playing house, 2009

playing house, 2009

carved soap and pins

This work was exhibited in the 20:20, Celebrating 20 years of Watt Space, 1989 - 2009, exhibition. The work consists of 4 dolls houses in various states of construction/ deconstruction. There is deliberate tension created within the work, each part of the dolls house has been pinned together and could at any stage collapse, the work is fragile and resilient at the same. The work explores the unsettled nature of relocating and starting a fresh as well touching on the current climate of uncertainty within the world.

passing time, 2008

passing time, 2008

carved soap and cotton

Passing time was inspired by my Nana's collection of wooden cotton reels recently uncovered by my mother whilst cleaning up my Nana's house. The embroidery that embellishes the surface of the soap is based on table linen designs sourced from embroidery pattern book.

just a few chairs, Hawkesbury Regional Museum, Windsor, 2008

just a few chairs, 2008 (detail)
hand carved soap and cotton

just a few chairs references a series of objects (chairs) from the Hawkesbury Regional Museums collection. Each chair has been scaled up or down, dolls house chairs sit side by side with normal chairs, the scaling draws attention to the detail of each object. The surface of each chair is embellished with embroidery that references a lace doyley also from the collection. The work was displayed along side the collection objects at Hawkesbury Regional Museum.

just a few chairs, 2008

hand carved soap and cotton

just a few chairs, 2008 (installation view)

hand carved soap and cotton

take a seat: Womens Cell, The Lock Up, Newcastle, 2008

take a seat, 2008 (detail)

hand carved soap and cotton

take a seat was a new work that continues the artist’s exploration into the intersection between autobiographical and social/historical memory. Sands’ often trawls through her memories of childhood for inspiration.

take a seat, 2008 (detail)

hand carved soap and cotton

take a seat references a specific period in time through everyday objects from popular culture painstakingly recreated by the artist in carved soap. Found objects are a source of inspiration for the artist imply associations related to memory and experience. The ephemeral qualities of the materials used in the work re-contextualise everyday objects evoking reflection.

take a seat, 2008 (installation view)
hand carved soap and cotton

Memories drift in and out as we move through out life. Objects document our lives and trigger memories from the distant and not so distant past. take a seat recalls the artist’s childhood memories of her recently departed grandmother. The work recalls time spent with her grandmother in the kitchen, cooking, playing, making crazy creations from Easter egg foil and paddle pop stick and watching television while sitting on the kitchen stools. The humble stool is a re-occurring element in a number of Sands’ works and represents time spent labouring and creating within the domestic environment. The cotton embroidery designs embellishing the surface of each stool are drawn from her grandmothers’ linen and lace collection.