Bega Valley’s Rachel Burns and Ulan Murray with some of their distinctive sculptures. Photo: John Purser.
Bega Valley sculptors Ulan Murray and Rachel Burns are unusual – they belong to that select group of artists who make a living from their art without having to take on part-time work to keep body and soul together.
They have been married for 25 years but their collaboration on large projects, including renovating houses, started before they met. They have been working together on their intricate and distinctive sculptures for 15 years.
Their issue as regional artists is how to reach audiences in the cities.
After Ulan worked in horticulture for several years, he studied biology at the University of Wollongong.
Rachel studied fine arts at Sydney University but wanted to be more hands-on. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Creative Arts with Honours at the University of Wollongong. “We were both there at the same time but didn’t meet each other, although I met Ulan’s sister,” Rachel says.
By chance, they both worked at the Community Development Employment Program, an Indigenous project in Wollongong.
“Rach was working on renovating the inside of the building to become an art gallery and I was working on the landscaping outside, so technically we were working together before we actually met,” Ulan says.
Resilience, one of the instantly recognisable sculptures by Ulan Murray and Rachel Burns. Photo: Rachel Burns.
Their married life started in Mudgee where it was very dry and flat. They fell in love with the coastline of Bega Valley. “That is when we packed up and came looking,” Rachel says. Bega Valley has been their home for 21 years.
Ulan had always dabbled in sculpture in his spare time, carving stone and building furniture.
“I think after we got together and moved to Mudgee where Rach was earning a living by painting, I got more interested in art as a potential way of life,” Ulan says.
When Rachel was painting, Ulan stretched canvases for her. Rachel confesses to having “visual dyslexia” on occasion and relied on Ulan’s draftsman eye to help with perspective in her paintings.
Eventually, they began collaborating on sculptures. Theirs is a true partnership that combines complementary skills.
They have made a point of entering their readily recognisable works into exhibitions like Sculpture Bermagui, Sculpture for Clyde and others in Kangaroo Valley and the Hunter Valley. “There are a lot of sculpture shows around the state,” Ulan says. “It has become quite a fashion for councils and various groups.”
“As regional artists we think it is important to get our work out there, so we also travel interstate to Melbourne, Canberra and the Gold Coast,” Rachel says.
Former horticulturist Ulan Murray and Rachel Burns with a background in fine arts, bring complementary skills to their collaborations. Photo: Mahlia Smith Macpherson.
Most of their clients are in Sydney and while some clients may buy two or three sculptures, often it is a one-off purchase. From that it is a case of word-of-mouth and others seeing their work in people’s homes. They therefore need to get their work out beyond Sydney and the Bega Valley. “The best way to do that is to enter our work in public exhibitions and competitions,” Rachel says.
Since they have chosen not to be represented by a commercial gallery, they handle all the promotional work themselves.
Some galleries take commissions of up to 50 per cent on works sold. Fortunately, Ulan and Rachel have sold most of their work privately.
In October they are exhibiting sculptures at a gallery in Paddington, in Sydney’s inner east. It is their fourth solo exhibition.
They are now exploring ways to gain national and international recognition for their work, with valuable guidance from Andrew Gray, Creative Industries Advisor with Business Connect.
“He suggested we get a publicist for the exhibition in Sydney. We have hired a publicity agent because they have access and local knowledge which we don’t have, so we thought it was definitely worth a try,” Rachel says.
Their tips for regional artists include getting as much exposure as possible and entering lots of competitions “to get your work and yourself out there”, Rachel says. Social media is allowing many artists to work and sell art independently.
Ulan and Rachel’s solo exhibition will run at 5 Comber Street, Paddington, NSW 2021, 17-27 October. The exhibition is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 11 am to 6 pm or by appointment (0428 600 230, www.ulanandrachel.com).
Loading ...
