Don’t Ignore the Periphery

Don’t Ignore the Periphery explores artmaking as an action, and as a daily meditative practice.

This unique collaboration features the works of multidisciplinary artist Brad Coleman and artist jeweller Amanda Alderson, who together invite audiences to consider the creative process as a reflective and transformative act.

At its heart, Don’t Ignore the Periphery embraces the edges—both physical and metaphorical.

It reframes the outer boundaries not as distractions but as essential elements to be woven back into the creative journey.

Coleman’s curated selection of monotypes and large-scale digital prints, drawn from his ambitious 1,500 monotype prints project, are juxtaposed with Alderson’s intricate contemporary jewellery and sculptural objects

Through vibrant colours and thoughtful compositions, the exhibition reveals an unexpected harmony.

While their mediums differ, Coleman and Alderson share a meditative commonality in their approaches to artmaking.

For Coleman, the practice involves anticipation, patience, and experimentation, coupled with the exhilaration of rapid results. Alderson’s process, on the other hand, is marked by slow, rhythmic forming, an embrace of complexity, and an element of danger, all balanced with a reverence for beauty and scale.

Together, their works engage viewers in a dialogue about materiality, mindfulness, and the act of creation.

Amanda Alderson
Artwork statement

Don’t Ignore The Periphery is a meditation on words—those gathered, gifted, and uncovered in the margins of time. These words, lifted from the ‘goals’ sections of my diaries (2021–2024), are not borrowed wisdom from medical appointments (SICK AF) or affirmations from intuitive healers (Wayfaring). Instead, they are markers—of curiosity sparked, of contemplation commanded, of a recovery unfolding.

Soft edges / Phenomena / Slowness is the practice / Unexplained happening / A thing will happen / Navigate / Break the loop / Don’t ignore the periphery / Parts of a whole, a whole of parts / Don’t be the smoke / Tell don’t ask / Move beyond / Boundary / Experiment / Controllable / Threshold

Some words will manifest as future projects, others as blueprints for transformation. Some are anchors on my timeline of recovery and acceptance, demanding their own space and reflection.

Brad Coleman
Artwork statement

The process of creating abstract monoprints serves as both a meditative and therapeutic reflection on the complexities of life. The unpredictable nature of monoprinting mirrors my own journey, where control and spontaneity coexist, and each print becomes a unique visual diary of emotion and experience.

For me, the act of creating is more than just a visual pursuit – it’s a moment of stillness amid the demands of daily life. My arts practice offers a space where I can reconnect with myself, allowing the process to become a form of meditation. The textures, colours, and forms I work with evoke moods and memories, offering a visual language for the thoughts and emotions that often remain unspoken. Each piece is a singular expression, a moment of pause in a world of constant movement.