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Norma Hennessy


Type:
Visual arts
Location:
Clapham SA

Style

My art and craft practice includes ethnic-heritage inspired folk and art nouveau, 3D mixed media projects, lino-printing, fibre craft, mosaic, decoupage, ceramics, pyrography, assemblages, installations, bas reliefs, digital art, drawing, painting in oil, gouache, pen and ink, water colour, pastel, charcoal and pigments.

My work styles and techniques vary from traditional, modernist, contemporary and 'art nouveau'. To express philosophical ideals, I tend to stretch the creative perimeters of realism to surrealistic imagery. I experiment in cross-marrying media, ie: folk materials with technocratic medium, or mixing various materials on canvas or on the art piece to create a new form.

Biography

My art is my avenue to let lose of my soul; a graveyard of ephemeral thoughts and imaginings that define the worldly me but otherwise give sense to my being. Love, pain, yearning and the zenith of anger (that has singed the soul to numbness) stir my creative self away from involutive destruction. Simply said - art is often my salvation.

I am an award winning artist, an author, a freelance journalist and columnist for the Philippine Community Herald Newspaper (Sydney, NSW). I am a National Association of Visual Arts (NAVA) member and a regular exhibitor with Gallery M, Red House Gallery (Marion Council) and Nexus Multicultural Centre. As an active member of the Filipino community in Adelaide and member-broadcaster of Radyo Pilipino with 5EBI-FM, I coordinate Filipino artists' projects in various mainstream art festivals in Adelaide.

I work on projects of various themes - ranging from simple visual aesthetics to the philosophical and spiritual. I hinge my freedom of expression on improvisation and experimentations in colours and imagery. I have participated as artist-exhibitor in international events, and as coordinator-convener in various local community art projects. I continue to join international and interstate art festivals, local group art exhibitions and prestigious competitions.

Available for: commission in community or public art projects.

Achievements

ART MEMBERSHIPS: NAVA (National Association of Visual Arts - Australia) member since 1998; South Australia Arts Industry Council (SA-AIC) member since 1998; Gallery M (since inception to present), Red-House Gallery (1998-present); Nexus Multicultural Art Centre (1998-present)

CURRENT ART NETWORK: Regular annual participation in group exhibitions (from 1998 to present) at Nexus Multicultural Arts Center(Adelaide, SA); Annual member's exhibition - Gallery M; Lion's Club of Burnside Arts Annual Showcase (Adelaide) 1998-2004; Annual member's exhibition - Red House Gallery (1998-present)

SOLO EXHIBITION HISTORY: 1996 Centenary feature of Gregorio Araneta University Foundation in Manila One-woman show -Adelaide International Fringe Festival 1997 Solo Folk art showcase - Philippine Independence Centenary- Adelaide, 1998 Solo exhibition - The Foyer' - Mitcham Town Hall, 2007

OTHER EXHIBITIONS: Filipiniana Heritage Showcase - Marion, South Australia -1999; Entry into Capricorn Art Festival Queensland, Australia - 1999; Mino Ceramic International Showcase (Japan - 2000); Nexus Public Art - 1999; Annual Rotary Club Showcases in Victor Harbour and Glenelg 1998-2005; Art Exhibition at the Tunarama Festival (Port Lincoln, South Australia) 1999

COMMUNITY ART: Participated as artist and Filipino community artist coordinator at Marion Council's Many Cultures One Earth - Habitat Project, 2005; Marion Celebrates 2007, Marion Celebrates 2009; Community Art Coordinator (WESTPAC Norwood and Modbury Branch) - March & April, 2010; Artist convener - Ethnic Broadcaster's Inc. (5EBI-FM) Annual Radiothon Art Exhibition (2008 to 2010)