Feature - The Art Chain

An artistic game in the Conondale Valley has led to fascinating art showing how connected we are.

by Ally Bing

A humble game of artistic creation has gone on for the last four years in a valley of the Conondale Range: it’s played amongst a growing group of artists, in various mediums, in the 36-year-old community of Crystal Waters Eco Village. They call it, simply, ‘The Art Chain.’ You can start one in your neighborhood too, if you like. 

Here’s how it goes: Pick a theme. This could be done by opening a book with your eyes closed and putting your finger down, or picking a favourite existential query that would benefit from some examination. Or, if you’d like to do it the way this collective has, hold an exhibit of your previous works, and ask the visiting public to submit theme ideas on pieces of paper. 

Once all in, the theme is drawn randomly. The first artist in the chain should do this, so that no one but them knows what it is. The other artists down the line will only find out on the night of the grand reveal - a night that also brings camaraderie, appreciation, and the urge to start the whole project over again. 

Start your artwork: in paint, glass, fibre, clay, words; whatever you like. As an artist in their fourth year of participance out of as many art chains created, this author suggests going with your first intuitive instinct upon first seeing the theme or artwork to guide your creation. Second-guessing oneself, at least in the matter of creativity, is just no fun at all! 

Pass your artwork onto the next artist. Or, if you have 30 artists contributing, as the Crystal Waters Chain has this year, pass it on to two artists so that two chains are created - why not! 

The chain participants have three weeks to work on their piece before they must show it to the next in the queue, as in the old fashioned childhood game of “Telephone.” A good percentage of the art works are not finished at the time they are shared, but the bones are there. 

The next artist in the chain squints at the bones they are given, and, depending on their personality traits, either joyously begins straight away whilst the neighbourhood animals cheerily tie on their painters’ smock for them, or closes the emailed photograph angrily, mutters to themselves and drinks a potion of something smoking and dark purple before getting started two and three quarters weeks later to, yet again, create something ingenious at the last minute. 

Your art does not have to be created in a visual medium. This author has written and performed two songs for two of the four Art Chains - some of her favourite original works, she might add. 

One of Crystal Waters’ chief dancers-in-residence, Lisa Cowan, has choreographed and filmed herself dancing for past contributions. Her live performance of her work was certainly a highlight of last year’s exhibition opening party. 

This year, in a way that gives “The Chain” additional meaningful symbolism, the two very last artists of each respective chain are Lisa’s eight year-old daughter, Ella, and Rhea Phelan’s (CW Art Chain founder) nine year-old son, Haiko.  

When all the allocations of three weeks have passed, you’ll find to your surprise that a whole year has passed. At that time, the final step of the creation of art is to share it with others. 

Find a way to properly showcase them (this year, several hours have been put into repurposing old doors into an accordion folding display). Throw an opening night that involves dinner, champagne, laughing children, twinkly lights and several carefree performances. Make sure that everyone knows that all are welcome to come. 

This will be the time to wonder, even though the theme was known to only one, at how it seems to show in each artwork, every step of the way. This is the time to appreciate the deep similarities in how our minds work, and to show respect for what is formed because of how they differ.

The fourth annual Art Chain project is brought to life by a Crystal Waters collective that includes surrounding Conondale artists. This year’s exhibit will commence on the Crystal Waters Community Deck with an Opening Party on the evening of Friday, December 6, where the public is invited to attend and enjoy the celebrations. Dinner will be for sale and the exhibit is a gold coin token entry fee. 

The Exhibit will remain open for two weeks (and so will be open to the public during the Crystal Waters Market on Saturday, December 7) until December 15. All are welcome to come witness, partake, and then as the next step in the chain, become inspired to create something of their own.