Lives and works in Sydney
Bird sounds have resonated within me for as long as I can remember.
Their calls are my initial inspiration for wanting to draw them. I hear them regardless of what I'm doing; I could be cooking, working or socialising, and their sound is like a bell ringing, and suddenly I’m off to find where they’re hiding. To me, they encompass what it means to be truly wild.
Many years ago, I made a conscious decision to never have anything caught, caged, or kept in my life again. I interpret wildness as doing the opposite of what is expected. The uninhibited pursuit to navigate life with total freedom, unrestricted by conventional constraints or societal norms.
My life is enriched by unexpected encounters with wild creatures that drop in randomly when they want. I draw with gloves I invented while listening to recorded bird noises. I do this, so my drawing movements respond to the calls I am hearing. My aim is to capture the energy I feel, see and hear connected to Australian birdlife.
I think, as the drawing gloves have become more worn in, they have evolved into tools that mimic bird claws. Using these gloves test my drawing skills, and my ability to let go—helping me create unexpected marks. They also effectively silence my inner critic and judgmental thoughts because they offer a unique drawing experience that is more connected to marking marks, than whether I am making a good or bad drawing. They have played a key role in transitioning to a more dynamic and expressive drawing style.
However, my exploration of wildness has not been without introspection. Throughout the creation of this body of work, I engaged in daily reflection, letting the concept of self-will run riot in my thoughts on what being wild means in both my life and artwork. I have grappled with the chaos that unrestrained freedom can bring—an anarchic existence devoid of structure or direction. Through my art, I have come to understand that thriving in the wild requires finding balance—a delicate interplay between spontaneity and discipline.
Someday, I hope that what I write might have some historic value, maybe only to my grandchildren yet to be born, maybe to the art-world. Maybe just for me because of the discoveries I make when I engage in continuous daily practice.
Jody Graham
April, 2024
\ Exhibition featured works
Jody Graham
Glove Drawing 8 - Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo
2024 \ Charcoal and pastel on paper \ 35cm x 28cm
Jody Graham
Glove drawing 10 - Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo
2024 \ Charcoal and pastel on paper \ 35cm x 28cm
SOLD
Jody Graham
Glove drawing 6 - Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo
2024 \ Charcoal and pastel on paper \ 35cm x 28cm
SOLD
Jody Graham
Treasures of Truth - Wild Thing 1
2024 \ Installation in acrylic cabinet, over one hundred decorated boxes, small bottles and objects containing personal inventory notes \ 107cm x 112cm
Jody Graham
Treasures of Truth - Wild Thing 2
2024 \ Installation in acrylic cabinet, over one hundred decorated boxes, small bottles and objects containing personal inventory notes \ 107cm x 112cm
Jody Graham
\ INSTALLATION IMAGE 'WILD THING'
Jody Graham
\ INSTALLATION IMAGE 'WILD THING'
Jody Graham
\ PROCESS PHOTO 'WILD THING'
\ Other exhibitions
12 - 14 Meagher Street
Chippendale, NSW 2008
Opening Hours
Monday to Friday, 9.00am - 5.30pm Saturday, 11am - 4pm Closed Public Holidays (and Easter Saturday)
Monday to Friday, 9.00am - 5.30pm Saturday, 11am - 4pm Closed Public Holidays (and Easter Saturday)