Christine Morton
 
Born: Australia
 
Postal Address:
17 Sussex St., Seaholme, Victoria, 3018
 
Contact Details:
 
Mobile: +61 (0)411 955 215
 
Emial:  notromc@icloud.com
 
Website: www.christinemorton.net
 
 Artistic Practice
 
I share a studio with fellow artist Jane Ansted at Fundere Studios in Brooklyn, Victoria.  I completed my more formal art studies at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne University’s School of Art in 2014.  Having had all of my notions of myself and my art thoroughly challenged (in a positive way!), I am now working as an independent practicing artist.
 
I am primarily a painter / printmaker, but at times I work across multiple mediums, letting the realisation of my idea dictate the best material to use.  I love to experiment with materials such as encausic medium, glass and wood, and have recently been using old found science bottles and fur to explore concepts of the loss of natural habitat and pressure on animal species. 

Artist Statement

Most often, my work reflects my passion for animal conservation, reflecting both the astounding diversity and power of the animal world and my deep concern and respect for it.

I am intrigued and perplexed by the polemic beauty of manmade objects and restrictions alongside untamed natural animal world.  The glass bottles and jars I often use are evocative of our manic drive to possess all that we see while choking diversity and our atmosphere with our circular quest of bigger, better, faster.  The open vessel also represents hope, buoyed by local and international preservation efforts and breeding programs that act to slow the tide of extinctions.

My practice is an outlet for exploring these inherent tensions and frustrations while indulging in the close observation required in the rendering of animal subjects. The work aims to hold your gaze, albeit potentially uncomfortably, to inspire reflection and questions around personal responsibility and appreciation for the animal wonders of the world, rather than being simply bleak or didactic about the future.

No matter where my practice has taken me to date, I find myself inevitably drawn back to this topic, which is core to my personal values.  Thanks for taking an interest in my practice. All the best, Christine