"Bless their dear little faces" - Carolyn Young's Portfolio

Eastern Quoll, cyanotype, photography, collage, Dasyurus viverrinus, eco dying with euclayptus leaves

"Eastern Quoll #2", 2020, 12.0 h x 12.0 w cm, Archival Inkjet Print and Silver Plate

"Bless their dear little faces"

This body of work was exhibited at Belconnen Arts Centre (May-June 2021).

During our first COVID lockdown in Australia (2020) I started going through my reject 'Rabbit Sized' cyanotype prints and over-dyeing them with eucalyptus leaves. The leaves were sourced from the property where I live in Wamboin (NSW, Australia). Exotic plants were then overlaid like a collage, effectively obscuring the animal, as a metaphor for the obscurity of these small Australian mammals both within the landscape and within the Australian psyche.

My mind then turned back to the journey of John Gould and his wife Eliza, who travelled to Australia from England during the 19th century to research exotic birds and mammals. This series is about their travels too, incorporating images from Gould's publication, 'Mammals of Australia' (illustrated by Harold Richter), and his and Eliza's documented travels, including by bullock cart and visiting Eliza's brother in White Box landscapes.

The series title is a quote from one of Eliza Gould's letters home to her mother in England. The reference is to their three children left in the care of Eliza's mother, while John and Eliza travelled to Australia.

Installation shot of Carolyn Young's arworks from the exhibition, "In Counterpoint" at Belconnen Arts Centre 2020

Installation shot from the exhibition, "In Counterpoint"

"Bless their dear little faces", 2016, 12.0 h x 12.0 w cm, Archival Inkjet Print and Silver Plate

Cyanotype of New Holland Mouse with collage and eucalyptus eco dying

"New Holland Mouse", 2020, 21.0 h x 21.0 w cm, Archival Inkjet Print and Silver Plate

Cyanotype of John Gould with collage and eucalyptus leaves eco dyeing

"John Gould", 2020, 12.0 h x 12.0 w cm, Archival Inkjet Print and Silver Plate

"Kangaroo Grass", 2013, 12.0 h x 12.0 w cm, Archival Inkjet Print and Silver Plate

Cyanotype of Water Rat with collage and eucalyptus leaves eco-dyeing

"Water Rat #1", 2020, 12.0 h x 12.0 w cm, Archival Inkjet Print and Silver Plate

Cyanotype of Eastern Pygmy Possum with collage and eucalyptus leaves eco-dyeing

"Eastern Pygmy Possum", 2020, 17.0 h x 17.0 w cm, Archival Inkjet Print and Silver Plate

"The Influence of Past Travels", 2012, 21.0 h x 21.0 w cm, Archival Inkjet Print and Silver Plate

Cyanotype of Rufous Bettong with collage and eucalyptus leaves eco-dyeing

"Rufous Bettong", 2020, 12.0 h x 12.0 w cm, Archival Inkjet Print and Silver Plate

Leaves from Eucalyptus albens, White Box

"Travels through White Box (Eucalyptus albens)", 2017, 14.7 x 14.7 cm, Archival Inkjet Print and Silver Plate

Cyanotype of Eliza Gould inside Satin Bower Bird print

"Eliza Gould", 2021, 16.5 h x 16.5 w cm, Archival Inkjet Print and Silver Plate

"Water Rat #2", 2020, 23.0 h x 15.2 w cm, Archival Inkjet Print and Silver Plate

Photograph of toy English Longhorn made of wax and cow hair

"Driving Bullock Carts (English Longhorn)", 2012, 13.0 h x 13.0 w cm, Archival Inkjet Print and Silver Plate

Installation shot from the exhibition, "In Counterpoint"