deadly woman blues in the loop

In the Loop was an exhibition, a group show, at the Macquarie University Art Gallery in October 2015, to which I contributed work in progress, a random selection from the many more raw illustrations I've done and am still doing towards the eventual Deadly Woman Blues book. Not all of these will eventually make the cut, and if they do, may or not yet be subject to further graphic treatment like colouring or collage, or whatever. It was my first-ever art exhibition at the age of 58! and for all my equal parts excitement and trepidation I was delighted at how much so many people seemed to enjoy some good old-fashioned draftsmanship…:

Fanny Cochrane Smith, 1834-1905, singer, Tasmania

‘Sideshow Jenny’, Cunningham’s 1883 Circus Troupe, from Palm Island

Bessie Flower, 1851-1895, church organist, from WA

‘Stringband Sarah’, banjo player, Brisbane, around 1900

Merri Sisters, vaudeville performers, 1920s, from Cummeragunja

Georgia Lee, 1921-2008, jazz singer, from Cairns

Betty Fisher, singer of spirituals, Amateur Hour winner 1946, from Darwin

Nellie Hetherington, church musician, 1903-1940, from NSW

Annie Koolmatrie, ballad singer and composer, post-war, the Coorong, SA

Molly Sebastian, Bangarun Orchestra, 1950s, Derby Leprosarium

Gladys Bropho, 1937-2005, singer and harmonica player, from Perth

Joyce Johnson (centre), 1926-1982, with cast of Melbourne’s first Moomba show, 1952

Essie Coffey, 1941-1998, country singer/songwriter, from Brewarrina

Barbara Virgil, jazz singer, early 1960s in Melbourne, from USA

Heather Pitt, d.1995, jazz singer, from Cairns

Bettie Fisher, 1939-1976, jazz-blues singer, from Sydney

Kath Walker, 1920-1993, poet and song lyricist, from Stradbroke Island

Inez Amaya, soul singer, 1960s, from New Zealand

Mills Sisters, hula jazz vocal trio, 1990s, from TI

Veronica Rankine, saxophonist, No Fixed Address early 1980s, Adelaide

Josie Boyle, b.1941, singer/songwriter, from Mount Margaret, WA

Trude Aspeling, jazz singer, from South Africa

Christine Anu, b.1970, saltwater soul singer, from Cairns

Maroochy Barambah, b.c.1950s, singer, from Cherbourg

Marlene Cummins, b.1954, blues singer, saxophonist and DJ, from Cherbourg

Lois Olney, b.1963, jazz-blues singer, from Perth

Deborah Cheetham, b.1964, opera singer, from Cummeragunja

MC Trey, rapper, from Fiji

Little G, rapper, from Melbourne

Delmae Barton, b.1943, singer and didgeridooist, from Brisbane

Connie Mitchell, b.1976, pop singer, from South Africa

Ursula Yovich, b.1978, singer-actor, from Darwin

Leah Flanagan, singer-songwriter, from Darwin

Jade MacRae, R&B/pop singer, b.1980, London

Kylie Auldist, funk singer, from Broken Hill

Fannie Numamardird, member of the Boraloola Songwomen, 2012

Carole Fraser, jazz/blues singer, Melbourne