Works of art 'wow' judges for champion titles
MSWA’s Client artists had their most successful year to date at the 2022 Canning Show, with 19 winning works of art and both Susan Finlay and Jasmin Franklin named as show champions.
This was no surprise with the level of talent on display, as 16 Client exhibitors submitted 47 pieces for judging.
Jasmin earned the title of Champion People with Disability Painting and Drawing for her stunning anime rock painting and Susan was named Champion Scrap Booking for a second year running.
Susan’s style of ‘junk journaling’ is quite unique, having finessed her abilities through hours of practice and a willingness to constantly extend herself.
“I do junk journaling continuously, every day and every night,” she said.
“It is a fairly new craft in the paper world – a lot of people don’t know about it – but it is just another form of journaling and you can use anything up, I love it.”
Turning ‘trash’ into treasure, Susan recycles everything in her journals, from old envelopes to porridge packets.
“I use scraps of things and whatever I can use I put in there, each journal has tucks and pockets and everything hidden, flips and flaps all through it,” she said.
“I save papers as well and do stamping, stenciling, put lace and material on it, do different forms of it. Whenever I can learn something new I add it in there.”
Susan’s champion piece was a vintage captain logbook, which she made for a family member they call “Captain Dan”.
It has been almost five years since Susan began attending MSWA Wilson each Tuesday for art class, in which she progressed from card-making to scrapbooking and now her junk journals.
“Our craft lady – we call her ‘Ma’ but it is Lesley of course – she is a volunteer and would do anything to help you, she is just wonderful,” Susan said.
“We would be lost without Zu because she does everything to help us, she is the one who puts it all into the Canning Show.”
For beginners wanting to learn more about art and craft, Susan said YouTube was a great resource for techniques and new ideas.
“You can learn everything on YouTube, you just need to have a go,” she said.
“Or come and join us anyway, come have a conversation, come have a cuppa and we are always having fun, always.”