Medley of styles creates interest
LOCAL and regional exhibitions offer a medley of styles, techniques, and media to create visual interest that is colourful, informative, amusing, and tells a story.
THE TOOWOOMBA ART SOCIETY, 1 Godsall Street, is presenting Comix and Graphix an exhibition of digital imagery, drawings, and caricature figures by Mark Phillips and Van Howell.
The panels from Phillips’ comics, Pea Soup and Space Soup are shown in limited edition prints.
Through computer generated imagery they shape stories starring characters with the generic features of big hair, stylized eyes, and button noses familiar to fans of the Japanese anime that in turn salutes the iconic 1930s cartoon flapper Betty Boop.
The landscape settings are mysterious, alluring, slightly menacing and designed for compulsive viewing.
A collaborative venture with author Jeremy Rohde sees the artist’s illustrative skills bring the whimsical personalities of “Buster the Wombat” and “Rargar the Seagull” to vivid life.
The drawings by Americanborn graphic artist Van Howell have appeared in such publications at the New York Times, the Daily News, and the Wall Street Journal.
For more than ten years he created political cartoons for The Guardian in London.
His caricatures of literary or political figures carry a telling element of parody.
The pen and ink studies, with their attention to detail, are deft, thought-provoking linear statements.
THE CORRIDOR at the Toowoomba Art Society is featuring work by Peter Fitzpatrick in the exhibition Spontaneous Combustion.
The paintings explore colour, pattern, design, and the discipline of composition, often with a nod to architectural settings.
They are refreshingly worked up from sketches, rather than photography, which gives them a lively immediacy.
The didactic information contains thumb nail images of the original drawings, showing the potential for a follow-up Notes from My Sketch Book exhibition!
THE ROSALIE GALLERY in Goombungee is showing Outside the Lines, an exhibition by Rockhampton artist, Andrea Farrow.
The art of caricature plays a role here too but the subjects are animals.
Cats and dogs pose for quirky portraits that are fun and sometimes frivolous but which show perceptive individual character.
Studies of other animals also capture a particular and distinctive essence.
The paintings are teamed with a series of clever and appealing sculptures made from the scrap metal of old tools and bits of machinery.
THE LOCKYER VALLEY ART GALLERY in Gatton is presenting Foot prints, an exhibition of paintings by members of the Whisson family.
Works by patriarch Eric Whisson reflect the versatility and skill for which he is acclaimed.
Family matriarch Ruth shows dignified traditional landscapes.
There are flower studies by Erica, and landscapes and seascapes by Colley and Todd.
Other works include graphic illustrations by Dane, a portrait by Rhianna, and an abstract by Narelle.
While the boldly colourful gestures by Jordan demand instant attention.