Today Patience and I travelled to Melbourne in readiness for the B, B & B Tour Launch at Maryborough on Saturday. So nice to be picked up at the airport by son Joe and to see Ez too. We travel south to have Patience’s braces adjusted and try to have it coincide with other delights. So it is all happening according to plan. A chat with my long-time optometrist and friend Nick gave me the thought that without the impending new job prospect, I have been given SPACE; meaning space to think about what I am doing with my energy, time, life. Funnily enough, it is just such ‘space’ taken earlier that lead me to consider the drastic idea of entering the workforce, earning cold hard cash for something I am good at and being able to put the cold and heartless grind of ART out of centre space for a time, a reprieve, if you will. So, now I have to come up with another idea while being content where I am…Well, at least I am not a dancer with a time limit on my arts output!

Oh yes, the title…IKEA…went to an exhibition at Craft Victoria by Adam Cruickshank called Reverse Cargo using IKEA objects transformed in to art. It is quite clever to put add a ‘primitive edge’ to objects of desire and consumption. This relates to my Celestial Inversions Display which presents Spotlight-purchased golden wings as botanic samples of noxious insects.

Week 7, Day 040 HOST GALLERY STATEMENT

I received Ian Tully’s statement for the catalogue and this is my favourite part:

The universality of Peitsch’s practice ensures engagement with the broadest of audiences whom, I am certain, will be rewarded for their time invested.

It pleases me to no end to think that this exhibition is considered inclusive to all while yet being so specific and individual. The topics I am working with are highly keyed and can be charged with emotion. When one thinks of family, home or community, one hardly ever has a ‘non-committed’ view…all experiences are keen and real and subjective.

It is also pleasing to me to think that people will get something out of B, B & B should they take the time to think. I hope my art is challenging but leads to more understanding– opening eyes to being part of the bigger picture of community.

Swan Hill Gallery

I promised the galleries that I would send them an ‘ANNOTATED CATALOGUE” for display and reference to BED, BREAKFAST & BELIEF. Then I had to discover if I was using the adjective correctly. I know ‘annotated’ is usually used in conjunction with a bibliography but I am not completely sure if it can apply this way to a catalogue…augmenting the images of an exhibition. Anyway, I dutifully constructed a catalogue with artist’s comments beside small images of the work. This takes the place of a general artist’s statement and is in keeping with my idea of opening a dialogue with viewers. I am feeding viewers ideas resulting from the art – not to dictate a certain meaning but to give a leg into my thinking behind it. Some people will agree with me, others will take issue, many will simply read with interest. All these are good results.

When the routines of church and worship disappear like so many relics of ritual, what will remain to speak to ‘the inner being’? Surely not the media, politics or even Globalization, all of which have their own agendas

Week 2, Day 005 No Funding Granted

B, B & B didn’t get ANY government funding specifically for this Tour. Particularly surprising is the toss by the Arts Victoria Touring Project – designed to support Victorian galleries – especially in regional areas – in obtaining Victorian art produced in Victoria for Victorians. It was very disheartening to be sure! There has been no explanation or feed back on this. At least this rejected application supported by the six participating Victorian galleries was a shared disappointment. But with more than two years of planning after the regional Launch by Anthony Camm at the Ararat Regional Art Gallery, B, B & B must not be allowed to come to nothing! With Ian Tully from Swan Hill Regional Gallery as the intrepid Tour Host and six keen venues, thankfully B, B & B continues – perhaps on a shoestring, but with plenty of goodwill and enthusiasm!

Hold on, I just visited the website for Arts Victoria Touring Project recipients and have some ideas as to why B, B & B did not get funding…this project is not by NETS Victoria, who like to create their own tours; it is not ‘multi-artist’ based – seen to be giving more for less; not theatre or orchestra, not Regional Arts Victoria, not Museum based, etc.…this is almost entirely about one government hand paying the other or presenting safe, widely accepted arts outcomes. My interpretation: No handouts for edgy installation art, itself a tricky medium which many outlying galleries do not have the courage to show.

We should not feel badly about not getting the grants, in the least.