Artist Lorna Crane has been colouring & cooking outside the lines for over 40 years

Lorna Crane is the real deal.

She’s a mixed media artist who has been exhibiting for 40 years and has been a practising artist her entire life, whilst working in between. Fibre has been a big part of her work for a long time and  “even in my earlier paintings I would collage in a piece of jute or hessian or a bit of cloth as well, because for me, cloth holds a memory, it’s something that, when we’re born, we get snuggled into a piece of cloth and it comforts us…”.

Lorna started making her own brushes after a residency in Venice with Allison B. Cooke, and then became known as “the brush maker”. The urge to make brushes goes back to her art school days, when she saw a documentary on Arthur Boyd’s work and processes. She was inspired by his huge canvases and that he was using his own handmade brushes - the splashing motions being particularly inspiring.

When she entered a colouring competition as a child and won a prize, that was it for Lorna, she just knew she was an artist. She also always had a deep understanding that she was different from her siblings and desperately needed a creative outlet. Lorna’s mother bought her pencils at age 4 and would set her up with paper and paints at their home in Wollongong in the 1950’s.

The recipe Lorna shared with us is a South Indian inspired Mulligatawny Soup. These flavours are a world away from those of her childhood. Growing up, Lorna had a “very Anglo-Saxon food upbringing” - lots of lots of soups and comfort food. Her love of cooking is profound and she sees both art and food as nourishment.

Handmade brushes in Lorna’s studio in Pambula (Yuin Land, Far South Coast NSW)

A QUICK WHIP AROUND THE INGREDIENTS THAT MAKE UP LORNA

• PRONOUNS: She / Her

• HOMETOWN: South Pambula, Yuin Land NSW

• JOB DESCRIPTION: Mixed media artist

Having failed art at high school, she then “had to get a real job” working as a map maker, which gave Lorna access to calligraphy pens and inks. After marrying and having children she went into part-time art studies and she encourages those in similar situations to “do a little bit every day - I worked 3 jobs at one stage whilst I was at art school”.

When we mention the term “Starving Artist” to Lorna, she tells us she has numerous ways of understanding the word ‘starving” which we think you’ll find illuminating. Across her career she’s had many jobs to ensure she could pay the rent and raise her children. Lorna’s advice is to understand that you will likely need to make compromises, but to keep following the path.

“Just do the work, even if it’s just a little”. 

As her career progressed, Lorna found that artist residencies became increasingly crucial to her, with her preference being self funded residencies, where there is more freedom and autonomy.

There’s lots of giggles about ghost chillies and disaster stories in this episode, as well as heartfelt accounts of a long and well travelled career. Lorna was generous enough to recite a poem for us, which is featured as a little bonus at the end of the episode.

If you take anything from our chat with Lorna, we hope it’s the inspiration to colour outside the lines and absolutely break the rules.

Our last guest, Yeo told us that when he listened back to his episode it made him wildly hungry, so if you can, go grab a snack before you join us to find out what Lorna Crane eats!

---

WHAT LORNA CRANE EATS

MULLIGATAWNY SOUP

Lorna’s mixed media on paper explorations of her mulligatawny soup - complete with eggs on top!

ingredients

500g chicken thigh fillets

2 tablespoons plain flour

1 tablespoon Keen's Curry Powder

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

30g (1oz) butter

1 chopped onion

1 apple peeled and chopped

4 cups chicken stock

6 whole cloves

1/3 cup basmati rice

Juice of 1 lemon

Greek Style yoghurt

4 soft boiled eggs

Coriander

method

1. Coat the chicken in the combined plain flour, curry powder and turmeric. Heat half the butter in a large pan and cook the chicken over medium heat until lightly browned, turn frequently. Remove from the pan and drain on paper for 3 - 4 mins.

2. Add the remaining butter to the pan then add the onion, apple and remaining flour mixture and cook for 3 mins or until soft. Return the chicken to the pan along with stock and cloves. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered for an hour. Add the rice during the last 15 mins and cook until tender.

3. Remove chicken: allow to cool slightly and then chop finely. Remove the cloves and skim any oil. Return the chicken to the pan. Reheat gently, stir in lemon juice. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper and salt.

4. Serve with Greek Style yoghurt and a coriander garnish with the soft boiled eggs cut in half. Instead of coriander you can replace with basil.

---

LINKS & MENTIONS

LINKS TO ARTIST INFORMATION, RESOURCES AND ANYTHING ELSE WE CHATTED ABOUT

• LORNA’S WEBSITE

• LORNA’S INSTAGRAM

• LORNA’S COURSE

• THE CHURCHILL TRUST

• BUNDANON RESIDENCY

• SHIELA HICKS ARTIST

• ALLISON B COOKE ARTIST

INFORMATION AND TAKEAWAYS FROM OUR CHAT

1. Lorna’s ‘Vegemite to butter ratio’ is: more butter, less vegemite

2. Lorna’s foodie recommendations for Yuin Land / Far South Coast NSW: Wild Ryes for bread; Ritzy’s margarita’s; Banksia for fine dining; Valentina; Tathra Hotel; Longstocking Brewery

3. The Churchill Trust offers a diverse range of people from all walks of life an opportunity to travel overseas for four to eight weeks to explore a topic or issue that they are passionate about.

4. Tips for people who are starting out in the arts or are trying and failing: do community arts grants courses; enter prizes to build up a decent CV; do your own self-directed residencies.

5. Lorna is a sought after and well respected teacher, you can find her course here.

WE’RE A BIT TIRED AND DON’T HAVE A TRANSCRIPT OF THIS INTERVIEW FOR YOU YET. WE’RE WORKING ON IT, SO PLEASE CHECK BACK HERE SOON.