Sunday, June 17, 2007

THROUGH THE FLYSCREEN


This painting called 'Through The Flyscreen' is one of my favourites. Why? Because it exposes a point of transition in my life. I painted it just after I moved to Brisbane having separated from my husband of 18 years. We had lived together in Goondiwindi [he still lives there], a small rural town on the border of Queensland and New South Wales [Australia]. For those of you who don't know about rural life in Australia, flies and mosquitoes are constant companions and flyscreens on windows are essential. I remember many times wiping either hordes of mosquitoes or flies off my arms and trying to from my back. No wonder I got Ross River Fever and Dengue fever too!
So, with this painting the viewer can either imagine themselves looking from the outside in or the reverse...from the inside out. This can also be described as looking from the present to the past or the present to the future. If you look closely at the image there is a city behind the flyscreen. It is set against a multi horizoned landscape. There are patches of rain in the multi distances. So, in a way time is collapsed and the past, present and future are one.
Looking back at some work I have done in years past I am often amazed at the hints of themes which ultimately dominate in later work. History and time [shared], distance [both temporal and spatial], collapsing notions of linear time are all prevalent in my more recent work. I wonder what themes this work is hinting at now? Time will give me the perspctive to 'see' I am sure.
Through The Flyscreen oil on linen 80 x 100 cm

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

SEE THIS IN MALENY


Thursday June 28 is the opening of my exhibition at The Upfront Club, 31 Maple Street, Maleny, Queensland, Australia @ 6.30 pm. I am speaking about my work at around 7 pm. The Upfront Club is great. The most Happening place I've been to in a long time. www.upfrontclub.org
The painting above Mountains and Metaphors will be in the exhibition. It will be the largest painting @ 80 x 120 cm. The other paintings will be a selection from the last couple of years. Predominantly the works on show will represent my interest in using landscape forms as metaphors for relationships whether they be with ourselves, other individuals or between collectives such as countries.
I hope my work causes people to think. I am not interested in being didactic or to even voice an opinion. I hope my work is more subtle than that. I like it when my images make people tell me their stories because something resonates for them. This is in contrast to me telling my story for its sake only.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

SHARED DESTINIES



I am really very happy with this painting as it takes my attention every time I look at it. It is currently leaning against a wall in my living room. It took forever to complete as the line work is very detailed and needed a few coats of paint. The dark background tends to swallow colour if layering does not take place. I wanted to create the feeling of past and future history with a nod to the present. I wanted to give the feeling of history taking place against a backdrop of the history of the Universe. Puts things into a perspective where understanding can take place I think.

Shared Destinies Oil on linen 120 x 160 cm