Renowned local artist and founder of the Wacky Bird Gallery, Christine Upton is displaying her works to a wider local audience with a new exhibition in the Artspace Gallery at the ‘Hyphen’ in Wodonga.
The exhibition, which opened on June 21 and closes October 6, explores six unseen original Linocut prints and six unseen sculptures which explore the modern concept of putting everything into ‘boxes’.
“My current exhibit ‘Outside the Box’ includes 2D and 3D works, with the ‘box’ in each work taking on many interpretations depending on the viewer’s life experiences,” Ms Upton said.
“Birds are depicted in a range of encounters with the ‘box’ from stepping into it, to flying out of it. The box represents different things such as: a sanctuary; a group; a classification; an escape.
“I also have an exhibition of my small works on exhibition at Benalla Art Gallery for the month of September 2024.”
The new works in ‘Outside the Box’ form the catalyst of a survey exhibition which spans the 30+ years of Upton’s extensive career - carving vinyl and responding to living in a small town in a region bursting with bird filled habitats.
Curator of the ‘Outside the Box’ Exhibition Browen Garner said that ‘Outside the Box’ has been a hugely popular exhibition at Hyphen - Wodonga Library Gallery with more than 3000 people to date having explored Christine’s prints and sculptures in the Artspace Gallery.
“In this exhibition birds playfully symbolise individuals and groups, exploring the idea of how society often categorises people into boxes,” Ms Garner said.
“The exhibition also features some of Christine’s earlier sculptures, printmaking and textile work.
“Christine’s intricate and highly detailed application of printmaking techniques and beautiful sense of colour and design are a huge hit with Hyphen’s audience.
“We are thrilled to share the work of such a talented and prolific local artist with the community and I encourage everyone to view the exhibition prior to its closing on Sunday, October 6.”
Christine has had a long career in the art landscape, with 50 years as an artist who has explored the many differing areas of the industry.
“After five years of formal training, I have now been a practicing artist for over 50 years,” Ms Upton said.
“Firstly I was involved in Sculpture, then Batik, and now Relief Printmaking with sculpture, painting and drawing as side interests.
“I have studied a variety of printmaking techniques at art school with my interest in lino block (relief) printing rekindled when teaching Fabric Printing and Design at both the Corowa and Albury branches of Riverina TAFE where I used lino blocks to teach the basis of repeat patterning on material.
“Observing all forms of nature, including humans and birds, is my greatest inspiration for my artworks. I often use birds to make social comments about the behaviour of humans in the communities I associate with.
“That way I can say what I think without being run out of town.”
Not only has Christine produced fantastic artworks over her extensive career, but she can also be credited as one of the co-founders of two local art galleries, ‘Gallery 294’ and ‘Wacky Bird gallery’.
“After helping to establish Gallery 294 with Margaret Wilmot in 2007 and over 10 fabulous years of membership there, I had the opportunity to establish Wacky Bird Gallery in 2017,” Ms Upton said.
“It came off the back of an enormously successful retrospective exhibition in 2015 called ‘The Carved Line’ involving over 200 of my artworks at the Belconnen Arts Centre in Canberra and another very successful exhibition called ‘Obsessions’ at Wangaratta Gallery in 2015.
“I decided to take a chance of opening a gallery that showcased just my work and explained my techniques. Wacky Bird Gallery opened in Easter 2017.”
So what advice does she have for locals wanting to begin their careers in the arts industry?
“Make sure that you have another means of financial support, are up to date with the technology of the day, look at the jobs that use creativity in their industries and don’t expect the rest of society to subsidize you,” Ms Upton concluded.
Wacky Bird Gallery at 37 Edward Street Corowa is open 10am – 4pm Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and has a new exhibition for Spring called ‘Significant Others’ so call in today to check out these great local masterpieces.