Transitions 2024

Life imitates art with mother and child: Mentees Hannah Aiello (and her child), Sarah Treadwell and Lisa Gianni viewing Sonia Ward's exhibition in their first introductory intensive session. Photograph: Daniel Qualischefski.

Alan Marlowe shared tips for photographing artworks in the mentee's second intensive session. Photograph: Daniel Qualischefski.

In the first intensive introductory session, mentees Hannah Aiello, Sarah Treadwell, Lisa Gianni and Vicki Katthagen were joined by Rachel Cunningham, Jonathan Brown and guest artist Sonia Ward, a previous mentee whose exhibition was on display. Photograph: Daniel Qualischefski.

Program participants and guests of Group Critique Session 1 (L to R): Holly Arden (Townsville City Galleries), Daniel Qualischefski (Umbrella), Anneke Silver, Alison McDonald, Jonathan Brown (Townsville City Galleries), Lisa Gianni, Jan Hynes, Sabrina Toby, Sarah Treadwell and Vicki Katthagen. Artwork at rear by Odessa Mahony-de Vries. Photograph: Rikaela Rusch.

Guest mentor John Nesirky providing feedback in the second Group Critique Session at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery. Photograph: Rikaela Rusch.

Program participants and guests of Group Critique Session 3 (L to R, back): Alison McDonald, Sabrina Toby, Barbara Cheshire, Ann Vardanega, Vicki Katthagen, Jonathan Brown (Townsville City Galleries), Rachel Cunningham (Townsville City Galleries), Daniel Qualischefski (Umbrella), Jenny Mulcahy, Andrew Rankin; (front): Lisa Gianni, Sarah Treadwell. They all stand amongst Umbrella's 2024 Members' Exhibition. Photograph: Amanda Galea. 

Lisa Gianni and Jan Hynes

Lisa Gianni’s arts practice is primarily based within wearable art and sculptural, installation-based realms. She often repurposes ready-made functional items into contemporary-based messages. Lisa's Transitions aims were to develop her skills as a practising sculptor with a long term objective of being accepted into Strand Ephemera. She hoped to work with her mentor to develop skills, broaden her knowledge and versatility in materials, and work on the process of planning, developing and proposing a work for display in Ephemera and / or other avenues.

Working with Jan and with feedback from the group critiques, Lisa developed timber maquettes for chairs and wire sculptures, exploring themes of presence, emotions and observations.

Jan and Lisa at the second Group Critique Session at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery. Photograph: Rikaela Rusch. 

Jan and Lisa viewing some of Jan's journals. Photograph: Amanda Galea. 

Lisa's works-in-progress in Jan's studio. Photograph: Amanda Galea. 

Lisa and Jan. Photograph: Rikaela Rusch.

Hannah Aiello and Barbara Cheshire

Hannah Aiello is drawn primarily to portraiture, embracing the challenge of capturing her subjects’ physical likeness and inner essence. Hannah considers herself technically competent in watercolour realism, and her aim for Transitions was to develop her work into oil painting with technical guidance, direction and support from her mentor. She also aims to enter several national portrait prizes and develop her portraiture technique, as well as finding her feet with creative projects which explore botanical and natural themes. Her long term aim is to 'level up' her practice to become a sustainable, commercially successful and full-time artist.

Working with Barbara, Hannah developed technical and compositional skills, along with explorations of colour, facial expressions and emotions.  

Hannah Aiello presenting her work in progress at the Group Critique Session. Photograph: Rikaela Rusch. 

Sarah Treadwell pointing out a feature of Hannah's work-in-progress oil painting portrait. Photograph: Amanda Galea. 

Hannah's work-in-progress portraits in Barbara's home studio. Photograph: Amanda Galea. 

Hannah and Barbara. Photograph: Daniel Qualischefski.

Sarah Treadwell and Jenny Mulcahy

Sarah Treadwell works primarily in mixed media - using found objects to create sculptures and prints. Her pieces also serve as inspiration for accompanying illustrations. She is passionate about repurposing materials and has a strong desire to develop further technical and structural skills. By working with and being guided by an experienced artist, Sarah aimed to develop and progress her work with found objects and environmental concepts. She also hoped to extend critical thinking around and directions for her work, situating it in the context of art history and contemporary art.

Working with Jenny and exploring dedication pages from found books, Sarah developed handmade paper within moulds to create a conceptual work about dedications. 

Sarah and Jenny making paper. Image courtesy of the artists.

Sarah's maquette of her handmade paper recepticle work being passed around in Group Critique Session 3. Photograph: Amanda Galea.

Sarah presenting work-in-progress at the first Group Critique session. Photograph: Rikaela Rusch. 

Sabrina Toby and Alison McDonald

Sabrina Toby is a First Nations woman from Gangulu country in Central Queensland. Her arts practice consists of channelling her Cultural expressions through diverse media, including acrylic painting, jewellery, décor, resin work, woodwork (including painted or pyrographed Coolamons). She is inspired by her Culture, and motivated by her connections to her people and land. Sabrina produces jewellery that embraces her heritage, and runs a small business Bara Bidyiri which means “make your dreams” in Gangulu language. Sabrina aspires to more freely express herself in many art forms, beyond being known as “the earring lady” in her community.  Her aim for Transitions and beyond is for others to see what else she is capable of - to expand her knowledge in the creative arts and learn new techniques and skills. 

Within Transitions, Sabrina worked with her mentor Alison to expand her creative knowledge and skills in jewellery making and fine arts, focussing on the practical aspects of making breastplates. This coincided with Sabrina’s own research and reflections (to reclaim the breastplates in spite of their colonial history) and for text to be embossed onto the plates.

Sabrina and Alison. Photograph: Rikaela Rusch.

One of Sabrina's work-in-progress breastplates being passed around for feedback in one of the group critique sessions. Photograph: Amanda Galea. 

Sabrina sharing her work-in-progress and explaining the processes she used. Photograph: Amanda Galea. 

Vicki Katthagen and Ann Vardanega

Vicki Katthagen’s work is focussed on botanical photography that delves into connections, colour psychology, human emotions and well-being. Vicki explores how flowers act as catalysts for human connection and evoke emotions and memories. Her work aims to unravel the conscious and subconscious influences that nature's hues exert on individuals. Shooting in nature with natural light and minimal digital editing, Vicki explores how this approach can soothe or intensify the effects of the environment on inner emotional states. Vicki aspired to work with an academic and creative mentor (found in Ann) to develop her concepts further and to better understand her existing practice as an emerging artist.

Vicki started a project inspired by the flowers of northern Queensland and the botanical drawings of Betty Hinton, refining her direction for that project with guidance from her Ann and others.

Ann (left) and Vicki (standing) presenting in the final Group Critique Session. Photograph: Amanda Galea.

Vicki presenting in Group Critique Session 2 at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, amidst exhibitions by Bruce Reynolds and John Nesirky. Photograph: Rikaela Rusch. 

Vicki presenting in Group Critique Session 1. Photograph: Rikaela Rusch.