The Robe Series are large charcoal drawings that draw on myth, folklore and dreams for inspiration ...

Charcoal on Hahnemuhle paper, 100x70 cm except The Child (100x94 cm). 

All images © Ilse van Garderen
 

A selection of original images used in the artist's book Ah! Those Thieving Birds, a collaborative work with Peter Lyssiotis.

Chinagraph on prepared ground.

For information on the book see Artist's Book section. 

All images © Ilse van Garderen

Les Petits, a series of small sculptural pieces (mixed media) specifically developed in order to benefit animal welfare.

All profit goes to organisations such as Humane Society International, Soi Dog Thailand and SPA France.

If you wish to purchase one of Les Petits, please contact ilsevangarderen@gmail.com

All images © Ilse van Garderen

Monotypes, 13x13 cm

All images © Ilse van Garderen

Drawing is fundamental to my art practice.

When drawing and painting I frequently work on prepared ground, allowing traces of earlier material to become an integral part of the work.

All images © Ilse van Garderen

Towards the end of 2005 I embarked on a series of drawings depicting a centuries old Chinese bowl.

The small bowl represents, as it were, the base melody which is repeated over and over.

All images © Ilse van Garderen

The Ostinato series was continued as lithographs in first (mono) and second (coloured) states in an edition of 5 each.

All images © Ilse van Garderen

Drypoint is my preferred intaglio medium.

Many of these prints were collected into book form (see Artist's Books) but also made available in an edition of 10. Drypoint on copper plate, 10x10 cm.

All images © Ilse van Garderen

Over the years I have made a number of artist's books, many in unique state, sometimes in editions of 4-10, often purely for my own enjoyment. Although I am very happy for them to be selected for exhibition, more often than not I do not wish to part with them.

VIEWS FROM THE MOUNTAIN

Lithographs and mixed media. A collaboration between Ilse van Garderen and Peter Lyssiotis, completed in 2009 using Somerset soft white 175 gsm paper. The book was bound by Wolfgang Schaefer in quarter leather and sewn onto cords. The lithographs were printed by Peter Lancaster at Lancaster Press; Monica Oppen helped in editing the text.

The book began as homage to Hokusai’s Thirty Six Views of Mount Fuji. However, as we progressed, not only the voices but also the view from the mountain became increasingly fuzzy, and what was to be heard and what was to be seen, found their resolution as they evolved into the present book. 

Views from the Mountain has been made in an edition of 10 with two artists’ proofs.

The book is presented in a solander box.

AH! THOSE THIEVING BIRDS

Made in 2011 - images by Ilse van Garderen and text by Peter Lyssiotis - the pre-press work was completed at Spltting Image, Melbourne and set in Melior by Andrew Cunningham.

The book was printed on Magnani Velata Avorio 200 gsm by Bernie Rackham at Redwood Prints; and bound by Monica Oppen in an edition of 10 with 2 artists proofs.

These books have been collected by a number of prominent Australian public artist’s book collections, for example the State Library of Victoria.

HORTUS CONCLUSUS I-IV

4 concertina books exploring the same theme (hortus conclusus / the enclosed garden). Monotypes. Hortus Conclusus II was selected for the Hutchins Art Prize 2001.

4 unique state books made.

ONLY SILENCE WHISPERS

4 compilations of 3 books (Scratches on My Soul, My Heart in Hiding Stirred for a Bird, and Combing Sedna’s Hair) each with 6 drypoint images, individually bound in concertina fashion within a solander box. Was selected for Books.05, 2006 Libris Artists’ Books Awards, Fremantle Print Award 2006. Acquired by Grafton Regional gallery 2009.

AS A FOOL IN A MAZE

Linocut and blind embossing, unique state.

Selected for the Hutchins Art Prize 2003 and the Silk Cut Award 2004.

A SMALL BOOK OF MOUNTAINS

Pen and ink, watercolour, drypoint and lithograph, unique state.

AN A to Z of MOUNTAINS – LEGENDARY, FABLED AND REAL

Mixed media, unique state.

Both these books were made in the lead-up to Views from the Mountain.

AND THE SUN AND THE MOON BLINKED

Blind embossing.

Collection 4th Artist’s Book Triennial, Vilnius.

ERROR

Two different mixed media books (Cum Grano Salis and Error).

Collection 7th Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2015.

Exhibited Museo Leone, Vercelli, Italy 2015.

All images © Ilse van Garderen

Limited edition hardback version of Careless Water

Careless Water was made as an artist's book in 2000 as a response to Gertrude Stein’s poem of the same name.  Well received, it was a finalist in both the 25th Annual Shell Fremantle Print Award and The Hutchins Art Prize.  Only one copy, 31 cm wide by 34 cm high, was created. It featured hand-coloured linocuts and blind embossed text.

Ten years later, with the approach of the centenary of the poem’s first publication (in the anthology Tender Buttons, 1914) I revisited the project.  This time, the book was published in an edition limited to 1,000 individually numbered copies.  The original artwork is faithfully reproduced on art quality paper in a small, tactile hardback (15.7 x 17.7cm).

If you are interested in purchasing a copy, please contact me directly at ilsevangarderen@gmail.com

Copies are also available from Boekie Woekie in Amsterdam or Books Illustrated in Melbourne.

All images © Ilse van Garderen

My sculptures tend to feature birds. They are anchored in folklore and myth, inspired by the small image of the bird in the Lascaux cave (around 20,000 BCE).

All images © Ilse van Garderen

All images © Ilse van Garderen

My time has always been divided between my personal work and houses and gardens ...