Connection Print

Rosemary Strachen is a multidisciplinary Sydney based contemporary artist working in painting, sculpture and installation. Born in 1971 in Sydney, Australia I grew up on a small dairy farm in northern NSW. Surrounded by rolling hills as far as the eye can see. As soon as I could hold a pencil I drew. When I was three I told my mother I was an artist. That has never changed. I went to the University of New England Northern Rivers 1989-91 majoring in Sculpture with a minor in Photography. University disenchanted me. I didn’t want to copy my lecturers. I tried to paint but felt I had no voice of my own. So I ran to sculpture and installation. Soon after graduating I moved to Sydney where I have lived ever since except for pockets of international travel. In Sydney I exhibited in group and solo exhibitions for 30 years. In 2000 I had a solo exhibition ( Float ) at the Tin Sheds Gallery, Sydney, where I exhibited 16 000 white paper butterflies. This became a huge turning point for me. I started a 20 year series of paintings inspired by this installation where infelt I had finally found my own voice as a painter. For 20 of those years I also practised Community Cultural Development whilst working as an artist in residence at various locations, A children’s hospital, several schools, preschools, shopping centres. This was a big shift away from practising as a lone artist. In the last few years I have shifted back into my own practise. Creating tow major installation pieces 2022 ‘What’s for dinner?” An installation of 80 stainless steel cookware pieces painted with different portraits of my dear friend and author Dr Eleanor Limprecht. This piece was a finalist in the 2022 National Capital Art Prize in Canberra. In 2021 I created a piece called “Inner Beauty” an installation of 2000 clitori that became part of the Sculpture Les Refusee exhibition at the Q Station in Manly, Sydney. I exhibited at Q Station again this year in their group exhibition Les Petite Salon with a sculpture series called “Phrenology”. Currently I am working on an installation of 2000 painted kitchen knives, see my website for details From 2000 onwards my paintings shifted from my Float inspired series to paintings reflecting my feelings about the ocean and how we connect to ourselves and each other. Really my way of practising deep listening in relationship to my immediate environment, the Pacific Ocean and to myself and my relationships with others.