The Sunflower Collective was formed to allow a democratic intersection of arts practices and to explore work together as a conceptual weaving of ideas. The collective has no hierarchy, no curator, no pre-conceived program. The practices are diverse.
The works installed have coalesced through a year-long process of individual exploration and virtual gatherings of artists into an exhibition drawing attention to the environment via an ecofeminist perspective.
The artists are: Kelly Leonard - Broken Hill, Michael Petchkovsky - Blue Mountains, Snowy Monaro, Julie Briggs - Narrandera, Julie Montgarrett - Wagga Wagga, James T. Farley - Wagga Wagga.
Wayout Artspace is managed by regional artists who are affiliated with the Cementa Festival, based in Kandos.
Julie Montgarrett’s practice includes solo/group exhibitions, installations, commissions and landmark community projects over 3 decades. Represented in major collections in Australia and internationally, her interests are in drawing/embroidery to extend the conceptual and spatial possibilities of textile for questioning dominant Australian histories: testing visual narratives through doubt and fragility in complex installations.
Kelly Leonard is a traditional hand-loom weaver trained by a second-generation Bauhaus Master Weaver, Marcella Hempel. She uses fieldwork as a primary methodology to interact with the environment and to record sounds, installations and performances. Kelly is an arts worker based in Broken Hill, living on Wilyakali and Barkindji Lands.
James T. Farley is an artist and educator based in Wagga Wagga. His work plays in the broader field of photographic practice and is ecological in flavour. James is co-founder of Good Sport, an independent art space supporting emerging regional artists, and F.Stop Workshop, a centre for photography, education and community.
Julie Briggs is a poet and installation artist making works exclusively informed by her interest in social and environmental justice. Julie is also a volunteer arts worker, supporting arts organisations across the Western Riverina.
Michael Petchkovsky is a contemporary artist and arts facilitator, living and practicing on Dharug/Gundungarrah, Ngarigo, and Wiradjuri Lands. A graduate of SCA Rozelle, with MSA and MFA. His practice queries social hegemonies through material and energetic mediums. He works in creative development, production management and technical support roles with artists and groups towards major exhibition outcomes.