Every now and then you see something that really moves you. It might be an amazing feat, an image or a scene that triggers a memory or a feeling.
Last year, in preparing my first solo exhibition, held at Oak Hill Gallery in Mornington, Victoria, I hunted through old photographs looking for images with structure and voice. I stumbled upon a set of photographs from previous travels I had made with my husband. As a bit of background, we originate from Queensland, and had travelled to Victoria (now our home) to see the sights and experience the variation in seasons!
The photos I had taken showed views of the hills and mountains. In their literal sense, they were not great photos, but they moved me to remember that time. I was a bit fuzzy on the details, as they were taken about 25 years ago, well before digital cameras came to town. But I remembered the trip. I remembered the breeze. I even remembered the feeling of
the sunlight warming me.
A series of paintings developed out of those photos. In my way, I used the structure
and shapes to form my work. The colour pallet was reflective of the warm autumn air, the burnt orange of the season. Those strong colours were all around us. These were the Foothills of Mount Buffalo that day and this painting was both difficult, and a pleasure to create. From the blocking in of the structure and texture to the decision about what was to be emphasised and brought forward in the narrative.
This is it.
I felt very proud to hang it on the gallery wall. It is a challenging pallet of burnt oranges and deep magenta - I admit. Against the right wall however, it is a centre piece!
Let me know how it makes you feel?
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