An afternoon visit to Veronica Rojas Nuñez’s hinterland studio, Duck Creek, NSW

 

How long have you been working out of this space? 

Thank you for the question, I have moved to a different Shed literally a a few feet away from my old one, that particular one, the older one, holds so many special moments for me as a practicing painter and conceptual artist.

It was placed together from a shed with no walls to walls installed and I took the time to paint each wall white like a white cube it held all my thoughts, emotions, and sometimes just allowed me to be still and alone.

Then it also came to be a place where other creatives came to view, photograph and create with me. Making it necessary to share experience and even just sit together on my very painted floor. 

It’s a tool a studio without the freedom to move around a large enough area with my work to step back continuously viewing from direction change perspective, It’s value is beyond any measure. 

My new space feels different, more conducive to my new work as if it made itself present to me just to hold the next chapter. 

Tell us a usual work day? 

It’s a tough question to answer as each day is quite unusual, even when I think I have a plan on where to begin or what i’ll work on first it will depend on the light, rain, placing the paint to materials seems like the last portion sometimes it’s the lived experience, exploration of national parks, black rock, driving away into the mountains, or to my beloved river Clarence that fills me with what it takes to metamorphoses, shed the skin and make room for placing those colours down. 

I sometimes disappear, I’ll loose all sense of friendships or relationships other than what needs to be placed into the tangible. As if that’s the work, that’s my work day. 

Hard to come back sometimes. 

What music do you like to listen to in your space? 

Gosh, FKA has a fun album at the moment the throwback to rave underground feels contradictory but it seems to work for me at times, X-ray Spex, Locals G.i.m.m.y is really great, also love exploring experimental Jazzzzzzzzz….  

Thank you for asking because without a soundscape the space the work would be so different,

Sometimes i’ll even just take from the surroundings like the sounds of the many birds or the wind in the trees, Australia is a symphony of natural sound.  

If you could one piece of work wear what would it be? 

Completely heart warming question because often dream of creating a uniform that I or other creatives could wear on a day to day practice, I come from Catholic Schools in America and it’s some of the only schools that wear uniforms at a young age. 

Taking from the history of utilitarian workwear of the French and German culture of 1940s,  utility the thesis of rationing. 

Placing everything into a simple structure, with essential elements pockets, clean lines, resourceful in the materials not taking more than we need to achieve these uniforms. Aprons are essential, also a fun addition colour palette can be contrasting to the uniform. 

A slack, A tailored button up and a higher set apron with a wide pocket. 

Forgive I gave more than one piece, 

although especially I do not go to the studio without my head scarf. It’s become part of me and my uniform, so possibly as simple as that I would love to create one in many colours and in organic cotton. 

 

Talent: Veronica Rojas Nuñez

Photography: Thea Blocksidge 

Nuñez wears the Deep Pocket Pant in Garden