Above left: The house has collections and interesting artefacts everywhere you look. Above right: A wooden sculpture by Martin Johnson stands guard next to Gerry’s urns.
After tea, I’m led out the back to Wedd’s studio. I notice his work is heavily embodied with surfing iconography reflecting his lifelong passion for the sport. In the garden and on the verandahs of the house some of Wedd’s large Greek-inspired urns are on display. I later read a Wedd-interview that explains the connection between his urns and surfing. It reads, ‘Old Greek urns had mythology, heroes and the everyday painted on their surfaces. I’m updating this idea and applying it to surfing.’ This explains the unorthodox pairing. I spy a familiar beach icon that has also had a Wedd makeover. A sculpted clay thong is lying on a log in the garden and is decorated in the style of the ubiquitous blue and white of the Chinese willow pattern. One of his ‘thongs’ is depicted on the cover of Mark Thomson’s book about the artist, amusingly entitled ‘Thong Cycle’. Thomson describes Wedd’s work as ‘fearlessly sardonic yet with a whimsical warmth’. I know what he means, his playful irreverence is evident everywhere. I am also reminded of Wedd’s artistic collaboration with the cult surfing brand Mambo when I notice a few artistic remains from that period dotted around the pottery-like detritus found at an archeological dig. I am surprised to learn that his association with the company lasted for over fourteen years. We walk through the garden at the side of the house to visit DeRosa’s studio. A small, slightly dilapidated shed is situated among the foliage and I ask what it is used for. ‘Oh,’ says Wedd, ‘that’s my old jewellery-making shed. It’s recently been colonised by my son Henry who’s been making guitars in there!’
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I am also reminded of Wedd’s artistic collaboration with the cult surfing brand Mambo when I notice a few artistic remains from that period dotted around the pottery-like detritus found at an archeological dig. I am surprised to learn that his association with the company lasted for over fourteen years.
We pass a collection of old bones arranged on a board in the shape of a skeleton and walk on to the safety of DeRosa’s studio. Apart from a shelving unit displaying a collection of ceramics, the space is a vibrant, visual diary of DeRosa’s art practice. The studio walls are covered in old pieces of patterned linoleum, kitsch floral tea towels, old doilies and sea sponges verifying her eye for the particular. The scene is a visual mind-map curated according to current themes of interest. Recently, sea sponges seem to be her thing … and DeRosa explains why. ‘I was interested in the structure of sponges. They are brown and decaying, and I wanted to reinvent them. So I have taken those dried up pieces and reconfigured them, photographing and scanning the images and then playing with them on the computer.’ There is a clear overlap in interest between flora both above and below the sea.