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Weird and wonderful in Healesville
Shaun Turton
05May08
Artist Kate Rohde with her exhibition at TarraWarra Museum of Art, Healesville. Pic. Steve Tanner
One of Rohde's creations. Pic. Steve Tanner
FLOURISH, now on at Healesville's TarraWarra Museum of Art, is a seasonally themed, French-influenced, handmade creative exhibition by artist Kate Rohde.
But in her own words, Rohde's Flourish is just another weird, interesting craft project.
"I guess you could call it weird craft," 28-year-old Rohde said.
"I started off in art painting, but I got a bit tired of it.
"I needed a challenge, a change of material."
Her latest work is removed from traditional art, featuring dioramic displays and sculptures set in an artificial hedge maze.
The exhibition is an interpretation of the local gardens and architecture Rohde experienced while working in Paris, with different sections representing different seasons.
"The style is very rigid," Rohde said.
"Lots of geometric shapes and lines, like it's been done with a ruler."
Though inspired by French gardens and the outdoors, Flourish is constructed predominantly of artificial materials, including expanding foam, papier-mache and epoxy resin often used in boat-building.
As well as the appeal of pretty colours, Rohde said the contrast between natural and artificial materials had an interesting effect.
"It's creating natural out of the unnatural," she said.
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Flourish took Rohde three months to complete, with assistance from Arts Victoria and many helpful volunteers at TarraWarra.
Drawing and doodling on a daily basis as well as creating interesting craft, Rohde said the creative process of art and expression was an essential and something she could not go without.
"I could be a serial killer or go insane if I didn't have this outlet," Rohde said.
"I'm grateful that I can do these art projects for a living."
Flourish runs until July 20, at TarraWarra Museum of Art, 311 Healesville-Yarra Glen Rd, Healesville.
Details: 5957 3100.
