Mentor Sessions with Tom and Jude

Mentoring Tom reminds me of the origins of my arts practice – play. Tom and I share a great sense of play and we both embrace its importance in creating, risk taking, and breaking new ground. It’s a rare privilege to share this. Tom is so very caring, generous, humble, rigorous and smart. He brings these qualities to the table every time we meet, but it’s his sense of play and taste for adventure that fuels his art, and as his mentor I love this. I assist him in feeling strong in taking a few steps further into the unknown. It’s rather like a ‘double dare ya’ situation backed by a lot of research. If I were to describe in a word how it feels to be Tom’s mentor, I’d say “lucky!” - Jude Anderson

Artist and Mentor: Tom Pender, Jude Anderson

Photographs: Christine Sayer

Location: Old Green Bean Café, Bendigo

"Hey Jude", I always want to say when we meet. Or "Judy, Judy, Judy!". But hackneyed and obvious are things that Jude Anderson is not. I forgive myself for at times feeling slightly mystified by Jude’s ideas, which she not only imagines as she describes them, but feels them with her body, a perfect connection between the air and the earth.

Our meetings are peppered with laughter and volleys of creative exchange. Her genuine enthusiasm, engagement, passion and excitement inspire and ignite similar feelings in myself.

I feel very fortunate to have found in Jude not only a mentor, but a creative play-pal, who has made a spot for me by the fire, so that we can stare together into the coals like excited children and look for the stories within them. - Tom Pender



Interview with Leading Artist Leonie Kelsall

Artist: Leonie Kelsall

Photograph: Christine Sayer

Location: Old Fire Station, View Street

Why did you decide to take part in Next On Now?
I was checking out this wonderful art exhibition here in Bendigo at Dudley house. The show was by this wonderful photographer, Christine Sayer. She invited me to the first meeting; right place, right time, lucky I guess, seemed like a great way to explore the local art scene.

What has it been like working alongside other artists in Bendigo with guidance from a mentor?
It has been great to connect with the other artists here in Bendigo knowing there is great stuff happening in my town, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy! Meeting Tara, my mentor, has been great. I am blessed to have been placed with somebody with such a rich background and experience who enjoys a cuppa and a good chat as much as I do.

What has been the inspiration behind your work?
I am inspired by humanist ideals, living creatively, and challenging the norm.

Have you been experimenting with new art forms and/or techniques for your work?
Yes I have been experimenting with new art forms. This is the first time for me that my work has an interactive element. I am hoping that it will be received well, and people are brave enough to get involved.

Describe your work in 5 words.
Challenging, provocative, multi-faceted, kooky and a bit weird.

Who and/or what inspires you?
There are so many things that inspire my work, a particular light in a interior space, a spiritual teaching, things that posses their own atmosphere, some of the great contemporary artists like Fiona Hall and Annette Messager, and some of the great masters like Frida Kahlo.    

Where do you hope to be in 5-10 years time?
I see myself in five years adding to a body of work with expanded skills crossing over artistic forms, and mixing with a group of focused artists that work together by supporting each other’s art practice and following current art forms. I would like to be working towards winning art grants to pursue the progression of my work.

New Art Across Bendigo's Heart

Local residents will enjoy the fruits of an exciting new arts initiative when a six month collaboration between twelve Central Victorian artists culminates in Bendigo’s CBD this February. Led by acclaimed arts group Punctum, Next on Now has provided local emerging artists a creative development program with support, resources and workshops together with professional mentoring by practicing artists. The results are an extraordinarily diverse collection of professional artistic works which explore themes of love, death, childhood, sex, identity and public / personal space.

Next On Now concludes with a weekend long arts festival, the Next on Now Art Blast from 24^th to 26^th February. The Art Blast will showcase seven artists with a range of works set in unique locations throughout central Bendigo. The contemporary work embraces a variety of medium including live performance, interactive sculpture, photography and street art.

Contemporary art enhances the vibrancy and richness of Central Victoria’s cultural landscape. Each year over 300 students graduate from arts courses conducted within the City of Greater Bendigo. There are, however, limited opportunities for audiences to discover and interact with new art forms devised by local artists. Next on Now brings local cultural partners, young and emerging artists and new audiences together to generate possibilities for future professionals and bring the city centre alive with art to be discovered.

The Art Blast features seven installations with works by artists Leonie Kelsall, Tom Pender, Kelly Robson, Christine Sayer, Katie Sfetkidis, Isobelle Sirianni, Amy Turton and Rick Whateley. You can meet the artists and learn more about their journey at the Next on Now Art Blast launch on Tuesday 7^th February, 5-6:30pm at El Gordo Café, Chancery Lane, Bendigo.

The Art Blast opens on Friday 24^th February from 6pm-8pm upstairs at Viewpoint Gallery, 13 View Point, Bendigo and runs through Saturday and Sunday. A weekend pass to the Art Blast costs $10 and provides you with a program containing locations map, cultural notes and admission to all installations and performances. Passes are on sale at the Capital Theatre Box Office at 50 View Street, Bendigo or telephone 03 5434 6100. For more information about Next on Now visit the artists’ blog at www.nextonnow.com. Don’t miss this great opportunity to enjoy contemporary art in the heart of Bendigo.

Enquiries to:

Krista Horbatiuk                                                                

Associate Producer, Punctum Inc

Tele: 0401 167 756

Email: krista@punctum.com.au

Interview with Leading Artist Tom Pender

Artist: Tom Pender

Photograph: Christine Sayer

Location: Old Fire Station, View Street

Why did you decide to take part in Next On Now?

I have been interested in Punctum happenings for a while and was grateful for the opportunity to become involved. I also saw Next On Now as a great opportunity to extend my work in new directions and to work with both established and emerging regional artists.

What has it been like working alongside other artists in Bendigo with guidance from a mentor?

It’s great to find a group of like-minds who are wanting to make stuff happen in regional Victoria.

What has been the inspiration behind your work?

My work is inspired by my own sense of place within the world. I am using my own experiences as a starting point to explore alternative and/or unintentional uses of marginal spaces within the built urban environment.

Have you been experimenting with new art forms and/or techniques for your work?
My favoured medium to date has been photo-based digital compositions. My project with Next On Now involves installation with a bit of a performative element - very much outside my comfort zone!

Describe your work in 5 words.
Edgy. Fun. Provocative. Bad taste.

Who and/or what inspires you?
I am inspired by artists who think, question and provoke with their work, while still having fun and not taking things too seriously.

Where do you hope to be in 5-10 years time?
Still marching to the beat of a different drum, exploring the lesser-known path, creating, traveling, loving, living giving and having fun.

Interview with Leading Artist Isobelle Sirianni

Artist: Isobelle Sirianni
Photograph: Christine Sayer

Location: Old Fire Station, View Street

Why did you decide to take part in Next On Now?
I decided to become part of the Next On Now because I have always had a passion for art however I have lacked the confidence to branch into new areas and exhibit my work. Collaborating with an experienced artist mentor and other local artist has provided me with the help and support I have needed to pursue my ideas and concepts.

What has it been like working alongside other artists in Bendigo with guidance from a mentor?
Working with other artists and an artist mentor has been a fantastic experience. I have been able to communicate ideas in an open and supportive environment while feeling inspired and motivated by the others feedback and comments.

What has been the inspiration behind your work?
My work has been inspired by the birth of my first nephew Lewis Neely which has resurfaced memories of being a child. Scale, shape and texture has been a major aspect of reflecting on these childhood memories.

Have you been experimenting with new art forms and/or techniques for your work?
This project is an installation of soft sculptures which is a new area for me to work in. I have found installation challenging however very rewarding. My artworks have always been in a 2D format therefore, working in 3 dimensions has opened up new possibilities and experimentation.

Describe your work in 5 words.
Soft, nurturing, soothing, tense, encasing.

Who and/or what inspires you?
My nephew has been the inspiration for this project. I am always inspired by the personal experience and events happening in the world around me with inspired new ideas and thoughts.  Artists such as Kate Rode and Del Kathryn Barton inspire me as I am interested in ideas on nature and nurturing. Working with an artist mentor (Kate Stone) has also been hugely inspiring and confidence building.

Where do you hope to be in 5-10 years time?
In the future I hope to be working as an artist and collaborating with people of all ages and demographics. I hope to work as a resident artist nationally and internationally where I can gather inspiration and research to develop new and exciting artworks.

Isobelle's Project

Myself and my Mentor Kate Stones meet with Christine Sayer to have the photos taken for the artist profile and artists/mentor documentation shots. The gathering took place in Castlemaine at artist Kate Stones’s studio. I was photographed amongst soft, textural fabrics which are feature as a key aspect of the project. Photographs were also taken of Kate and myself as we discussed research, inspiration and while we at looked the textural materials to be in the project. - Isobelle Sirianni.

Artist and Mentor: Isobelle Sirianni (Right), Kate Stones (Left)

Photographs: Christine Sayer

Location: Kate's studio, Castlemaine

Interview with one of Next On Now's leading artists Amy Turton.

Artist: Amy Turton

Photograph: Christine Sayer

Location: Old Fire Station, View Street

Why did you decide to take part in Next On Now?
I didn't. I was applying for a Seedpod sponsorship through Punctum to do some creative research about self-education and sexual health. Artistic Director Jude Anderson asked me who I thought my work was for. I answered that it was for me as a 17 year old living in Bendigo. Jude suggested that I work with some young performers and present the work as part of Next on Now. I said I thought that sounded perfect.


What has it been like working alongside other artists in Bendigo with guidance from a mentor?
I left Bendigo when I was 17 and have been based in Melbourne for the last 10 years so working in Bendigo again has been an interesting challenge. It's stirred up some old ghosts which have become part of my work in a surprising way. The work that began as very impartial and investigative in theory has become much more personal and emotive.

What has been the inspiration behind your work?
Initially it was my experience visiting the Life Education Van in primary school and the immersive multi-media confrontation with the human body that it offered. More recently it's been the discussions about sexuality and health I've been having with young women in Bendigo. They've really impressed me with their knowledge and insight.

Have you been experimenting with new art forms and/or techniques for your work?
Usually I work as a performer, director and dramaturg, helping to realise other people's writing. I'm writing the performance text for this work myself, based on my own experience and reflections and the interviews I've been conducting with young women in Bendigo. It's been an enjoyable challenge.

Describe your work in 5 words.
Intimate, funny, personal, awkward, sexy.
(At least, that's what I'm going for. You'd have to ask someone who's seen it to describe it more accurately.)

Who and/or what inspires you?
Felix Gonzales-Toress' 1991 installation Untitled ("Ross"), named after the artist's partner and created in the year he died of AIDS, and the amazing group and solo exhibitions that were curated in response to this work at the 2011 Istanbul Biennial.

Where do you hope to be in 5-10 years time?
Working here, at Christoph Schlingensief's "OPERA VILLAGE AFRICA"!

Artists and Mentors: Sunday November 6th 2011 workshop

Photographs: Christine Sayer

Location: Old Fire Station, View Street