Bracelet of ants
Creepy Bracelets and Sumptuous Resin Art-the new exhibition at the Helensville Art Centre featuring woks by Debbie Oetgen and Bulgarian born Tanya Bogdanova. Tanya’s jewellery ranges from the absolute creepy with a bracelet of ants to quirky houses and more besides, whilst Debbie works in sumptuously crafted liquid resin. Debbie is an abstract artist who utilizes the natural flow of liquid mediums to create stunningly bold and vibrant artwork. Predominantly working in resin, she also uses acrylic, inks, wax, oil and solvents. Most of her art is created by pouring, rather
Quirky houses
than brushing – “imagine painting with golden syrup” is the way she explains it.
She creates a fascinating sense of movement and depth in her art. The unpredictability of converging colours, movement, flow and the polished glass-like finish is what Debbie embraces. “Let it flow” is a mantra she learned when she first put paint
on a canvas – “don’t think too hard about it – just allow the composition to unravel”.
In 2010 Tanya graduated from Hungry Creek Art and Craft School and has been making jewellery since then. “The biggest
Debbie Oetgen at the Art Centre
source of inspiration in my life and work is nature - as a religion, as a huge, living, intelligent organism, to which all of us belong. I love to work with glass and to explore patinas and different ways of colouring metal. I find the most amazing thing about colours is how they sidestep the mind and bring up pure emotion. I am fascinated by people, stories and fairy-tales, legends and traditions... And I believe that in every situation, place or person there is a treasure hidden, just waiting to be discovered.”
Exhibition runs October 7th-28 with it’s Opening on Friday 6th October 5-7pm. All welcome. The Art Centre is open Tuesday-
Tanya Bogdanova
Friday 10am-4.30pm and Saturday 10am-2pm as well as every day during ‘Arts in the ‘Ville’ over Labour Weekend 10am-2pm.
Debbie will be running a one day Silver Art Clay workshop on Saturday October 14th 10am-4pm. Funding through the Creative Communities Scheme means participants pay just $80 each and will create a leaf pendant using a real leaf as the base and a second pendant of their choosing. Payment with booking essential; Basement of War Memorial Hall, 49 Commercial Road.
