Shirley Ploog currently has her exhibition "What Remains" on at Gallery Smith Project Space in Melbourne. The first exhibition for the gallery after the extended lockdown will see a selection of works that Shirley, as she explains in the video, went deeply into and evolved into different materials.

Just before the exhibition set-up, we met via Zoom to have a conversation and find out more about how Shirley has spent 2020. Watch the video below.
If you prefer to read, there is a transcript at the bottom of this post.
You can see Shirley's available drawings below and right at the bottom, details of the exhibition.

Have a listen, leave a comment. And if you can, get along to her exhibition.

The local area that continues to inspire Shirley's work. 

Amanda  0:00  
During this time, we're meeting with Shirley Ploog. Shirley is an artist  based on the Bellarine Peninsula in Victoria, and she's working toward her next exhibition in Melbourne, in late November. So we're going to have a bit of a chat about what she's been up to during 2020, and how she's been navigating and preparing for this exhibition. Join  me in saying hello to Shirley and I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Shirley, thank you very much for joining us for in conversation with how are you today?

Shirley  0:36  
I'm great and it's a pleasure to be here. So yeah, all things are well in what is a cool day in Melbourne today, which doesn't seem to be the case for you, which is a nice thing. So we'd love some sun today, Amanda.

Amanda  0:51  
Well you are coming up to summer, so you'll have that soon. But you seem to have plenty of light in your studio there. And I can see that you've got some work behind. 

It's been quite a tumultuous year for really everybody in 2020. But I know that you've been working quite diligently towards an exhibition. I'm just wondering, you're down on the Bellarine Peninsula. So you've had  lockdowns of varying degrees over the course of quite a long time really this year. How have you been with that? How has that impacted on your on your practice and your routine?

Shirley  1:32  
It's been an interesting time, as you say, for everybody, and I think, for artists, you know, it's been quite challenging in a number of ways. And I guess the first one being, like everyone, being so unsure of what's about to happen. And, you know, when people have got exhibitions booked, and you know, things are canceled, or everything reverts to being online, which is been interesting and challenging. 

So, you know, I think all of us have had quite some impact. But there's the other side to it the flip side way, you know, you get the opportunity to actually think about what's really happening here. 

For me, through this whole thing, I struggled a lot with my practice, because you were just so caught up in what was happening in the news every day. And, you know, you got so focused on on all these numbers, which were very scary. 

Then after that initial, oh, my God, what's happening? There was a time to reflect and a time to actually go introspectively I guess. So, you know, for me, I'm extremely lucky that being in Barwon Heads on the Bellarine, it is an opportunity, it's a beautiful coastal area, my, my show is all around my, you know, surroundings. And so it just enabled me to just get deeper and deeper into my work. 

So you know, one of the things that's really interesting when you have a show, is that,  you have another life as well, and you're trying to balance and juggle the two together. 

When you're doing your work, you really are quite insular, and that you're in your studio seven days a week and really focused and when people say "Can we go out?" And "Can we do things?"

We've got all these other things on the go, it's quite an interruption, you don't want that, you don't really want that, because you're just so engrossed, in trying to develop this body of work. 

But with COVID, what happened is, it couldn't have that, you know, there wasn't all those other interactions and all those other little asides that take you away from the studio. So that was kind of interesting. I didn't have to deal with that this time round. So that was kind of a good thing, you know, where I wasn't negotiating with people around that, or you know, people thinking, you know, your non-artists friends think you're crazy when you're in the studio, for such long periods of time. Now, you don't want to get out and you just want to say I've got stuff to do you know, so they don't understand, but obviously artists do.

So look it's really an interesting time for me where I had, I had that time to really spend and go deep into the work. And so I guess it, it taught me a lot about being a lot more introspective in the work.  I had more time because, you know, initially my show was a lot earlier, and it's been delayed. So I have a lot more time to explore and really get into the depth of what I truly want to try and communicate. So that was pretty interesting for me. And I guess the other part was, my work is all about, the fragility of life and nature and death and decay and that was so prevalent at this time.

A lot of people have talked about reconnecting with nature. I've always felt that connection with nature and, I'm surrounded by it every day. And so it's given me that opportunity to continue to look at it admire it, you know, be amazed by it, be curious by it. I've been able to do that even more, on these daily walks that we've all had to do to keep us keep our sanity and keep us feeling like we are connected, and we're all part of this beautiful place that we live in. So yeah, that's, it's been an interesting time and a lot of time for reflection. I think, Amanda.

Amanda  5:48  
It sounds like it, and it sounds like in many ways, it's had a positive flip side for you. In terms of the show being pushed out, I mean, you're still having an exhibition, you're having one at the end of November. And from what you've just said, is the body of work that you're exhibiting now  quite different than would have been were you to have had the show at the original date? And if so, can you tell us a little bit about what we can expect to see? 

Shirley  6:15  
Yeah, well, look, it's a great question, and yes, it's changed considerably. And, you know, I probably started thinking about and started developing the work last year, when I was doing a residency at the Art Vault in Mildura. So I started there knowing that I'd have my show mid-year. My work started quite literal. It was all about the beauty of coastal trees being moonahs and tea trees, because I just love all the imperfections and particularly the dead ones that are all gnarly and old so that's how it started. And so it's really just love the the beauty of them. But as you know, we got into lockdown that connection with nature became so critical. And so what became more important to me was not actually the literal trees, but the actual feeling of the trees and how they actually made me feel and the grace and the rhythm and how connected but nurtured and protected I felt being in them and being surrounded by them. So my work evolved from being quite literal about the trees to be more about the feeling of the trees and how they made me feel and how more rhythmical lyrical, protective they were. So it really it changed significantly throughout the process. And as we do as artists, you know, we do evolve. But yes, it did change a lot. And, you know, the way I worked also change, I continue to draw, I mean, draw from drawing for me is a way of communicating. So I found that really immediate and a great way to express how I felt. But I was initially using inks and didn't feel that, you know, the inks morphing with my drawings was giving me the right feel. So I moved to oils, which I felt gave me a lot more fragility and calmness. So there are a couple of things that I did that were different along the way to create this body of work.

Amanda  8:26  
So you mentioned oils, does that mean that there's some paintings or mixed media or.. Describe a little bit about what work will be in the show for us.

Shirley  8:36  
Yeah, so in the show, the body of work really is around me using my graphite, and my pencils on drafting film. So these are all on drafting film, which is a really beautiful, smooth, I just love the surface, it's just no tooth on it very slippery, and very translucent. So you get this beautiful feeling of fragility, just through the drafting film when I'm not framing the work. So it's just going to be floating, and then applying the graphite to it. And then after that, I then paint on top of it. And the reason for that painting is very loose, transparent oil. So using a lot of solvent, and I find what that does, it just creates these marks that are unresolved, and I guess, just allowed to be without me controlling it and creating all those character lines and marks and bits of history that come over time. And so yeah, I'm hoping that it has that fragile but also have aged imperfect look, with the mixed media approach that I've taken. Yeah, that's quite that's quite a shift that I'm interested in in having a look at those because I know

Amanda  10:00  
On ART500 we have the graph on the drafting film, and they're really beautiful and delicate. And, as you say, really incredibly smooth. So I'll be really interested to see the, the ones that mix in with the oil paint, as well.

And your studio is - and we will let people know where that exhibition is and the dates and we'll do that towards the end - but your studio, is that at your home?

Shirley  10:25  
Yeah, we came down here, probably two and a half, maybe three years ago now. And our whole reason for being was my partner Max his studio, which is a giant shed. And for me having my own studio. So we were all about making sure that we had those two things as a priority in the house.  I've got a purpose built studio, which I'm very thankful for we you know, we've got creative from a couple of bedrooms, and it's got three big windows. And so yeah, it's a lovely large space with storage, and then I've got another storage area for my artwork.

I guess it's an artist's dream to be able to, you know, I mean... And that's been another thing that I've been very lucky with that, you know, with COVID, a lot of my artist friends have not been able to go to their studio because the studio is not home. But through all of that I've actually been at home, I haven't had to change my working practice at all, because my studio is my home studio. So yeah, it's a it's a great space, I've got, you know, plenty of work, I've got plans, drawers, I've got storage, I've got activity areas, I usually have three easels on the go, so I've got plenty of space to, to live with. So do what I want to do in here. So yeah, I'm very thankful for that. It's been great.

Amanda  11:48  
It's great when you get to set up that's right for you. And people setups are so different, that when you get the setup that's right for you, it just makes it so much simpler to get into the flow of the work and to do the work. My storage situation isn't I don't have my storage built at the moment. So I'm still sort of tripping over things that I do find it incredibly disruptive. So you know, having to spend some time to sort of sort and organize so that you can, that sounds like you've got your nicely, nicely set up.

Shirley  12:18  
Well, it's always a work in progress, I think. But look, it is really interesting, because I think, you know, all of it fits into your app practice. And, you know, for me, a lot of people have often asked me, you know, you know, why do you work from home? Do you find that distracting? Because there's always things to do, but I've always been one that's been able to kind of go, right you know, I'm in the studio because I'm you like getting in early, I'm pretty disciplined a lot, right? That's it for the day in the house, I don't do anything else in the house, you know, 9.30 I'm in my studio, and then I'm in there till five, you know, and I just kind of have learned to just allow everything else to go and so that I can actually just concentrate and enjoy and be in the moment of what I'm doing. 

And so for me, the other part of that was, I do like to have things organized. And so you know, I was finding if I'm in my old studio, you know, it was always trying to get over things to find something and then you know, looking through drawers and couldn't. And I find I found that really frustrating as well as it took up a lot of time. So that was my whole wish this time was to have storage space, both in my studio, so I had easy access. 

But I've also got now another actual room, which is my storage, which has got all my paints and all my inks, and it's great. So and all my schedule, you know, all your sketchbooks over the years, you know, gather all these things, or all your framing material. There's so much stuff as artists that we accumulate. So, you know, where do you put it all? So yeah, you know, just the joy, and I've been having to actually think about all that. So yes, it's all part of making sure that I've cleared my head so that I can just do what I want to do. That's how it works for me, which is not the same as everybody I understand. 

Amanda  14:09  
So you've got quite a regular routine in your in your studio turning up at 9.30 working through your five most days is that 

Shirley  14:17  
Yeah, look, look, it works for me. And you know, because it's one of those things and I listen to this, this great quote by an artist by the name of William MacKinnon and he was talking about you know that the, you know, your next work informs your next two or three and I really believe in that and I find that you know, if I've got works on the go, I've got something to go to into the studio. So I ensure that part of my routine is having having works in my studio that are all going. They absolutely develop and they go in to different areas all the time. And, you know, except when you're doing a show. So now that I've finished my show, now it's time for me to explore again. So now it's about playtime, so all those things in your head that you kind of really wanted to discover, whilst you're on this journey of you're doing developing a body of work, it will still continue, but I can now take all those sidetracks that I couldn't take before, because obviously, part of building a body of work for show is that you actually deliver upon it. So now times for fun and to actually go, Oh, you know, I'm going to play a little bit there and start some different projects, which I'm sure you've been down that same path, you know, a lot of projects on the go. So you understand that whole thing of an artist brain where you know, it's constantly moving. But I think the studio practice is really important to to keep it active. And to keep it on.

Amanda  16:00  
It's critical. And even as someone who has no, for many, for a number of decades, I've had other things that I do as well. Because that's how I'm wired, But you need to stay in the studio. And I find sometimes even if it's incredibly busy, and the other things are needing to do, just coming into the studio and spending a small amount of time each and every day anchors you into the practice. And it means that the time doesn't drift too far, because, you know, a busy world can get in the way.

Shirley  16:36  
Absolutely. 

Amanda  16:37  
And you really do need to stay connected, at least that's for me personally. Because I don't work seven days a week in the studio. Being in here every week on a fairly regular basis is really critical to moving the work forward. And that's actually the most important thing as an artist, you know, there are so there are so many other things that you have to tend to. But without the work, without the work moving forward, those things are actually fairly irrelevant. So 

Shirley  17:08  
That's exactly right. Yeah.

Amanda  17:11  
Why don't you tell us a little bit about the show?

Shirley  17:16  
Yes, so my show is called what remains. And this has been an evolution for a couple of years now. So I started talking about what remains probably two years ago, where I was actually whilst walking, collecting things, what remained on the ground or my walk. So it's been an evolution of that. And so, you know, it's been a two year journey of picking up things that have been decayed, old and gnarly. And then it's evolved at what I've been talking about before. 

So the show's called "What Remains", it's part of a wonderful Gallery Smith project called Project Space, which you Amanda you've been a part of that too, and very proud to have been included in the program this year. And so yeah, it'll be from late November, from November the 27th through to December 19. This is the first show there since lockdown, so I'm very, very excited about that. And project space are running a different type of opening as well, which will be really interesting, it's going to be an opening day celebration. So I'm really excited to try that because I've never done that before where there'll be hour time slots, so it'll all be very COVID safe. And, you know, certain amount of paper are allowed in each hour. So you know, you book a time to go and have a look at the work. And so for an artist that's going to be really great, it's going to be a lot more intimate, you know, we get the opportunity to spend time talking to people and allowing them to ask as many questions as they want to where normally you know, when you have a show is you well know, the openings just so frenzied, you know, there's a lot of people and you're trying to cover a lot of ground in a very short space of time. So you don't ever get that same opportunity as this is so I'm really looking forward to that. So again, on the flip side, here's a different way of working that I think will be fantastic. So I'm looking forward to that new experience. 

Amanda  19:30  
Fantastic So, Gallery Smith Project Space, which is in Abbotsford street in North Melbourne from the 27th of November through to the 19th of December.

Shirley  19:46  
Yeah, the opening celebration day is on, I think it's on November the 20th.

Amanda  19:53  
Fantastic. And what's going to happen after? You mentioned a period of play any other plans. Anything else? 

Shirley  20:01  
Yeah, well look this is a really strange time for me because, one is obviously not going to explore some other ideas that I had. But normally this time of the year, I would have already planned for another residency or another show or whatever. I'm deliberately going to hold back on another show, because I've been doing them regularly for the last seven years. So whatever year so I wanted to start to get myself a little bit of space to develop some other projects that I'm thinking about. But also too, with COVID, it's like, you know, when do we start to think that we can branch out so I now feel that it's time for me to start persuing and having a look at some residency programs that are based around nature and the environment. So that'll be next on my little list of things to do for next year. So yeah, that's, that's what's next for me. But not as planned as normal, which is quite different. 

Amanda  21:01  
And I think that's true for many people, because they've been such a because of the closures of galleries for a period of time, and people have been had all of their shows moved, and some have been canceled altogether. But we've kind of got this backlog situation that's coming up now for people who missed their regular exhibiting slot, and have a body of work ready to go. So I think that we will see a lot more exploration of how can I get this work out into the world? How can I share this work and, and is now a time to show? For myself personally 2020 became - as it was backwards and forwards about different exhibitions and whether borders would be open or not open and things like that- it just became you know, what, if there's a gap in your CV 2020 is probably the year to have that gap and just make the work and pursue and see what you can do into 2021. And moving on. But it sounds like it's been a really productive time for you. And it sounds like the evolution of the work over that time has been really fruitful. So I'll be interested to see what comes out of the next phases of play. And what you come up with. 

Shirley  22:17  
Well  thank you and I just wanted to say, Amanda thank you so much to you, and what you do for ART500 it's really a wonderful group of artists who, you know, think are a great family. And I really appreciate the work you do and support in ensuring that, you know, we get out there and names out there. So yeah, just wanted to say thank you for that, because it's a special group of people and it's really lovely to be a part of. So thank you. 

Thank you, Shirley. I appreciate that. And, you know, obviously, I really believe in all of the artists here on ART500, it's an absolute delight to be part of. So I'm glad that you were able to join me for this in conversation "In Conversation number two", and I'm looking into bringing a few more. So thanks for taking the time, we will post this up on our blog page and make it available through our newsletter as well. So people will have plenty of an opportunity to have a bit of al look and listen. And I always put up a transcript as well for those people who just prefer to read instead. All of the best with your exhibition apologies that I won't be able to see it, being up here in Brisbane won't be able to get down to Melbourne for it but I look forward to seeing some installation images from you.

Thank you and again, thanks all the best news for all your little adventures that you've got. Your techie skills are very impressive. So thanks for today. It's been fabulous. 

Amanda  24:01  
Thank you Shirley.

I recently sat down for a conversation over Zoom with the ever delightful Minka Gillian, for the first in a planned new occasional series with the ART500 Artists. (The video production will improve over time and my ability to edit and get online a bit quicker too. Bear with me please).

On a pleasant Saturday morning, Minka, at home on NSW's central coast, chatted to me in my Brisbane studio, and shared what she has been up to lately.

​While Covid has meant more people at home and there were some doubts about the timing of her exhibition (which is now open - scroll down for details), Minka has been as productive as ever. 
Minka talks about how she broke through to take her work into 2D and the new works she has made for her exhibition 'Mind Garden' and for ART500.

Click on the video below to watch, or scroll down to read the transcript. 

Enjoy!
​Amanda

​Amanda van Gils    
Hi, Welcome to a new "in conversation series" with the ART500 artists. I'm Amanda van Gils and today we're going to be having a conversation with Minka Gillian. Minka lives on the central coast of New South Wales and she's known for her sculpture, but she also does work in 2d and pretty much everything else you could imagine. We'll have a bit of a chat, pretty informal and let's see what's coming up for Minka. Stay tuned and let me introduce Minka. Hi Minka, how are you today?

Minka Gillian  
Hi, good. Nice to see you, Amanda.

Amanda van Gils  
It's great to have you here starting with our ART500 artist conversation series. You are first cab off the rank. So this is great. And very excited to see some of that new work that you've been doing. So before we get into that, I can see something behind you. Is that a sculpture of yours on the wall?

Minka Gillian  
Yes, this this one is one of a series of six personal icons I call them and that'll be in my new show coming up soon. So yeah, it's a woven wire, fishing line cable ties, beads and found doilies as well.

Amanda van Gils   
And found doilies as well? That's certainly quite a few bits of material. You mentioned that it's coming up. I know everyone has been impacted by so many shows canceling and changing, being in lockdown and they're in the central coast in New South Wales. 

I think you've had some sort of locked down restrictions this year. Very, very different to the busy year that you had last year. I remember seeing some of your work in shows like The beyond reason show. There was another one was in Redlands, you've had you've been in quite a few shows in the prior year. How is it gone for you, you know, have you needed to sort of slow down or change your practice during this time?

Minka Gillian  
Um probably one of the things I haven't done as I haven't thought about entering competitions this year. So in some ways that was good, I just, I've just been completely focused on this one solo show. And which it felt like a luxury really.

I've abandoned everything else, I suppose like a lot of other people, you know, the social aspects of life. So I've just been, you know, working, which is what I love to do anyway. It's kind of suited me.
Yes, I did have one period of slowing down. When I thought that it looked like the show wasn't going to happen and I was certain that we would all be in lockdown till the end of the year. So I decided the year was a write off. So that was the only time I sort of sat back a little, and didn't work as hard as I normally do. And turned out, that was the best thing for me to do because I created a whole new body of work in drawing, and yeah, which was, it's kind of new to me, I haven't exhibited drawing for a very long time. So, you know, it's, it's interesting 

Amanda van Gils  
No, I was thinking, you know, and I'm really keen to say they strike especially since, like, you are going to have some on ART500 Thank you so much. I mean, we absolutely adore the sculptures that we have on there already but I know, you may not have exhibited 2d, before drawing. But you've certainly been working in drawing. You are one of the most prolific artists that I've ever come across so it's really lovely to see that transition. Tell me how Thank you. What was it that sort of got you going moving from the sketchbook and the drawing to actually thinking about creating finished works in drawing?

Minka Gillian   
Funnily enough, it was, because I had to help my son go from you know, he had an art class that he would go to locally with an artist called Jo Stanes. And because of COVID, he couldn't go to those anymore. So all her classes went online. And it was a bit tricky for him to do it on his own online. So I started helping him out and it was just each lesson they ended up with a completed piece. And she was very neat and there's a system and that sort of, I'm not very neat and I don't usually have a system either, and I don't always finish things. So it was just actually helping my son with these lessons and actually letting myself play and experiment and just sort of going back to basics again. And that Yeah, once I started doing that I was hooked.

Amanda van Gils   
That's fantastic. You know, people have been talking about how difficult it's been because they've had kids under foot, you know, partners or whomever underfoot, and it's really changed the dynamic and I know you work outside of, you know, you, you work within your home where pretty much every room seems to be available for studio. Which I love about the way you guys work. But to hear some positives come out of it. And especially, you know, sometimes creativity is just sort of assumed for artists but you also need some space and some time to play if you want to take that next leap. So what a terrific trigger.

Minka Gillian   
Yes. And it was a nice surprise, but I'm drawing something I've been working on for the last probably about five years, because it was something that I let go in my sort of everyday life. You know, it was something I did at art school and for quite a few years after art school, sort of kept a visual diary. But over the years, I just sort of let it go. And and so it was actually I made a concerted effort to try and bring it back into my practice. But it wasn't always easy because I was out of practice and had a very bad internal dialogue every time I tried to do a drawing, which stopped me. So yeah, it took pretty much five years to get to a point where I actually love drawing and I feel excited. By and I think finding the right subject matter for me was a big thing. I think trying to do self portraits was not not beneficial.

Amanda van Gils  
Tell us a little bit about these drawings. I would like to come back to that point about that internal dialogue in terms of drawing. I think that's a really interesting one I'd love to chat about, but do you happen to have any drawings that you can share with us? And just tell us a little bit about what the subject matter because obviously this isn't self portrait, you've just indicated that.

Minka Gillian  
so I don't know if you can if you can. Sorry, I don't know if you can see through the plastic, can you?

Amanda van Gils   
Yes, it's just a little bit glarey. But that's, that's gorgeous. And it looks like you've got watercolor?

Minka Gillian   
So this one is ink, which I've used in a watercolour kind of style, pens and paint pens. And so this is rather than trying to draw myself and overanalyze myself I decided to draw my sculptures so because they're they're part of me as well but more disguise

Amanda van Gils  
Beautiful, and we're definitely going to post some of these on our site. And there will be some that will be available for ART500. But we'll post some other images as well, of what people can see in the exhibition too. 

Yeah. And I was going to say, when you were talking about that inner dialogue, that critique, you know, when you get very familiar and comfortable with a certain material for you, it has been working in 3d with all sorts of materials like filament and so on. To get into drawing, and to be as competent at the drawing as you are in your main area that can be you know, we we want to be as competent at every single medium that we use. At the time that we start. 

Minka Gillian   
It's very frustrating. 

Amanda van Gils   
And so when I think about you doing drawings of your sculpture that makes so much sense because it gives you a bit of a bridge to work with. And then the sculptures are the things you're most familiar with. Looking at, you know, I'm sure you don't spend hours gazing at yourself in front of a mirror in terms of self portrait, but you do spend hours gazing at your work thinking about your work, moving it around understanding it from each sense. So it gives a really nice bridge into using those skills. And I think, you know, I've, I've seen a number of them, thank you for sharing this and they are just stunning. I love the way that they have come out. So will they be in the exhibition alongside your sculptures? Why don't you tell us a bit about the exhibition?

Minka Gillian   
So the exhibition is called Mind Garden, and it's in the Incinerator Art Space in Willoughby in New South Wales. And what sort of started it I guess is I wanted to produce a large scale installation of hanging sculptures. And I wanted, they will be in a sort of a C formation. And so that the viewer will be able to walk into, into the installation and be surrounded by my sculptures. And it's it. It's supposed to be letting them into a little glimpse inside my brain.So, yes, it's my it's my imaginary internal landscape, basically.

Amanda van Gils  
Fantastic. And you've said where it is, what about when?

Minka Gillian   
Oh, so it's a on the ninth of September, and it goes to the 27th, and it's Wednesday to Sunday 10 to four. And I'll be there every day.

Amanda van Gils  
Wonderful. Well, I'll put the details on in the blog post here. And that will sit underneath so people will be able to find those details and not have to go back through the recording to find it know, the details. So we'll pop that on. And thank you. 

Minka Gillian    
Can I tell you about one of the ways that I got past my drawing block?

Amanda van Gils  
I would love to hear about that, and I'm sure everyone else okay.

Minka Gillian   
So, so one of one of the problems was sort of subject matter what what do I want to draw, you know, what, what makes me really passionate. So I had trouble finding that and I thought, well, instead of worrying about it, how about I just do it and so I set myself a plan where I had to draw.
I bought myself a sketchbook and decided I had to fill a page every single day. And I would start by looking at the first book in my bookshelf, and I had to draw something from the book. It could be just something sparked from a word. It could be, you know, an image in the book, but it had to be from that book and I had to fill a page they were the two rules.
And I basically went across the whole bookshelf until I think, I was about halfway down the bookshelf when the sketchbook got filled, and I felt like once the sketchbook was filled, I was sort of unblocked, and drawing came a bit easier partly just because of this Practicing, but partly because I wasn't worrying too much about what it was exactly that I was drawing. And yeah, so by the time I filled the sketchbook I started having fun with drawing again.

Amanda van Gils  
And that's a really fantastic way to operate. I mean, there are so many quotes that I can find from creatives who basically say, you know, you find the solution in the action. You know, you don't think your way out of a problem, you work out of a problem. And so giving you a couple of parameters, so one during a day in the sketchbook, using a reference from a book, so you didn't have to think about how much you're going to do or when you're going to do it. And you no longer had to think about what you were going to do so much because you had an inspiration point to just work from. So you gave yourself some rules and then a process and then in through that process, kind of liberated the creativity. 

Minka Gillian  
Yeah

Amanda van Gils   
Yeah, that's fantastic.

Minka Gillian  
I made the reward was actually just filling a book. I love filling books. It doesn't matter if it's diary writing, list writing, drawings. Once it's full, that makes me very happy.

Amanda van Gils  
So what's your usual kind of routine? You know, I mean, obviously, you've got your art practice, which takes up an awful amount - not awful - a very good amount of your time, a considerable amount of your time, but how do you go about an ordinary day or week?

Minka Gillian   
Ah, so, I used to have a very strict routine where I have alarm clock set for when I've got to stop when I've got to start when I've got to eat when I go to finish eating. Yeah, alarm clocks worked really well for me. But these days Pretty much since COVID all routines gone out the window. I just work day and night and don't do much else. And I have the houses falling down around my ears. I don't do any housework. I just Yes, I don't have a routine at the moment. It's a little bit unsustainable, but sometimes that happens anyway towards the deadline of a show. You know? I mean, I think probably I had a more realistic and healthy routine seven months ago when I started this, but now it's just just all in. Yeah. So yeah, no routine.

Amanda van Gils    
And given that that worked so well for you, pre Covid, do you think on the flip side that you'll instigate some routines again,

Minka Gillian   
Definitely, I think I always do this, I sort of go through periods of strict routines, and then it all goes out the window and then I get another routine and then it goes out the window again. Mostly because my family start complaining that, you know, I'm working all the time and not spending enough time with them or yeah, or we start eating badly. I don't cook enough. But I suppose my, in my defense, they're here all the time now. So they see me all the time. So I feel like I can get away with working a bit more because we're here all together in one space anyway. So but I know, I know, it's bad excuse.

Amanda van Gils  
I think there's, you know, there's there's daily routines and then there's actual rhythms. So, you know, like you from an exhibition point, but you know, when Getting toward the end of an exhibition. I think every artist can relate to this. It's like, all hands on deck because you're just working to get what you need done. And then because you usually have a fair amount of freedom around how you organize your day, and creating your own structures to get yourself back into a routine that works for you, that makes sense. So, always think of these rhythms and seasons, you know, where it's like, Okay, guys, you just make all your own food and cook for me while you're at it. And in this time, I'm happy to pick up more on that side. But no, that's really nice and fluid.

Minka Gillian  
At the moment, for me, it's just lists, ticking off the lists everything in the list. And I always reward myself. If I if I take something off the list that was big that I needed to do, then I allow myself to Play with some artwork that's not related to what I'm supposed to be doing. So but yesterday was the yesterday I finished everything for the show. But now I'm looking back at things and fiddling around with them and you know adjusting readjusting.

Yeah.

Amanda van Gils  
As well you know finished is always a good place to be, that temptation to keep reworking.

Minka Gillian  
Yeah, it won't it won't be the end of the world if it all goes out now it is officially finished. But yes, it is it ever really finished? I don't know. 

Amanda van Gils  
Well, you need to finish something so you can start the next thing so sometimes you just take it as finished. Do you ever go back and rework or pull apart work?

Minka Gillian  
Um, it wasn't something I ever used to do, but in the last maybe three or so years. I do it a loss. Yeah. And actually, so, for this installation, it's 120 sculptures. So yeah, there's 120 sculptures, but I think. So realistically and that's, well that's just the installation. I have 30 sculptures for another installation, there are two installations. And then there are six wall pieces. And then there are 48 drawings. So it's it's a big show a little bit excessive, but so I wouldn't realistically have been able to do 120 sculptures in seven months. 

A lot of these sculptures were partial sculptures, or sculptures that I'd made years ago that I've read worked. So that's the only way I could have done this. And once this is this, I really like working like this now and it's a way that I think I will continue working. And I really want to focus more on the installations and then sketching the work from the installations. Yeah, it's, um, it's freed me up. Viewing old works as just material for a new new sculpture. Yeah, sort of digesting my own work.

Amanda van Gils  
That's fantastic. Being able to rethink that I'm just absolutely gobsmacked at the scale of this exhibition. When we post this interview up. I'm sure if anyone sees it on the blog, they'll be able to put comments and ask questions and hopefully, we'll be able to have a bit more of a chat about that. I do love the work that you've got on 500 the family groupings, the subconscious, and looking forward to adding drawings on as well. So, so excited for the show that you about to have, and spending some time with you, this morning had a conversation. It sounds like you've really managed to do something incredible given all of the limitations of, having everyone at home all the time and being more about the work and then having that breakthrough in progressing your works into other dimensions in a way that's really congruent with your practice. So I'm really excited about your show, and I'm excited to be having these beautiful drawings up on ART500 as well.

Minka Gillian  
It's my pleasure.

Amanda van Gils  
Thank you so much, Minka. Best of luck with the show and we'll chat soon.

Minka Gillian  
Thanks Amanda, it's always lovely talking with you. And I'm really happy to have my work on ART500 with all the other lovely artists. So thank you. 

Amanda van Gils   
Thank you Minka. It's such a pleasure and all the best for the exhibition. It's a major effort. I cannot believe the size, the scale, and I'm really looking forward to seeing some images of that. And thanks so much for sharing a little bit about your practice and how you've been coping this year. It sounds like you've been coping extraordinarily well. So thanks for joining us for the conversation. 

Minka Gillian 
My pleasure. 

Jo Lane sharing a bit about herself.
How do I describe my Art? I say I am a ‘drawer’, and I quickly follow up that even if I paint I consider I am drawing in paint.... then they get it.

Nothing, in particular, drew me to be an artist – I just am one. I think in visual terms, and I am not happy/whole/relevant unless I am creating a work. My art is entirely an internal affair. I go to a place where puzzles, sense and feeling reign.

​Visit Jo's Artist Page to learn more