How exciting! I have another incredibly wonderful painting buddy to share with you all! This lady is one to watch, and for a number of reasons. Alison Mooney and I first crossed physical paths back in 2011 when I was visiting some friends in Toowoomba and checking out a local art exhibition. I had heard through mutual friends and social media, of the great things Alison had been doing for the promotion of new artists and cultural events in the garden town of Toowoomba - so naturally it was exciting to put a face to the name.
Sometimes you hear about or come across these 'doers' in life. By that I mean, the people that don't just talk about what they want to do, but rather the people that get an idea and just go and do it! The ones that make stuff happen. Better yet, the types that do stuff for themselves and for others. 'Kind Doers!' These are the people that truly inspire me and these are the people who deserve attention. I also want to thank this kind creative for her time, which she selflessly gave to me a few weeks ago. Without even a hint of hesitation.
You see I like to do stuff too! And sometimes I take on more than I physically am capable of doing...ok I won't sugar coat it - more often than not. I blame it on my excitement and inability to stop chasing opportunities. So back to the story. I needed some help to set up and set out my current exhibition of works in Noosaville. I had no extra hands, other than my Husband Matt - who really only had one because I needed him to not only help me, but also be on active toddler duty. Can I just add here that I strongly advise against setting up an exhibition when you have a toddler on the loose with very few 'extra-hands'!
So I knew that Alison had recently relocated from Toowoomba to the Sunshine Coast and I thought, on a whim, that I might ask if she could by any chance spare me some of her time and come lend a hand on install day. And as I've learnt in the past if you don't ask - the answer is always no. So I asked. And she said YES. And she stayed true to her word and showed up at the gallery AND she stayed - and she did far more than just help for 3 hours of her Friday! What an awesome HUMAN!
I was and still am so so grateful.
Seriously, there's always a lot to be said about the person behind every creation of art. Knowing what makes them tick, what motivates and inspires them is vital to the process of appreciating their art and knowing it's true value.
Read on. I think you will enjoy this Artist's thoughts!
Over to you Alison x
Sometimes you hear about or come across these 'doers' in life. By that I mean, the people that don't just talk about what they want to do, but rather the people that get an idea and just go and do it! The ones that make stuff happen. Better yet, the types that do stuff for themselves and for others. 'Kind Doers!' These are the people that truly inspire me and these are the people who deserve attention. I also want to thank this kind creative for her time, which she selflessly gave to me a few weeks ago. Without even a hint of hesitation.
You see I like to do stuff too! And sometimes I take on more than I physically am capable of doing...ok I won't sugar coat it - more often than not. I blame it on my excitement and inability to stop chasing opportunities. So back to the story. I needed some help to set up and set out my current exhibition of works in Noosaville. I had no extra hands, other than my Husband Matt - who really only had one because I needed him to not only help me, but also be on active toddler duty. Can I just add here that I strongly advise against setting up an exhibition when you have a toddler on the loose with very few 'extra-hands'!
So I knew that Alison had recently relocated from Toowoomba to the Sunshine Coast and I thought, on a whim, that I might ask if she could by any chance spare me some of her time and come lend a hand on install day. And as I've learnt in the past if you don't ask - the answer is always no. So I asked. And she said YES. And she stayed true to her word and showed up at the gallery AND she stayed - and she did far more than just help for 3 hours of her Friday! What an awesome HUMAN!
I was and still am so so grateful.
Seriously, there's always a lot to be said about the person behind every creation of art. Knowing what makes them tick, what motivates and inspires them is vital to the process of appreciating their art and knowing it's true value.
Read on. I think you will enjoy this Artist's thoughts!
Over to you Alison x
 Photo taken by Bronte Naylor. | Hello, my name is Alison Mooney. I’ve recently moved to the Sunshine Coast with my six-year-old son from Toowoomba. I’m a mixed media visual artist. I love sunshine, water, finding hidden places of awesome, painting big walls, travel, humble adventure, stirring the pot, meeting new people and learning their stories … heaps of things. |
I have always considered myself an artist of sorts but until I had my son, kept myself busy with a ‘plan b’. When it was time to become a mum I decided, as a journalist, I wanted to shift from writing about people doing ‘stuff’ and wanted to be one of the someone’s ‘doing’. So that’s when I really took a chance and showed some of my work publicly for the first time. It was a defining decision because from that point, I met amazing people and was offered amazing opportunities that snowballed into running the MARS gallery and theGRID with dancer Kirsty Lee: we got to present a lot of projects and things in Toowoomba, with the support of some fantastic folk.
Photo taken by 'The Velvet Insides'.
I’m at the point now where I feel I’ve come full circle, in that a lot my time in Toowoomba was as facilitator, connector, communicator etcetera for fellow creatives, projects and organisations. I felt I’d slipped back into that role of writing about people doing things! ha! I’m on the Sunshine Coast now studying and recently received a five-month studio residency under Margaret Ellen Turner at the Old Ambulance Station in Nambour, so I’m super stoked to be returning to my practice after the past few years.
Until relatively recently, my work has been a subconscious response to marks I’ve made on a page, canvas or wall. I enjoyed the journey of carving it out; experimenting with palette, line and composition.
Recurring topics emerged as I thought them out while resolving the work I guess, but the creation and resolution of the work were paramount for me. It was a very kind of insular and experimental practice.
A change came during a studio residency late last year/ early this year where I almost got bored, for want of a better word, of being inside my own head. I created about 12 works in three months and that process can be exhausting when some pieces took the whole time to make.
My practice has really shifted this year. Its fun for me where before it was cathartic. I’m often chuckling at the cheeky shit I put out and am really enjoying allowing that inner shit stirrer a go at the canvas or wall or whatever it is. There tends to be lots of super flat shapes and block colours, I call it ‘sugar pop’ and am loving feeling it out. I’m keen to ride this train for a bit.
Recurring topics emerged as I thought them out while resolving the work I guess, but the creation and resolution of the work were paramount for me. It was a very kind of insular and experimental practice.
A change came during a studio residency late last year/ early this year where I almost got bored, for want of a better word, of being inside my own head. I created about 12 works in three months and that process can be exhausting when some pieces took the whole time to make.
My practice has really shifted this year. Its fun for me where before it was cathartic. I’m often chuckling at the cheeky shit I put out and am really enjoying allowing that inner shit stirrer a go at the canvas or wall or whatever it is. There tends to be lots of super flat shapes and block colours, I call it ‘sugar pop’ and am loving feeling it out. I’m keen to ride this train for a bit.
The first time my work went out into the world, I was shit scared but had promised myself I was going to do it. It was a cafe in Toowoomba, I’d done up about ten little zines of my work and handed them to various spots and galleries around town: Jake and Dan Stewart at Metro Cafe were the only ones to respond. And thankfully too - their support of me and others like me kickstarted massive changes and connections for the cultural shift in Toowoomba that continues to ripple out to a much larger audience.
Tips? Do it. Show it. Once you’ve done with a piece, it’s done. It’s not your’s. You’ve got more in you. The more you do, the better you get. the more you do, the more you do! The more people you let in, the bigger your audience and circles of influence grow. In all my work with artists over the past few years, the biggest message I thought was to not be too precious with your work nor take it too seriously. Make it, enjoy making it, put into it whatever you want and then once it’s done .. let it go!
Tips? Do it. Show it. Once you’ve done with a piece, it’s done. It’s not your’s. You’ve got more in you. The more you do, the better you get. the more you do, the more you do! The more people you let in, the bigger your audience and circles of influence grow. In all my work with artists over the past few years, the biggest message I thought was to not be too precious with your work nor take it too seriously. Make it, enjoy making it, put into it whatever you want and then once it’s done .. let it go!
Anyone wanting to connect online can find me at @alpahh on instagram and https://www.facebook.com/alisonrmooney
I’ve got a brief catalogue of works at www.alisonmooney.co as well.
I’ve got a brief catalogue of works at www.alisonmooney.co as well.
THANK YOU Alison! You are a dead-set Legend and I wish you so much goodness in return for all that you do and have given to others. All the very best with your current residency and sea-change.
Tamara x
Tamara x