When trees were seeds...

I fell in love with dolly years ago... she has so much presence; she is not so different to the trees. And she is looking inward as much as she is looking away. That was me all that time ago; vulnerable and looking for some intangible thing. Dolly dolly dolly!

love and other landscapes...

Artist Statement

Personal symbols inform my imagery. Predominantly and historically, the narrative has been the driving force for me as an artist.

These simple and humble images of pines are deeply personal symbols of love, but they are also themselves; they are particular trees I see as I traverse the hinterland in my weekly comings and goings. They are beings that have seduced me very quietly with their stillness, their elegance, their majesty, their stoic resistance to the hubbub of human activity, and their individuality. It is the unique quality of each tree that tells the story… that holds the secret of the past.

One of the trees fell during the storms over Christmas; when I saw it in the paddock, a broken tragic memory of itself; I was reminded that love is a transitory place that has its own evolution… birth, growth, death and renewal.

Love is a drug!

 

love and other landscapes officially opened by artist and art educator, Rob Natoli.

I loved Berto's opening speech; it was thoughtful and reflective and also informative. Thanks Roberto!

Reflection...

BRIDE, oil on board, 90 x 60cm
What light through yonder window breaks? (Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet)

The morning after the night before...

 

BLOCK, oil on canvas, 207x207cm

Monday.... and work colleagues are asking me how the exhibition went; this leads me to reflect on what is a measure of success. I find myself thinking about my friends: who was at the show and who wasn't and why. Certainly, there was a significant sporting event in competition (excuse the pun) with love and other landscapes but many hardened Union followers attended; surely that is a measure of success!

It was good to see the paintings in a gallery space and contemplate the juxtapositions and inter-relationships with Trisha, Wendy, and Lorna's art. It all seem to sit comfortably. BFAC is not a great space though. The lighting is dodgy and the walls are irregular. I need to consider an alternative space for an extended exhibition of my tree series.

love and other landscapes

Sisters, oil  on board, 90 x 60 cm

This is my first ever blog...

This tree is gone now; in the summer storms it fell, a tragic memory of itself.

 This is my first exhibition in years. I was in the Kimberley for a couple of years and was too numb to paint. I  am settled and at peace with myself for the first time in my life. These paintings tell that story.

love and other landscapes is at the Butter Factory Art Centre  10 Maple St Cooroy  from 8 July to 6 August.