The O’Grady sisters redrawn: a contemporary view of five woman artists from the collection

A few years ago, I made a series of work titled conversations with mother. Those works gave me the opportunity to look at and imagine conversations I never had with my mother and grandmothers. The O’Grady sisters redrawn exhibition has given me the opportunity to revisit and extend those conversations. The conversations I have had with Doris and Gladys O’Grady however have been a little fierier. We have fought over the integrity of the original images. We have argued over the representational aspects of the imagery. We have agreed to disagree on the correct way to draw birds. We have wrangled out a definition on what properly constitutes drawing. We are in complete accord as to the formal aspect of the picture plain. We are sympathetic to each other in regards to the process of making works in general. We have had extensive conversations about the differences between sketches, working drawings and fully resolved works, in addition, where these should sit in ones practice.
In all, my conversations with Doris and Gladys have stimulated responses to the project that have been fraught with false starts and mindful conundrums. I have asked myself, “How far do I go? Where is the line between a wilful misinterpretation of their works and a visual homage that reflects the incredible respect and admiration I have for these women who spent there lives drawing and recording the natural world.”
There are other women in this conversation. Akky, Alison, Jenny, Jan and Christine have been a delight to work with. Time spent in the collection room with them and Doris and Gladys’ work has been a rich experience. We have had very clear aims and very little time at our scheduled meetings. Somehow, it all went awry. We are a bunch that delights in being sidetracked. As each page of a sketchbook was turned, as another bundle of drawings was unwrapped, as each work was unfolded, a raucous gaggle of glee would erupt and another conversation began. Discussions on; flowers, birds, mushrooms, landscapes, colours, paper quality etc. etc. ad infinitum followed. I am sorry that the project has come to an end and can only hope than I will have the opportunity to work with all of these women again.