A Bite of the Apple
How we live with and build upon the past. Celebrating the Tasmanian apple industry, while preserving memories for the future.
The Belle of the Ball
acrylic and gesso on masonite
169 x 85cm
Finalist '2023 Gosford Art Prize’, Gosford Regional Gallery, NSW.
Treasured for 59 years a disintegrating dress acts as a time capsule. The last annual Tasmanian ‘’Huon Valley Apple Festival 1964’’, celebrated community pride in its apple industry promoting the ’Apple Isle’ worldwide, and was the moment ‘Bell of the Ball’ Bronwen’s engagement was announced.
Painted from life the dress is surrounded by text. Ink is transferred into the gesso from the original Program and in the Belle of the Ball’s handwriting are stories of her orchardist family’s life.
Climax acrylic, gold metallic leaf on gessoed board 26x30cm
Maidens Blush acrylic on gessoed board 30x26cm
Calvante Blanc acrylic on gessoed board 26x30cm
Geeveston Fanny acrylic, gold metallic leaf on gessoed board 26 x 30cm
Huon Belle acrylic on gessoed board 30x26cm
The Photographic Composites
Photographic Composite VI, A Bite of the Apple
Beside the Channel Highway, only just still standing, sits this once substantial Apple Packing Shed. With some rather grand windows the workers would have gazed out to the Huon River just across the road. I particularly appreciated the attention to detail on the Chimney flue.
Photographic Composite VII, A Bite of the Apple
Waterloo orchards and Apple Packing Sheds. An empty space marks where a second, middle shed once stood, sadly burnt down to the ground by an arsonist.
Photographic Composite IV, A Bite of the Apple
Hemmerton Homestead is a property layered with history. Its large historic Apple Packing Shed roof iron protects the original timber shingles, which from inside look as impressive as any cathedral roof. While painting the interior I noticed that a shaft of sunlight would briefly appear as a heart shape each day on one of the old sliding barn doors.
Photographic Composite III, A Bite of the Apple
This Port Huon Apple Packing Shed is the most organized shed I have ever seen, no longer in use it has a real sense of time stood still. Its position close to the Port Huon Jetty would have made it very convenient for transporting the apples.
Photographic Composite II, A Bite of the Apple
A dilapidated historic Apple Packing Shed, still surrounded by orchards, on Scotts Road Geeveston. The weather side has been transformed by a striking orange lichen.