SALA 2024 FlyMe to the Moon opening

Over 200 guests attended Cheryl’s opening at Beltana Studios

John’s talk

Welcome

I am Lucky John

1. With Cheryl we are Custodian of this 1860s horse stables.
2. I am surrounded by Cheryl’s dreams her art.
3. Watching Cheryl fulfilling her dreams,

 What are her dreams?

• Embroidery recognised as an art-form.
• Recognised as a fine artist not a craft person.
• Convincing people that in her chosen medium embroidery it is done by her not a computer with the advent of AI this will be even more relevant.

I implore you to look closely at the work feel it take out your phone and take close ups to see the individual stitches.

This medium is unforgiving.

Working in an unforgiving medium she can only see a small part of her work at once.  She is concentrating at not sewing in her fingers she cannot unpick 3,000,000 stitches he can’t paint over it, and when she starts, she knows it could be up 300 hours before she sees the results.

Cheryl started drawing on her doll’s clothes progressed as a teenager to making costumes to wear socially a fish, a tree she does not own a track suit or jeans she only wears clothes she has designed tailored and embroidered.

Following graduation from art school

She won an art competition open to all art forms sponsored by Australia Council, Tourism Australia, & Qantas with an embroidered billycan the prize was an exhibition in UK this led to repeat guest Artist appearances in UK USA NZ and Australia

Sometimes life gets in the way and Cheryl career had a hiatus.

From 2008 Cheryl decided to take her career to where she would like it to be 16 SALAS later Cheryl is flying where you might ask? The moon

How did this happen?

Cheryl being in her own unique non trendy medium embraced social media.

Graham Stevenson an Australian American film maker / artist decide to preserve living artists in their studios with them working. he approached Cheryl and the 24-minute video released was on 20/3/2020 only to be locked down by covid but 10,000 views later YouTube and tv coverage in over 60 Countries it was seen by Dr Samuel Peralta a Canadian Pilipino Physicist / artist / curator living in the USA he had a similar vision and with funding from Elon Musk NASA decided to launch the LUNAR Codex ‘Art Museum on the Moon ‘

This museum will contain digitalized versions of 3 of Cheryl’s artworks and the 24-minute video along with films, poetry, literature, and music.

Unfortunately, Graham died before the time capsule on the moon happened and now an Adelaide team Art in Adelaide is having a similar dream of preserving the story of artists in their studios.

Cheryl was I can tell was over the moon when she was contacted by Samuel Peralta to say “She is the only embroidery artist in the world to be selected.

On behalf of Cheryl thank you for coming, your support, look closely at her work stay and celebrate and when you do decide to leave, she hopes you will be inspired to spread the word about Cheryl and all the other 10,000 artists in SALA.

I am sure you would much sooner hear Cheryl than me so here she is.

Cheryl’s Speech

I would like to thank my friends here tonight.

  Friends are People; – People you like.

• People who you can count on.
• People who show their support
• People who have given me the ultimate compliment by having a piece of my creativity on their walls
• People like Carmel and Phill and Darcy who have come and helped at every one of my 16 SALAs.
• People who support the arts so much so that they did not go to the the showdown tonight.
• People who support the wider arts community.
• I would like to take this opportunity to also thank my family.

SALA

With 10,958 participating artists this Inclusive non-judgmental art event is the largest open access art event in the southern hemisphere, and it runs with a very small, dedicated staff 0f 5.

Alexandrea Cannon, and Bridget Alfred you run a very successful tight ship.

 I cannot stress too much how important SALA is in the life of an artist in SA.

I would also like to congratulate the other 32 Finalists in SALA this year.

SA has 3 art institutions which I would like to highlight as they have been very supportive of my journey.

1. SALA
2. Guildhouse
3. AGSA

I am amazed how these 3 institutions compliment each other and work so well together.

These institutions are legends in SA and unique in Australia I would like to thank there:-

1. Boards
2. CEO’s Bridget Alfred and Sarah Feigen
3. Wonderful staff
4. Volunteers

I know that this reflect the sentiments of my fellow artists.

Since I have restarted my career, I have met so many new people especially in the 3 institutions I have mentioned before.

I have made an enormous number of lifelong friends through my art, and I am so glad that I chose art as a career.

Thank you all for coming supporting me and strengthening our friendships.

Please stay and help me celebrate and then when you leave spread the word about our wonderful SALA their people who make it all happen and their 10,958 artists you might even want to include me in your praises if you like.

Oops! I would also like to thank John my husband.