Installation Art

SIRC_UIT is the joint practice of Katrina Noorbergen and Jan M. Walter. Operating as a Creative Studio working at the intersections of art, technology, performance and architecture, SIRC_UIT collaborates with artists, musicians, curators and technologists across digital, analog and experimental art forms to explore and redefine our interactions with technology, bridging the gap between traditional art forms and the digital world. Katrina Noorbergen is a cultural producer, performance curator, and leading arts worker based in Western Sydney, on Dharug and Gundungurra Land. After a decade-long international career as a touring musician and published songwriter, Katrina returned to Australia in 2015. She has since worked in pivotal roles at Carriageworks, the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre and Create NSW. Katrina Noorbergen is the Program Curator for SIRC_UIT, championing experimental performance practices in unconventional spaces, uplifting emerging artists and fostering creative collaboration on the fringes. Jan M. Walter is a French/German audio-visual and installation artist based in Western Sydney, on Dharug and Gundungurra Land, and the Founder of SIRC_UIT. In his practice, he designs and constructs temporary architecture using lighting elements built from the ground up. Mixed with layers of found and reject materials as well as decommissioned technological infrastructure he creates large-scale immersive installations that are driven by custom hardware and software. His work is influenced by humanity's descent into technological abundance, the obsolescence of its own productivity and the absurdity of Moore's Law and what it leaves behind.. SIRC_UIT has and continues to collaborate with a multitude of artists and organisations to deliver boundary-pushing independent programming across Australia and beyond.

Entries are invited for Everglades Gallery exhibition calendar. Located within the grounds of Everglades House & Gardens, the Art Deco gallery space is surrounded by 13 acres of Paul Sorensen gardens and a house museum for visitors to explore. We invite artists to submit proposals for solo and small group exhibitions. Our exhibition program showcases a diverse range of artistic projects and themes in various mediums, including painting, photography, sculpture, textiles, ceramics, glass and works on paper. As a significant heritage tourist destination in the Blue Mountains, Everglades provides an opportunity for artists to engage with, promote and sell their work to a broad audience. Please email everglades@nationaltrust.com.au for an application form.

Fiona Davies’ art practice incorporates object, video, photography, projection, installation, performance, and curation, and is based in a trans disciplinary investigation into the power of systems, materials, and processes. A current focus is that expression of power in the patient/hospital interaction and specifically medicalised death in ICU.

UnitePlayPerform is an Australian arts health organisation enhancing wellbeing through creativity in a globally connected world. Founded by Australian contemporary artist and experience designer ØFFËRÎNGŠ, UnitePlayPerform is a transformational therapeutic methodology incorporating play, making, co-creation and community. The master method is delivered via educational Playshops, retreats, digital experiences, performance works, exhibitions and therapeutic products that invite self exploration and leadership. “UnitePlayPerform was developed by Artist ØFFËRÎNGŠ as a new system to nurture and enhance the everyday lives of humans in such potent and challenging times. The concept was born unexpectedly within the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 as a response to the isolation and segregation of our communities. UnitePlayPerform started to realize the positive impact that a practice like this could have on individuals and the lives they may affect around them. The ripple effect could be global, and the potential could be life enhancing as a legacy for generations to come. Post incubation phase, now in 2022, UPP has expanded to become a multi-disciplinary arts health organisation supporting the ongoing delivery of all that we do. A crucial element of the journey has been the assembly of a small team of world-class thought leaders, innovators, neuro-psychology theorists, cultural strategists and iconic play design experts who have collaborated to bring this vision to life. UPP aims to facilitate new pathways born at the intersection of art, health, science and wellbeing.

Hello! I am an artist, pleasure activist and empowerment facilitator. Creativity flows through my veins, I have always been drawn to the arts and am passionate about sharing my journey of being human through my creative work. In 2012 I graduated from Sydney College of the Arts with a major in painting. Today my creative process is a method of revealing and reimagining the dynamic interplay between pleasure and power. I primarily create through digital collage, vibrantly weaving themes of spirituality, sensuality and empowerment. I create kaleidoscopic portals that celebrate human sexuality and call forth a new paradigm of relating. As a Kundalini Yoga Teacher and Sound Healer I also offer workshops and retreats and am currently creating a self love embodiment program called The Temple of Evolution. I am passionate about encouraging people to live a fulfilling and authentic life of radical self expression and aligned action. You can discover more about my story and offerings by visiting my website. I look forward to connecting with you. Big LOVE!

Anomalous’ are artists, designers and mischief makers with a passion for perfuction and an interest in interiors. We share a love of art for its freedom of expression and an obsession with form and function. We make pieces with a purpose…talking points for your place. We make stuff you might like, to live with. Using a mix of quality materials and hidden meanings, verbal bandage and alternative angles, we blend everything together with a big piece of perfectionism and a side of attention to detail. The result is work to tickle your taste buds and make your interior a stand-out.

An emerging resin artist, living and working in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales in Australia with my partner and 2 fur babies. Originally from suburban Melbourne, I grew up dreaming of becoming an artist, building and creating artworks that would make me (and hopefully others) smile. I discovered Resin Art after moving to the Blue Mountains where I took advantage of the world slowing down, allowing me time to daydream and get creative. Many of my artworks are inspired by local flora and fauna and the beautiful Australian landscapes while others are created from colourful daydreams. The sometimes-unpredictable nature of resin pouring means that there are often times when the pieces turn out nothing like what I had planned and 80% of the time they are even better. The abstract flow of the resin and the weights in the pigments mean each of the pieces have a depth to them that requires an appreciation in person. I hope you find a piece of my artwork that you want in your home or office as a statement piece that will bring a smile to your face whenever you look at it. Thank you for supporting this small business and independent artist.

I work within the Arts & Cultural services of Regional NSW, providing skills in graphic design, art program administration, project management, data collection for research, facilitation and mentoring. Recent programs include: Culture Dose for Kids art program from AGNSW and The Black Dog Institute with funding from the Jibb Foundation, Intergenerational Playgroup with BANC with funding from NBMPHN and Wentworth Healthcare. As a highly skilled brand communication designer with over 25 years experience, most recently running my own business specialising in design for the Arts and Cultural sector, I manage all design projects from initiation to completion and excel in customer service forming long-lasting working relationships with clients and suppliers. Recent clients include: Blue Mountains City Art Gallery, Blue Mountains City Council Cultural Development and Place Management teams, and Regional Futures for Regional Arts NSW.

I'm an artist and designer working in the field of immersive and interactive media. I'm interested in the aesthetics of how people interact with virtual environments and what simulated realities can tell us about humanity. My research focuses on applications for immersive visualisation and experimental digital technologies to the preservation and interpretation of important cultural heritage sites, collections and museums. I'm interested in how we can use new media platforms to create new, embodied sensory experiences that allow us to understand heritage in innovative ways. I'm also interested in the mechanics of immersive design. My background is in art history and museums, and I work closely with the GLAM sector on digital conservation, exhibition design and interaction design projects.

I'm a painter and mural artist living and working within the Country of the Darug and Gundungurra peoples, in the Blue Mountains and my work examines the relationship between humans and the plant world. While studying and working in Interior Architecture in Sydney, Brussels and Rotterdam, I fell in love with public art and the way it can transform the built environment. After winning two mural competitions in 2017, I launched my art practice and have been fortunate to paint murals throughout Australia and work on collaborations worldwide ever since. I’ve developed a sensitivity to the way our environments affect our bodies and our minds so by painting oversized, abstract botanicals, I aim to transport people to a place somewhere between a playground and a meditative space - a refuge of wonder and awe. Through my work, I hope to break down language and cultural barriers to create inclusive spaces for friends and strangers to enjoy together. As well as running a personal art practice, I’m interested in creating pieces for and running workshops and art tours with the community to allow them to access art and to experience its’ benefits in public spaces.

I am a visual artist, film maker, photographer, published writer and teacher. I have lived in the upper Blue Mountains for over 20 years. I have exhibited my work locally, nationally and internationally and my work is in both public and private collections. My art practice spans a mix of video, painting, photography and sculpture. I am available and keen to discuss new projects, exhibitions and collaborations.

Elizabeth Rose, a Blue Mountains ceramicist, draws inspiration from the interplay of light and water on the natural surfaces of the rock, lichen and moss in our environment. Elizabeth has a deep connection with the mineral world beneath our feet, creating exquisite surfaces that captures the light through alchemy. A natural multidisciplinary practitioner, the focus of her last 10 years has been sculptural and practical tactile form. Elizabeth Rose completed a Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia in 2002, Bachelor of Teaching Visual Arts 2004 and a Graduate Diploma in Technology Education 2006.

Damian Castaldi is an artist, percussionist and sound designer currently based in Katoomba. He lives and works in a house and studio he recently oversaw the building of (as an owner-builder) with his wife Solange Kershaw. His solo and collaborative career is built on a practice of mixed media installation, performance, electroacoustic and audio-visual production and the occasional exhibition. He has lectured in Music and Sound Design at the University of Technology Sydney and Audio Production at the School of Audio Engineering Sydney. After graduating from the Sculpture, Performance & Installation (SPI) studio at Sydney College of the Arts he returned to SCA to work as the Studio Supervisor in the Electronic and Temporal Arts department, whilst also graduating with an MA in Media Art from the UNSW College of Fine Arts. As a young man he acquired the skills of big band, swing and improvisational jazz drumming. Soon after he spent a year working with the English craftsman Dickie Blackman in his workshop at the Margaret Little Memorial School with whom he acquired hand woodworking and musical instrument building skills. The conceptual and creative focus in his current work varies from exploring playful human/object based interaction to more severe community based human/environment or human/human based interaction. The technically creative focus is on designing real-time interactive systems using software, sensors, signal processing, new musical instruments and sculptural objects for performance, assemblage and multi platform audio-visual installation.

Kevina-Jo Smith resides in the Blue Mountains, a place which sustains and inspires her. After many years of travelling, she chose to anchor herself here. Smith collects and reuses consumer by-product materials from which her artwork emerges. Each piece is intricate, and time consuming to create: a heavy practical span of hand-knitting, knotting and weaving. Her process is a tribute to the natural world and a ritual against destruction. Kevina’s current investigation also involves responding to her recent personal changes and challenges as well as the collective environmental changes faced in the mountains and the renewal that has taken place both personally and collectively. Whether it be through a large wall hanging, a framed woven piece, or a constructed item of furniture, she is weaving the stories of her space and memory through the work whilst utilising found and recycled materials as a statement of her ideas of how we can move forward as a community, caring for our land. “These works are both typical of my previous work, but also entirely new and ordered. They are full of symbolism, meant only for myself and those who are meant to see into it. My artwork is a reflective way of meditating and processing, passing on any insight to others who might need it too”. Aesthetically, their work is complimentary in the space with a similar pastel palette, utilising blues as a tool to link in with themes of water/rain/veils/ memories. They both weave ideas visually through layers of colour. Combined their work has a strong story to tell, creating an immersive space that the viewer can weave themselves through.

Naomi Oliver's art practice includes experimental digital video and animation, sound, and performance art. Oliver is interested in combining analog and digital mediums and processes when creating experimental pieces. She often incorporates older, more physically fallible technologies in her practice, such as VHS and audio cassette tapes. Since 2002 she has exhibited work and collaborated with artists in Australia and internationally. She has been an artist-in-residence at Arteles Creative Centre in Hämeenkyrö, Finland and also at The Lock-up Gallery art residency in Newcastle, NSW. Most recent exhibitions include 'ULTRA-SONIC' at Sydney College of the Arts (curated by Haines & Hinterding) in 2023 and 'Motif', 2022, a solo show and artist residency at Woodford Academy, NSW. Completing her Bachelor of Fine arts (Honours) in 2003 at Western Sydney University, she currently lives and works in the Blue Mountains, Australia.

I'm a visual artist, editor, researcher, project manager and teacher. I make exhibition work (installations), edit (academic articles, PhD and Master theses, exhibition catalogues) and produce neat layout (articles, catalogues). I’ve worked in digital humanities (visual arts, history, museums) and journal publishing (scientific, art history). I've taught at uni and TAFE (visual arts) as well as high school (visual arts, English). I am available for editing, layout, teaching/workshops, research and anything to do with managing projects, publications or collections data.

Judith Martinez Estrada is a Spanish-Australian visual artist, designer and researcher. Judith has exhibited in Australia and overseas. She has been artist in residence at Alfred University, New York, Megalo Print Studio in Canberra and was the 2019-2020 recipient of the State Library of Victoria, Rick Amor residency at Baldessin Press Fellowship. She has a Bachelor of Design and Master of Philosophy in Fine Arts from UNSW, where she is currently a PhD candidate. Her research and creative practice explore the retelling and recreating of biographies through archival investigation and memory studies.

Sky Carter is a Blue Mountains based Fibre and Textile Artist. Sky works with private and commercial clients to create bespoke woven wall hangings as well as multimedia installations using sculptural processes. Sky draws inspiration from the zeitgeist, current cultural trends and also her internal world. She is interested in the intersection of her internal narrative and how this is influenced by external pressures. Sky has created her own range of sustainable and locally made weaving looms and tools and taught over 3000 students her uninhibited free form style of weaving making it accessible to all. Sky has exhibited her works locally and internationally and attended artist residencies in Guatemala and Chicago. She has also appeared in a number if publications including Inside Out and Home Beautiful Magazines.

The Blue Mountains Cultural Centre showcases innovative, diverse, distinctive and creative cultural programs for enjoyment by residents of, and visitors to, the Blue Mountains. Located in the heart of Katoomba the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre encompasses the Blue Mountains City Art Gallery, Katoomba Library and Into the Blue, an interactive exhibition that explores the history and natural landscape of the Blue Mountains. Visitors can also enjoy the viewing platform that takes in stunning panoramic vistas of Katoomba and the Jamison Valley. Opened in 2012, the Blue Mountains City Art Gallery features major touring, curated, regional and local exhibitions. Its Altitude Exhibition Program is dedicated to showcasing artists who reside in the Blue Mountains Region. The Gallery also hosts many quality exhibition programs such as curator and artist talks, educational workshops, gallery tours and outreach programs. The Cultural Centre also hosts school holiday programs for kids, pop-up art activities, artisan markets, performances, and a wide range of community related events. The Blue Mountains Cultural Centre also features a Gallery Shop and Café, both of which aim to highlight local makers and produce. The Shop stocks a wide variety of quality Australian made gifts, books and homewares, with a focus on artisan products designed and made here in the Blue Mountains. The licensed Gallery Café has a particular focus on quality, locally produced ingredients. You can enjoy freshly roasted coffee, delicious cakes, and a seasonal menu while overlooking the magnificent Jamison Valley. Please email culturalcentre@bmcc.nsw.gov.au to get in touch!