Inspirational Designs
2020 has brought about unforeseen difficulties and unexpected opportunities to create. The year started with devasting bush fires here in Australia, a renewed push for racial equality, and a pandemic which has changed the way the majority of people live their lives.
For myself, as an immune-compromised artist, it has legitimized longer hours in the studio, cloistering myself from the world, and burying myself in my work. For days at a time I see no one but my wife and the delivery guy who drops groceries at my door.
This isolation has gifted me with time to look, think and paint without the expectation of an end date.
I decided this year to combine two aspects of my arts experience; the circular jigsaw designs my father, the artist Barry Evans, created and my desire to represent people who I feel are under-represented in visual art (a theme I explored in my PhD dissertation).
Below are a selection of the tondos I have been working on this year. Each tondo depicts 6 people who have been inspirational within their particular society. There are women of colour (timely with the BLM movement back in full swing), Women in Art, and LGBTQI+ icons to name but 3 of the panels. I have intentionally steered clear of the heterosexual caucasian cis het males who still dominate visual representation in this day and age. I have also tried to steer away from people who have been awarded accolades in the theatre of war or the military.
My goal is to transfer each of these tondo designs to functional jigsaw puzzles, both to make them affordable and to fill a niche within mainstream awareness of people who also deserve recognition in history.
For myself, as an immune-compromised artist, it has legitimized longer hours in the studio, cloistering myself from the world, and burying myself in my work. For days at a time I see no one but my wife and the delivery guy who drops groceries at my door.
This isolation has gifted me with time to look, think and paint without the expectation of an end date.
I decided this year to combine two aspects of my arts experience; the circular jigsaw designs my father, the artist Barry Evans, created and my desire to represent people who I feel are under-represented in visual art (a theme I explored in my PhD dissertation).
Below are a selection of the tondos I have been working on this year. Each tondo depicts 6 people who have been inspirational within their particular society. There are women of colour (timely with the BLM movement back in full swing), Women in Art, and LGBTQI+ icons to name but 3 of the panels. I have intentionally steered clear of the heterosexual caucasian cis het males who still dominate visual representation in this day and age. I have also tried to steer away from people who have been awarded accolades in the theatre of war or the military.
My goal is to transfer each of these tondo designs to functional jigsaw puzzles, both to make them affordable and to fill a niche within mainstream awareness of people who also deserve recognition in history.
UPDATE!! 15/09/2020
I'm happy to inform visitors to this website that the first delivery of jigsaws was received and almost immediately sold out. Any day now the second shipment should arrive (Covid snail mail allowing) and the 6 titles above will be available for purchase.
Inspirational Women of Colour
Inspirational Women of art
Inspirational LGBTQI+ Icons
Inspirational Women of S.T.E.M.
Inspirational LGBTQI+ Literary Icons
Stately Homos of Britain
in the next couple of months I will be adding four new titles, including
Legendary Perth Drag Performers
LGBTQI+ Entertainers of Colour
Icons of Creative Eccentricity
Icons of Eccentric Style
Each of the jigsaws are 500 piece and of excellent quality, manufactured entirely in Australia.
Each 55cm diameter jigsaw is beautifully boxed and I have included an informative didactic A3 panel in each, introducing the 6 identities depicted and explaining who they are/were.
I am selling the jigsaws for $60AUD plus postage and handling
Postage is approximately $15 -$20 within Australia, though unfortunately significantly more dear for overseas mailing between $50 - $70 AUD for the UK and USA. (I know.... daylight robbery!)
If you are interested in ordering a jigsaw, please contact me via my email doctorbear67@gmail.com and we can discuss postal addresses and payment options.
Happy puzzling! Matt x
I'm happy to inform visitors to this website that the first delivery of jigsaws was received and almost immediately sold out. Any day now the second shipment should arrive (Covid snail mail allowing) and the 6 titles above will be available for purchase.
Inspirational Women of Colour
Inspirational Women of art
Inspirational LGBTQI+ Icons
Inspirational Women of S.T.E.M.
Inspirational LGBTQI+ Literary Icons
Stately Homos of Britain
in the next couple of months I will be adding four new titles, including
Legendary Perth Drag Performers
LGBTQI+ Entertainers of Colour
Icons of Creative Eccentricity
Icons of Eccentric Style
Each of the jigsaws are 500 piece and of excellent quality, manufactured entirely in Australia.
Each 55cm diameter jigsaw is beautifully boxed and I have included an informative didactic A3 panel in each, introducing the 6 identities depicted and explaining who they are/were.
I am selling the jigsaws for $60AUD plus postage and handling
Postage is approximately $15 -$20 within Australia, though unfortunately significantly more dear for overseas mailing between $50 - $70 AUD for the UK and USA. (I know.... daylight robbery!)
If you are interested in ordering a jigsaw, please contact me via my email doctorbear67@gmail.com and we can discuss postal addresses and payment options.
Happy puzzling! Matt x
