'Plant-Life' solo exhibition at Redland Art Gallery, Cleveland, 18th July to 15th August 2010.
Below are the opening paragraphs of the 'Plant-Life' exhibition catalogue essay by Alison Kubler; the
full essay can be read on my
website in the News and Text section.
"
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.from Walden, by Henry David Thoreau.I recall reading Thoreau as an American literature student at the University of Queensland. The economy and straightforward quality of his prose humbled me then, as it does now. At the time I am not sure I understood the simplicity of his argument but as I age I think I am edging closer. Visiting the studio of artist Nicola Moss I was again reminded of Thoreau. Moss is a passionate environmentalist, whose practice melds something of traditional landscape painting themes with issues of contemporary relevance. Like Thoreau, her style is characterised by an elegant economy of means.
On the day I visited Moss’s studio I happened to read an article discussing author Richard Louv’s Last Child in the Woods, which poses the theory that many contemporary urban children are suffering nature deprivation. Louv argues that many children cannot tell the difference between simple plant and animal species, that an entire generation has become enslaved to technology, and that more worryingly, children are being taught to be wary of the outdoors, for reasons ranging from the litigious to the irrational. While Louv’s argument may not be wholly original in its exhortation that humans must learn to co-exist with nature or perish, it is surely timely. We find ourselves as a society in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis on the brink of serious ecological consequences wrought by our own greed and malfeasance."
Nicola Moss, 'Renewable energy - How much leaf litter does it take to change a light bulb?' 2010.
Nicola Moss, 'No Return Address' 2010.
Nicola Moss, 'Weather Relations - Solar powered growth' 2010.
Selected reproductions of paintings from my 'Plant-Life' exhibition are on display in the landscape of the bush trails surrounding Redlands Indigiscapes Centre, at 17 Runnymeade Road, Capalaba. The Silhouettes of Redlands artist's walk is on display throughout December 2010 and January 2011. 
Nicola Moss, 'Within the sanctuary'. Synthetic polymer on canvas. ©2010. 
Nicola Moss, Co-existence. Synthetic polymer on paper cut. 110 x 260cm approx. ©2010. 
Nicola Moss, The creek edge holds power. Synthetic polymer and pigmented ink on stretched canvases. 164 x 214cm. ©2010.
'Plant-Life' solo exhibition at Redland Art Gallery, Cleveland, 18th July to 15th August 2010.
Nicola Moss, 'Family Traits - Proteaceae 3'. Synthetic polymer and assorted paper cut. 92 x 72cm. ©2010.
That's my clothes line tan is a video collaboration between Susan Buret and myself. The work began with a weather observation project in 2008/2009, where we recorded how we interact with weather in everyday life. The theme of laundry developed as one area where our activities take into consideration weather conditions. The title for this work is quoted from a phone conversation I had with my sister in law, thank you Janelle.'That's my clothes line tan' opens at the Gold Coast City Arts Centre on Saturday 5th June, 4 - 6pm. Exhibition continues until 1st August 2010.
