Amidst the ongoing Climate Crisis devastating Australia, we can see that our land and community will take time and require help to heal from this tragedy. So, we're auctioning artworks from our crew of artists, designers and makers to help create a more sustainable future.
All proceeds from our endeavour will be donated to WWF Australia Toward 2 Billion Trees, an initiative to restore native habitat and counter against deforestation.
Auction begins 9AM Friday February 7 and closes 4PM Monday February 10.
The Auction will take place on Instagram. Please comment on the relevant post to participate. If you don’t have Instagram please send us an email at hello@art-work.com.au to reserve your preferred artwork.
‘Haze’
This photographic work infuses the colours of fire-hazed skies, capturing the fragility of Australia's unique biodiversity and natural flora. The work encourages environmental conversation, asking us to give it the same attention that we do towards things that are in vogue, such as a carefully considered arrangement of dried foliage and flowers.
Laura Strange is a multidisciplinary creative, working across art and design, with an interest in exploring how the written word supports visual media.
Her creative journey started while working as a broadcast designer for Channel 7 and undertaking a Bachelor of Design at Griffith University’s College of Art, where she was awarded Best Portfolio upon graduation. Following graduation, Laura co-founded a Brisbane-based artist run initiative, IncStamp, a group which provided over 50 local emerging practitioners with the opportunity to exhibit their work.
Since then, Laura's work has been exhibited in over 20 group shows throughout south-east Queensland, and her design work recognised professionally on several occasions. Laura has a keen interest in developing work that influences and supports a community’s sense of and pride of place. This interest has been influential in the types of projects she has collaborated on, such as Bleach* Festival and the City of Gold Coast's Cultural Concierge.
Laura is a sweet-tooth and a wanna-be romantic. She has a complicated relationship with caffeine.
'Haze', 2019
Epson Archival Ink on archival grade cotton rag, framed in oak, 297 x 420 mm
Bids begin at $250.
‘Gaia – Mother Earth’
Emma's work embraces the figure of 'Gaia' - Mother Nature in form. Bending her head in sorrow as she embraces the beauty remaining.
Gaia - 'Mother Earth', 2020
Framed digital print - archival ink on archival grade cotton rag, 40.6 x 50.8cm
Bids begin at $400
‘Range’
By Claudio Kirac
Claudio's works revolve around the theme of growth, within oneself and also the physical and digital world around, an introspective exploration through landscape and still-life in a time of rapid change. Fantastic imaginary landscapes and fauna still lifes represent growth, everyday actions, and a longing for balance and harmony.
Claudia Kirac is a multi-disciplinary creative, living and working on the Gold Coast, Australia. Claudio has been lucky enough to enjoy a career spanning 20 years to date in art, design and photography on the Gold Coast.
Never being one to “wait for doors to open” but rather aiming to open them himself, Claudia has self published three books of artwork and photography, Para el Sexo Dialimento; with ABCK (2006) INFINITEYE (2008) and Dreamland (2012) with a selection of these now in the permanent collection of the National Library of Australia (Canberra) and the NYC State Library collection (NY, NY).
Throughout his career Claudio has engaged in many public speaking appearances, including the SemiPermanent, Agideas and Analogue/Digital conferences as well as keynote speaker for AGDA, DIA and Apple.
Claudio's art practice often investigates the crossover between contemporary art and popular culture, with pieces often mixing analogue and digital. Recent works touch on notions of place, home, and travel.
‘Range’, 2019
Framed mixed media, found offset print, 210mm x 280mm
Bids begin at $450.
‘Hand Plane’
Paul Bow
Art-Work Agency Director, Paul brings over 20 years of experience, gathered working for some of the world's leading lifestyle brands (such as Nixon, Spell and Von Zipper) in the fields of marketing, product development, sales and distribution.
Previously General Manager with Billabong International, Paul steered the successful integration and ongoing profitable growth of a portfolio of five brands for Billabong in Australia and New Zealand.
SURF/BRAND is a Quality Goods and Lifestyle brand from the Gold Coast Australia, the brainchild of Claudio Kirac and Paul Bow, long time veterans of the surf, art and fashion industries.
With a strong focus on craftsmanship and a bespoke hand-made aesthetic, S/B encapsulates traditional style and method heralding to the days of olde, with a unique and fresh approach for the now. Originality, quality and sustainability are all very key components towards the S/B formula. From ethically forested Australian Paulownia wood, through to re-purposed materials used for the construction of their unique luggage program, SURF/BRAND goods are for the good of doing good!
Handplanes for bodysurfing, basic softgoods and versatile travel luggage are all in the initial offering from S/B. With a rich history in the industry and it's oceanic roots, S/B leaves no stone unturned.
Hand Plane, 2018
Ethically forested Australian Paulownia wood and strap, 330mm x 200mm
Bids begin at $250.
Frida Studs
Matisse’s Flower Earrings
Fischblut Earrings
By Elke Gill
Elke has a passion for all things design and creating and encompasses her graphic design skills within her lasercut jewellery brand. She draws influence from nature, the art deco era, ancient Egypt and influential artists to design her pieces.
Developing her jewellery brand and working on her own logo, business cards, photography, advertising material, website and market stand made Elke realise her true passion for business branding and graphic design, which ultimately lead her down the path of undertaking a career in design.
Elke infuses her brand with her own values and intentions – cruelty free, and sustainable. In all her work, she is conscious of how her actions may affect the environment and ensures that she undertakes steps to lessen her impact as much as possible. In design projects she hopes to continue this passion for sustainability and help educate future clients and customers on ways to reduce their impact. In the production of her jewellery she ensures no animal products are used, packaging is minimized and the machines she uses are solar-powered.
Fischblut Earrings, Matisse’s Flower Earrings, Frida Studs, 2020
Salvaged stainless steel, 50mm x 20mm
Bids begin at $365 for three sets of earrings.
‘FLOATED’
By Laurie Oxenford
Laurie Oxenford is an emerging Australian sculptor, producer, curator and painter based in the Gold Coast region. Her practice mixes a range of contemporary alteration techniques to utilise recycled functional materials and objects. She also considers how context establishes new dialogues between artworks, spaces and viewers.
Her work comments on society’s relationship with sustainability, the role of material in art and different ways of constructing conceptual meaning. Oxenford explores waste facilities, second-hand outlets and industrial landscapes that offer recycled, environmentally affected items such as metal signs, building materials, and functional objects, which inspire, direct and become the starting point for her creative process. She explores how the context for these objects affects their meaning and in turn, how they change the space they inhabit. Recently, she has begun exploring film photography to document her found materials in their initial environmental context.
Through referencing the Art Povera, assemblage, minimalism and conceptual art movements, Laurie delves into the deconstruction and reconstruction of function, purpose and intention. Her practice is tied passionately to recycled materials, which allows her to think dynamically and laterally, exploring all possibilities and material facets in depth. Laurie incorporates painting into her making practice, but considers it a sculptural process. She is constantly considering the value of her materials and then her role as the artist in altering this perception for her audience.
‘FLOATED’, 2020
Pine framed archival ink on archival cotton rag, 148mm × 210mm
Bids begin at $220