Ground beneath her feet inspires Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au AS far back as she can remember, Jenny Jessop always wanted to be an artist. The 39-year-old Irish artist now calls Mordialloc home but she recalls art being a big part of her family’s life back in the town of Boyle. Her artist father and psychotherapist mother encouraged Jessop and her four siblings – including actor and comedian Chris O’Dowd, renowned for TV show The IT Crowd and movies Bridesmaids and The Sapphires – to pursue their artistic ambitions. The 39-year-old mother-of-three who has a fine art degree and majored in sculpture and photography is preparing for her first solo art exhibition called Grounded at Parkdale’s Shirley Burke Theatre. Jessop says the inspiration for the exhibition came from her move to Australia. “It’s a big transition moving from Ireland to a new country,” she said. “I walked with my kids and wanted to connect myself with the area so to become grounded in myself I studied the ground of the country – this new land that I’m living in.” Jessop decided to turn ground markings and textures into artworks painted on slate. “I use the ground markings as a foundation drawing and then turn them into landscapes. Much like me I’m building on what’s already here and creating a landscape for myself and in turn I’m connecting with my new home.”
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Landed artistry: Jenny Jessop and some of the artworks to be displayed at the Grounded exhibition at Parkdale’s Shirley Burke Theatre.
Boat bow riders risk life, injury if topple overboard MARITIME Safety Victoria is alarmed by the number of people putting themselves at risk of death or serious injury by sitting on the bow of boats that are underway. MSV maritime safety acting director Adrian Mnew has issued the warning in an attempt to prevent accidents. “I am very concerned that this practice is an accident waiting to happen and will lead to serious injuries and deaths. “Our Maritime Safety Officers have seen multiple cases of ‘bow riding’ almost every time they’ve been out on the water this summer and suspect that it’s just the tip of the iceberg. “Bow riding is dangerous, particularly in choppy conditions, at high speeds and when done to create a ‘thrill’ ride by turning sharply or cresting waves. “The MSOs have been shocked by the number of people they’ve spoken to who can’t see why bow riding is
unsafe or are completely unaware of the risks. “We know people tend to overestimate their safety and skills while underestimating what can go wrong, how quickly and how serious the consequences can be. “If you slip off and go under the boat the skipper has no time to react and even a lifejacket won’t protect you from propeller strike injuries or death,” Mr Mnew said. Bow riding is not against the law and does not incur any penalty, however, allowing unsafe behaviour on a boat is a breach of a skipper’s safety duties under the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Vic). “Just imagine what you would feel like if your child was hanging on to the bow rail one minute and out of sight the next – which way would you turn, what would you do?”. “You wouldn’t allow your child or friend to sit on the bumper bar as you drove down the road so don’t allow anyone on your boat to bow ride,” Mr Mnew said.
Golf day to fight disease Inspiration is everywhere we walk. Jessop says the wooden floor of the Mentone Life Saving Club, for example, “has so much history for every person who has walked on it”. The relative newcomer to Mordialloc has thrown herself into community work and enjoys time spent as an art tutor for adults with physical disabilities at Hampton Community Centre and children with intellectual
disabilities at Sandringham’s Sandybeach Centre alongside volunteer work for Kingston Arts. “I find art to be second nature,” she said. n The Grounded exhibition is at G3, Shirley Burke Theatre, 63 Parkers Rd, Parkdale from Friday 26 FebruarySaturday 26 March, Wed to Fri, 9am5pm, Sat, 12 - 5pm. Entry is free. See kingstonarts.com.au for details.
A CHARITY golf day at Centenary Park, Frankston this week will raise money to fight Crohn’s disease which affects up to 75,000 Australians. Club professionals Warren and Steve Montgomerie will host the Friday 26 February event which will include 18 holes of golf, barbecue lunch, sportsman’s night hosted by Kevin Bartlett and Danny Frawley and special guests, 5.307.30pm, as well as prizes and auctions. The cost is $85 per person. The fundraiser came about through the work of Suzanne Young, whose daughter, Carly, suffers from Crohn’s disease. It is characterised by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and can also affect the eyes, skin, joints, liver, kidneys, and blood vessels. Call 9789 1480 to book a place.
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Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News 24 February 2016
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