Huge paintings have been created at The Squatter’s Residency cottage in February 2025. Robbie Flowers with enthusiastic four-legged art friend Dondi by her side (named after renowned 1970’s NY Subway artist … who conversely was named after the comic strip of the same name) has been abstracting away using watery references of her earlier paintings. These earlier watery iterations have roots to her works of her final years at The National Art School graduating in 2012. She says of the Squatter’s “it is just great to have time to spend with books”. On the coffee table amongst all the beauties of books on abstracts is one of Joan Mitchell’s work, a clear favourite along with Amber Creswell Bell’s most excellent Australian Abstract.
These aqua laden paintings from her time at The Squatter’s Residency will be making their way as part of a group exhibition ‘Five Ways mentored by Harrie Fasher’ heading to Maunsell Wickes Gallery, Paddington with Penelope McKeown and three Central West Artists Annabel Mason, Margaret Hogan and Steve Hogan all of whom have spent time at The Squatter’s Residency since it started in 2021. Robbie’s artist statement for these works reads “Water is the inspiration for my practice. It reflects the beauty and chaos of my life. It is the purest form of abstraction”.
We thank her too for the generous additions to the garden, from all the love put into the veggie patch to time planting native shrubs down the fence line. Fellow National Art School artist and past Squatters Artist in Resident Sandy Blim also assisted with the garden in her sojourn joining Robbie at The Squat. Sandy previously made the shelf above the fireplace too with her sculpting skills coming to the fore. What legends.
From 2025 Arts OutWest is working with The Foundations and The Portland Collective (Harrie Fasher Studios, The Portland Foundry and The Portland Workshops) to facilitate this Artist in Residence Program. An application process for this residency will be developed. Enquires to Nicola Mason, Arts OutWest nimason@csu.edu.au
Images credit Nic Mason, of Robbie and Dondi and Robbie’s work undertaken at The Squatter’s Cottage, February 2025.
