Gabby Malpas exhibition at Breathing Colours Gallery, Balmain

Dear Frooters

As a client once said: I've been busier than a one-legged man in a butt kicking competition...

But I'm delighted to announce the first of my 3 shows for 2015 at:

Breathing Colours Art Gallery, 446 Darling St,Balmain, NSW 2041

There is a catalogue for my works online here: all enquiries to the gallery:robin@breathingcolours.com
or

Phone: 02 9555 8543

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri 10.00am - 5.00pm
Saturday 10.00am - 5.00pm
Sunday 10.00am - 5.00pm
(and by appointment)

I would love you to come to the opening on Saturday 23rd May from 4pm - 7pm.  I will be baking for the occaison: the world-famous Malpas sausage rolls will be in attendance.

Here are the four gorgeous invitations by design guru and my brand guardian: Miss Emma Harris, now of Auckland town...

Gabby

On meeting my mother

Earlier this year I posted images of the new work I made to begin my own story.

Around the same time I was asked by Banana writers to write a piece about meeting my birth mother.  As an asian and transracial adoptee, I realise that this is unusual - the luck of being born in a country with diligent record keeping and being given the opportunity to look.

I have followed a number of blogs over the years and read a lot of personal stories from transracial adoptees.  The resounding sadness I sense is from people feeling like an outsider for all or much of their lives and the knowledge that due to their own circumstances, the chance of finding their own birth mother is slim.

My story is here.  If anything, I wanted to tell these people what happened to me - I was lucky, and yes, finding my birth mother changed my life in such a positive way I am truly thankful.

New big canvas with a personal story

Dear 'Frooters'

If you've been following the blog you'll know I've recently started working on canvas.  I wanted to do this to work on some personal stories that have been living in my head for years but until now, I wasn't able to communicate them in the way I wanted to. 

Until now.  Here is a finished work - the first I hope of more in this vein:  the title of this piece is:
'When did you find out you were adopted? (you're shittin' me -right?)'

I was born in NZ and adopted in 1966 at 10 days old into a white family with 9 children. My parents took me at an age when they should have been looking forward to an empty nest and in the days before there were support groups and help books. All my life I have been asked by people where I'm from or how old I was when I found out I was adopted. My reaction to these questions has mellowed over the years - from anger/frustration, to telling the full story within minutes and jokes about family resemblance.

This is an attempt to convey this with humour but also the love: the obviously different race mother and child, the chinoiserie, full moon and flying fish in the garden - nothing is quite what it seems.
The title: well, it jarrs a little bit with the image but that is also the intention - something so detailed, and painted with care - given a fairly crude, but what I hope is a humorous title.

 And here is the progress of the work.  It probably took a month - 6 weeks all up:

A lovely Easter weekend to you all!