Artists in Transit (AIT)

[slideshow] THE TOYOTA WORKMATE DIARY Artists Ro Murray and Susie Williams started their collaboration as ‘Artists in Transit’ while travelling from Sydney to Kandos to undertake their Kandos Project Residency in November 2012. Susie drove the Workmate from Mittagong. The pair detoured via Wildes Meadow for a celebratory lunch and overnight stay and continued towards Kandos via Goulbourn, Oberon, Tarana, Bathurst, Sofala and Clandulla. Our extensive wonder allowed the time to share experiences and ideas. Ro and Susie hit the ground running. Kandos adventures included daily sun downer drawing sessions, kayaking at Ganduddy/Dunns Swamp, regular tip trips, and ammunition and dumpling foraging.  These all wouldn’t have been as pleasurable without the support and enthusiasm of the local community especially Leanne Wicks volunteer curator Kandos Museum, Michael Hawkins, Maurie and Tony Stem at the council tip, Sue and Dave Honeysett at ‘Down the Track’ café.  Many thanks to you all and Ann Finnegan. We both have different work practices and share some common life experiences (both sail, graduates of NAS, like wine, food and having a good time, have travelled overseas and failed relationships) and while at Kandos cemented a working relationship. Testing was our first collaboration, an installation in the shop window of the Residency in Angus Street Kandos with found and borrowed objects from Kandos. Including, jars of mulberry coloured preserves, concrete testing cylinders, paper dispenser, cash register receipts, railway track connectors, twine and wool. The Kandos Project Residency has allowed us the opportunity to develop a mutual understanding of our diverse working practices and a common enthusiasm to explore visual ideas for further collaboration.