Website: www.alvenahall.weebly.com
E-mail: alvenah@senet.com.au
Having discovered the wonderful Reef publication of 1893 by William Saville-Kent, I’ve made a number of trips to the Great Barrier Reef. Over three years a substantial body of work resulted, shown in the solo exhibition: The Reef and its Heroes.
The romance of the Reef mingled with surprise, even shock at the degadation in some locations, and other really deep emotions I cannot name. Generally, I’d begin with multiple drawings, then a full-sized cartoon. Under-colouring was then applied to white cotton sateen, next came stencilled motifs, then perhaps phototransfers developed from personal photographs. Sometimes these were cut into hexagons, a reference to traditional quilt processes. Stitching began around this stage, but tinting and applying more elements proceeded in layers. Numerous digital embroidery motifs provided fine detail.
In the case of the portraits, the face was always stitiched first, before the tinting the fabric.These were mostly developed from photographs, or from freeze-framed TV images. I am most thankful to Charli Veron, Len Zell and Emma Camp who sent images. Individuals are shown along with their special passion:for example Emma was devoted to her “babies”: fragments of resiliant corals being bred hopefully to eventually repopulate heat-damaged reefs.
REEF: The Eyes in the Storm
Retail Price: POA
Dimensions: 119 x 59cm(H x W)
Statement: The imagery is about forces of destruction on the Great Barrier Reef: cyclones generated by Global warming, decimation of top predators by over-exploitation and breaking up of protective coral barriers. The grief-stricken eyes blong to William Saville-Kent, and to Charlie Veron, know as the Grandfather of the Reef.
Exhibitions: Solo Exhibition, Mrs Harris’ Shop Dec 2018
Isabel Bennett
Retail Price: POA
Dimensions: 44x44cm(H x W)
Statement: A portrait of reef scientist ‘Issi” Bennett,with the coral Oulophylia bennettae named for he r: a much loved mentor ot afgeneration of GBR researchers. Her 1971 publication ‘The Great Barrier Reef’ completely changed public pereption of our natural wonder.
Exhibitions: Solo Exhibition, Mrs Harris’ Shop Dec 2018
Eye on the Reef
William Saville-Kent published in 1893 his beautiful ‘Great Barrier Reef of Australia’ to great acclaim. His photography and water colours had me flying off to a remote pontoon, then onto an expedition to the Ribbon Reefs. Many, many people are keeping an eye on the reef, nervously documenting its changes.
Eye on the reef: Low tide
Retail Price: POA
Dimensions: 122 x 70(H x W)
Statement: Drawing on a WSK watercolour, an Old Eye watches the tide’s retreat, leaving corals exposed. But seeing through a mask, one catches little lens-views of teaming diversity under the sea. Whole cloth, applique and digital lace motifs.
Reef Sea Serpent
Retail Price: A$1000
Dimensions: 120 x 60cm (H x W)
Statement: Whilst the Reef is frequently understood as a magical underwater garden, it is far more like a jungle full of myriad organisms struggling to gain a home and a living. Predators abound, and our ses-serpents are all very clever, very venomous hunters.
Exhibitions: Solo Exhibiton Mrs Harris’ Shop
Charlie’s Enchantment
Retail Price: A$400
Dimensions: 41 x 41cm (H x W)
Statement: Charlie “Grandfather of the Reef”has devoted a life-time to the Reef, and he is shown here with the gorgeous Montipora Capricornis he discovered a named on Llewellyn Reef 1985. Behind this lovely thing a tiny fragment of bleached white lace is an indicator of problems brewing. dyes, applicque, digital embroidery.
Exhibitions: Solo Exhibiton Mrs Harris’ Shop
Emma Camp’s Babies
Retail Price: A$400
Dimensions: 41 x 41cm (H x W)
Statement: Dr Emma Camp is a reef scientist, breeding “Super-corals”: the rare survivors of coral bleaching. These ‘Babies’ are monitored in incubation pots, nestled at one stage within a marble -bath on a super-yatch. Background print was derived from a William Saville-Kent watercolour of 1893.
Exhibitions: Solo Exhibiton Mrs Harris’ Shop
