Detachable collars were once a practical part of military and civilian clothing. Rather than replacing or constantly washing an entire shirt, the collar could simply be removed, cleaned or exchanged. In Australia during the war and post-war years, this was still a common feature of some military uniforms and workwear, reflecting a time when clothing was made to last and nothing was wasted.

I was sitting in the studio the other day looking at some of my early drawings spread across the table. It made me think about how often people use the word "scribble."

I don't mind the word in fact I quite like the word. Some people see a scribble as something unfinished, random, or careless. I see something entirely different. I see freedom. I see a line searching for its own path. I see a record of a moment, a feeling, an idea, or a response to the world.

This is how I draw and how I have always drawn.

This heart was was formed from eighteenth century and inherited textiles, altered by burial, staining, rust and time, and held within is my mothers handmade crochet.

Found Pegs...

I just can't throw away some things. What do you do with your mum's wooden pegs that have spent many seasons weathering and rusting on the hills hoist? - The usual thing would be to toss them away. 

March studio Notes - The physical Act of Painting - Jenny Davis

Painting, for me, begins as a physical act. A kind of gesture or performance. It’s movement first — spontaneous, instinctive — where marks, stains, and colour all arrive on the surface at once.

February has been wonderfully busy in the studio. I’ve been moving between painting, sculpture and stitching. — At the same time, I’ve been getting on with with the business side of being an artist — submissions, possibilities, conversations, future exhibitions. It’s a different energy to studio work, yet equally important. A reminder that the life of the work extends beyond its making.

Below you’ll find a selection of process images — surfaces, gestures, and moments that are still in flux.

The Power of an Object. Identity through Object

One of my life- time interests is collecting vintage, antique and found objects. I believe, through objects, stories can be told, and through imagination, new ones found.

Hello,

January has been one of those quieter studio months — a little slower, a little reflective. I’ve been sorting, revisiting older projects, and noticing how often walking, looking down, and gathering small fragments still sit at the core of how I work.

Hi everyone,

As we settle into the final stretch of the year, the studio has taken on that familiar mix of quiet focus and gentle momentum. I’ve been moving between paintings, textiles, and sculptural pieces, letting each material tell me where it wants to go. My recent Instagram posts have only captured fragments of what’s happening here — little windows into the process — so I wanted to share a fuller view with you.

Lately, my work has been shifting in ways I didn’t quite expect. Textiles—something that’s threaded through my life since childhood—have quietly stepped forward. What once felt like a side practice is becoming a place of refuge, clarity, and new ideas.

A few connections below to artworks created in past 5 years

Leaning Into What Was Always There

Lately, I’ve been feeling more and more drawn to textiles. It’s not entirely new—I’ve had a relationship with fabric, thread, and handwork for as long as I can remember. I just never gave it space in my “serious” art practice. I always thought of myself primarily as a painter and sculptor, but underneath all that, I now realise my textiles were always humming in the background—quiet, patient and waiting.

It’s funny how we sometimes resist what’s most natural to us. I’m realizing now that textiles have always held a kind of comfort and power for me. They remind me of care , of memory, of labor and time. There’s an intimacy to working with cloth—your always touching it with your hands, the way it carries history and emotion, even when it's silent.

Works in progress…

Château of Versailles is one of my favourite places. Walking through the hundreds of rooms at Château of Versailles, I couldn’t help but notice, the old, stuffy smell and the sound of squeaky, footsteps upon the ancient floors and made a sound video’s and took close up shots of the wallpapers, patterns and other surfaces.

Homemade Gesso!

I’ve been using this homemade Gesso recipe, for a couple of decades now and haven’t had an issue, with ageing, layers coming apart, seepage, changes in colour etc. on any of my artworks. I use it with both oil and acrylic paints. I also seal my papers with it when, making books, sewing on paper, paper for collage, painting with paint, inks etc.

When I first embarked on my painting journey, I was faced with a common challenge: the idea of stretching my own canvas felt intimidating and a bit frightening. The thought of handling such a delicate, large piece of fabric and trying to get it just right was daunting. However, I decided to give it a shot, and I’m so glad I did.

Hi everyone!

I recently embarked on a fascinating journey going back through the archives of my blog posts from my old website, a space I initiated in the early 2000s. My initial intention was to create a chronicle of my artistic and creative life, a sort of public diary that might also offer something of value to others. Hope you enjoy it!

Unveiling the Stories Behind My Art: My Latest Artist Book: Bohemian Seaside Holiday 1920’s

Art has always been more than just paint on a canvas or objects for sculpture for me, it’s can also be a vessel for stories, emotions, and experiences. Many of the pieces I create carries a narrative, often woven from my own life, dreams, and sometimes, imaginative worlds. Today, I am excited to share the story behind one of my recently completed artist book. I believe in the importance of art and storytelling in connecting us all.

How to effectively connect to an abstract style while successfully incorporating a unique mix of rusted elements, painted surfaces, and the delicate beauty of pretty doilies and crochet forms inherited from past ancestors.