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Sue is part of Spectrum Now   In’habIt art at work

2/26/2016

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ɪnˈhabɪt, presented by DEXUS Property Group

A true study of ‘art at work’ in’habit uses photo booths in city office buildings to create portraits in collaboration with artists onsite and online.
Pop in during lunchtime on 1-2 March and have a free photo with your workmates and friends, then watch as these photobooth images are used to create an original artwork on site 8-9 March.
It’s all part of brining a little bit of art, and the Spectrum Now Festival, to your work day.
Hours:
12 – 2pm Monday – Friday only
Locations:
60 Miller Street, North Sydney


All proudly owned and managed by DEXUS Property Group

Artists:
Sue Murray (onsite at  60 Miller Street, North Sydney 8-9 March)

Jo Meisner (onsite 1 Margaret Street, Sydney 8-9 March)
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Margaret Ackland (onsite at  383 Kent Street, North Sydney 8-9 March)


About the Exhibition

In’habit is an exciting interactive art event taking place from 1-16 March as part of this year’s the Spectrum Now Festival. Presented by DEXUS Property Group, this project forges new connections through a unique collaborative art event within Sydney office towers.
Taking and sharing digital photos has never been so easy or so ubiquitous from the cradle to the grave and become an ever-present activity for us all.
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No single form of photograph sums up this contemporary preoccupation better than the ‘selfie’. How and what we present to the world is an ever shifting consideration of how we want others to see us, or how we want to ‘curate’ the image of our lives.
in’habit brings together three artists who use photographs as the starting point for their artworks. Each artist works with photos, as captured moments of the real world, to explore and engage with both personal and collective notions of ‘lived experience’.

About the exhibition:

Sue Murray uses new digital drawing tools to mesh a new form of digital portraits. Her approach allows for the overlaying of fictional and real aspects of the sitter’s personality and interests to be included in the picture. Showing something beyond the surface representation to interpret and expand these portraits to reveal a more multidimensional portrait. For the last decade she has worked with people to them enable them to express themselves through photography. Sue has been awarded numerous grants for her artwork with people with disability.

Sue will be working onsite at 60 Miller Street, North Sydney on 8-9 March.

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Margaret Ackland will work with images from the newspaper and from images taken at photo booths in office foyers and transform them into watercolour paintings. In this series, she places each image together in a different space, literally and metaphorically she puts them on a different page. As part of in’habit, Ackland will include images of people participating in the collaboration in her ongoing series The Watercolour News. She will be painting off and onsite at 383 Kent Street, Sydney on 8 -9 March.
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Jo Miesner explores the dislocation we can experience being simultaneously present and absent, as new technologies have given us the means to do. Her series of work Alone and Together explores these themes and continues with the images she will make for this project. Working with photographic images on transparencies, her work recalls something of the old world of black and white negatives despite being the result of high tech digital production. Jo will be working onsite at 1 Margaret Street 9 March.
About DEXUS Property Group:
DEXUS Property Group is one of Australia’s leading real estate groups, investing directly in high quality Australian office and industrial properties. With $21.1 billion of assets under management, the Group also actively manages office, industrial and retail properties located in key Australian markets on behalf of third party capital partners.
The Group manages an office portfolio of 1.8 million square metres located predominantly across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth and is the largest owner of office buildings in the Sydney CBD, Australia’s largest office market.
www.dexus.com
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CASULA POWERHOUSE WORKSHOPS

12/22/2015

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As part of their celebrations of International Day of People with Disability, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre invited Imagine Me to hold a series of workshops.

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For this series of workshops, we decided to alter our regular workshop process (used for previous multi-day workshops) to suit the limited time frame and make it more accessible to people with a range of different abilities.  Using the Ipad instead of the computer provided a direct relationship with the drawing surface that is more accommodating for people with acquired brain injury. Working directly on the surface of the image with digital drawing tools and the easy access to the power of 'undo', participants gained confidence as they experimented and explored in the virtual process. 
This process worked really well, especially for those with intellectual disabilities who may find too complex those aspects of image manipulation with Photoshop which we teach in our other workshops. 
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The workshops were a big success, with lots of people turning up to get involved. The participants were really enthusiastic and a lot of fun to work with, and some participants surprised even their carers with how adept they were at creating through this process!

Thank you to Casula Powerhouse and all of our lovely participants!

See the finished works
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IMAGINE ME PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY MEETING

12/7/2015

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Over the past few months we have been working on establishing a photographic society to extend the reach of the Imagine Me project and further support artists with disability.

On Saturday the 5th of December we had a meeting at Customs House in the city, during which we discussed our progress and further ideas for the Imagine Me Photographic Society. We also had presentations of photography by Imagine Me lead artist Sue Murray and past participant Alan Aldrich (these were recorded and will be available soon on the IMPS Google+ page).

So what is the Imagine Me Photographic Society?

The proposal is to establish an Imagine Me Photographic Society (IMPS) that will be artist with disability led, but with an integrated approach with participation of non-disabled photographers to foster a collaborative exchange of ideas between people with and without a disability and to encourage engagement of the families and/or carers of people with disability to participate. ​

The society will support participants of Imagine Me workshops to continue developing their individual creative practice. The IMPS will foster professional opportunities for artists with disability, and assist in building their capacity and new creative skills in photography and digital-image making. ​
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Alan and Sue presenting at the meeting
The IMPS will create a platform and network where information can be shared about new technologies that enhance the abilities of people with a disability to participate and develop their individual photographic practice. The society will encourage a creative practice that emphasises experimentation and expression of ideas. We will encourage a high standard of photographic art that can be displayed and shared to members through the creation of an online portfolio.

The society will operate using Google+ communities as a platform, and to join you must be invited (to protect the privacy of our members). 

If you interested in joining the IMPS, please send us an email including your name and email address and we will send you an invitation!

Express your interest here
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CASULA POWERHOUSE EXHIBITION OPENING

12/5/2015

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Friday the 4th of December was the opening night of the Imagine Me exhibition at the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre.

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This was my speech given on the night:

"Thanks so much to Kiersten and all the staff at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre for inviting Imagine Me to be exhibited for International Day for People with Disability.

In 2013 Accessible Arts, funded Imagine Me to pilot a workshop using adapted technology that enables someone with quadriplegia to control a digital camera and to create a self portrait. Working collaboratively each person is assisted in visualising their experiences of disability.

Since 2013 I have run numerous workshops with over 60 people and this year, I partnered with Royal Rehab to run Imagine Me in a number of rural NSW towns. Funding was from Australia Council and Arts NSW through the Lifetime Care and Support Authority.  

Imagine Me continually develops and adapts to enable greater access for people with varying levels of ability. Apps on a touch screen device that enables a direct pathway from photo to final image will be used in 2016.

Imagine Me is inspired by the courage and resilience of people living with spinal cord injury and this exhibition encourages a deeper understanding toward people living with disability. 

Imagine me would not be possible without the generous funding from: Australia Council for the Arts, NSW Government through the Lifetime Care and Support Authority and Arts NSW, Accessible Arts, NSW Government, Department of Family & Community Services, Spinal Cord Injury Australia, Slater and Gordon"


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The Imagine Me exhibition will still be up until the 31st of January 2016, so if you haven't had a chance to see it yet please take the time to go out there and have a look. The Casula Powerhouse is a beautiful space, it is a great opportunity to see the work up close and personal, and support the project!

Thanks to Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre and everyone who came along on the night.

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WAGGA WAGGA

11/26/2015

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I came across an incredible storm on my drive from Dubbo to Wagga. It was terrifying not knowing the road, especially when I saw a sign on the road warning of frequent flooding.

I drove through with branches dropping on the wind and hail smashing the windscreen – praying it wouldn’t break. Of course I loved every bit – stopping to photograph every few metres!
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Brett Chalker and Phillip Robinson (Robbo) in Wagga were both so keen to do the Imagine Me workshop that I detoured and added Wagga to the rural workshops specifically for them. Both Brett and Phillip knew some things about photoshop, but had no previous training.

Once a truck driver and having survived an extraordinary road accident, Phillip is fairly house bound. Phillip is lucky to have a wonderful wife and surrounded by children and grandchildren who mostly all live in the same street. Phillip spends his days scanning and retouching old family photographs that he is including in an autobiography that he is writing. The photoshop skills he has learned are incredibly useful to him for this hobby.

We created the image of Phillip playing a banjo – he posed pretending to hold the banjo that we downloaded form the internet.
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Phillip Robinson
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Brett Chalker
Brett Chalker, once a professional, is now fairly house bound also. He is very computer literate and a keen amateur photographer also. We discovered that he also has a natural talent and inclination for creativity in both visual and written pursuits.

Brett had the idea for many years of a visual metaphor with his physical being like a can – the contents of the can (and the contents of his soul) are intact and unchanged while the outer can itself (and his body) have been damaged.

We used this concept to create his portrait, placing his face inside a crumpled can.

Thank you Wagga Wagga!

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MORUYA/SYDNEY

11/20/2015

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I was set to work with Brendan Hackett in Moruya, but circumstances changed and we ended up working in Sydney instead for one week in November.

Brendan had been hit by a car as he walked home one evening after a night out in Moruya when he was only 18. He nearly died 3 times on the way to hospital. As a result, he has a brain injury and is an amputee above the knee on both legs and the tops of his fingers on both hands.
Now in his early 30’s, Brendan tries very hard to do things for himself as much as he can. He is very frank and open about his disability, having a spinal and brain injury.

Brendan told me that when he was still in hospital he came up with the idea of anthropomorphising his brain injury. He invented two characters - The 2 forces that distract him. He calls them Dulgni (representing his brain problems) and Ulock (representing his distraction). Another character he calls Storm acts as his protector.

I found this to be a fascinating and really practical strategy - He can let out his frustrations at these characters, rather than at himself or anyone else.
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Thanks Brendan for a great workshop experience!

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DUBBO

11/18/2015

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Our workshop in Dubbo was hosted at the Dubbo Senior Campus, thanks so much to principal Andrew Jones, head teacher James Eddy and photography teacher Lisa Wilson for all your help. This campus is sensational, all accessible and has the most relaxed atmosphere for a high school I have ever experienced.

Dubbo Zoo was a must see attraction in the area, and as I cycled around the first kilometre I was lucky enough to see a female eland beginning to give birth.  Asking  the zoo keeper how long the process would take myself and a few others came back after a couple of hours just in time to see the young attempting to stand for the first time on very wobbly legs. It was so wonderful to see the herd come to over to  the mother and baby and nuzzle the infant in encouragement and congratulation!!
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Mother and baby receive support from the herd
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Rhino chilling out in the water
I stayed at the billabong camp at Western Plains Zoo – a fabulous night – clean bathrooms, comfortable camp bed. I fell asleep to the calls of lions and chimpanzee and woke to bird calls and the rising sun across the billabong, very invigorating!
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View from the camp
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Giraffe
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Tiger feeding time!

During the workshops, James Heilbronn was one student who especially enjoyed the process. He was reminded of skills he knew from TAFE and learned new skills in photoshop which have changed over time.

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James practicing with the camera
I went to James’ house to work with him to create his artwork. James is an avid fan of Warhammer — a fantasy game involving the creation of miniature figures. James meets friends regularly to play the game at each others houses – whoever has an available dining table.

We decided to use his Warhammer figures to create his portrait, as this game is so much a part of his life and allows him to be immersed in this fantasy world.

Thank you Dubbo!

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ARMIDALE

11/14/2015

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In Armidale I had the chance to view (and help to create) some great artwork!

The new England regional art museum has a fabulous collection of early Australian painting from the Howard Hinton Collection. I was lucky to have a private tour through the stockroom and saw some fabulous works by Lloyd Rees, Margaret Preston, Streeton and others. The Howard Hinton Collection, in the sheer breadth of its cover of Australian art from the 1880s to the 1940s, is the only collection of its kind in regional Australia. 
 
The gallery also has a fabulous café with outdoor courtyard, which is also accessible!
 
The Armidale art gallery in Beardy St is another great gallery in the area, with works by local artists.
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Lucy's finished self-portrait, "My Herb Garden"
My workshop participant in Armidale was Lucy Hutton. Now in her 20’s, Lucy was just 12 when she went in for an operation on her spine to help correct a severe curvature. She is now a paraplegic.

Lucy enjoyed learning how to use her camera and particularly liked the touch screen canon cameras with the adapted tripod mount. Lucy loves growing herbs in her garden and using them in her cooking.
 
Lucy's work was entitled My Herb Garden, and she said that her work was inspired by "[her] interest in cooking and gardening. I enjoy growing my herbs and vegetables that I can use in my cooking."

Thanks to Lucy and to Armidale!

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TAMWORTH

11/8/2015

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The first thing I noticed coming into Tamworth was the dramatic sky.

They are incredible due of Tamworth's geographical position just below the great dividing range – you feel so close to the sky and sometimes the horizon appears to be on fire.
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Amazing Tamworth skies
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The Pig and Tinder Box
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Delicious pizza!
The Pig and Tinder Box on Peel St, Tamworth is a fabulous restaurant that is also accessible. They serve fabulous pizzas, I had the mango and duck with basil mint. You can just sit on the front terrace overlooking Peel Street and enjoy the passing life of Tamworth.

Another great accessible food spot is a Nundle hotel called the Peel Inn. They also have fabulous food, a great bar and atmosphere.

I had the opportunity to spend a day in Nundle at the Nundle Camp Draft – a dusty but exciting horse and cow event where the ‘horseman/woman rides a stock horse showing their skills at directing a cow around poles in a dusty field … a bit like a slalom but with a cow.’  I was an absolute minority in my protective sentiments for the cows and the horses; in typical country style people would tell me “they’re right – they’re bred for it.”
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Exciting but dusty fun at the Nundle camp draft

My workshop participants for the Tamworth stop were Catherine Rae and Robert Dempsey.

Catherine was particularly interested in the photography aspect of the workshops as she wants to photograph polocrosse and other horse and cattle events such as the camp drafting. She used to play polocrosse, so she has a great passion for the sport and has many friends who play. She came with me to the camp drafting and we worked together shooting the action. She learned more about the camera controls – ISO shutter speed and aperture to improve her shots.

The photoshop workshop also gave her new skills in editing the images. Catherine took leave from work to attend the workshop. Her injury was caused by a fall from a balcony 8 years ago, which left her with mild brain injury and paraplegia.
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Sue working with Catherine on the tablet
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Robert at the camp draft
Robert Dempsey became a quadriplegic from a car accident and is under work cover insurance scheme. The OT from work cover came along to the workshop to see if there was any equipment that could be purchased for Robert to assist his return to work and independence.

Robert has been drawing cartoon style sketches about his life in the country, particularly his passion for ‘pigging’. As he can no longer shoot with a gun, the adapted tripod and Panasonic camera with full remote control including zoom functionality from the iPhone worked enabled him to be able to participate in the sport.

Robert was very interested in the photoshop work, as he learned how to incorporate his drawing into photoshop and combine the photographic image with the drawn. Through the process of the workshop, he made a new goal to create a body of images for an exhibition at the local Nundle art gallery. The portrait he created in the workshop is being entered into the local art prize by the Nundle publican (who also manages the art prize).

It is lovely to see how photography can allow both of these people to continue their involvement in activities that are not otherwise accessible to them, and maintain that connection to their community (whether it's pigging or polocrosse!)

Thank you Tamworth!

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COONABARABRAN

11/6/2015

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The drive from Bathurst to Coonabarabran was interesting, traveling through Dunedoo! A town that is so famous yet almost empty of life… I saw community and health centres closed with windows boarded up. Even the old pub was quiet. I arrived in Coonabarabran on a Saturday night.
 
I was asked if I could detour via Coona (colloquial for Coonabarabran) to work with a quadriplegic  woman named Del and her son Will who is a young artist. I was really interested in the opportunity of working with a mother and son together especially as he was already working creatively.

I was captivated in something about Del’s voice from the beginning as she sounded so kind, gentle and calm. I wasn’t disappointed.

Del told me that as she had become ill, when Will was only one year old, she had developed her voice as a way of soothing and calming him as a young child — since she was unable to hold him to comfort him. She is an extraordinary woman.

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Del working the camera
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Del's son Will
She spoke about believing that the thought of love could be expressed by feeling the emotion strongly within her, then expressing that feeling through her tone of voice and the words she chose.

Although she had so little, and rarely went out of the very small housing commission home she lived in, she was so thoughtful of others and so generous in spirit it seemed that she was overflowing with plenty.

Dels’ son Will is a cartoonist, and was doing the workshop with his mum as her collaborator and carer. He’s putting some of his own artwork into the Comicon in Goulburn being organized by STARTS.
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Gorgeous view in the Warrumbungles
Will also took me on a trip to see the sunset over the Warrumbungles. It was an amazing walk, and the scenery there was overpowering with exceptional beauty.

Thank you Del and Will, it was a pleasure to meet you!

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    Sue Murray is a photographer, artist, and founder of Imagine Me

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