17th Prospect Community Show- It is on again!

Community shows by definition, showcase the creative attributes of the people who work or live in the area. This exhibition is described as “vibrant and joyful”, and it certainly is that. Prospect Gallery is a brightly lit space that adjoins Prospect Library. Exhibitions such as this one not only showcase the creativity and diversity of Art but also the pride of place the community puts on such work. Prospect is a community that is famous for their creative culture. Since the inaugural community show in 1982 this show is a must see in the calendar year.  This year it features 76 works in a variety of mediums; from photography, to stencilling, traditional painting to sculpture, there is something for everyone’s taste. Even a hand crafted working harp! The show is up on display until the 20^th of January.

Photographs are courtesy of John Nieddu

Prospect Gallery Website

Amalgamate 2012- Victoria Casson

Amalgamate is the title of the University of South Australian 2012 Bachelor of Visual Communications Graduate Exhibition. A vast array of work was on display from two main genres of Design, Illustration and Graphic Design. I was impressed by the overall standard of the work which featured a wide array of media and technique. Victoria Casson’s work caught my eye.

A specialist in illustration; Victoria Casson works in both traditional and digital media, with a keen interest in inks and watercolour. Her work caught my eye as it was fresh and vibrant and clearly conveyed a personal meaning.

“Empowerment”, 2012, was designed for a brief which had a citizenship theme. The image is of a young lady in a white dress swinging, with legs outstretched on the branches of an old tree. The tree takes the form of an old Aboriginal Australian man; kneeling with his bearded face bowed in quiet contemplation he looks ancient and wise. Green foliage extends from the branches with loose playful lines. The whole scene is aglow with deep green light which has been washed onto the surface. This work mixes wash with pen and ink to create an organic feel that highlights the natural nature of Indigenous Australians. Line is a unifying element along with colour. The dynamic angular line creates an energy which complements the static forms of the tree and balances the work. Light has been used to direct the viewer and highlight these dynamic features.

Victoria’s approach through this work it to explore the lessons we learn and the growth we can experience from a life of good citizenship. It is about how we share our choices now with those around us as a legacy for future generations. The Aboriginal imagery is an element which connects the female figure to a timeless natural existence. It is not restrictive at all on the contrary the association allows the female to soar cradled in the safe arms of those who have travelled this world before us.

“Connect” 2012 is an illustration with two figures,each a mirror image of the other. They unashamedly face each other naked and cross-legged in front of a large full moon or celestial body. They are in a meditative pose with one hand raised seemingly to sense the other. The background is blue and rhythmic; haphazardly brushed. At various points the two figures overlap. At this intersection the colours merge into a blue grey. The figures float in the space attached to nothing but each other and the glowing moon above them. This work uses symmetry to great effect; developing an interplay between the shapes. The line work is simple and boarders the complex forms well. It is more solid and contrived rather than organic and flexible.

“Connect” was created as part of a series exploring the mental, physical and spiritual benefits of meditation. This work explores a self-connection and awareness. How, through becoming more self-aware we can learn more about who we are and our place in the universe.

Victoria Casson is only at the beginning of her career and I am looking forward to seeing what she will produce in the future.

You can see more of Victoria’s work at her website.

www.victoriacasson.com

Ruby Chew- Spitting Image; honest reflections in paint.

I was lucky enough to attend the opening of Ruby Chew’s latest exhibition “Spitting Image” at Hill Smith Gallery on Wednesday night. I have heard a lot of good things about this new up and coming artist who is an honours graduate from the Adelaide Central School of Art. She also exhibited at the Helpmann Academy exhibition in 2011; and this was where I was first able to view her work.

Spitting image is flooded with colour; Ruby’s portraits are bold and full of life. They step out of the canvas and greet you, and at the same time invite you in for a closer look.

“Scott” 2012, is a portrait of a young Blond-haired man with a short moustache. He is shown bare-chested on a turquoise background with a red glitter circle behind his head. His arms are covered with tattoos; depicting what looks to be the Japanese Imperial Palace in Tokyo painted in a traditional Sumi-e style.  It is from this tattoo that the turquoise colour has been lifted to serve as the matt background. Scott is shown on an angle to the viewer, not quite three-quarter. The composition is formal; the solid red glitter ring accentuates the facial features and directs the eye over the painted arms and about the bright cherry red beads. The tonal qualities of the skin have been painted with great adherence to detail.

There is an element of contrast in the work; the soft tones of the skin in comparison to the matt tones of the background enhance the flesh.  While red circular shapes are repeated.

In Ruby Chew’s work there is a certain air of vulnerability and honesty. She shows her subject gently holding an object typically associated with femininity. The circle in the background is a halo and gives us an insight into the man. His eyes stare quietly out at us; his facial features are soft and thoughtful. Beads are often symbols of prayer. What is Scott praying for? As he holds these beads in his open hands he also reveals that he is open for a response.

Jude is a portrait of a young woman; her face has been painted with red paint. Four dots garnish each of her eyes. In the middle of her forehead is an inverted triangle. She is bare shouldered wearing a pink and red dress; painted with flat colour it stands out in comparison with her skin. In the background Ruby has placed another red triangle on a maroon background. This triangle points up, in contrast to the one on Jude’s forehead, extending almost to the top of the canvas.

She is a beautiful woman, with flashing green eyes that stare out as she stands in an angled pose. The look she gives us seems to be one of tentative curiosity. Her eyes contrast strongly with the red of her body paint, attracting our gaze to them.

The red triangle is symbolic of many things, though in this case it could be viewed as a symbol for fire.  The fire in her eyes and in her features has been captured with bold confidence. Again there is simple honesty in this work that entrances us. It directs us to want to know more. What is this fire that is apparent in “Jude”? In what way does it drive her? These questions are not so easily answered by staring at this work though we continue to do so.

Ruby Chew in this exhibition has painted, “painted” people. Many of her subjects have been decorated with tattoos, piercings jewellery. Normally such things are signs of people how have a rough exterior; however in Ruby’s subjects we see a gentle, honest human side. She opens up her subject in the painting to expose them in a truly beautiful way. The exhibition is open until the 24^th of November.

http://rubychewart.blogspot.com.au

http://www.hillsmithgallery.com.au/

Tim Ide- Where illustration meets passion

Tim is a consummate illustrator who is very well-known, though most people may not know his name. He does work as a court sketch artist producing drawings that often illustrate the seedier side of life; his work often appears on the news or in the local paper. He currently is exhibiting his work at Mrs Harris’ shop located in Thebarton. The exhibition is titled “Off the Page” and features his work along with Deborah Baldassi   His style draws heavily on an illustrative tradition with bold outlines and watercolor fills. His strength lies in his ability to capture the moment in time; be it now or thousands of years ago. Tim also works in amateur theatre and is an art teacher (where I met him). He is a witty personality with a quirky sense of humour which comes through in much of his work.

“Conan” was completed in 2010 as an illustration for a comic book. It describes the moment in time when the muscular figure of Conan a Marvel comic book character jumps from the deck of one ship to another much to the terror and dismay of those who oppose him. With a shield held close to his chest and sword in his hand he is drawn into the fray.  His intense piercing eyes reflect stalwart concentration. The faces within this work have been rendered to exhibit expression. Textural detail has been applied to provide visual interest and dark and light tones upon the smooth shapes serve help to lead the eye about the work. Contrasting elements highlight the action and dynamic movement. I really enjoy the composition of this work shapes have been used to lead the eye; examples include the down pointed sword and pointed helmet. Rounded curves soften the dynamic movement and allow the eye to rest. This work is created for a select audience who understands the barbarian nature of the Conan character. His brash, dominating strength is exhibited in this work.

“Wyvern” is an illustration for a book on mythical creatures. A large green dragon is perched on a rock while two intrepid adventurer sneak up on the incredible creature; though their dog is somewhat lacking in bravery. In the distance we can see a thick foreboding forest with a small township lying beyond.

The textural components in this work along with the colour serve to capture the imagination of the viewer and intensify the action. Water colour and pen and ink highlight the line work and textural components in this piece.

I enjoy the humorous inclusion of the little dog as it provides an interesting aspect to the piece. Black line work; as a tool in illustration, serves to bring a greater contrast to sections of the work so the viewer is better able to notice them.  They were possibly at one time a necessary element to book illustrations because of the methods of reproducing images in the past. I suppose that now in the digital age this black line element is largely aesthetic.

Tom the outback mailman is a children’s book that Tim Ide has illustrated and is a storybook highlighting a real life outback character; Tom Kruse. Known as the Birdsville Mailman, he delivered mail and other supplies to a wide region of the outback from 1936 until 1957. The story of his two-week road trips was captured in a 50’s documentary Back of Beyond, putting him on the national stage. Tim Ide has brilliantly captured the colours and characters in the Australian Outback. Above is the cover artwork with the rich blue of the outback sky captured with the use of acrylics. The varied ethic groups of the outback are represented along with the truck, “The Badger”. All of the illustrations have an intimacy and typical Aussie humour about them.

Jack “the dogger” is one illustration contained within with Tom and Jack sharing a meal cooked on a shovel with dingo skins drying in the background.

The illustration style of Ide is one which embraces traditional methods, yet incorporates the reality of life in the bush. His direct line work and water-colour washes all serve to compliment the bright washed out colours of the outback.

This exhibition is open on Saturdays and Sundays throughout October 11:00am – 3:00pm

Tim Ide webpage

Transparency- seductive forms at the JamFactory

Tegan Empson Cheeky 2011

“Cheeky” is a 630mm high black rabbit, with bright white eyes and a cute little smile; around its neck is a small red collar with coloured dots. Made from hot sculpted and fused blown glass this little bunny is one of a series of limited edition rabbits based on human emotions. Its rounded shape reflects a style similar to that of Japanese animated animal characters.  These rabbits are not at all wild they are tamed, domesticated and friendly. I was so enamoured by these creations I could not stop thinking about them all week.

Kumiko Nakajima Jelly Block 2009

“Jelly block” are hot worked, cold formed glass block forms.  They are translucent and stark; their bold colour draws the eye. These works are not entirely rectangular; they have been formed so as to encapsulate the eye. Our eye is taken through the semi-opaque form main form to the coloured blocks that lie inside; each reflects within itself, a wonderful tonal variation. The rear edges of each of these jelly like shapes are soft focused and ethereal.  There is an honest purity associated with these works that reminds us of the beauty that can be found in simple forms.

Mandi King Self Containers 2011

Mandi King has with “Self Containers” explored the notion of what it means to hold something.  Her shapes envelop each other and though they are rough ground and non-uniform they accentuate each other’s form.  The coloured bowls fit together like the rings in a sliced onion; while the tall forms like telescopic towers.  I enjoy looking at the surface; rough and textured they take on a powdered appearance that highlights apparent imperfections in the material. These forms evoke in me what the Japanese would refer to as Wabi-Sabi; simply stated, it is an aesthetic that celebrates the rustic simplicity of an object, its uniqueness as an entity in itself. It is an aesthetic that highlights three simple realities; nothing lasts, nothing is finished and nothing is perfect.  In Mandi King’s work we are shown how such different and unique items might hold each other.

Brenden Scott French Tectonic  Trace – Binary #2, 2011

“Tectonic Trace- Binary #2” is a kiln formed wall mounted glass piece that is composed of many horizontal planes resting on top of each other. Each line separates a series of shapes. This work fascinated me mainly because of its painterly nature. Each horizontal band is reminiscent of a horizon. The composition is pleasant and thought-provoking. Mottled skylines float above mountainous planes. The whole composition works because of the juxtaposition of opposite line; horizontal and vertical. Brenden Scott French’s compositions are beautiful because of their geometric complexity nestled upon simple lines.

Transparency is only open until the 25^th of August. It celebrates the diversity of the artists who have hired the glass studio at the Jam Factory. This facility is the longest running open access glass studio in Australia and is a treasure to be discovered in the city of Adelaide.

*images courtesy of the JamFactory, Adelaide

SALA- South Australian Living Artists festival in its 15th Year; it is going to be a busy month!

August marks the 15th Annual SALA Festival. For those who are not aware, SALA is a visual arts festival that is community based; bringing together 3,453 participating Artists and Designers in locations around the city and across regional centres throughout South Australia. Coffee shops, pubs, Galleries and Schools become venues for artistic display. During this event I will be trying to highlight as many venues and exhibitions as possible.

Take the time this month view the depth of talent on show for yourself and let me know if you have discovered something I should write about.

 

 

http://www.salafestival.com

Catherine Fitz-gerald- Tranquil garden moments captured in oil

Catherine Fitz-gerald  is an Adelaide artist known  for her masterful skill in depicting colour, particularly in nature. Her works have spanned a variety of subjects from fruit, to flowers and organic forms. I was able to view her work at Greenhill Galleries in North Adelaide.

Catherine grew up in Adelaide although she spent 16 years away, she returned in her early 40’s. Her art career began in Year 12, however she did not complete any painting in this time preferring set and furniture design, etching and enamels. She also briefly worked with ceramics before embarking overseas. In Canada she studied calligraphy and began painting little “Victorian” watercolours in her travel diary. She began painting in earnest at the age of 40. When I asked Catherine if she had studied formally she said;

“The best art advice I ever got was from my 9 year old nephew, who was doing his piano practice and said, “My teacher can tell if I haven’t practised 3 times a week.”  I realised if I wanted to really give my art a good go I had to paint at least three times a week. Which I have done (as a minimum) for the past 11 years.”

This is by far the best advice on how to paint that I have seen too. She states that even though it may sound banal; one’s whole life develops your eye and informs your art.

Her show is titled “Inspiration and Memory” the title evokes feelings of nostalgic revere. The title of the show was dedicated to her mother who had turned 80 only days before the exhibition opening. For Catherine the garden was always a place that evoked pleasant memories. She was one of 5 children and it was often in the garden that she had private and meaningful conversations with her mother. In this place she learned of family history. The garden was her access point to her mother’s memories. Her mother also had a beautiful singing voice and singing always helped the household tasks go quicker.

One of the notable things about Catherine is that she often paints with children of all ages. She does not teach them as such but they paint with her as fellow artists, exploring the same theme and planning their works.  She is a firm believer in the value of art in a well-rounded education. As part of this solo exhibition they are on display with her works.

“Enthusiasm” is a delightful oil on canvas work primarily of a nectarine blossom in the arch of a tree. It is a work which focuses on the point where the branches diverge. Small lively green leaf shoots are apparent on the upper branch with a bold centralised pink blossom being the focal point. Other blossoms echo the shape and hue but lie behind the main branch. There is an array of interesting angles that intersect with the edge of the space. The textures have been brought forward by the use of contrast. This same element has been used to compose the bark.  Thick layers of paint have been utilised to ensure that the cracks and roughened surface is apparent in the piece.  Enthusiasm is a joyful work, and in many ways it is a celebration of life and of spring. The central arc of the intersection of the branches is reminiscent of a figure joyfully throwing their arms into the air. The vibrant blossoms and tender shoots signify a new life or enthusiasm as the warm weather causes the plant to ecstatically come to life. Contrast is apparent throughout the work the roughened nature of the bark with the tender petals of the blossoms and the bright energetic colours with the stark brown and grey of the tree. I enjoy the painterly qualities of this work which Catherine Fitz-gerald has allowed to show through. There is no hiding that this is a painting. The beautiful brush strokes tell me that. The works in this exhibition had songs attached to them and; for Enthusiasm it was, “Young at heart”.

“Fairytales can come true…if you’re young at heart. For it’s hard you will find to be narrow of mind, if you’re young at heart…and life gets more exciting with each passing day…..”

In this work we can see the honesty of the nature of the thing itself. A simple moment noticing the life of spring and the beauty of a tender blossom has been captured for us to enjoy. Each new time we witness the wonders of spring it is as though we are seeing it with fresh new eyes.

“Resilience” is an altogether different oil painting compared to others in this exhibition. It captures the play of light beneath the leaves and branches of a Gingko plant. The bright blue sky is the background negative space. This space envelops the work and provides a vibrant backdrop which highlights the luminescent leaves and solid defined branches.  Through the thin structure of the leaves deep shadows show through. There are solid and defined forms of light and dark reacting within these leaves. The song attached to this piece was; “What a wonderful world”.

“I see trees of green….and I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”

“Resilience” to me is reminiscent of life. The ups and downs, the dark and light a counter play of opposites. More so however is the plant itself, the Gingko has survived since the dinosaurs. It is itself an amazing example of the resilience of the natural world.

List of Catherine’s other works at Greenhill Gallery

Kally Doyle- echos of the past signal a future

I met Kally Doyle a few days ago and was most impressed with her work which is hanging in the Geoffrey Stapleton Gallery until the 13th of May. She is in her second year of at Adelaide College for the Arts and is a practising artist in the meantime. Kally has a youthful energy that is apparent in her work and also in her choice of subject matter. For the SALA festival last year she decided to explore dinosaurs as her theme and found that they were well received. She has included a few more in this show along with many other works. She is only at the beginning of her career and is already an accomplished painter. Her work is diverse and personal.  I spoke to Kally one thing I noticed  was the energy that she transmitted. She is certainly a quirky, interesting individual who is in love with her work.

It was the Dinosaurs amongst her works on display which captured my imagination and brought back childhood memories of pawing through books on dinosaurs at school.

“What they don’t know” is a bold work containing large tyrannosaurus rex that seems to creep silently along a darkened room interior. Its teeth are bared, flashing white, as it looms through the shadows. It’s skin is camouflaged against the Art Nouveau wall paper which bursts with a plethora of stylised floral patterns. Doyle has rendered  this monster using a hand painted background on canvas and then worked the creature into the painting using tonal graduation. Tone is the predominant element of the piece, effectively drawing the viewer into the work without detracting from the wallpaper background. Doyle’s application of pattern in this work provides a uniformity that serves to balance the dominant subject against the space.

When one first looks at this canvas it appears as if this is a painting of patterned wallpaper then the monster appears from within.

Who has not been frightened at one time or another by the shadows in a room? Or a monster created by a coat rack or a pile of clothes? I remember being frightened by the shadows. Things in the dark that look so real until the lights are turned on and they disappear altogether. Perhaps with this work Doyle is providing an explanation as to where they might vanish, into the walls!  Who is to say what a dinosaur’s skin actually looked like, what colours it might have contained? Creative illustrators might have described them in one way. Doyle now finishes the job.

“What was I thinking” is another dinosaur inspired piece, however this one has an altogether different denotation. This is a less than frightening dinosaur, reminiscent of a child’s play thing. It sits upon a background of geometric and organic shapes of purple and blue. Various transparent forms drift about; a smiling parental figure, a bike and a more realistic roaring dinosaur. This symbolic, playful plethora of forms contrasts directly with the geometric configurations to provide an interesting backdrop to the main subject of the work. Analogous colour softens the subject matter so it appears dreamlike.

This whole work is painted from the point of view of a child. We the viewer are positioned  beneath the towering dinosaur. Like the blank dead eyes of a doll, the eyes of this toy do not engage with us. They stare out at something beyond. Above the lizard there is a square yellow light that might resemble a skylight. The geometric shapes could represent memories or patterns of thought; they join, each one leading to the other as one might nostalgically recall events of the past. I found myself doing this as I examined this work; memories of endless hours of play with plastic dinosaurs on the lounge room floor. My head lying flat against the carpet wondering how they might have looked in real life.

Kally Doyle is an artist at the beginning of her career. It is a bold move to put yourself up on display. Her work is refreshingly honest and that is its appeal.

http://www.thegeoffreystapletongallery.com/

The biomorphic forms of Mandi King

Mandi King is another person I met at Bowerbird Bazaar. It is difficult to really place her in the box of pure Artist, Designer or Craftsperson as she is proficient in all three areas. Her designs are incredibly appealing aesthetically and are extremely functional.  Originally Mandi studied at New York State College of Ceramics and completed her honours degree focussing on the areas of glass sculpture and digital printmaking. It was during this period that she became inspired by the work of Australian glass artists such as Clare Belfrage and Gabriella Bisetto. In a bold move, she left the States and moved to South Australia to undergo the two-year Glass Design Associateship at the Jam Factory.  Glass for Mandi King is surely an enchanting and seductive medium.

Illumini Decanter

The first item to catch my eye was the strange shaped, Illumini Decanter with its central hole,the function of which is to aerate the wine as it is decanted.  Developed as a collaborative project with Karen Cunningham; this decanter is slightly conical with deep flat sides and gentle curves. The top sees one end sightly raised and formed into a lip while the upper surface is angled backward. This helps the pouring of a liquid into a glass to be easy to facilitate and control.The hole in the middle provides an aesthetically interesting focal point as well as a unique mechanism for one to grasp this eye-catching piece. The inspiration for this work came ultimately from extensive knowledge of her materials. The fluid, amorphous, organic nature of heated glass is reflected in the work itself. Thus the Illumini decanter’s structure is built around what a glass worker experiences as they work with the medium . To produce flattened sides one must pull and stretch the molten glass. The hole in the centre is like a bubble rising through the shape. The beauty inherent in this work comes largely from the distortion of light as it bends around the forms that have been melded together.  The work is homage to the fluidity of the material itself.  I want one!

Soft Slices

The work Soft Slices are also highly influenced by the nature of the material itself. They contain a central black rounded section surrounded by coloured glass. The forms resemble a flattened sphere that has been sliced.  They look like eyes with their black centre and soft tinted surroundings. Soft Slices is very characteristic of King’s personal style of working with glass. It is clear that she enjoys playing with the biomorphic forms and luminous colour that hot glass naturally creates on its own. In this work I can see forms reminiscent of bubbles, amoeba or single-celled organisms.  After the basic forms have been conjured into shape with a blowpipe they are taken into the cold-shop where they are cut, ground and polished on industrial machinery, reducing them back to what she feels are their essence.The hot and cold approaches used to create the forms are philosophically different, yet there is a dynamic balance created. The elements within the final works harmonise with each other. Soft slices have within themselves an innate movement related to their liquid forms which is synonymous with the kinetic nature of the material in its molten form.

The success of these works is derived from the simple intention to manipulate the basic elements of colour and shape in a three-dimensional format. In glass colour is at its most vibrant as it is manipulating the light itself. Essentially it is pure colour.

What is refreshingly apparent with all of Mandi King’s work is her love for working with the material itself. She does not try to create something that the material is not, rather she is honest with it. Her work brings forth the natural beauty found in glass.

http://www.mandikingglass.com.au/

Illumini’s blog