From the shadows cast across the seas from Greece, the light puppets emerged as a response to my return to Australia after eight years away. Flat, wooden, lightweight, painted, with joints and parts reminiscent of shadow puppets, they became an act of defiance, a focus on the light during a time of upheaval and uncertainty, a comeback marked by a crossroads. Art then was a way to map out my heartache and record symbols of spirit and identity in beautiful, strong imagery. More than 20 years on, I grew curious about my light puppets, wondering what they would look like now that I’m steady and grounded. This exhibition is the result of 3 months of that curiosity taking form. They remained lit up, in front of the screen, but they had changed. They demanded more of my time, grew more complex in character, and deepened in the stories they wanted me to tell. In fact, they urged me to tell more than one story at a time and to speak about them in many languages of meaning.

Three figures perform the ‘Zorba’ dance (Hasapo-Serviko): Karagiozis, the protagonist of Greek shadow puppetry; Ned Kelly, the bushranger from colonial Australia; and Bouboulina, the heroine of the Greek War of Independence. The image also references the circle dances seen in gatherings and festivities typical in Greece and the Balkans, where everyone, including newcomers, ideally joins in a synergy of steps. .

I am the other obvious common ground. Indicative of being a second -generation migrant, Ned Kelly was projected as an ill fitted part of my national identity, Karagiozis acknowledges the light puppet’s origins, and Bouboulina reflects my two years of collaboration with April Householder, an expert researcher and feminist academic who has studied her life and legacy.

Daphne and Appollo wood and mixed media $1800.00 Back story: Appollo fresh from killing a Python monster at Delphi arrogantly insults Eros’s archery skills suggesting bows and arrows are best left to brave men and warfare not love. To revenge him Eros shoots Appollo with an arrow that causes him to fall passionately in love with the water nymph Daphne. He then shoots Daphne with an arrow that causes her to be repelled by advances of love from Gods and men.

Ultimately, Appollo’s relentless pursuit drives Daphne to transform into a laurel tree to escape hi Daphne is graceful and commanding, reaching out one of her branches to Appollo who is kneeled down before her. He holds his lyra in one hand and the other on his heart. Regretful, yet unable to cease loving her he swears his devotion promising to honor her and declaring her a sacred tree.

The golden light emanating from his head a reminder he is the god of light, truth, healing, in certain contexts he is an enlightened being. Yet here he is humbled, defeated and embarking on a journey of devotion to Daphne. All rites and ceremonies associated with Appollo include Daphne’s leaves. She is recognised as a powerful agent of prophecy, used for ecstatic commune with Appollo, her leaves are burned, chewed and her branches held by the Oracle of Delphi. Crowns like the one he is wearing in the artwork were given to athletes and leaders, a sign of strength, victory and honor.

Persephone wood and mixed media $1800.00 Persephone. undoubtedly is a popular and revered mythical archetype. She embodies the sensual feminine and the powerful mystic, moving seamlessly between worlds, representing themes of transformation, duality and empowerment. She is the queen of the underworld, bound to the dark dungeons of death after being abducted by Hades and tricked into marriage after eating the seeds of a pomegranate. Her mother Demeter, the Goddess of fertility and the bringer of the seasons, grieves her loss so deeply that the Earth goes into a perpetual winter.

A deal is struck allowing Persephone to spend half the year above ground with her mother. Together they represent the cycle of seasons and the profound mother/daughter bond. They are also tied to the ancient Eleusinian mysteries, things hidden from plain sight, rites of spiritual passage Persephone ‘s transition between worlds brings spring and summer and here in my light puppet I chose to express that transition as a bouquet of colored wildflowers growing out from her dark throne.

The Painter wood and mixed media $1500.00 At first glance it seems to be a representing an ancient artist working on a large statue. Look again and you may notice she has a mobile phone in her waist band. Earlier this year I was commissioned to do a large frieze-like mural depicting famous ancient Greek women. It included philosophers, poets, scientists and rulers.

Research also brought to light: Eirene, Kora, Anaxandra, Timaretethe, Aristarete and IIaia, names of several artists and sculptors. I had them on my mind before I started this light puppet. Thinking about the creative arts I understand the relevance and accuracy of the categories: modern, digital, ancient, contemporary, conceptual, archeological, decorative etc. yet my experience as a creator does not see those lines of division as solid.

An artist can be contemporary and decorative, draw from ancient and be modern be a painter and be a sculptor and obviously . . . paint on her sculptures as she is doing, while looking at her phone for a reference image.

The Musicans wood and mixed media $1800.00 Inspired by a couple of friends who live in Melbourne and are amongst the crowd tonight! These figures are young Greek – Australians who have recently returned from their summer trip back to Greece, lucky to be enjoying some warm spring days to continue in the spirit of a Greek Summer lifestyle. One was born in Greece but spent her childhood and early adult life between countries. Her Greece is impeccable, her English has the minutest, slightest hint of Southern Europe.

The other was born in Australia but has regularly been going back to Greece for Summers. , initially with his parents and later with cousins and friends from uni . He has fostered close ties over there. Childhood to adulthood and between visits, sees them piecing together parts of their family’s stories that have been missing. They grew up surrounded by music and others who play. They accompanied their parents to church and community events. They are good, creative people. They are my friends and yours.

The t-shirts they are wearing were bought online from a Greek graphic designer. They play tavli at a middle eastern meetup group that combine Dj sets and backgammon in cool venues around the city. They love frappe cappuccinos, but not a lot of places know how to make them here so they have lattes and order them at ‘Nikos’ instead. Creating the instruments, drinks and the backgammon for this sculpture was a highlight and now I understand why model making is appealing to some.

The Angel of Domestic Crafts wood and mixed media $1500.00 She’s poised and at home embroidering while being flanked by her adoring pets. Her angel wings, golden halo and the domestic theme set the scene for the merging of a modern icon and light puppet which are artforms born out of nostalgia that I developed between 2000 – 2002 upon my return to Oz. Both were reimagining traditional art styles: the Byzantine icon and the shadow puppet.

The modern icons in particularly centred around memory, daily life, family and to a lesser extent Greek mythology. You will have noticed that many of my Light Puppets have small found objects incorporated in them. This angel has one of the largest

Icarus and Dedalus wood and mixed media $1800.00 “Don’t fly too close to the sun” Dedalus warned his son Icarus after he created wings crafted from feathers and wax, for their escape from the island of Crete. In this iconic Greek myth, Dedalus is the brilliant architect behind the Labyrinth, a complex maze designed for king Minos of Crete to imprison the half man, half bull Minotaur. Ironically, he and his son are imprisoned by Minos to prevent them from revealing the Labyrinth’s secrets and to retain exclusive access to Dedalus’s genius.

In the moralistic interpretation of the myth the adages of’ respect your elders, everything in moderation’ ring true. Icarus represents all the shortfalls of youth: disobedient, reckless and over-confident. Caught up in the excitement of flying he approaches too close to the sun’s rays, the wax melts away and he falls to his peril. More esoteric interpretations see the sun as enlightenment and Dedalus and Icarus as two aspects of the same human. Its blinding light reveals the shadows of the ego, and the lessons needed to build the foundations for ascending to higher planes of consciousness.

It seems curious that I painted Dedalus with ease, wide eyes and with a more structured application of the tonal layers, yet when it came to Icarus I had to paint his face, repositioning his eyes and features many times over. Dissatisfied and frustrated I resorted to closing his eyes and everything fell into place. Of course I thought, anyone flying to the sun unprepared would surely need to shut their eyes

This piece is ideally installed on a white wall with a spotlight on the top figure.

The Amazons and the Centaur wood and mixed media & wall painting 3 $2200.00 Amazons and Centaurs were popular subjects in ancient Greece, found on many artefacts and architecture and famously feature in fierce battles on the marble relief sculptures on the west and south metopes of the Parthenon. They also appeared in the first edition of light puppets I created over 20 years ago, so I wanted to revisit the theme for this exhibit in a more elaborate form. Known for their warrior natures and epic conflicts with men, this scene along the hallway depicts them on a path coming face to face with each other. In creating this suite of figures,

I deliberately worked intuitively, curious to see what scenario a composition-driven process would yield. I began with a vision of an apex/triangular meeting created by the centaur’s spear and the leading Amazon’s hand. The particular appeal for me is the ambiguity in the tone of what is taking place and, more importantly, speculation over what may follow. I enjoyed painting the fine details on the Amazon’s armor and clothing, and I was delighted with how the slightest changes in the expressions of all the figures, including the lion, and their poses affected the nature of the narrative.

For the purpose of this exhibition, I have installed the figures with a complimentary mural. This is ideally how I prefer to display the light puppets. It creates a theatrical setting and allows the painted surface of the sculpture to take on new life beyond its boundaries.

*The mural is offered to the buyer as a complimentary feature and strictly ‘not’ a required component of the artwork.