"Face the Music" by Connie Eales

ARTIST INSPIRED TO PAINT THROUGH HER LOVE OF MUSIC

Connie tells us about the inspiration for “FACE THE MUSIC” artworks, “I was once a violinist – not a brilliant violinist, but more than competent and I loved playing the instrument.  I was never a professional musician but I derived so much pleasure from making music on my lovely violin alone and with friends who played other instruments.   Injury to my fingers put an end to these pleasures. 

I listen to music every day of my life and since I can paint but not play, I derive a great deal of satisfaction from painting musical themes and musicians. I want to share that pleasure with others.”

Connie Eales, born in Gulgong NSW, grew up on the Central Coast and moved to Sydney when she enrolled at Sydney University for her first degree.  Connie achieved her BA, Dip.Ed and taught High School for three years before undertaking further post-graduate work at Macquarie University.  Her Masters degree and subsequent work in school counselling ensured her registration as a professional psychologist in NSW.

Connie occupied a senior executive position in the NSW Department of Education for 9 years in which time she also spent time working with the then Minister for Education.  During this time Connie achieved a Masters degree from the Graduate School of Management.

Connie ran her practice The Advancement Centre in Western Sydney for 10 years providing psychology services, career consulting and in-service training for individuals, schools and businesses.  Concurrently Connie taught in post-graduate courses at Macquarie University and UTS.

With this academic background you might wonder how Connie has come to be a well known artist in mid-western NSW.  The answer is that she decided on a career change.  She decided to pluck up the courage to relinquish a lucrative job to pursue a life-long desire – the desire to create the art that had been incubating for years in her heart and mind.  Connie had always been an artist at heart and whenever she could find some time in her life in the fast lane, she painted, even if it was only the occasional oil study.  Her husband and two daughters were frequently the subject of portrait vignettes.

In her new art career Connie took some classes, worked under the mentorship of several professional artists and just got in some good brush mileage.

The academic bug struck again in 2007/8 when Connie undertook post-graduate qualifications in Museum Studies at Macquarie University.  Connie curated exhibitions for Cudgegong Gallery and Mudgee Arts Council for several years while at the same time pursuing her own artistic bent.  She now holds one or more exhibitions a year to share her latest muse and patrons have described her work as addictive as many of them own two or more of her paintings and they claim that they never tire of looking at them and always see something in them that they never noticed before.

"Musica de Mondo"

Exhibition opens: Friday 30 March 2012 at 6.00 pm

Exhibition runs: 30 March – 29 April 2012   

STRENGTH CONTRAST & BOLDNESS GALVANISES INTO ONE EXHIBITION

With references from Brancusi and Giacometti in strong sculptural totemic forms through to interpretations of the landscape around Hill End, the opening show for 2012 is a strong and inspired collection of highly desirable artworks from two well recognised artists, Julie Williams and Hui Selwood.

Julie works by applying heavily contrasted layers of paint with the fine lines of ghostly heritage buildings that evoke a deep response in the viewer. Against these, the works of Hui Selwood, stand as totemic forms that imply the presence of souls among the ruins.

This is a natural alliance between 2 artists and friends who work from the heartland of the gold rush in Hill End near Bathurst NSW.

Julie Williams - Painter
My art practice primarily involves using painting as a problem solving experience to produce contemporary works with historical references.  The works, which explore relationships between the landscape and the built environment, are a combination of immediate responses to specific sites and ideas developed in the studio. Where we live creates relationship both visually and metaphorically, built environments either blend, recede or dominate but in the end it is the landscape that remains. The Australian attachment to landscape is very strong and landscape painting carries a huge legacy.  I think of my own work as trying to find something interesting and meaningful to say about my immediate landscape and at the same time make work, which is lively and compelling.  My interpretations are dependent on plein air studies, antique maps, photographs and archival documents.  My influences are the landscape and architecture of the historic gold rush town of Hill End, NSW, a place wrapped in a rich history of immigration, which has become a metaphor for my own sense of belonging.

Hui Selwood – Sculptor
Abstract compositions in the materials of metal and wood, predominate my work. The sculptural compositions acknowledge an architectural quality, which stems from my interest in design, architecture and construction. These works continue to investigate architectural ideas and design with the emphasis on the vertical, referencing totems and figures. The totem is a subject, which has occupied me for years. Intrigued by the totems from various cultures and civilisations, such as Aboriginal, African, Central and South American and Oceanic tribes, Ancient European and Eastern civilisations. My interest in the totem extends to the totem pole, where not only a connection has been established with my interest in architectural references but also with the figure, the quasi-representation of our selves. Questioning the need for humans to erect tall vertical structures from the times of Stonehenge to the modern high rise. A curious parallel, the evolutionary steps of man from the horizontal to the vertical. These works are responses to totems of the past, to contemporary architecture and to the sculptures of Brancusi, Giacometti, Meadmore and David Smith’s Cubi series.

"Elemental Sky" by Aida Pottinger

"Reflections" Acrylic & Oil on Canvas 50 cm x 70 cm

Artist’s Statement – Aida Pottinger

My mother was a Latvian refugee who fled the Russian invasion of Latvia into Germany and from there; she went as a refugee to England where she met my father. I was conceived in Lancashire and was born in Yorkshire where I was neither English nor Latvian. This exhibition tracks the landscapes linking mother and daughter. A powerful and emotional journey through war and migration, connecting Europe, England and Australia together. Land has a powerful hold over one’s identity. It is part memory, part anchor, part mystery. Peter Haynes, Director of ACT Museums and Galleries describes my work as “highly atmospheric, dream-like presentation with an air of mystery and nostalgia which captures the veils of memory”

I work in a variety of mediums including oils acrylics and ink and while working with a particular location in mind I am not bound by an exact recreation – I prefer to let intuition and the medium dictate what happens on the surface, exploring images which arrest the eye and are arrived at spontaneously. Working from life and landscape as a jumping off point. I like to push the source material to capture an atmosphere or mood visually echoing memories and emotions. My work emerges out of a landscape I may be working on and is a subconscious recognition of how the earth gives birth, nurtures, sustains and eventually reclaims the life on it.

My interests in composition, atmosphere and light reflect several of my artistic influences. First is the tradition of romantic landscape and the obvious influences of JMW Turner and Caspar David Friedrich.  A second direct influence on my work are the works of  Mark Rothko and Barnett Newman, who explored spatial structure and resonant colours in their abstract works. My work continues in these traditions by constructing landscapes that directly and meaningfully resonate to the viewers’ presence and engagement.

Marjo Carter - Outstanding Ceramics!

Born in Tasmania in 1953, and now working out of Bathurst in the Central West, Marjo Carter is an outstanding ceramicist.

Marjo tells us: "Central to the aims and objectives of my work is the integrated use of clay and hand rendered letter forms. As a calligrapher, I am interested in the particular aspects and qualities which govern calligraphy and sets calligraphic writing apart from other forms of visual text. As a potter, I am interested in using clay as the medium for writing, rather than the more traditional and familiar surfaces such as paper. This in itself, is quite a challenge as clay bodies vary enormously, and differing textures and qualities have significant impact on both choice and implementation of scripts."

The gallery invites you to come and view these beautiful statement pieces. We look forward to seeing you in Molong, just 20 minutes west of the City of Orange.

Art & Alchemy!

Like the process of alchemy, turning base metals to gold, Fresh Arts is about turning collective, raw talent into gold. The artworks in the “Alchemy” exhibition are diversely rich in concept, medium and execution.

Image by Rita Bruce

Alchemy, like art, is both a philosophy and a practice focused on transmutation. Digital prints, paintings in acrylic, oil and watercolour, wire and bone have been transformed into works that show the breadth and depth of creativity within the Fresh Arts collective. There are sixteen artists coming together for this show, bringing with them unique responses to the “alchemy” theme – explored through extensive research, playful experimentation with the medium or simply drawing upon their own personal narratives.

Image by Jack Randell

Image by Leanne Watt

Formed in 2004, Fresh Arts seeks out exhibition opportunities for its members and promotes professional arts practice in a region currently incorporating the towns of Dubbo, Geurie, Narromine, Gilgandra and Warren. There are currently about 30 artist members in the collective, who exhibit together several times a year.

Artists showing are:

Kim Goldsmith, Lara Scolari, Jack Randell, Tamara Lawry, Stuart Stendall, Merryn Spencer, Vicki Gainsford, Laura Holland, Nicola McCutcheon, Penny Volkofsky, Leanne Watt, Annette Simpson, Gill Pedrana, Rita Bruce, Jude Fleming, Jude Morrell

Kim Goldsmith describes her work so: As an artist who often works in digital mediums, I feel there is often a degree of magic that occurs between capturing an image with a machine and the processes it then goes through to become something recognised as an artwork. Anyone can grab a digital camera and take photos these days, and even publish them. But art has an extra element; something that is often intangible or unexplainable. A dead bat found on the driveway can become an object of fascination when enlarged through digital processes and illuminated.

Image by Kim Goldsmith

Don't miss this show!

Bringing the Tuscan home!

Jayes Gallery & Sculpture Gardens is delighted to be able to bring you an amazing array of new artworks, ceramics and sculptures from artists across Central West NSW.

Nicole Parkins

Autumn is on it’s way and while the countryside gets painted in asounding colours right before our eyes, Jayes Gallery is pleased to be showing the works of Nicole Parkins, a newcomer t this region. For Nicole’s first solo show with us, she has painted a selection of small and delightful works inspired by her journeys in Tuscany. Nicole tells us that this regional reminds her of Tuscany with its rolling hills, vineyards, orchards and woodlands dotting the landscape.

Her works are colourful and joyful and we invite you to join us on Sunday 10 April at 2 pm for the opening of Nicole’s show.

Nicole says of her work “First stop on my first venture out of Australia was in the beautiful medieval village of Montecastello, Umbria, Italy. Many of the works on paper in this exhibition were completed while doing a residency in this little town on top of a hill surrounded by classic Italian countryside.  The town itself was gorgeous; rustic charm hugged every doorway, corner, or stone paved lane way.  From the 360 view around the town, white roads and rivers meandered through the countryside, which I frequently ventured out into on walks, gathering images in my mind to take home.  Later, on my return to my studio in Australia, I completed further studies and painted the canvas series.  My works are reflections on the many moods of myself, the changing landscape and the stories that it can create and tell.”

Marjo Carter

We are delighted to bring you a small selection of smoke fired pottery from well known potter, Marjo Carter. Margo’s works are highly sought after and once again, she has excelled in the works in this collection.