THE ROCKS - SYDNEY

The S H Ervin Gallery sits on Observatory Hill which has part of it carved out of rock - hence the name, The Rocks @ Sydney.

Here are a couple of close-ups of the beautiful colours that are a natural part of the experience.

 

ELIZABETH CUMMINGS - A PAINTER'S PAINTER

Prior to attending the Picasso exhibition, walked from Chinatown all the way to the Rocks and saw the major Elizabeth Cummings retrospective exhibition at the National Trust space - S H Ervin Gallery.  She is an artist I have followed for many years, and to see her works at close hand, I was not disappointed.

What a painter.  She is inspired by the landscape and still life, however this exhibition is focused on her landscapes covering several decades.  She moves the paint around with immense confidence and skill, and layers the work with transparent and opaque paint, reaching in and out of the negative space.  A supreme colourist and she has my total respect.  LOVED IT.

While I was there, an interesting experience occurred. I had spoken briefly to the two women at the entrance to the show and mentioned how much I love E.C's work and this was the first time I would see them in real life.  After I had been in there for a while - I was approached by one of them to speak to a visitor and discuss the works with her!  Must have had that special arty aura about me. 

Anyway, it was a lovely exchange and I enjoyed meeting someone new for that half hour.

http://www.nationaltrust.com.au/placestovisit/sheg/

The next day, walked from the Domain to Elizabeth Cummings' commercial gallery - King Street Gallery in William Street, to view her monographs.  These dealt primarily with still life and the show is running concurrently with the retrospective.

http://www.kingstreetgallery.com.au/artists/elisabeth-cummings/2012-elisabeth-cummings-monotypes-tables-and-other-pieces

Elizabeth Cummings, "The Chinese Letter" 2011 - King Street Gallery, Sydney

VISITED PICASSO EXHIBITION - SYDNEY

Took a quick flight to Sydney primarily to see the Picasso exhibition currently on at the New South Wales Art Gallery on the Domain.

Was astonished to see so many key works and there were quite a few of my favourites amongst them.   It is interesting that when you are familiar with images only through books, that sometimes it is surprising to see the actual scale when confronted by it in real life.  Such was the case with two works in the exhibition The Bathers (27 x 22cm)and Two Women Running On the Beach (32.5 x 41.1cm).  I always felt these were monumental works, but in actual fact they are very small.  However, they remain monumental due to the reasons a great artist is really a master.

If you have a chance to visit this exhibition - closes on March 25, 2012 - please make the time to do so.


http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/picasso/

RON MUECK SCULPTURE @ KICK ARTS - A MUST SEE

I first saw this amazing sculpture @ the Queensland Art Gallery / Museum of Modern Art, and had to view it again when I knew it was coming to Cairns @ Kick Arts Contemporary Arts in Abbott Street.  If you have the opportunity, don't miss it.  Will be on show until March 25.

Students viewing Ron Mueck’s In bed (detail) 2005 Purchased 2008. Queensland Art Gallery Foundation
Collection: Queensland Art Gallery
© Ron Mueck
Courtesy: Anthony d’Offay, London
Photograph: Ray Fulton

MAJOR PAINTING ENTERS CAIRNS REGIONAL GALLERY COLLECTION

Today one of the major paintings from my 2008 New Directions exhibition held at Cairns Regional Gallery, entered into the gallery's collection.

This work, titled Vibrations 13 - (2008, 1500 x 1800mm, acrylic & oil on canvas) was part of a series of paintings and drawings that were the first public viewing of images that delivered the dramatic shift from my former Surrealism to pure abstraction.

Preparing the work for transport is Justin Bishop - Cairns Regional Gallery's Exhibition Manager.

 Voyeur Within Private Landscape (1998. 1200 x 1450mm, oil on canvas)  was purchased by Cairns Regional Gallery around 2005.

WORK COMMENCES ON INDUSTRIAL MATERIAL

Started cutting out larger sized images for irregular shaped paintings, utilizing a plastic material mainly found in the fibreglassing industry.  It has many benefits - doesn't attract mould (which is important in the tropics); is easy to cut; very light in comparison with other media, and with simple preparation, can take acrylics and oil paint.

My colleague using the jigsaw, is marine engineer, Ken Raabe.

 

One of the designs - end result could be vastly different

 

VISIT FROM 9 YR OLD ART CRITIC

Was in my studio painting last Thursday when one of the local children came through to see what I was doing.  After commenting favourably on this abstract work in process, she asked me, "Do you want to be an artist when you grow up!"  The answer?  "yes" and "yes".