Exploring The World Of A Professional Artist With Naomi Mckenzie - ISSUE 59

Artist Naomi Mckenzie stops by to chat about her recent solo exhibition and workshop.

Artist Self Portrait

This weeks interview is so damn good that I’m not even gonna intro it with any Lucy rambling.

All I’ll say is that Naomi is an inspiration to all analog lovers and artists and I am so pleased that she has put herself and her work out there into the world for people to enjoy. I hope this conversation encourages you, creative reader, to do the same and not let anything hold you back!

Take it away Naomi…

Hey Naomi, thanks for joining us! Can you give the readers the who, what and where of Naomi Mckenzie?

Thank you Lucy for inviting me to your newsletter. Firstly thank you for always being so generous and forthcoming with your knowledge, the community benefits from your contributions tremendously.

Well, in no particular order I’m a mother of two energetic young boys, a business owner and an artist. Oh I’m a wife too, better not forget that. I live in regional South East Queensland but am originally from Victoria. All of my early analogue work and study was nurtured in the powerhouse of creativity that is Melbourne. I’ve worked in the creative field all of my life, twelve years in film labs and Fuji, 10 years in Newsprint doing graphic design and photography, then kids, then I accidentally started a coffee shop (the things you do when you’re a sleep deprived Mother needing good coffee) and now exploring the world of being a professional artist, which is in fact my dream, it’s all I’ve ever wanted to be.

How do you define your style and what are the things you look for when taking photos?

Hummm, my style ???  Well, I’ve always had trouble answering this question but I’ll have a crack. I think I’m very much a spontaneous observer of the world around me and try to capture that in my imagery. Unless I’m working on a specific concept I like to leave my mind uninhibited by a definitive style. Some common themes in my work however are line, texture and composition and I love the challenge of telling a story inside a single frame. All my work is on film and I process, scan or darkroom print all my own work both colour and B&W.

Moments unfolding captured by Naomi

You recently had a solo exhibition at The Condensery which looked amazing! Can you tell us more about the work shown and what the title of the exhibition means?

Ex Tenebris Lux is latin For Darkness Comes Light.

It is a visual poem about reconnecting with my creativity post having babies. I’ve made no secret about the struggles my brain encounters balancing these two sides of me. This body of work is about finding light and art in those hard moments of motherhood, its about recognising who I am now and how cohesively those factions (mother & artist) actually get along when they give each other room. While I used creativity and motherhood to tell the story, this message is universal to all parents. We all charge and that process of getting to know ourselves on the other side of it is a little bit of a forgotten story that I've enjoyed telling.

A lot of artists dream of having a solo show or seeing their work printed and hung in a physical space so I would love for you to share how this opportunity came about and any advice you have for others wanting to follow in your footsteps?

So it all started with a goal I set myself mid last year. I wanted to release my art to the world, not just instagram. I started checking out lots of galleries and learning about the processes of exhibiting, and watching for call outs and entering some physical art competitions. I’m fortunate to have an amazing contemporary art gallery in my town that attracts professional artists from all over the country.

The Condensery used to be the Nestle Condensed Milk Cannery and was converted into an art space about 10 years ago. They released a call out for The Bomb Shelter space mid 2022, artists could apply if they lived in a 150 km radius of the gallery. While I live in the town it still meant my submission would be competing against far more professional Brisbane/metro artists so I actually just submitted it as a training exercise for myself, not with any real expectation of getting a position. Fortunately I was offered a position out of a huge field of applicants. The gallery also offered me a mentorship with renowned multi discipline artist Kellie O’Dempsy.  This was a priceless experience and I have taken so much knowledge about the industry and confidence away with me.  I think the old saying ‘you have to be in it to win it’ applies heavily in these situations. We need to remember that art is subjective, there will always be people who love your work and always those that don’t. This applies for galleries too. Just because one curator knocks you back doesn’t mean the one across the road won’t see something amazing in your work. Don’t give up, and believe in your style and your message, that’s the greatest selling point of all. 

Most regional galleries are funded too, so you actually get paid to exhibit your work and most contribute also to hanging costs etc. However the wait times are often a year in advance for a position so you need to be thinking ahead and applying when you can.  

The Mechanic by Naomi Mckenzie. This image is just incredible!

Not only did you exhibit but you also held a workshop too! Can you talk about that experience and what you learned from hosting something as an artist? I recently did my first workshop and it was quite nerve racking when I got up in front of people to start talking about my practice! I would love to hear your thoughts on this Naomi.

This part was amazing. I really enjoyed running the workshop, I felt in my element. Yes, I was nervous too, especially during the Q&A interview with the curator but I relaxed into it. It began with the talk about the exhibition and my processes with shooting and in the darkroom, then I sent the attendees off with point and shoot cameras (They actually used an ex Lucy Lumen camera that I won in a comp) for about 45min.

Then I processed the films in front of them which was a real hit, I think it blew some minds. There were about 25 participants ranging from old school, long time photographers, established artists to teenagers that had never seen film before.

The response has been incredible and definitely something I would love to do more of. There are many things I’ve learnt from the experience and will offer this workshop experience with future exhibition submissions. As you know people love information and I believe offering the back story and the process with your work make you more desirable as an artist and rather than just seeing a single image on the wall the extra information gives them more understanding and connection to your work.

Are you a person who is often submitting your work and engaging with opportunities presented to you, and if so, how do you deal with the process and the times when you don’t get chosen?

I never used to be that person, the old imposter syndrome had a huge hold on me for a long time. I still have to fight it off a bit but I’m learning to take advantage of creative opportunities in front of me. I’m currently writing submissions to a few regional galleries that have shown interest in my work since showing Ex Tenebris Lux.

I am also really excited that I’ve been selected as a finalist in the Queensland Regional Art Awards - Emerging Artist Section which will be judged at a gala event mid November. There were over 350 entrants so I feel very honored to be selected as one of 4 finalists in my section.

There is also a popular vote so if you like my work, just head to https://flyingarts.org.au/2023-qraa-peoples-choice-award/ and follow the voting instructions to place your vote.

I never worry about being chosen or not, because essentially I only ever make art for myself so it’s just a bonus when someone sees something special in my work.

What are you currently working on now and do you have any other exciting plans or shows in the pipeline?

Yes !!!! There is always something in the pipeline. 

Exhibition wise I am aiming to show Ex Tenebris Lux at a few more galleries before I sign off on it (stay tuned to where they are). It’s been a pivotal body of work in my career and  many people connect deeply with the message that I feel it needs to be given the time it deserves out in the world.

Technically I’m learning to process my own slide film (E6) and add that skill to my repertoire and would love to further develop my darkroom printing skills. As you know, the process is important to me, I love the journey of being involved in every aspect of my art and expanding the skills that make this happen is a huge part of my ongoing artist journey.

Shooting wise I’m loving playing around with multiple exposures on the Large Format camera so there is a chance I might leave the poor shadows alone for a while and start to chase some fun little multiples.

Finally, where can people come see your incredible work and say hi?

Check out my instagram @silversaltress I’m always happy to chat about creative pursuits or check out my website naomimckenzieart.com.au 

And if you’re in Brisbane in November don’t forget to check out the Queensland Regional Art Awards at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Art.

A huge thank you to Naomi for taking the time to chat with us. Go check out her work and say hello. Don’t forget to vote at the link she provided if you feel her work is speaking to you.

Next week there will be a zine + film giveaway so make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss out!