Suzi Lucas
Born in New Zealand in 1960 Suzi studied Graphic Design at Auckland Technical Institute and moved to Gold Coast Australia in 1982 where she works as a visual artist and sculptor.
Suzi’s work draws on her love and respect for human narrative, nature and the environment. Her works portray and question the passing of time and the concept of space and distance. Working with different materials, including found and repurposed objects, Suzi’s work alludes to life and questions the notion of sentimentality. Learning to dissect and understand the value and effect of time, action and process in both nature and human life plays an important role in the reason for Suzi’s work.
By exploring distinctive concepts, Suzi creates work to evoke tactile experiences through scale and perspective and incubated space. These elements encourage the viewer’s engagement and elicit a response to spark dialogue amongst an audience and peers.
Suzi has created artworks for private gardens, children’s parks and public spaces. She has collaborated with architects, engineers, school students and community on various creative projects.
Steve Collom
I have led teams across several projects including ethical tree pruning, artificial tree hollow creation, natural nest cavity construction, veteran tree care and tree habitat management and consultancy. I draw on my experience in Australian and British arboriculture, urban forestry and tree service industries to provide expertise across all aspects of arboriculture and consultancy, striving to always provide innovative solutions. I have a diploma in arboriculture, as well as a Cert IV in Landscaping and in Training and Assessment.
I have always had a passion for trees especially habitat and veteran trees. In 2017/18 I worked with Gold Coast City Council to identify some of the city’s most active habitat trees within urban parks. This allowed my team and I to look closely at natural hollow formations while listing the arboreal fauna present. Although the main objective was to list and prioritise the habitat trees into categories for future maintenance and protection programs, it also gave us the opportunity to look closely at the hollow’s aspect, size, natural form, and fauna use. This has helped us to continue to develop andincrease the standards of our carved hollows by replicating natural hollows as closely as possible. My team and I have carried out the largest carved hollow program in Australia here in southeast Queensland and pioneered the design and development of the concept. I believe chainsaw carved hollow creation is still in early development and as we learn more and our skill level and the tools we use improves it can be a valuable option in habitat retention and improvement to an even wider scope.
Along with hollow creation, I have used my skills to carve The Gruffalo who is now located at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. In addition, I have created a range of fauna furniture including koala rest poles and fauna escape poles. In my spare time, I enjoy working with timber making furniture or working on the lathe crafting bowls. I am fortunate enough through being an arborist to source and recycle many interesting pieces of timber.
2021 SWELL ARTWORK – Hollow by Nature, Suzi Lucas and Steve Collom
We cut down trees for our own financial gain, peace of mind or convenience. The need to stop and think about the reason for this action is more important and urgent than ever. Can we preserve or replace what we intend to cut down? Have we looked closer and discovered who inhabits the trees and hollows? Habitat loss comes at a huge cost to animals, ecosystems and environment. In this universe everything is connected.
SWELL Kids Artist Statement – Hollow by Nature, Suzi Lucas and Steve Collom
Lets think about the trees before we cut them down. What animals are living in them?
Where will they live if we take away their homes? Could we plant other native trees and put nest boxes close-by? Have a good look around your neighbourhood and see if you can spot the hollows and the cool animals that live in them.
Instagram: @suzilucas_artoutside and @habitec_arb
Website: www.suzilucas.com and www.habi-tec.com
Facebook: @habitecgoldcoast
Come and see for yourself at SWELL Sculpture Festival, Pacific Parade, Currumbin 10-19 September.