Environmental artist Peter Day in residence for CrossXpollinatioN

Published on 27 June 2018

Environmental artist Peter Day will work in residence in COPACC’s Civic Hall as part of this July’s CrossXpollinatioN fibre and textile exhibition.

Peter, a feature artist in CrossXpollinatioN 2018, will be available to speak to visitors and school groups on Monday 9 July as he puts the finishing touches on his Vessel sculpture.

A practicing artist and maker for more than three decades, Peter’s current work uses sculpture as a medium to inform viewers of the human impact on ecology/environment and the loss of wildlife habitat.

He utilises a range of mediums including timber, ceramics, steel and found objects. Sustainability and use of recycled materials and ephemera is a feature of his work.

Peter said he worked with schools and communities using sculpture as a means to convey messages of our fragile ecology, which is at odds with the modern world.

“I started making little sculptures out of driftwood 30 odd years ago. Door handles for beach shacks led to chairs then gallery pieces.

“Over the years a plethora of ocean washed finds have been transformed into art materials. I spend a lot of time on Victoria’s wild south coast which is basically a catchment for the southern ocean currents.

“I have watched ocean refuse turn from mainly natural flotsam and wood to flotsam, wood, plastics and nylons. I continue to make sculpture from what I find washed up and inadvertently map the ocean’s unwanted refuse through my artworks.”

Last year Peter led the Artist in Schools program at Beeac Primary School as part of a Brolga Pathways Project. The brolga created as part of that project will be on display in the COPACC foyer as part of CrossXpollinatioN.

Entry to CrossXpollinatioN is by gold coin donation and Peter will be in residence on Monday 9 July from 10am to 4pm.

Individuals do not need to book to speak to Peter or see him at work.

CrossXpollinatioN is on at COPACC from July 7-29, and is on at the Red Rock Regional Theatre and Gallery from June 30 to July 29.

CrossXpollinatioN is proudly sponsored by Tarndie, Irrewarra Sourdough and Star Printing.