Un-Earthing Wave Rock
The 2.63 Billion Year Origins of Hyden Rock and its Future in paint
Proposal by Ben Beeton and Heather Duff
In 2016 Ben Beeton and Heather Duff collaborated to create a painting to be displayed at Voyagers Resort. The painting was titled “Un-Earthing Uluru”. The painting told the story of Uluru changing through deep time over its 600 million year history and predicted its future. The painting is 300 cm by 150 cm.
Uluru Unearthed – Painting by Ben Beeton and Heather Duff on display at Voyages Resort Uluru.
Hyden Rock is many times older then Uluru. It is part of the Yilgarn block which has an incredible deep time story that traverses the northern and southern hemisphere. It is a 2.63 billion year-old biotite K-feldspar porphyritic monzogranite inselberg which has been part of at least 3 super continents in the past and will be part of the super continent Amazia in the future. It is expected that in the far future Hyden Rock will have become substantially larger then it is today. The story of Hyden Rock’s journey could be told through a large painting, which, when read from left to right would take the visitor on a journey through deep time and into the future.
Proposal for the Wave Rock Resort Gallery
Ben and Heather propose that a high quality fine art painting be created for the Wave Rock Resort Gallery to provide visitors with a unique experience. The painting will tell the story of the deep time origins and future of Hyden Rock. It will read from left to right and take visitors on a journey through several billion years of deep time. The painting could visualise the shape of the rock which is hidden under the ground. Given that there have been a number of wave formations in the deep time history of the rock and no doubt will be more in the future the Wave Rock shape will be a re-occurring theme that will be a common thread through the painting. As Hyden Rock grows in size more wave forms are revealed.
The 12 meter long painting below is indicative of the scale and colour of the Wave Rock painting. It is not indicative of design.
The proposed painting will have an online interactive component to it which will be included in the price . The films featured in the interactive will tell the story of the making of the painting, the geological story of Wave Rock as well as informing on the ecology of the region.
Ben Beeton explains how sciart is used to turn artworks into educational interactive.
People could access the educational interactive on their phones or ipads.
This interactive was created for Alice Springs Desert Park.
In a film for the Hyden Rock painting Ben Beeton will tell the story of Hyden Rock through the painting as well as predicting its future. In the film below Ben Beeton explains the artwork Un-Earthing Uluru.
Ben Beeton and Heather Duff discussing the painting with Uluru gallery director
Un-Earthing Wave Rock
The scale of the work is optional however given that Hyden Rock is at least 4 times older then Uluru we suggest that the painting which tells the story of Hyden Rock should be at least 4 times the length of the Uluru painting at Voyages Resort.
Each Panel; 150cm x 100cm
Pre-primed Ply wood Artist panels (supplied by Wave Rock)
Number of Panels; recommended 12 in total , It depends on the wishes of Wave Rock Resort
Proposed Mediums Required for Panel Production
Supplied by Wave Rock; Acrylic Artist quality paints; Liquid acrylic Glaze ;Spray-varnish; Colour Pencils; lead pencils ;Permanent Markers; Liquid glass; Collage (found objects) Clear glue; Tracing paper
Price per panel plus development for the interactive ………… $2400.oo
3 x $2400 totals………………………………………..… $7,200.oo
6 x $2400 totals………………………………………..… $14,400.oo
9 x $2400 totals………………………………………..… $21,600.oo
12 x $2400 totals………………………………………..… $28,800.oo
50% share to Artists; Heather Duff and Ben Beeton
During the project the artists will require accommodation, meals and internet access.
Preferred Requirements If Possible.
Access to photocopying facilities.
Access to borrowing a vehicle occasionally
Incremental monthly payments
Approximate Duration of Panel Production;
ONE panel per week (variable due to some panels being more intricate than others)
Duration of 12 panel artwork completion time (close estimate only)
; 12 weeks but allow for 14 ; if planning an opening date.
Artist Statements
Ben Beeton – “Through telling the story of Hyden Rock we could tell the story of the formation of Australia. No one has attempted a painting like this before. I have consulted with a range of scientists about this work and I believe the with Heather we could create an iconic Australian painting about the icon that is Wave Rock”.
Heather Duff – “I can see the combination of Ben and my creativity attaining a magnificent result at Wave Rock, this project could create a unique and dynamic MAJOR ARTWORK and I would love to invest my skill and creativity to it. Hope this covers all elements please let us know if you have any queries. Please look at “Desert Discovery” on YouTube for Ayers Rock Resort Airport for a great example of Heathers work ;time-lapse video of the production of a 35mt approx….by 6 mt wall. Cheers Heather”.
Projects by Ben Beeton – SCIART
2016/17 Following the Leeuwin Current
2017 Artist Residency Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk
2017 Artist Residency Donnelly Lakes
2017 Artist Residency Waterfall Cottages Margaret River
2017 Artist Residency at Lesueur National Park, Nambung National Park
2016 Artist Residencies Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay to Mount Augustus
2016 Artist Residency at Broome Bird Observatory
2016 Artist Residency at Windjana Gorge National Park
2016 Artist Residency at Uluru
2016 Artist Residency at Rovers Rest Girraween
2015 Artist Residency at Alice Springs Desert Park
2015 Artist with El Nido Resorts Philippines
2015 Artist Residency at Brisbane EcoSciences Precinct
2015 Artist Residency at Naracoorte Caves Fossil Site
2013 Artist accompanying Expedition Kimberley sponsored by Australian Geographic
2013 Artist with Kimberley Air Tours
2013 Artist with Coromandel Adventures New Zealand
2012 Artist Residency at Driving Creek Railway, New Zealand
2012 Gene Streams – Humanity over the Fleurieu Peninsula
2011 Artist Residency Menindee Lakes – Multimedia artist/film maker
2010 Artist for the Royal Society of Victoria’s Burke and Wills Environmental Expedition
2009 Artist Residency with Wrights Air at Lake Eyre
2009 Artist Residency at Sugarloaf Mountain Retreat
2008 Artist Residency at Boyce Gardens through the University of Queensland
2007 Artist Residency at Dunmoochin
2006 Artist Residency at Bundanon
2006 Gene Streams – Dendroid Drawings on the Eurorail
2006 Artist Residency at Hill End
2006 Artist Residency at Fowlers Gap
2006 Artist Residency at Broken Hill
2005 Landscapes Through Deep Time – Crows Nest Falls Through Deep Time
2004 Landscapes Through Deep Time – Memories of the Eromanga Sea at Lake Mungo
2004 Gene Streams Poetics – O’Reilly’s Lamington National Park
2003 Landscapes Through Deep Time – Atmosphere
2003 Landscapes Through Deep Time – O’Reilly’s Lamington National Park
2002 Gene Streams Poetics – Life as Liquid
2001 – 2002 Landscapes Through Deep Time – Binna Burra Lamington National Park
2001 Ten Billion Years on a Flat Surface – Part 1 – 600 million years to the present
2000 – 2004 Gene Streams Poetics
2000 Marine Impressions – Ammonites, Trilobites and Echinoderms, A Chronology of Appearances
2000 Gene Streams Scientific Model Making – The Bio Geographical Time Line Model
1999 Gene Streams Poetics – Life as Liquid