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Birdlands: Showing/sharing Work close to the Heart

When an artist has been working in the studio, often in relative isolation, it can be confronting to see the work in a gallery space. The Gympie Regional Gallery has done a lovely job of hanging my recent works in botanical paper and wool felt in a way that helps the viewer see both my finished work and the emotional […]
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Learn to work with Botanical Paper!

Papermaking with Zela    Gympie Regional Gallery   Sunday February 25 The workshop will begin with an introduction to papermaking using botanical fibres sourced from the local area, mostly Zela’s backyard. Zela uses spent plants, weeds, prunings and trimmings which are cooked and beaten to extract the cellulose fibres. She brews inks from a variety of berries and barks to obtain natural […]
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Talking to Artists

In recent months I have had several requests to talk about my work to other artists. Firstly I gave a talk via Zoom to the Papermakers of Victoria, and more recently spoke to Paper Artists of Queensland at the Hands-on paper (HOP) Day at Brisbane Visual Arts Community (BVAC) where we ran our hollander beater and made paper from various […]
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On making the National Capital Art Prize short-list

At times I have had doubts about the value of entering high-profile art awards.  During 2022 I spent a lot of time in Victoria with family away from my studio and was therefore limited in what new works I was able to make. I focussed on entering work I had already made in a number of national prizes where I […]
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Victorian Adventure

Blog Post from Lorne, Victoria 27 June 2023 I left home on June 9 so have now been away 18 days. This has seen my partner drive over 2,000 km with me navigating and route planning. We arrived on June 12 just in time to set up my first Victorian solo exhibition, Paper Hero at The Ladder Artspace, Kew. With […]
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Regional artist Zela Bissett produces work in matter infused with spirit.

Someone very close to me has produced this beautiful and insightful review. I am humbled. Queensland artist Zela Bissett redefines the meaning of botanical art with her unique works composed of plant fibre, containing actual plant fragments and decorated with inks brewed from bark, berries and fruit. Zela uses plants seasonally harvested from her permaculture garden, or weed plants she […]
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About cast paper

Around 1996 I was forced by circumstances to move my main arts practice from claywork to fibre arts. I had been making reduction-fired stoneware in a wood-burning kiln with fallen timber and mill offcuts, but working full time as a teacher with three children prompted changes. Thanks to a group of active paper-makers around the Sunshine coast, I discovered an […]
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Convalescence Project: Mary River Mountain

After having an operation to repair two hernias on March 4, I have been taking it easy at home. For the first few days after being released from hospital, I was a bit dopey and sore, but came up with a project I could do without hurting myself – a sewing project. I had received a prompt to enter the […]
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Enjay press joins the workshop!

Buying a press I took a chance recently and decided that since I have a good supply of my handmade papers it would be interesting to try printing some of my designs onto them. My regular readers know that I like to do things from first principles, such as making my own paper, inks and twine. However in the case […]
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