Illustrators Australia 9 x 5 Show entries

Illustrators Australia holds an exhibition of members' work annually. Each year members are handily sent a piece of plywood sized 9x5 inches, a theme and an entry form. The idea is to draw or paint something on the wood and send it back, but I love the texture of the wood and can't help but utilise it. Sometimes this causes problems: for example, this year I was politely telephoned after the work was received and told that my piece (below) had broken in transit. It was very kindly fixed for me and subsequently sold in the exhibition. They are a lovely bunch at the Association.

Above: Connected, 2007. I wanted to show the connection between living things, and Escher's 'puzzles' immediately came to mind. I went with that because I didn't have time to come up with anything else. The basic interlocking shapes are based on his but the characters painted on them are mine.

Above: 2006. Unfortunately I can't remember exactly what the theme was, but it had something to do with depicting the international flavour of the Arts Centre, where the work was exhibited. My piece, International Dancing Man, has a limb from every continent, dances when his string is pulled (not shown here) and is painted using the warm ochre tones of the Arts Centre interior.

Above: Performance, 2005. I wanted to steer away from the obvious connotations of that word within The Arts Centre, and thought instead about our daily performance. Friends with small children and part time jobs ended up being the inspiration for this. My little lady with one stiletto and one fluffy slipper ended up being the inspiration for The Dancing Man the next year.

Above: Trash, 2004. A diptych. The second picture shows what might be happening beneath the idyllic pastoral scene which sits on top. Clues: the cow is trying to eat a crisps packet and the chicken is staring at a dead fish as it floats by. Perhaps the clues should have been a bit more obvious.

One of those "if I could do paint it again..." moments.