Artist in Residence | Nicholas Kirkness
All Ages
29 September - 3 October
Tuesday
29th September
Wednesday
30th September
Thursday
1st October
Friday
2nd October
Saturday
3rd October
Gallery, Subiaco Arts Centre
DADAA
Free event
Returning to AWESOME International Arts Festival in 2026, DADAA is pleased to introduce another of the extraordinarily talented artists participating in its art studio and mentoring programs: Nicholas Kirkness.
Inspired by a lifelong passion for fishing, the water, and the rich biodiversity of Western Australia, Nicholas expresses his love of aquatic life through his creativity. Over the course of his creative development, Nicholas has amassed an impressive body of work, characterised by elaborate illustrations and ornate woodcarvings of the creatures he admires most. In a unique union of utility and art, Nicholas also crafts his own fishing lures, blending function with artistry and reflecting his hands-on relationship with his two greatest passions—creativity and the water.
You can find Nicholas at AWESOME International Arts Festival as this year's Artist in Residence, where visitors are welcome to meet the artist, watch him work, and create some fishy art of their own.
Artists and creators
- Nicholas Kirkness - Artist in Residence
- Julie Barratt - DADAA Director, Arts Strategy
- Jemma Attwater - DADAA Arts Coordinator / Arts Worker
- Murray Willis - DADAA Arts Coordinator / Arts Worker
- Miles Bettis - DADAA Arts Worker
Nicholas Kirkness
Accessibility Guide
Lighting and Sound
Total blackout (audience)
Lighting level
Well-lit – natural light (windows) and indoor lighting
Flashing lights
Loud sounds
Repetitive noises
The Artist in Residence interview video is on loop
Drums
High-pitched tones
Unexpected sounds
Background Music
Sounds from the Artist in Residence interview video
Interactivity and Participation
Children invited on stage
Artist goes into audience
Manual activity (e.g. read, draw, sing, paint, construct things)
Colouring-in, origami, collage, etc.
Undertake direct movement
Participation in groups/pairs
Parent/carer can support in participation
Capacity for a child slower in their movements to participate
Senses, Emotions and Effects
Distinctive smells
Special effects
Textures
From the Colouring-in, origami, collage activity
Balloons
Characters express anger
Dialogue driven
It is not dialogue, beyond some basic instructions for workshop activities (Colouring-in, origami, collage, etc.)
Props
Attention Span
Intermission/break
Introduction
Children need to sit in one place
Appropriate to make noise/move around
