Making mosaics, sculpture and etchings for public and private spaces.
Recent art activities by Pamela Irving
In October, 2008 Pamela Irving went to Gaziantep, Turkey (near the border of Syria) to present a paper on her studio practice at the International Mosaic Conference held by the AIMC (Association of Contemporary Mosaic Congress).
Following her presentation she was invited to participate in a major International Mosaic Exhibition which begins in Moscow in April 2009. To that end, Pamela was commissioned to make a mosaic sculptural work by a Russian Interior design company, known as the ‘Bars Group’ of Companies. They are tile importers, makers of interiors and also boast three mosaic design studios in three Russian cities.
Pamela was invited to work in the Bars studio in St Petersburg, Russia. She was provided with 6 full time assistants to complete her project. In addition, the head of the Bars mosaic Studio in St Petersburg, Mr Alexander Vasiliev, also worked on her project.
Pamela’s project, devised by her in both Australia and Russia, involved making a playful series of seven dogs ranging from 80cm high to 20 centimetres. The idea was to combine the Russian “babushka doll” concept with her beloved ‘Larry La Trobe’, her bronze dog that stands proudly in Melbourne’s City Square.
Pamela took the four smallest dog sculptures with her to Russia and, with the help of her assistants, built another 3 larger dogs in St Petersburg. Following their construction, Pamela designed the mosaic patterns and imagery on each of the seven dogs’ coats. Her six assistants, all full time mosaic artists then began to mosaic the forms under Pamela’s guidance and supervision. Pamela’s designs were based on images she found in the Russian Museum and images from Russian orthodox Churches, including the famous “Our Savior of the Spilt Blood”.
The “Seven Babushka Larry’s” are currently being completed by her enthusiastic assistants. Pamela left St Petersburg at minus 15 degrees to return to her home in Victoria, Australia where, in 40 degree heat, she returned to work on her other projects and commissions.
