Overview of 2024 on Zoneone Arts

Zoneone Arts has showcased 20 artists from around the world in many mediums during 2024.

Every artist has given so much of themselves and their art practice.  I wish to thank them and help you the reader to revisit or see artists you may have missed, Click over the image and you can read the full interview.

Anne Petters, is a wonderful glass artist and I ask specifically about her commission for Coventry Cathedral.

“Working with the team of Coventry Cathedral from Dean John Witcombe and curator Mike Tooby to all the committed staff has been a heart warming and inspiring experience. The openness, deep conversations and support I received helped me immensely to develop the installation without restrictions or problems.” Anne Petters, England  https://zoneonearts.com.au/anne-petters/

Coco Elder, brings art that is Australian landscapes and close botanical art.

“The two practices provide different challenges and a different sense of accomplishment. With painting, I grapple with transcribing the essence of place via shape and space. Nature motivates my colour palette, but it doesn’t restrict how I play with colour.” Coco Elder, Australia      https://zoneonearts.com.au/coco-elder/

Claire McCall, certainly helps all of us in Australia welcome in the summer holidays.

“Apart from the fact that I feel at home by the ocean, and I spend my vacation time in this environment, I think the beach landscape suits my style of painting with its texture and movement. Colourful umbrellas and people in a relaxed state are also an endless source of inspiration for multiple painting compositions.” Claire McCall, Australia  https://zoneonearts.com.au/claire-mccall/

Jacob Barfield, made me feel young again, as he explained some of the learning curves he has had to master in becoming a glass artist.“ I felt when starting to try to make a career as an artist. It’s confusing like a puzzle, but if you stick with it and don’t give up eventually, you’ll be able to piece it together.” Jacob Barfield. USA

“I felt when starting to try to make a career as an artist. It’s confusing like a puzzle, but if you stick with it and don’t give up eventually, you’ll be able to piece it together.” Jacob Barfield. USA    https://zoneonearts.com.au/jacob-barfield/

Jayine Gillman Crimmins, it was wonderful to have another paper artists.  I am always in awe how artists can recycle paper their art and Jayine adds extra meaning.

“In 2009, when the US was experiencing a recession, I was reading many op ed columns by [former NY Times columnist] Bob Herbert.  He wrote movingly about the terrible circumstances, [including losing employment, underwater mortgages, etc.] many people were experiencing at that time.  While I was personally fortunate enough not to be adversely affected, the economic decline of average Americans was deeply troubling.  I began to shred my financial statements including bank statements, bills, and other financial documents.” Jayine Gillman Crimmins, USA  https://zoneonearts.com.au/jaynie-crimmins/

Jerusha McDowell, uses her photographic lens to allow us to see deep into country Australia.

“Photography and horses have been such an important anchor for me since leaving my national security career. The discipline and solitude of it has given me the space I needed to recalibrate.” Jerusha McDowell, Australia  https://zoneonearts.com.au/jerusha-mcdowell/

Julie Easton, work is hard to believe that it is was originally, waste.  Look hard at the image below and can you guess what it is made from?

….. Irrigation hose.

“Living in one of the largest urban centres, Los Angeles, with tons of waste all around provides me with endless materials to ponder and experiment with. Walking down a city street with eyes wide open, it is easy to find objects that provides artistic food for thought!” Julie Easton. USA  https://zoneonearts.com.au/julie-easton/

Julie Payne, leaves, me with such a smile, not only are her drawings very detailed but she adds humor.  As well as drawing Julie works her art in garden art commissions.

“Started as an exercise in using luscious, coloured pencils. It soon developed into a story of eating your greens and different families of vegetables. I saw the ‘Culinary Greens’ as the apex family that everyone aspires to.” Julie Payne, Australia  https://zoneonearts.com.au/julie-payne/

Katarina Wells, ceramics as so large and presents the environment.

“A renewed interest and appreciation for all things handmade, slow, made. In this world where time seems to go faster and faster and most of us seem to have less of it, we do recognise the value of objects that exude the opposite.” Katarina Wells. Australia  https://zoneonearts.com.au/katarina-wells/

Lauren Betty, her work is big, bold and modern while she added such a softness to the finished work.

“My emotional connection has fallen into the love of the process. The meditative actions taken in dying of the fabric, hanging the fabric, pooling water onto paper, and composing compositions. This is what I hold dearly.” Lauren Betty. USA    https://zoneonearts.com.au/lauren-betty/

Linda Coomber, is relatively new to her craft of basket making.  She uses local grasses, nuts and barks, allowing the Australian country to become a decorative art.

“My area is made up of beaches, headlands, rivers, estuaries, creeks, mountains, and flood plains. It is a diverse and beautiful landscape. Both native and introduced plants grow vigorously in our temperate, humid climate – rich pickings for a scavenger like me!” Linda Coomba, Australia  https://zoneonearts.com.au/linda-coomber/

Linda Mitchell, uses a multitude of materials, leaving the viewer to try to look very deeply into her work.

“While earning my masters in painting degree, I ended up in an elective collage course, because my first choice, ceramics, was always full. As the only grad student in class, my professor encouraged me to work independently and choose a variety of materials to push the boundaries of collage.” Linda Mitchell, USA  https://zoneonearts.com.au/linda-mitchell/

Loren Eiferman, work is addressing the environment, a big task.

“I think of my sculpture as drawing, but in wood. This is a very time-consuming process, and each sculpture takes me a minimum of a month to construct.” Loren Eiferman  https://zoneonearts.com.au/loren-eiferman/

Michele D’Avenia, paints with complete precision.  Every detail is given his full attention.

“In the composition of my paintings, nothing is given to chance, each object is placed in the right place, in a so-called “invisible scaffolding” to create an elegant and harmonious compositional balance.  Subsequently, to bring out the composition as much as possible and have an immediate reading of the painting.” Michele D’Avenia, Sicily  https://zoneonearts.com.au/michele-davenia/

Sherry Czekus, paints people in the most common places but there is movement and attitudes throughout each painting.  We don’t need to see the faces to recognize the person.

“The city crowd, in its simultaneous specificity and anonymity, became the subject matter of a kind of figurative painting that did not focus on individual identity. The crowd itself has become the single entity.” Sherry Czekus    https://zoneonearts.com.au/sherry-czekus/

Stephanie Galloway-Brown, Is, well known and awarded for her portraits.

“The Archibald is Australia’s most prestigious portrait painting prize. It gets a lot of media attention and thousands of eyes will gaze across the finalists’ portraits. It’s extremely hard to get in to and for me it has been one of my high-ranking achievement goals, so I was very excited when I found out I’d been selected as a finalist for 2024.” Stephanie Galloway-Brown, Australia  https://zoneonearts.com.au/stephanie-galloway-brown/

Vitor Moreira Da Costa, is a cityscape painter, who works on fabric, and local cork as well as paper.

“As a Portuguese born in Brazil, my art is strongly influenced by Portugal, more specifically by Porto.” Vitor Moreira Da Costa, Portugal  https://zoneonearts.com.au/vitor-moreira-da-costa/

I wish to thank both the artists and you the reader for keep Zoneone Arts so vibrant, thank you.  I look forward to introducing you to many new artists in 2025

Deborah Blakeley

Deborah Blakeley, Melbourne, Australia

Interview by Deborah Blakeley, December 2024