The powerball's in your court

Hi, here's a new ceramic sculpture called Powerball.

Powerball. Acrylic on earthenware ceramic. 19 x 11 x 3.5cm. 2019.

This work was inspired by an unclaimed winning Powerball ticket that was sold by my local newsagent 6 months ago. Ever since I heard the news I've dreamed of finding it.

I work in a supermarket car park pushing trolleys and check all the scraps of paper I find in the hope that I'll hit the jackpot. My fear though is that one day I will find the winning Powerball ticket but a snail will have beaten me to it and gobbled it up.

Powerball is a playful response to the notion that entering into a power struggle with nature is never going to end well. We're always taught to gamble responsibly but to ignore our planets warnings is a gamble none of us should be willing to take.

In very exciting news, Powerball has been selected as a finalist in the upcoming R&M McGivern Painting Prize, opening this Thursday November 28th. Come along!

The theme for this years prize is Anthropocene, and I'm very proud to be exhibiting my work alongside so many great artists.

Here's the full list of finalists. 

Last weekend I was invited to talk about the McGivern exhibition on the radio! When I arrived at the radio station a person at reception looked at his clipboard and asked me quite genuinely "Are you Keith Haring?" I said "oh, nope, that's a different artist. My name's Kenny".

Anyway so it's very exciting to have my work be in the running for a prize tomorrow night but no matter what happens I've just been confused for Keith Haring so I already feel like a winner.

And just incase my Powerball sculpture doesn't win the McGivern tomorrow night I've decided that tomorrow morning I'm going to buy an actual powerball ticket to increase my chances of coming out on top. I'll let you know if I win the 2.8 million. Wish me luck!

In the meantime though thanks heaps for reading, hope you're really well and to finish up here's a photo of myself with fellow McGivern finalist, the great painter Nadine Christensen, having just been interviewed by Joy FM host David Hunt.

Bi-Carb loading

Hi, here's a new ceramic sculpture of a box of bi-carb soda.

Acrylic on kiln fired earthenware ceramic. 12 x 10.5 x 5cm. 2019.

In very exciting news, this work has just been acquired by the city of Melbourne into the Town Hall Gallery Collection.

Bi-carb soda has been improving our lives for thousands of years. It’s also been improving our deaths for thousands of years- apparently the ancient Egyptians used a version of bi-carb to keep their mummified bodies dry and free from bacteria.

Centuries later, in 1852, the iconic McKenzies Bi-Carb Soda was created in Australia by the H.S.K Ward family. This nostalgic powder has hidden in the laundry, kitchen or bathroom of every house I’ve ever lived. Long before I knew what it was or how to use it, I’ve felt comforted by the familiar presence of this magical little blue and white box.

In other news, big thanks to everyone who saw my train drawing books in the recent group show at Toot Artspace in St. Kilda. To read a great review of the exhibition, written by Matto Lucas and published on the Melbourne Art Review, please click here.

Here's a new train drawing I did last week while on my way to the exhibition.

Speaking of recent drawings, I was invited to run a ceramics workshop at Xavier College, and while I was there here's a drawing I made for the artist Lyndon Allen while he taught a pastel workshop.

And in rock'n'roll news, I recently had the honour of designing the new t-shirt for the awesome Melbourne band Underground Lovers!

They also put my drawing on a tea towel, for all your dish drying needs!

Underground Lovers are launching their new album (and their new merch!) at the Corner Hotel in Richmond this Saturday November 23rd. Looking forward to the gig, hopefully see you there!

In the meantime thanks heaps for reading, hope you're well, and goodbye. Or should I say, goodbye-carb soda!

And to finish up here's some photos of my sculpture at the supermarket :)