Giovanna Scott artist

Tread Lightly Exhibtion

Shannon Wilson of Contour Clayhouse and I have teamed up again (third time’s the charm) to bring you a new collection inspired by our local, natural environments.

When Enoggera Creek flooded at the start of 2022, the run-off and debris that thundered downstream particularly from the Reservoir, dramatically changed the look and course of the creek. Roads, footpaths and bridges were damaged and nearly 15 months on, areas are still in disrepair. As a regular walker along the creek this has affected me more than I thought. These artworks on paper are a direct expression of how our little reach of the creek is different and how it’s bouncing back in new ways.

Small Works

These smaller works are an attempt to define what has occured along the creek, hence the use of single word definitions from an old school dictionary. I leave it up to the viewer how they interpret these words alongside the images. They are created using a gel-plate and monoprinting process that allows multiple layers and unique results.

A3 Ink and Stitching

In contrast to the subtle nature of the smaller works, these slightly bigger pieces have the added drama of machine stitching with metallic thread. I haven’t added free motion stitching since the Stitched Blooms series so it was nice to run paper through the machine to achieve a striking result. I played around with zigzag stitch length and width to give a fuller effect and I really really love the result. I tested stitching the entire plant image but it was too heavy for what I wanted to achieve.

View From Here

By far my most ambitious works to date. These are a celebration of mixed media on A2 heavy watercolour paper. I began similarly to the Fragments series with lots of water media then slowly building up layers of paint and crackle medium, then tissue paper and leaf printing, machine stitching and dry mediums of sand and Geraldton Crushed Garnet. These gave me so much joy despite the long working time and I’ll definitely be using the dry mediums in future works.

Visual Diary

I loved slowing down and recording my processes in this series. In the past I only recorded the successes, but this time it was good to record all the challenges finding my own voice to translate the landscape into my own style. There was a lot of self-doubt and tantrums and tears and mistakes, but being able to hang 28 unique artworks is both hugely satisfying and a little crazy.

Recording all the experiments and elements has helped me greatly with considering next steps in my process and practice. I used to actively resist it, but now I see its value.

I’m excited to see where this leads.

Simple Pleasures Exhibition

Studio on Brunswick is celebrating the simple pleasures of life in studio with their first ever exhibition. Simple Pleasures will showcase a range of their studio artist’s gorgeous small works – ranging from wearable to wall art, jewellery, objects, painting, sculpture and collage.

The exhibition is online and open to the public daily from Sept 24 to Oct 15 between 10am & 3pm.

Each artist has kindly donated something a little special for the Official Raffle, and their lovely sponsors have supported them with some sweet offers…you’ll be able to view the exhibition pieces and purchase tickets to the raffle by clicking the link below.

Simple Pleasures online Gallery

We had to prepare a paragraph on what “simple pleasure” meant for us. Here’s my contribution.

My thoughts on the concept of “simple pleasure”

I could have written “quiet laps in the pool” or “the sound of the ocean…even if it’s just the swollen creek across the road, roaring through, carving a path of destruction after another La Nina event, but sounds like the ocean if I close my eyes”, but I chose that one. I feel like it says the same thing, but in a more formal way.

Visitors to the Opening Night event were asked to write what their simple pleasure is. You can see below how different they are. I’d love to know what yours is! Reading some, I really can’t see the pleasure in some, but I guess that’s what makes us so incredibly unique and makes life worth living.

Opening Night Simple Pleasures – what’s yours?

Until next time…. enjoy your simple pleasure.

Simple Pleasures online Gallery

Artwork available for sale at Simple Pleasures

Smoke Talk and Demo

Smoke Exhibtion 2022 – Artist Talk and Demo by Giovanna Scott

RSVP for Artist Talk & Demo

As a way to bring the inside (of my head) out into the world, I always look forward to planning and presenting an Artist Talk.

How do you make GREEN? Just one topic in my Artist Talk.

For those of you not familiar with what that is, it is how an art lover connects more fully with the exhibiting Artist. This could be through a walk-through of the exhibition, or a sit down seminar style presentation, there can be a demonstration, a lucky door prize or a simple thank you gift. It is an opportunity for both Artist and the public to gain insights into each other’s preferences too.

How I like to approach these is to begin with how the concept of SMOKE informed every piece of work. How I brainstormed the word, collated poems, found reference photos, produced thumbnail sketches, the alchemy of colour mixing recipes to create cohesion, selecting paper types and qualities for the artwork, painting the collage papers, composition, sizes, treatment, and naming each piece.

For this event, I’ll open up my Visual Diary, continue on a work in progress, and provide materials for you to create your own unique piece of painted paper with my monoprinting kit.

RSVP is not necessary, but those who do will receive a special gift.

RSVP for Artist Talk & Demo

If you’d like more information about Artist Talks, demonstrations, or how to approach galleries for exhibitions, use the Contact page or start a conversation by commenting on this post.

xx Giovanna

p.s. for those people not in Brisbane, unfortunately there is no livestream capability. If you would like to view the exhibition catalogue please contact me.

SMOKE Exhibition

I’m teaming up with Shannon Wilson of Contour Clayhouse, once again! We’re so excited to bring you our new exhibition SMOKE.

I’ve deviated from my usual bold colour combinations to bring a more subdued palette. This new colourway was inspired by the concept of smoke and all it represents in our lives. Shannon has been experimenting with some wonderful effects using fire and smoke and different clays to create a body of work that is truly unique.

My journal has become the place to jot all the ways SMOKE is used and how if affects us day to day. I’ll be sharing much of this during the exhibition.

We’ve put together a fabulous schedule of artist talks, demos and a new initiative “Dine with the Artist” comprising a 3-course meal by a professional chef inspired by the theme of “smoke”.

We are back at the lovely Downstairs Gallery at Scrumptious Reads bookstore and if you came last year, you’ll recall just how delightful that space is. It truly is special, and we are looking forward to bumping in a couple of weeks.

If you would like to join us on any of these dates please reach out by replying to this post or using the Contact Page. Dine with the Artist is a lovely intimate meal and places are strictly limited so please book ahead by contacting Scrumptious Reads or reach out.

A Pocketful of Posies

Why I’m working on a new series, and responding to questions of the day

The simple gesture of a small arrangement of flowers in an antique vase placed on a delicate crocheted doiley, is a recurring subject matter in a lot of my works. But the “For the…” series has a more personal message.

These flowers are lovingly grown, picked, and assembled by your Nana, your great Aunt, your elderly neighbour and possibly accompanied by other home made items. The posie for the breakfast bar has a side dish of home made jam drops. The posie in the guest room has an adorable stack of face washers with the edges crocheted.

It’s this memory I’m chasing for the next couple of months. I want something that is comfortable, something nostalgic, somewhere I can look when I want to hide from war, flood, pestilence, fire ….
We’ve seen it all these last few years.

Which brings me to a question …

I have been asked if my work should be more reflective of current issues, if perhaps I’m hiding or ignoring the disasters that are happening? I believe there are a lot of very VERY good artists and creatives who have that skill to distill their anger and rage into one single vision. I am not called to do that.

I am called to put my energies into raising a son who is 19 this year, who at 2 was diagnosed with a regressive disorder. He is largely non-verbal and requires constant supervision and care. I am called to be a high school teacher and consider the differences in every student and why their parents are looking for something different in their child’s education, they couldn’t get in mainstream. I am called to be a wife, mother, aunty, godmother, cousin, daughter, niece and to do all of that imperfectly with precision, love, and intelligence.

This is not a middle-finger response. It’s put plainly, just as the question was. The art I make was always somewhere for me to hide and not be “that-disability-Mum” and with years of encouragement I began sharing my vision of the world with others. I want to bring joy and happiness and comfort to people. That is my superpower and I love wearing it!

Happily cutting and gluing in my studio/gallery/garage (Stallerage??)

Artist Talk + Demo

This Sunday it would be my great pleasure and privilege to take you behind the scenes and into my creative process. From gathering inspiration and creating patterned paper, to showing you how I add stitching to works on paper.

It is a ticketed event however tickets are FREE. Register your interest using this link:

It’s not often I break open the vault and speak so intimately about what I do. My art making and thought process has, until recently, been an intensely personal endeavour so this Sunday will be a coming of age of sorts!

I really hope you can join me.

YES, REGISTER ME FOR THE ARTIST TALK + DEMO