Opening night of 'Artists Afloat - Under the Water'

Launching of the expanded Public Art Precinct at the Darwin International Airport

Official Opening of Mojocreations Floating Gallery at the 20th Annual Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show - 2008

Media Release for 'Out of the Blue'

Stainless Steel Sculptures Stimulate the Senses

‘Out of the Blue’, an exhibition by Australian artist Jo Wooler, featured a selection of unique contemporary artworks made from marine grade stainless steel. Her solo exhibition celebrated the form of the beautiful creatures found in our oceans, including majestic whales, mysterious dugongs, graceful leafy sea dragons and fiery lionfish.

The exhibition, showined in the World Trade Centre Amsterdam from 2 November 2007 - 31 January 2008 and was officially opened by Dr Maarten Frankenhuis, the former Managing Director of Artis Zoo, Amsterdam.

For Jo, inspiration comes easily, her personal love for marine creatures shining through in her work.

Living on board a yacht for four years and sailing around Australia gave Jo plenty of first hand inspiration for her art work.

Her choice of medium provides a silver canvas on which she brings her many and varied designs to life. The process by which she heats the stainless creates beautiful colours, mimicking the otherworldly camouflage of marine life.

With the combination of fire, oxygen and natural gas, the artist can vary the intensity of the heat to bring out blues, purples, reds and yellows, creating colours similar to the pearly interior of the magnificent New Zealand paua shell. For those who are not familiar with this shell, it is unrivalled as the most colourful shell in the world.

In 2002 Jo sailed into Redcliffe, a beautiful seaside city 30 km north of Brisbane in Queensland. Here she discovered marine grade stainless steel through a local engineering and fabrication firm. “I loved the idea of bringing my designs to life with marine grade stainless steel, which has a kind of materialistic bond to my work,” says Jo.

She has been learning stainless steel fabrication ever since, using a plasma cutter, grinder and tig welder as her primary tools. Jo cuts out her designs with her plasma cutter, finishes edges with a variety of wheels on her grinder and welds as needed with her tig welder. Different techniques are applied for shaping, polishing, texturing and colouring the stainless.

Jo has been interested in artistic pursuits from a young age, in particular drawing and sculpture. Studying art at school, and pursuing opportunities throughout her life to develop new drawing skills and sculpting techniques has led the artist to what she considers the ultimate medium to express her work.

From a humble beginning of creating gifts for loved ones, national recognition of Jo’s work has led to a career as a respected artist, and she is riding a tide of demand for her work in Australia. Her European clients have inspired her to bring her creations to a wider audience, and she hopes this exhibition will be the first of many in Europe.

“I am honoured to have an opportunity to reach such a vast audience,” says Wooler “and hope those who see this exhibition will be inspired to appreciate the precious creatures that inhabit our oceans, and their vulnerability to humans.”

for more information go to www.mojocreations.com.au

Opening night for 'Out of the Blue' at WTC Amsterdam - 2 Nov 07

'Out of the Blue' in the Atrium Art Space of the WTC Amsterdam 2 Nov 07 - 31 Jan 08

Jo's sponsor display

Dr Maarten Frankenhuis (former Managing Director of the well known Artis Zoo in Amsterdam) officially opens the exhibition

Guests enjoying Dr Frankenhuis speech

Guests enjoying Dr Frankenhuis speech

Mr and Mrs Breure with Dr Fankenhuis

Jo's mother Trish with John Spek, a well known local sculptor

Hope Perkins (from the Aboriginal Art Museum in Utrecht) and Jo Wooler

Hisako Yoshizawa and Jo Wooler

Mr and Mrs Mebius with Dr Frankenhuis wife Elisabeth (right)

Michael Taylor (from English Breakfast Radio), Gulian and Jo discussing her art work in finer detail

Alexandra Rocheteau Hasan (Senior Marketing Officer for the Queensland Government Trade and Investment Office in Europe) and Jo Wooler

John Spek, Marie-Charlotte McKenna (3rd Secretary of the Australian Embassy), Hope Perkins and Jo Wooler

The exhibition space was a lovely open area, and created an excellent display for Jo's art work



Thank you to the management team at the World Trade Centre for your help in bringing this exhibition together, in particular Mr Kees Noorman - Managing Director, Mr Andy Grogan - Marketing and Communication Manager and Mr Marc Claassen - Facility Manager