Synergy 4, by Carol Dobson

Multi Media, on Stretched Canvas
30x30cm
Australian Shipping included in Price, Quote for International Shipping Available on Request 
 
 
Artist Bio:
This series explores the meeting point between past and present. Each piece stands as its own artwork, but together they guide the viewer through a layered visual journey. Vintage newspapers, aged music sheets, and my father's rusty tools are paired with modern elements-plastics, synthetic fabrics, and hand-printed papers-to create a narrative rich in contrast and continuity.
1 chose board over canvas, envisioning works that felt more sculptural than framed. Using a gelli plate, I printed papers in soft, complementary tones, incorporating natural textures from feathers, leaves, and stencils. These were combined with old ephemera and embellished with found objects and hand stitching, creating depth and cohesion across the series.
This project was a step outside my usual bright and bold work with polymer clay and felting. Here, subtle colour and texture lead the way-rusty reds, golden browns, and cool blues merging into something reflective and tactile.
With a background shaped by a carpenter father and a seamstress mother, this series became a personal tribute-honouring tools, traditions, and the joy of exploring what if?