remains a wild brumby. He remains what nature intended. What should be what ought to be. What is regardless what we do. Cheers Syndy Visual Artist & Brumby Advocate 🐎💕🐎🎨

This of course prompted the argument of not just the native but that of the labels that are placed upon the brumby. In Argument, because brumbies are deemed 'feral',  explaining it as a wild horse that was once domesticated and was left in the wild,  the brumby once taken out of the wild is considered then,  no longer a brumby but a horse. Not that I agree with this.  He  also cannot be named as a breed as he has no 'particular lineage' and the fight to call him at least a 'type' is on the cards. 
Prometheus and the play of words, that creates safety or destroys an animal, here on show at its best. To give you an example, in the 1970's a dog was either pure breed or a mix or a mut. I had a pure breed pedigree miniature dog called Minou'.  Beautiful boy he was too.  Very expensive and with a pedigree that made anyone feel like a mut. 

Then someone very smart, decided to interbreed to create a healthier 'breed' as they noted, and started the 'Designer Dog'.  So for example my now dog,  Matisse',  a 'Cavoodle', being a cross between a Charles Cavalier and a Miniature Poodle is not a cross or a mut as he would have been considered in the 70's but a now in 2022, a very expensive designer dog. Not to mention that would my very expensive designer dog go missing and end up in KNP he would then be considered a feral dog and poisoned too, another Prometheus 'beauty meets the beast'.  Therefore then, the question I pose now, is SHADOW a brumby still? Is he still wild? Or is he now a designer brumby?  This reminds me of Shakespeare where Juliette says regarding Romeo ' A rose by any other name would smell as sweet'.  I now relate this to Shadow. 

We have always a need to name and label, not just for identification, but also for the more complex reason of ownership,  the sense of being in power and having the ability and right to name something.  Hence, we name our children and our pets. Shadow was named by a photographer, and he retains the name as the rehomer, retained the name.  Elby's Dad another Brumby that was rehomed, became Spirit of the mountain, once rehomed. It is a normal progression of our human condition, regarding ownership. But the argument remains as to what is Shadow now, a horse or a brumby?  For me its not even a thought. He is a brumby and that is it. He will always be a brumby, and like the Waler or the Australian stock horse, he should remain a 'Brumby'. Not feral, not just a mut horse,  a Brumby, or better still a designer horse, a horse that was designed by nature once it was let wild, and developed into a breed called the BRUMBY.  Be it wild or rehomed Shadow will always be a BRUMBY.  

One last note, if we have the Waler that was established as a breed, and  ' The Waler' has a sad story as no blood lines are recognised after 1945.   This therefore, makes the Brumby a very important ancestor and in my view the Brumby should be taken seriously into consideration.  🐎🐎🐎   The Australian pony and the Australian stock horse, is recognised as a breed, they too started like the brumby now, a mix of many horses,  but done so domestically,  so surely we can eventually establish the Brumby as  a breed not just a type and definitely not a feral pest. 🐎🐎🐎 Remember we humans set the rules and rules can change.  I vote for breed.  Not just type. 

A WILD BRUMBY FOREVER  


While visiting Clearview Brumby Rescue, in Thangool,  I met Shadow in person, making my stated discussion all the more poignant.  🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎 . 

Shadow was in the process of being 'handled' and in watching this brumby stomp and snort not at me but to the person that was trying to 'dominate' him as Shadow saw it. He snorted and stomped and snorted.  He was just touching him gently, nothing more, but he reacted as if he was being challenge by a stallion. Funny thing was the handler was male.  He acted different to the other handlers. It seemed he understood this person wanted him to follow rather than lead, and he did not like that.  He eventually did, but with a look of well, indescribable only to say, and  someone said ' ...HOO,  what's that look for?...' . 

I had then myself the occasion to sit in Shadow's confined area and on a plastic bin, I sat, and with pencil and sketch pad started to sketch. He just kept moving, making my task so difficult, I only got 20 second sketches at best. Then he turned and came up to me and gave me a little tiny snort, like to say 'what do you want?'  I looked up pointed my pencil and said "don't snort at me I'm here to draw you.'  I then bowed my head like to greet him as they would to each other. He turned away went to eat and came back. He was so gentle and beautiful. But he was not sure of what I wanted. He sort of let me stay, looking every now and then at what I was up to,  but then he bothered me so much that I stopped drawing and tried to caress him. I did a couple of times. He was beautiful and I am sure he remembered Karen sitting with him, I just felt he remembered that. Shadow,  unlike Spirit of the Mountain is a young wild horse, that had he remained in the wild would one day have been a king of stallions like Spirit or King of the Gate. He was a bachelor when caught.  This beautiful intelligent boy, will only be commanded not demanded as he will set his stakes.  Not you.  That was my first time in sitting in a confined space with a Wild brumby.  He will always be free in his mind, just like Spirit. Regardless of any conditioning or acceptance of their conditioning, as they are the 'spirit of what a brumby is', and will always be in spirit, a wild brumby.  He will one day be a riding horse maybe, but he will always be free in his head, running through KNP and stomping on the dandelions. 

🍃
© COPYRIGHT
SYNDY ESTEVES









Monday 10 May 2021

PROMETHEUS AND FREE THE BRUMBIES

 PROMETHEUS

As fires, storms and Covid 19 hit the Aussie shores in the past year, the familiar of everyday life was visited by the unfamiliar and questions regarding the human condition towards nature were discovered. Relating the layers of life not only through paint but through familiar scenes that uncover the 'unfamiliar' underneath, once you relate the experience of life in the works and tell a story of what is behind. Things are not always what they seem.  For a smile may hide a pain, as a sea may hide a storm beneath its waves.

In remembering my childhood experiences and relating them to the everyday life I began to remember when I started drawing horses at the age of ten, due to my affinity towards them. I would not draw anything else for a few years.  This brought me to the investigation of Prometheus, through my research due to the human condition of property and how our modern society is working against nature, hence Prometheus is revisited in a whole new light.

'The problem with Prometheus' (also the name of my second painting, after ‘The grey divide of the Brumby’) is an investigation on the human condition regarding his mismanagement of nature which is against nature itself, resulting in catastrophic environmental factors and resulting in cruelty towards sentient beings such as Brumbies.  Horses belong to the  environment and the only thing destroying nature is   'The Human Condition'.

‘The grey divide of the Brumby’ brought this to the forefront as Australia’s unique flora and fauna is used as an argument by the Australian government as brumbies are related as not native to Australia and thus considered not wild horses but feral and in need of eradication, to’ save’ Australia’s natural environment, hence relating the grey divide. The Problem is really related to the ‘Prometheus’ idea as our modern society has caused such problems in relation to wildlife, due to our urbanisation and over population of the world and industrialisation.  Thus ‘The grey divide of the brumby’ relates the division between pro brumby groups and environmental groups.

The grey divide also relates the past of the everyday life as fires hit the Aussie shores and after that the brumbies in Kosciuszko National Park in NSW where being trapped. So not only had they suffered and survived a natural devastation but now, had to contend with their eradication from the wild.

 Prometheus is to bring to light the plight of all   Brumbies in Australia and all wild Equine animal   that has been culled and or trapped dividing herds or mobs of brumbies  as we call them, resulting in the break-up of equine families, that are trapped then rehomed or slaughtered in knackeries if not rehomed or otherwise air culled or ground shot. In Australia, they are blamed for damaging the environment as Brumbies are not native to their birth land. They were brought here by colonisation in 1778.

 ‘Prometheus’ has also now become an entity of its own as I recently became a brumby advocate due to this research and have become a moderator for a fb group called NSW Brumbies.com and NSW brumbies fb group. I also run a blog also called freethebrumbies.blogspot.com. This began to give brumbies a voice and make us aware of our modern condition, that is working against nature. Brumbies need to be recognised as sentient beings and be deemed as an Australian Animal, as we Humans can call ourselves Australian. With a voice, eventually Brumbies can be free of culling and trapping and roam free as they should in their place, called nature. 

The blog has memorabilia to aid pro brumby groups that rehome brumbies and fight for their rights in legislative law, as well as protest posters to voice the injustice caused due to our human condition and other stories that related more research, targeting the understanding of horses themselves and their environment, as well as arguments relating to the human condition. Prometheus will eventually continue in future as the title of my next exhibition.

 As this has now become part of my practice and works this post is affectively for all works that I will donate for raffles and auctions to aid the brumby plight.

VISIT freethebrumbies.blogspot.com



THE BARMAH DONATIONS 

SKETCHES DONATED FOR RAFFLES OR AUCTION
TO BARMAH BRUMBY PRESERVATION GROUP February 2021



'AMONGST THE DANDELION'S'
Dark Days for Barmah Brumbies
Pastel Pitt Pencil on  A3 Black Canson Paper 140gm.



'DARK DAYS FOR BARMAH BRUMBY'
Derwent Colour Pencil  on A3 Black Canson Paper 140gm





'BIRO DOODLE STUDY OF TWO BRUMBIES' (Gifted to Barmah group)
Biro on A3 Canson Paper 225gm



'DARK DAYS FOR BARMAH BRUMBY'
Graphite, led pencil, Derwent Colour Pencil  on A3 Canson Paper 225gm


THE NEW ENGLAND SANCTUARY DONATIONS

SKETCHES DONATED FOR RAFFLES 
TO NEW ENGLAND BRUMBY SANCTUARY March 2021


'TOM KNP TRAPPED BRUMBY'
Rembrandt soft pastels and Derwent colour pencils & Faber castell pencils polychromos 
on A3 white acid free field sketch paper 225gm  



'RED' WHERE ARE THE DANDELIONS NOW? '
KNP Trapped brumby White charcoal and  Derwent colour pencils & 
Faber castell pencils polychromos on A3 black canson paper 140gm






'JOEY 'EATING THE DANDELIONS'
Sketch in White charcoal and  Derwent colour pencils on A3 black canson paper 140gm


Thursday 3 December 2020

ARTHOUSE HOTEL EXHIBITION 2021


 

ARTHOUSE EXHIBITION
2021
'LAYERS OF LIFE IN PAINT'
16th January to 27th March
Group Exhibition


'The Grey Divide of the Brumby' 

(refer to statement 'The problem with Prometheus')
Oil on cotton Canvas 81.5x132.5cm
 

ARTIST STATEMENT
This body of works began with investigations of the everyday life relating to my research of the unfamiliar and to identity. Experiences of life, relating to family, cultural background and day to day life conditioning compacted with childhood memories.
As fires, storms and Covid 19 hit the Aussie shores in this past year, the familiar of everyday life is visited by the unfamiliar and questions regarding the human condition towards nature is visited. Relating the layers of life not only through paint but through familiar scenes that uncover the 'unfamiliar' underneath, once you relate the experience of life in the works and tell a story of what is behind. Things are not always what they seem.  For a smile may hide a pain, as a sea may hide a storm beneath its waves.



'The unfamiliar swell of North Steyne' (Sold)

Oil on cotton Canvas 81.5x132.5cm
 1200.00
(refer below to the unfamiliar)


           'The problem with Prometheus'

                Oil on cotton Canvas  122 x 91.8 cm
                               Not for sale
'THE PROBLEM WITH PROMETHEUS'    

 Prometheus is to bring to light the plight of all   Brumbies in Australia and all wild Equine animal   that has been culled and or trapped dividing mobs or   herds. Resulting in the break-up of equine families,   to be trapped then slaughtered or rehomed. Or killed   by culling.  In Australia, they are blamed for   damaging the environment as Brumbies are not   native to their birth land. They were brought here by   colonisation in 1778.

  'The problem with Prometheus' is an investigation   on the human condition regarding his   mismanagement of nature which is against nature   itself,  resulting in catastrophic environmental   factors and resulting in cruelty towards sentient   beings such as Brumbies.  Horses belong to the   environment and the only thing destroying nature is   'The Human Condition'.

 Prometheus  is to give Brumbies a voice and make us aware of our modern condition, that is working against nature.  Brumbies need to be recognised as sentient beings and be deemed as an Australian Animal,  as we Humans can call ourselves Australian.  With a voice, eventually  Brumbies can be free of culling and trapping and roam free as they should in their place, called nature. Please help spread the word and save the Brumbies.

The painting 'The problem with Prometheus'   can be viewed in the Graffiti lounge between 16th January to 27th March. 

* the equine paintings will have some of the proceeds (1/3) donated to help brumbies in their time of need.  Refer to end of Post.

  'The grey divide of the Brumby'

  Oil on cotton Canvas 81.5x132.5cm
 



The Unfamiliar 

'Art is the air we breathe in everyday life'

'The unfamiliar swell of North Steyne' (Sold)

Oil on cotton Canvas 81.5 x 132.5 cm
$1200.00

The unfamiliar swell was the beginning of  the 'underneath scene of  the familiar'
It relates stories to the everyday life of what we see but what is unseen by the vision.
On this day the swell reached record sizes as the sea was in a raging storm under, related also by 'The Whitewater Surfer' a scene from North Curl Curl Beach.  It started an investigation of what lies under the everyday life once we attach to the visions, colours, cultural experiences and memories of childhood.  Finally developing on investigations of nature and the human condition towards nature that led to the Prometheus above.

'The Whitewater Surfer'

Oil on cotton canvas 122 x 91.8 cm
$1100.00


'Cyan, She's a beauty Mate'

Oil on cotton canvas 81.5 x 132.5 cm
$1100.00


Cyan relates to my love of colours and my investigation on colour for my Honours year. 
As a child colour was always a special part of my life,  as I found that at one stage I was drawing only in pencil and had no colour in my drawings at all.  Resulting in the importance of colour not only for visual affect but feelings that are expressed through colour.  Debussy was one who could relate to this as he felt that colour related to music as well.  (refer to links below)

We all see colour differently and some days are more pastels and other days more vibrant.  The two sea paintings relate different days of my everyday life, of scenes even though familiar to me are unfamiliar as I cannot swim well and could never surf  for the life of me.  Not to mention my fear of deep water.  But I love the sea, I relate to it and it calms me and ground me in my thoughts. 
The colour Cyan is an ancient colour deriving from Greek.  As colour theory is rather complex and much research is involved,  I found this last link, that seems to give a short uncomplicated idea of what colour theory may entail.



 'Who's that Girl' 

 Oil on cotton Canvas 122 x 91.8 cm
 $1500.00

 With water dripping down her arm and down her left l   leg, 'Who's that Girl' to me,  is the icon of the   everyday  life of our Australian coastline.  Surfing   was introduced in Australia in 1915 by Hawaiian   Duke Kahanamoku.

  As I view my everyday life I see 'familiar' scenes that   the reality are unfamiliar to me. I have watched   groups of friends or solitaire persons of all ages,   running down the beach to take the surf on their   beloved surfboards.  I have watched fathers with sons   or daughters sharing their time, watching the surf   before they dived into the waves to take a swell and   ride it. 

 These are familiar scenes that I will never physically   experience. But they are also childhood memories of   my mum's Godsons sucking their boards to take out   water or waxing them to stabilize their grip when  surfing.  Then being told  I was not allowed to surf as I was not a good swimmer. 
Who's that girl is all this and more as she reminds me of the iconic song 'the girl from Ipanema'.  But this girl is not strolling down the beach, she is Aussie and sports a surfboard under her arm running home after catching a wave at North Steyne, Manly Beach.  


PRICES ARE NEGOTIABLE

DISCOUNTS FOR MULTIPLE PURCHASES
*Works marked with an asterisks will have a 1/3 of the payment donated to one or
 more brumby organisations listed below.
If you wish other paintings not marked with the asterisks to have money donated to the cause please express your wish. 
For commissions of works email syndyartist@optsnet.com.au
 

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 SKETCHES DONATED 
TO BARMAH BRUMBY PRESERVATION GROUP
For  Raffles  (to be advised)



'AMONGST THE DANDELION'S'
Dark Days for Barmah Brumbies
Pastel Pitt Pencil on
A3 Black Canson Paper 140gm.



'DARK DAYS FOR BARMAH BRUMBY'
Derwent Colour Pencil 
on
A3 Black Canson Paper 140gm


Visit Barmah Brumby Preservation Group 
For details of raffles