10) ENCODE
I like this very much. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were something as easily accessible as this code that could be relied upon to link us to the divine? But different things do that at different times; is ‘the same’ yesterday, today and forever, the window or key changes as contexts and times change. Also, our state is different…sometimes it seems nothing moves; then after awhile something shifts and we find that connection again.

11) TABERNACLES
I looked and felt sadness, once a safe place to carry us – is now not safe. It may not be relevant.

12) NOAH’S BROTHER
Thought provoking. [Water and earth] support life.

Started Christian journey from birth, family, school, church. Pointing out. Got a bit slack and distracted. Pointing in. Then studied theology. Pointing up. More recently have worked for the church and my spirituality has deepened significantly.

6) STACKHOUSES ‘Finding home in the midst of materialism can be quite a challenge. After all, what is home I wonder? We associate a building with the hope for a lifetime of memories.’

‘House upon sand
House upon a rock
House upon plinth
House upon house = forms and rooms’

9) Gaining Purchase Thinking of you! I am currently in the USA and going to Canada later. I have brought along a few ‘unspoken-for’ copies of the book ART and SOUL, a monograph of my art, as pictured. If you wish to receive one for free by paying for the postage from within the USA, let me know via message – with your postal address.

Quick Spices = respond!

The empty vessels of commodities, what do they contain?

4) FAITHFUL ‘Wistful’ ‘Sentiment, connection to family loyalty.’ ‘Nova = new! Treasure Chest of a life (well earned).’ ‘Was obviously very proud / humble of the difference he could make.’ ‘Intriguing’ ‘I love the meaning of this piece – I find it quite touching.’

5) TIES THAT BIND Reaction within cubes; Radical in centre column = ‘centred’. Could be ‘scented.’ Top and bottom ‘galvanises’ thoughts. Gold and wool infer Holy of Holies. There are alternative doors to the centre.’ ‘Sad yet strong. Bound together / warm yet private, hidden. Small yet rich.

1) BENEATH THE PRAYER RUG ‘Reminds me of our prayers, that we don’t know what is happening behind the scenes of our prayers.’ ‘A beautiful expression explaining the mystery of Provenance.’

2) LOVE COZY ‘Cozy heart’ ‘Love Cozy – Tea Cozy: Comfort, Warmth, Security, Nurturin…enables us to give expression to all that we are. The Divine Within.’

7/04/2016 Debbie Qadri writes…I enjoyed the provocative text that gives us things to ponder. Very interesting!

07/04/2016 Love the thought provoking and challenging nature of your work.

07/04/2016 Sean writes…I did enjoy the art. Thank you for taking me on the journey.

08/04/2016 Barbara Davison writes…I found the installations very thought provoking also NN’s bites too.

12/04/2016 Cathy Beaton writes… really enjoyed seeing some of your work again, flossie. It made me think and laugh! Thanks.

15/04/2016 So deeply touched. Just what I needed to feel and see. Thank you so much for expressing for me much that needs to be expressed. Words not enough. Images say it all. Thank you.

16/04/2016 What a delight to come here and see such good work the time, the patience, the labour of love put into every piece of work. Well done. Keep up the good work. Thank you.

16/04/2016 Jeannie Murcutt writes…Fantastic exhibition. Love the various materials used and how each idea is also connected to religion.

29/04/2016 MJR An exhibition that requires time to experience its breadth, depth and height of insight into soul, spirit and ‘Mystery’.

01/05/2016 Jane Schmalkuche Flossie, a combination of colours, foems, materials, and words/thoughts which provoke questions, meanings, and creative thought. Thanks for creativity and exploration of all things valuable.

03/05/2016 Lyn C. Congratulations, Flossie. All the best for the future.

You respond to the physical space.

You understand space. The objects you collect become accessible objects drawn together – all can engage at some level – unintimidated. Installation art needs a person particularly aware of the physical, socialized, social, cultural layers of meaning that define s-p-a-c-e. …so making multiple layers of meaning.

What is now occurring is our increased awareness of everyone’s unique emotional response to those layers and how that defines the ‘spiritual’. [Community = Spirituality]

‘Your art is loving, personal Christian meditations on everyday life…open ended. They grow one’s ‘spent spirit’. Usually Christianity = Judgement. BUT not your art. Meditations for the spirit. You are the only ‘Christian’ artist who is doing what you do….doing art directly from the heart. Other Chr artists seem to rehash what they think is acceptable – afraid of being judjed. You are the thirteenth disciple!

(Chapel on Station, Box Hill, VIC, 7^th April, 2016)

• Introduce self and art background – Michel and me

“art as timeless beauty versus expressionism that speaks to people”

• Relationship with Flossie

• Creative Art reflects time/place/culture/ beliefs of the artist in a

Confusing complex world – therefore ways and approaches to art expression

• My examples: – abstract expressionism of Rothko color-field – “finding the sublime after the trauma of 1920 -45” – Fred Williams You-Yangs

• Art as teaching us to see and understand more (picture worth 1000 words)

• By aligning herself with Ai Wei-Wei FLOSSIE builds on the influences of great artists – Marcel Duchamp (influenced by cubism and self-expression over 100 years ago) who first introduced “object as art” (bicycle wheel attached to a stool by its fork).

And New York pop-artist Andy Warhol was inspired by Duchamp to produce the material objects of Heinz cans of soup and bottles of Coca-Cola for the newly emerging consumer society.

• Living in New York, Ai Wei-Wei was in turn influenced by

Warhol‘s interrogation of community values – using objects and the media to critique the repression he had experienced from the Chinese government. In regard to both his life and art he stated that “Once you have tasted freedom – it remains in your heart”.

• In line with all artists, and these in particular, Flossie’s art practise is more interested in our responses to what we see in our lives every day. As a follower of Judeo-Christian beliefs and ideals, Flossie wants to challenge her viewers by drawing on typical everyday objects to encourage reflective, loving and worshipful responses that focus on family values and the ties that bind. (Refer to LOVE COZY)
• She asks us to free ourselves from the habitual moralistic restrictions and prejudices that hinder our spiritual growth and prevent us from truly loving ourselves and others as Christ instructed.

• Flossie’s work thus aims to help “loosen the soil in our souls to allow beautiful new ideas to germinate and flourish!”

• Refer to “LEIB FRAU MILCH” and FLOSSIE

On Mon, Apr 18, 2016 at 5:36 PM,

Emma Woollard, Reporter for the Leader Newspaper wrote:

Glad the photo went well 🙂 they look great! I will send through the link once it’s online too 🙂 If you could jot down a few words for these questions, that would be great!

Where did the inspiration for the exhibition come from?
I have produced quite a number of small sculptures over the past ten years which have never yet been exhibited together as a themed exhibition. It seemed a perfect opportunity to group them in this suitably-sized gallery on their perfect-sized plinths. The art looks excellent in this space!

What were your major influences for the works?
The sculpture is eclectic in medium and theme but each one relates to spirituality and community. My work relates to the current NGV exhibition by Chinese artist Ai Wiewie. But far from being influenced by Wiewie, as contemporaries we were mutually influenced by Warhol.

How many pieces are there and how long did it take to put it all together?
There are 13 pieces. The work has been gathered over ten (10) years.

Can you tell me a bit about your past as an artist and what you hope to achieve with your art?
I have been practising as an artist since I was eight years old. It is my ‘day job’ I hope to continue to excellent postmodern art and one day I hope to be recognized by Max Delany, new Director at ACCA and collected by the NGV.

How has your work evolved over time?
I come from a drawing and painting background but changed to sculpture when I moved from Adelaide to Melbourne and started my MA at Monash University. Later, I continued with sculpture and did my PhD at Victoria University. My art is more fun and better ‘resolved’ with each exhibition.

BTW, I have another exhibition Opening at the Centre for Theology and Ministry in Parkville on May 13th. The theme then is BELONGING. Shall I send you info on it when it is a bit closer?

Many thanks, Emma!

Hi Christina,

Thanks for coming to the Opening! It felt very supportive to have you there. you asked good questions. Yes, I do like how the art looks in its space and ‘the feel’ of the Opening excellent. The food / drinks my kids helped serve were great and the response from the directors of Chapel wonderful. About half of those attending had never been to an Opening or even an exhibition before. So, they keenly listened. That was rewarding. Petre spoke from her heart. It was easy to follow on from the art scene she set out.

Today I am moving into BELONGING’s catalogue – as I must. There is always a ‘let down’ after draining all the adrenaline needed to make an event like this happen. I am trying not to link it to any part of PETITS FORAYS but rather as it being part of the artist’s job. You have the same experience. Might I use your comment on my blog site? With or without your name? http://myblog.flossiepeitsch.com/2016/03/petits-forays-bite-sized-theology/

Cheers,
Flossie

On Sat, Apr 9, 2016 at 2:47 PM, CHRISTINA GREEN wrote:

Thanks Flossie Really looking forward to moving into this in the week ahead. Your exhibition opening was great, and the work beautiful and inspiring. Hope you felt it went well – it was great to hear you speak about it.

Thanks and talk soon
Christina Green

April 8th,
Greetings Flossie

Colin and I found your Exhibition so very interesting last evening and in such a delightful peaceful setting – what a contrast to the ‘hustle’ and ‘bustle’ outside!!! You are such a gifted lady —- we felt privileged to gain an insight into your lifetime artistic talent both from Dr Petre and yourself…….a world away from our routine world. Please thank Patience for travelling down from Canberra to make such delicious nibbles, also Phillip and Jo for serving the drinks!!!!!!! We missed chatting to Tom – clearly a supportive husband over many years.

Peace
Cherry and Colin Schild

Thank you Flossie.

A lot of viewing and thinking in your catalogue. We hope the exhibition goes well. I imagine that in Melbourne the future is a lot brighter for you as an artist and a mother. Even Patience is not too far away.

Love and blessings
Peter and Kathy Close

It looks wonderful! It seems that art and religion have still a soul. A friend of mine is taking my art to a church sponsored exhibition I was invited to enter and will help me out – hence my comment about art soul and religion i really don’t mind it i am in a new phase of my life and I know i am not a ‘star’ artist but still do good work. I cannot dedicate myself as you do which i admire but me i suppose if i am realistic i cannot bare the pain that comes with it. I love your spirit and miss your energy.

D Daniele Lamarche-Sarvia
B.A. Hon. Anthropology,
B.A. Fine Arts,
Grad. Dip. Education,
Grad. Cert. Development Practice