Chrys Zantis' response to the Australian National Cultural Policy - Arts, Culture and Creativity, October 2011

I am Visual Artist and a Community Arts Practitioner. It is important that funding for grants, mentoring and support be available to artists whatever their medium. It is important to support artists at all stages of their development. This will allow them to reach their excellence in knowledge, skill and creative thinking that our nation has in its sights.


Artists are the society’s mirror, commentators, advocates, cultural monitors and enlightener. Not everyone is an artist or can be an artist. One can be literate in the Arts through the improvement and development of educational programs. Then some enlightenment can result by establishing a deeper understanding of Australian culture through the Arts.

What makes an artist is elusive and if found and fostered by like minded creative people two rewards stand to be gained. The first is economic and the Second is culturally enrichment. By supporting artists, galleries, art institutions and out of the box art initiatives that allow Australian artists to show case their work here and overseas, we are adding to the economy and the culture and heritage of this nation.

I was an Artist- in- Resident in a State Primary School for over 10 years. I am fortunate enough to still come in contact with some of the children I mentored in Visual Art. 8 year old children that had a talent and a deep sensitivity to the Visual Arts, told me they were going to be artists when they grew up. Those children were true to their word. To be frank and honest without the school’s progressive principal supporting the Arts at the time I doubt it would have been such an easy transition and positive experience for those children who now as young adults became graphic designers, architects and visual artists. I saw what the Visual Arts can do for self esteem; mental health; self expression and understanding one’s own culture and other cultures. Therefore I am an advocate for the teaching and appreciation of the Arts in schools.

Community arts is an area where if fostered, as in schools, genius can shine through. There is a need to see that Arts projects can come from the grass root level. Constituents need not be marginalised to benefit from community arts. For example I started a community knitting art project called Landscape of Resilience. This project made positive impact on all participants and was open to everyone. I want to reiterate, I am a single artist with a vision and a following.

Chrys Zantis, Visual Artist and Community Arts Practictioner

You can read more about Chrys Zantis here
The Australian Governments National Cultural Policy can be read here

Going with the flow

Coptic Binding photographed by Candice Herne

The end of March. The year is whizzing by. The last 3 weeks have been jam packed with out of town visitors. Including the lovely Sophie Munns from Brisbane. Sophie and I caught up for a chat and a quick studio tour. It was lovely to see Sophie! I was also invited to the beautiful Rusty Roo for a social art weekend. Thanks Sharon! I had such a wonderful time.I attempted to teach myself how to Coptic bind artist books. I got  impatient and ditched the instructions and went with a Candy bind. I really would love to do a artist book workshop. I enjoy workshops, I find I enjoy the teachings and learning and enjoy the hands on interactive process. And you can ask for assistance when you get lost.

I have been watching lots of printing video's on You Tube, while these are really inspiring, and great research material. There is nothing like the hands on. And you usually meet people who are interested in the same things you are interested in.

Last Thursday night my framed photographs  'On a clear day I can see god I II III' were exhibited at the Treading Water Brisbane Flood Fundraising Event. I donated one framed photograph valued at $1200 to raise money for the Queensland Premier 's Disaster Relief Appeal.

The creativity has been flowing here at the Candice Herne Studio. Next post I will share with you the start of my creative journey and spend the next few posts showing you different parts of it. There is also a invitation to exhibit in Brisbane early October. And my son Rhody has been productively making monotype wrapping paper. Rhody also designed the packaging and label and has been invited to set up a stall in the 'Entrpreneurs corner' at the local  Montville Markets. Can't wait for that one :)! till next post. Candyxx

Felting Exhibition:Thusday, 9th July to Saturday, 22 August

I am exhibiting 3 new art couture, felted head pieces in the up coming group show.

'That felted feeling'

presented by
Queensland Spinners Weavers and Fibre Artists and Pine Rivers Art Gallery

Please join us for opening night: 6 for 6.30pm Friday, 10 July, FREE
Pine Rivers Art Gallery, Unit 7/199 Gympie Road, Strathpine (parking off Mecklem Street)
RSVP & Enquiries: 3205 0555 by Monday, 6 July

Free Artist Talks, afternoon tea and demonstrations every Saturday at 2pm

Workshops: Saturdays 11am to 1pm
For details and bookings phone 3480 6941

Gallery hours: Monday to Saturday, 10am-4pm
Free Admission

Creative Urge

These sunshower photographs are making me want to paint again. Yeah! Right! Candy, pull back their girl. When do you think you'll have time to do that? Think again?? Just get your hats done for the exhibition. Calm down refocus. Breath in and out then wait.

Not Crazy - Understanding Creative People

I am asking myself the question:

Am I crazy, or is that just crazy talk?

Candice Herne

The 10 Dimensions of Creative Complexity
Please click on highlighted title for the full story

1. Creative individuals have great physical energy, but they become extremely quiet when they are at rest. This restful period can lead others to think that they are not feeling well or that they are unhappy, when the truth is they are fine.

2. Creative folks tend to be both highly intelligent and naive at the same time.

3. Creative people are disciplined and playful simultaneously. In some creative people, this can mean that they are responsible and irresponsible at the same time as well.

4. Creative minds move between a spectrum of fantasy and imagination and a firm grounding in reality. They understand the present and need to keep in touch with the past.

5. Creative individuals seem to be both introverted and extroverted, expressing both traits at once. An image to explain this might be that they are shy showoffs, if you can picture that.

6. Creative people are sincerely humble and extremely proud in a childlike way. It requires ego to have a risky, fresh idea. It takes self-doubt to hammer it out to a workable form.

7. Creative folks don’t feel as tied to gender roles. They feel distinctly individual. They don’t feel the barriers of authority or the rules of what they are “supposed to do.”

8. Creative individuals are thought to be rebellious. Yet, in order to be creative one has to understand and have internalized the traditional culture. Therefore creativity comes from deep roots in tradition. Creative people are traditional and cutting edge.

9. Creative people are deeply passionate about their work, yet can be extremely detached and objective when discussing it.

10. Creative people are highly open and sensitive, which exposes them to pain and suffering, but also allows them to feel higher values of joy and happiness.