ARTIST FOCUSES IN A NEW LIGHT
CELEBRATED photo media artist Shane Fitzgerald will open his latest exhibition Sojourn today at Umbrella Studio.
Mr Fitzgerald is well known for his abstraction work and each is unique and highly collectable.
The former Perc Tucker Gallery services manager was controversially made redundant from his role last year.
“I was in a substantial role and I deliberately didn’t mix the lines,” he said. “I kept my personal practice as an artist to the side. I didn’t practise while I was in such a leadership role, as my focus was on developing the arts of the region, and that role was all encompassing.”
Mr Fitzgerald said since his role was made redundant, he was able to reconnect with his grassroots artistic work. It is work that has some high profile people as fans.
Elton John is a customer and he has purchased four of Mr Fitzgerald’s works, ranging in size from a single piece to a series of works.
“Elton John read about me in an article published in the Australian Art Collector Maga- zine which named me as one of Australia’s leading undiscovered artists in 2004,” Mr Fitzgerald said.
He said he was encouraged to set a deadline by Umbrella Studio director Jonathon McBurnie by booking an exhibition.
“Since committing to the exhibition I have taken 4500 photos with about 30 that I am happy with and we have reduced this again for this exhibition,” he said.
Mr Fitzgerald’s photos are not captured directly from nature, but created in his studio using light processes. The exhibition runs until August 20.