Drawing on artists’ passions
SOLO exhibitions and group shows provide visual stimulus that draws on the passion and interests of the artists. Individual themes are pursued and explored through different media and technique that both enhances and detracts, whether singly or collectively, however, the evidence of the creative spirit gives the viewer much to consider.
The Red Door Gallery at the University of Southern Queensland is presenting “I See You,” an exhibition of delicacy and detail by Ursula De Kretser. The body of work comprising lino prints, screen prints, and installations of porcelain leaves is an ode to the mangrove, the beach side stalwart that helps prevent erosion through a complex root system that also hosts fragile ecosystems of marine organisms. Kretser’s work probes the relationship between nature and humanity: environmental awareness in the face of coastal development. The placement of the prints on handmade paper and rice paper becomes a spatial poem of elements. The myriad of porcelain leaves, some edged with gold lustre, some plain, others with hand drawn decals are like the scales of an exotic fish, yet singly they become precious treasures.
Also at USQ are two other satellite galleries: Pink Ink is featuring “One Painting: One Wall” a site specific work by Mace McGregor that marries architectural detail with hard edge painting, while Gallery One Two Six has “First Impressions,” a selection of small ceramic pieces by first year students.
Culliford Gallery at the Toowoomba Art Society, 1 Godsall Street, is showing “Skoob” a collection of artist books by members of the Creative Artists Book Group. The exhibition explores the concept of ‘art as idea’ and ‘book as object’ to create a variety of small artworks that juggle text and image, or as in the ‘tunnel books’ by Stephenie Broadbent, offer a three dimensional illustration.
The Corridor at the Art Society has an impressive display of work by emerging artist Susanne Wood. Her exhibition “From Woe to Go” includes paintings and pastels of landscapes, bird studies, a terrific sequence of dramatic parachute scenes, and works of social comment.
The atrium at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery is hosting The Chronicle and Toowoomba Art Society and Junior Art Expo. The high school entries reflect the usual curriculum driven predictability, however, the entries from pre-schoolers and primary students have a joyful, colourful, and serendipitous approach.
The Cam Robertson Gallery at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery has the exhibition “Old Land New Vision,” a series of landscapes by Bruce Rodger. These unrealistically priced paintings have a prescriptive quality emphasized by over playing technique and detail at the expense of a lighter more spontaneous hand. Two works of interest include the haunting nightscape The Milky Way from Talbingo and A Change in the Air, a softer, less rigid work that sustains the illusion of deep space.