Cathy Staughton

The first of four Luna Parks in Australia, Melbourne’s amusement park, was opened one hundred years ago this December. Showman J D Williams developed Luna Park with the three Phillips brothers (from Washington State, USA). The park opened with great success and has remained popular since.

Cathy has had a life long fascination with Luna Park. You learn that pretty quickly when you get to talking with her. Luna Park is not just a place to Cathy grew up with. The amusement park is a place that has grown to hold and embody Cathy’s passions, dreams and rich fantasy life.

Cathy with one of her paintings for The Great un Reveal

There is a carousel in Washington, that same state the Philip’s brothers hailed from, that we three sisters grew up riding. As we spun around on it during the endless summers, it began to twine together our family memories and stories. Like Cathy, our love of theme parks is born in their ability to metaphorically hold life’s joys, excitement, fears and mysteries.

Cathy and Esther after a long day of painting!

Which leads me to speak of Finucane & Smith’s Carnival of Mysteries premiered in the 2010 Melbourne Arts Festival. Two years ago, we were working on the production designers for the shows set. It was with great excitement that Moira Finucane and Jackie Smith selected Cathy to paint one of the panels for their Tent of Miracles. We were over joyed at the selection because it was the perfect meeting of creative minds.

When we began working on this project we were all well aware that it was the centenary anniversary of Luna Park. And I don’t mind telling you our dear readers that we were delighted with the coincidences of the three American siblings from Washington! It has been great fodder for our imaginations. We’ve even began dreaming that Cathy is the great showman those three brothers joined up with. And in doing so we created ‘Our little Luna’.

Come visit the gallery TODAY for the opening of The Great un Reveal! 

Terry Williams

A little over five years ago, I (Christina) missed an exhibition I really wanted to see. It was called ‘To the End of The Earth- Works By Terry Williams’. The show’s curator was artist Moya McKenna. You can read about it by clicking here.

I missed the exhibition because when it was on I had never heard of Arts Project Australia.
Only a few months after that show finished I met both Moya and Terry at the studio when I became an arts worker.

I have to say they both made an impression. Despite being almost physical opposites, (Terry’s height means he towers over Moya) it is evident they both share an enigmatic strength and purpose explodes into action when they create work. I’ve never seen Moya paint in her studio but I have caught glimpses of Terry working in his (its one of the great privileges of working in as an artist assistant).

Too see what I mean check out this amazing short film of Terry at work:

"Terry"  by  Jeffrey Paul

(Vote for it in the Focus on Ability 2012 Short Film Competition!)

Anyway, I was telling you about this great show I have never seen… The thing is, I saw a photo of Terry and Moya standing in front of a wall that Terry was able to ‘add or subtract’ drawings to during the length of the exhibition. This piece set up a sort of living dialogue that grew in to a full and complex journey- one that no doubt extended to The End of the Earth…

When we began working with Terry for the Great un Reveal we wanted to create some drawing room with a nod to a show we missed all those years ago...

Terry hard at work preparing for The Great un Reveal!

Luckily, you only have to wait one more day to see the work!

Tim Noble

Tim Noble often draws symbols or small intricate designs that identify some thing he love or celebrates. Tim's graphic style, intricate mark making and broad use of colour reflect Tim's hearty embrace of decorative logos, footy emblems and seasonal holiday imagery from the media and advertisement.

In the whirl and burl, of the busy Arts Project Studio,
Tim is an impressively still and steady presence.

The Sisters Hayes have been smitten with this quite young man's work ever since we saw it.... especially Tim's DISNEY works! One of the most recognized Disney designs features a castle based on their famous theme park structure in Disneyland.

Tim Noble, 'Walt Disney Picture', 2011, texta on paper
Image courtesy of Arts Project Australia

The Walt Disney Picture logo is one of the logos Tim draws a lot. This logo is what you see just before a Disney movie starts... Once the 'when you wish upon a star' instrumental accompaniment begins and you see a glowing arch fly over the castle you know the magic has begun.

We've worked with Tim to create a 'magical' installation for the show. See it in just three days for the opening of the Great un Reveal!