Kellie O’Dempsey joins an exciting line up of some of Australia’s leading artists gathering on the NSW North Coast / Northern Rivers region for The Corner Dance Lab 2015. Working closely with Philip Channells (Dance Integrated Australia) and Gavin Webber (The Farm), O’Dempsey adds to the project her multidisciplinary visual arts expertise in which dancers from around the country will immerse across an 8-day event.

The intensive skills development and performance making project will attract local emerging and established artists with and without disability to The Corner Dance Lab 2015. Combining talents of artists from across NSW, other states and territories and further afield, the Federal community will be host to a hive of activity that crosses several artistic modalities including dance, theatre, music and interdisciplinary visual arts.

O’Dempsey will transform Jasper Corner (Federal’s community hall and former Anglican church) into a one-night only performance venue. ‘The Main Event’ will start at 7:30pm on Saturday 24 January 2015.

I know this will be an extraordinary experience. Bringing a colorful multidisciplinary visual arts approach to the existing expertise of Philip Channells, Gavin Webber and the brilliant cache of practitioners involved, I can only envisage innovation and possibitliy at The Corner Dance Lab 2015.  By using an array of materials, tools, props and projections, my aim is to collaborate with participants and playfully realise and develop ideas to enrich the workshop event.  A true happening will be happening. Yes, I am excited. Kellie O’Dempsey

Expressions of interest close Monday 22 December 2014.

For more information, email Sean Campbell <seanwcampbell@hotmail.co.uk> or telephone / text Philip Channells on +61 432 073 304.

The Corner Dance Lab 2015 will have Auslan interpreters available.

BIOGRAPHY

Kellie O’Dempsey is a Northern NSW-based performance, drawing installation artist practicing interdisciplinary visual arts. Working in collaboration with contemporary dance and theatre O’Dempsey develops inclusive site-specific installations and performances.

Kellie is currently completing a Doctorate in Visual Arts at Queensland College of Art in Brisbane, focusing on live art and performance drawing. Hybrid in form incorporating projection, video, collage, architectural space, gestural line, performance, performers and digital drawing Kellie describes her work as Performance Drawing. This diverse practice investigates notions of transformation and the uncanny through improvisation and happenstance. O’Dempsey’s practice aims to enable an inclusive form of cultural interaction via performance and play.

Using an interdisciplinary approach O’Dempsey collaborates with performers, combining hand drawn marks with digital projection and live animation. Experiential and emergent her drawing practice invites the audience to engage directly with the visceral process of making.

Kellie’s performances include; Art after Dark, Pier 2/3 18th Biennale of Sydney, MONA FOMA, Hobart, and The Firehouse, New York. Group shows include: 2014: Is this Art?- dLux Arterial Gallery, Sydney/ A general map of caves, Hawkesbury Regional Gallery NSW/ Finalist, Sunshine Coast Art Prize 2013: Drawn to experience, POP Gallery Queensland College of the Arts

Professional development funding: 2014 the Australian Postgraduate Award Scholarship, Tastes and Testers in collaboration with choreographer/dancer Tanya Voges, Critical Path, Sydney, 2013: Arts NSW, Quick response grant for Draw International Residency, France, 2012: Artstart –Australia Arts Council and Artist in Residence at the International Studio and Curatorial Program, New York

Photo: Georgina Tait

The Corner Dance Lab 2015 was made possible by the Australian Government’s regional arts program, the Regional Arts Fund, which gives all Australians, wherever they live, better access to opportunities to practice and experience the arts.