Drawing on Drysdale

Russell Drysdale, ‘Convoy on Road near Albury’ 1942, pen, ink, watercolour on paper, AlburyCity Collection, Purchased with funds from a 1985 public appeal.

Ararat Regional Art Gallery presents ‘Drawing on Drysdale’, an exhibition of drawings by an icon of 20th century Australian art, Russell Drysdale (1912-1981) from 3 july ro 24 August 2014. 

This touring exhibition is built around the substantial holdings of Drysdale’s work in the AlburyCity Collection. ‘Drawing on Drysdale’ presents drawings, sketches, written material and objects, including Drysdale’s portable easel, in an exhibition that celebrates a major Australian artist responsible for reshaping the way we see Australia. Russell Drysdale, 'Evening Camp' 1961 (detail), pen, ink, 25x33cm, AlburyCity Collection.

Born in England in 1912 to Australian parents, Drysdale moved to Australia with his family, settling near Albury in 1923. Drysdale was expected to work on the family farm, but at the age of 20 his potential as an artist was noticed by a local doctor who sought the advice of the Director of the National Gallery of Victoria, Daryl Lindsay. This led to Drysdale studying in Melbourne under George Bell and Arnold Shore. He sailed for Europe in 1938 to further his career in Paris, but returned Australia in 1939 when war became imminent. Drysdale moved from Sydney back to Albury in 1942, concerned for the safety of his family during the war. This formative period established his unique style, informed by European modernism but boldly inspired by the people and places of Australia. By the 1950s Drysdale has secured a unique position as Australia’s national artist, with his art widely reproduced and disseminated.

It was drawing that first brought attention to Drysdale in the early 1930s while recovering in hospital, and towards the end of his life when he was restricted due to ill health; it was drawing that once again occupied him. Through drawing Drysdale engaged with representation, touch and vision. He sought to create images that went beyond the depiction of appearances, wrestling with the significance of marks and mark making. He did not labour over details that were not essential; rather he focussed on the essential features leaving the remaining image to the viewer's imagination. Defective eyesight excluded Drysdale from war service, but through a need to be involved he produced what has become a significant body of work that details army life in Australia. Some of these works held in the Albury Art Gallery collection include ‘Albury Platform’ 1943 and ‘Convoy on Road near Albury’1942. ‘Drawing on Drysdale’ is an AlburyCity touring exhibition.

Paull McKee and John Parkes

  Ararat Regional Art Gallery presents two distinct yet related exhibitions by Australia’s most prominent male textile artists, Paull McKee and John Parkes. Paull McKee's 'The Art of Repair' and John Parkes' 'Present in the Process' were presented from 30 January to 16 March 2014.

Paull and John have developed their practices on opposite sides of the Australian continent: John in Perth and Paull in Canberra.  At first glance what links them is the use of reclaimed materials. These similarities soon diverge through the artists’ different approaches to their materials. The artists share an immense respect for the utilitarian origin of cloth - highlighting remnant marks and signs of wear and tear - with reference to the relationships of cloth to memories, the body and the environment. You can view the catalogue online here.

John Parkes was in residence at the gallery from 31 January to 2 February 2014 and during his stay in Ararat he established a stitching circle in the gallery. John was mentored in Perth as a student by the late textile artist, Elsje van Keppel, and he remains a passionate champion of her legacy. This photo shows John with local resident Nolene Fraser admiring Elsje van Keppel's 'Equivocal Landscape' 1991-92 from the gallery's permanent collection. Nolene also brought with her a van Keppel piece from her own collection.

Master Potter John Eagle

'This is where I live' is an exhibition of recent ceramics by Ararat artist, John Eagle. John's association with Ararat began following his artist's residency at Marian College. This residency evolved in a teaching role and a move to Ararat with his wife Rosemary, who is also an artist specialising in printmaking. This exhibition features richly glazed ceramics informed by the landscape around Ararat, including Mount Langi Ghiran, Mount Cole and the Grampians National Park.

The plates featured in this exhibition are from a major body of work commissioned from an American collector. John explains the origins of the project: "John Jay is a Ford executive who spent several years living and working in Australia before returning to America 23 years ago. Before he left he commissioned a copper red stoneware dinner set from me. John insisted that it was entirely up to me to create and he wanted me to use it as an opportunity to produce something special and develop my work...This was the unique opportunity that artists dream about: a patron."

Initially John considered developing a body of work inspired by the iconic images of Australia, from desert to tropical rainforests and the ocean, but with his relocation to Ararat a new source of inspiration emerged. "Driving back and forth at all times of day and night in all seasons made me realise that right here was my reference; my inspiration," John said.

John Eagle is widely recognised for his contribution to ceramics in Victoria. A graduate of RMIT, he enjoyed early success when selected for inclusion in the seminal Victorian craft exhibition, Craft Victoria '75 at the National Gallery of Victoria. Following an initial teaching career, John dedicated himself to a life as a full time potter. His commitment to his craft during these formative years was vindicated when he received the National Bicentennial Art-Craft Award for Functional Pottery in 1988. John is regionally associated with Linton Pottery, which operated at Linton, near Ballarat, from 1997 to 2007. He is also known in wider ceramics circles through his writing, mentoring and the inclusion of his work in exhibitions at galleries in Australia and overseas. His prize-winning ceramics often feature a striking copper red glaze, which remains a signature aspect of his work to this day. The exhibition continues until 12 March 2014.

National Exposure for Ararat Collection

In 2013 we welcomed arts writer Bronwyn Watson to Ararat Regional Art Gallery.  Bronwyn viewed objects from the gallery's collection and wrote a series of articles for her Public Works column in The Weekend Australian.  Have a look at the links below to learn more about these works:

Mona Hessing 
Annemieke Mein 
Olga De Amaral 
Ewa Pachuka 
Kate Just 

Top 10

If you visit Ararat Regional Art Gallery in November 2013 you can help curate the exhibition, ‘Top 10: The People Curate the Permanent Collection’. A book presenting photographs of textile and fibre artworks from the permanent collection will be available for you to peruse. You can select your three favourite works and make a comment which could end up on a panel in the exhibition.

The ten artworks which receive the most votes will be exhibited to provide an historical context for appreciating the ‘Recent Acquisitions’ exhibition. There are some iconic works in the collection which are enduring in their popularity, but it will be interesting to see which ‘dark horses’ make the final cut. We hope you can be part of this exciting experiment! We’ll also be posting photos on our Facebook page, and we’d love you to join the conversation.

Last week we hosted a group of tapestry weavers (pictured), led by gallery advisory committee member Debbie Herd, who visited our current exhibitions and had access to the permanent collection. The ladies all cast their votes for the 'Top 10' exhibition. Photo: Wendy Stevens

Goya meets Todd

We were pleased to welcome the very charming Bianca Acimovic, Visual Arts Coordinator from Albury Art Gallery to Ararat Regional Art Gallery t on 9 October 2013. Bianca presented a floor talk about Francisco Goya's 'Los Caprichos' which is touring to Ararat from the AlburyCity collection. This exhibition features an early edition of 'Los Caprichos', a set of eighty-one etchings first published in 1799. It is one of the most influential series of graphic images in the history of Western Art. The arresting images in 'Los Caprichos' deal with such themes as the Spanish Inquisition, the corruption of the church and the nobility, witchcraft, child rearing, avarice, and the frivolity of young women. Its cast includes goblins, monks, aristocrats, prostitutes, and animals acting like human fools; these personages populate a world on the margins of reason, where no clear boundaries distinguish reality from fantasy.

Geoff Todd, 'The Goya Painting (2013), Acrylic & charcoal on canvas, 168cm x 214cm, Courtesy of the artist.

To coincide with and complement our presentation of the 'Los Caprichos' etchings, Ararat-based artist Geoff Todd was invited to respond to the exhibition which resulted in a major new painting which updates Goya's satirical vision of a corrupt society. Geoff’s new painting references Goya’s art and life as well as his own socially-engaged practice. Geoff presented an illustrated talk about his work and his affinity with Goya on 23 October at 6pm.

'Los Caprichos' and Geoff Todd's 'The Goya Painting' will be on show until 23 November 2013.

Sensorial Loop

Michelle Elliott installing her artwork, 'hemispheres, drawn to you, still' (2011) with the able assistance of Sue Kennedy. Photo: Wendy Stevens.

Image: Michelle Elliot, 'hemispheres: drawn to you' 2011, materials: cotton thread, paper, 2,000 hand-made wooden pins, 300 H x 180 W (variable)

We are installing the touring exhibition, 'Sensorial Loop: 1st Tamworth Textile Triennial' with our team. Pam Brown from Tamworth Regional Art Gallery visited Ararat to guide the installation of some fascinating and complex textile fibre works. Sydney artist Michelle Elliott was also with us installing her extraordinary work, 'hemispheres, drawn to you, still' (2011). This is the final presentation of this Tamworth Regional Gallery touring exhibition. We hope to see you this Saturday 17 August 2013 at 2pm for the exhibition opening. 'Sensorial Loop' will be opened by the curator Patrick Snelling, Program Director, School of Fashion and Textiles, RMIT University, Brunswick campus. Pam, Michelle and Sandra McMahon, Director of Tamworth Regional Art Gallery will also be in attendance together with some of the represented artists.

Permanent Collection

Yvonne Koolmatrie, ‘Large Eel Trap’ 2012, woven sedge, 224 x 49cm (variable), Purchased with Ararat Rural City Council annual allocation, 2012, Ararat Regional Art Gallery Collection, Photo: Chris Koolmatrie

We often receive enquiries about the Ararat Regional Art Gallery's permanent collection, but it is not possible to present a good representation of the collection at any one time. However, to mark our 45th birthday we recently presented collection works across all galleries in the 'Big Time' and 'Bold Beginnings' exhibitions and these shows attracted a very positive response. For locals it was a chance to revisit old friends, and for visitors from out of town a chance to get a very real sense of the collection's strengths and unique character. These exhibitions were enhanced by two articles which appeared in The Weekend Australian highlighting objects from the collection by Annemieke Mein and Olga De Amaral, offering considerable national exposure to Ararat.

The collection focus continues into winter with our current retrospective, 'Making Time: The Art of John Corbett 1974-2013'. John is one of Australia's foremost fibre artists and the most represented artist in the gallery's collection. The exhibition features 18 works of great diversity from quilts, embroideries and woven sculptures.

Community members can expect to see our program draw increasingly on the collection in the future.
Our summer programming will now annually feature collection based shows, with an exhibition of recent acquisitions planned for later this year. This will create a context to present recent acquisitions for the first time, including works by established fibre artists such as Nalda Searles and Diana Wood Conroy, alongside innovative contemporary works by Sebastian Di Mauro and Starlie Geikie.

Given the importance of weaving and fibre in Aboriginal culture, it is disappointing that Aboriginal fibre artists have long been underrepresented in the permanent collection. To correct this underrepresentation Yvonne Koolmatrie was commissioned to create one of her signature large eel traps to form the centrepiece of a sub-collection which will focus on the indigenous fibre art of South Eastern Australia.Yvonne Koolmatrie is a Ngarrindjerri woman and a pivotal figure in the rise of Aboriginal fibre craft since the 1980s, especially through highlighting the cultural importance of weaving to cultural continuity for Aboriginal people in South Australia and Victoria.

Her large eel trap was woven in the first half of 2012 in the artist's home town of Berri in South Australia, and the work features woven sedge which was harvested from the Murray River near her home.
This elegant eel trap will join other beautiful and intriguing art works in our recent acquisitions summer exhibition.

Making Time: The Art of John Corbett

John Corbett and  his sister in law Betty Corbett at the exhibition opening.

'Fighting For Our Love II (1987-2013)

John Corbett is a pioneering contemporary Australian fibre art who has made his mark through an innovative use of materials and techniques in wall works and sculpture since the early 1970s.  He is the most comprehensively represented artist in the collection of the Ararat Regional Art Gallery. 'Making Time: The Art of john corbett 1974-2013' traces John's development from off-loom weaving in the 1970s to deeply personal and political text based textiles and sculptures of the 1980s and 1990s, including those which poignantly and pointedly address the AIDS crisis.

John's art was forged during the heady era of experimentation in the 1970s when an anything goes approach to materials and form was emerging in reaction to high modernism.  This exhibition explores the artistic and social context and rich sources of influence which have forged his unique visual language. John's art and career has principally been aligned to the Australian craft movement, but this exhibition seeks to position his powerful vision in fibre in the wider sphere of Australian and international visual arts practice since the 1970s.

John's exhibition was opened on Saturday 22 June 2013 at 2pm and was attended by family, friends and members of the Ararat community.  John was born in Hopetoun, but is a long time Melbourne resident, and it was nice to see his regional connection reflected in the attendance at the opening of family and friends.

Download a PDF of the exhibition catalogue here.

Yarnbombing the gallery

Elizabeth Carnaby and Sue Kennedy have completed yarnbombing the gallery. Thanks to Sue for driving this project and for Elizabeth for her commitment to making this happen with Sue. The project has had important contributions from Debby Fuller and Jean Halvorsen, and many donated sections from knitters in the community. This is a project driven by our volunteers and community members. Thanks to everyone involved in marking the gallery's 45th birthday in such a exciting way.

Plastic Fantastic

 

'Plastic Fantastic'

'Colour the World'

We had a fun night on Friday (5 April 2013 at 6pm) at the launch of Annabelle Collett's 'Plastic Fantastic' exhibition, which was launched together with 'Colour the World'.

Annabelle's 'Plastic Fantastic' exhibition uses recycled trash to fashion a vast array of artworks from all types of plastics.  She utilises discarded objects such as plastic lids, old children's toys, broken jewellery pieces and dumped containers to make bold and vibrant statements.  With a background in textile art, Annabelle's sculptures, installations, wall pieces, lighting and clothing use many methods and processes that link art, craft and design, evoking a range of cultural associations with fashion, interior decorating and the crafted object.  The exhibition continues to 28 April 2013.

'Colour the World' is an installation resulting from two workshops involving 23 children.  Annabelle led children on an exciting journey through colour, texture, invention and endless possibility to create an amazing array of artworks.  The exhibitions were opened by Ararat Mayor Cr Ian Wilson.

Gordon Monro's Generative Art

 

Gordon Monro is a Ballarat-based digital media artist engaged in generative art. Generative art is art made partly or wholly by an autonomous process the artist sets up. Gordon writes computer programs that generate videos one frame at a time; for videos with sound, the same program generates the sound. Gordon’s practice is informed by his background in science, mathematics and experimental music composition and performance. He is currently undertaking a PhD in Generative Art at the Faculty of Art and Design at Monash University in Melbourne. For more information about Gordon and his work visit: http://www.gordonmonro.com/

Gordon will present an illustrated talk about Generative Art on Sunday 14 April 2013 at 3pm, followed by drinks to mark the closing of his 'Four Generative Videos' exhibition. 

Waradgerie Weaver

Ararat Regional Art Gallery is honoured to present 'Waradgerie Weaver', an exhibition of new work by Lorraine Connelly-Northey which continues to 10 March 2013.

Swan Hill-born Lorraine is a Waradgerie woman who grew up in the area where the Mallee bush meets the Murray River, and this background – and its meshing and tension with her father’s Irish heritage – has informed her work.  She is nationally known for her poetic use of found and scrap materials to produce finely crafted objects which reference their place of origin in powerful ways

'Waradgerie Weaver' was commissioned by Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery, and Ararat Regional Art Gallery is the second and final gallery to present this impressive exhibition. The exhibition features work made at the same times as her acclaimed Asia Pacific Triennial installation (see John McDonald's review).

Lorraine will present an artist's talk on Saturday 2 February 2013 at 2pm to formally open her exhibition.  We hope to see you there.

New Acquisition

With the assistance of a grant from The Robert Salzer Foundation, Ararat Regional Art Gallery has acquired a major artwork by Jenny Watson called 'After a fashion, with bag'. Jenny Watson is one of Australia’s leading contemporary artists with a 30 year practice that has seen her exhibit annually at prestigious galleries around the world. Jenny is known for her painting and mixed media work on fabric, which often combines text and script. Her diaristic art is sometimes knowingly child-like and expressionistic, and her use of colour and energetic mark-making heightens our empathy with her subjects.

From the early 1980s Jenny began painting on alternative materials such as hessian, velvet, cotton and taffeta. Her use of red velvet in her 1993 Venice Biennale exhibition is a notable example of the importance of fabric to her painting practice. She now mostly uses beautiful and distinctive fabrics - stretched or unstretched - as a support for her painting. However, the character of the fabric is never concealed, but instead contributes to the composition and brings what she calls a 'cultural quotient' to the work.

'After a fashion, with bag' is especially interesting in the way it explores the formal and conceptual significance of the textile support in painting. This makes some interesting connection to other contemporary works in the gallery’s permanent collection. The fabric featured in this artwork was purchased by Jenny on a visit to India in 2008-09. The image and text were painted on the fabric during her stay in India. The text panel reads: ‘I was staying in a big, old fashioned hotel in India. There were birds, like crows, but bluer, and some of them were quite tame. These ones came down to the pool to drink, and paddle, despite people sitting around.’

In August this year Jenny visited Ararat to present a talk about her work. Her visit coincided with the presentation of her suite of eight lithographs in the gallery’s ‘Recent Acquisitions’ exhibition. These prints were a gift of Landsborough sculptor, Kevin Free, who is Jenny’s brother-in-law. Jenny is also connected to Ararat through childhood memories and stories of her mother’s Ararat upbringing.

Jenny Watson’s 'After a fashion, with bag' will be presented for the first time at the gallery from 30 January 2013.

Image details: Jenny Watson, ‘After a fashion, with bag’ (2008-09), acrylic on rabbit skin glue primed cotton and silk pashmina, 82 x 94 cm & 179 x 130 cm, Purchased with the assistance of The Robert Salzer Foundation and annual Ararat Rural City Council allocation, 2012, Courtesy the artist and Anna Schwartz Gallery.

Dreamweavers in Ararat

‘Dreamweavers’, a Gippsland Art Gallery and NETS Victoria touring exhibition, is arguably the most theatrical and entrancing exhibition ever to visit Ararat.  ‘Dreamweavers’ is curated by Simon Gregg from the Gippsland Art Gallery - a dynamic curator who has enjoyed considerable success with his recent Nicholas Chevalier and William Delafield Cook exhibitions and his ‘New Romantics’ book which explores the re-emergence of romanticism in contemporary Australian art.

Simon visited Ararat to oversee the installation of his ambitious ‘Dreamweavers’ exhibition, which includes a complex and monumental installation by British artist, Sam Spenser. New media artist Joel Zika (pictured) also visited Ararat to formally open ‘Dreamweavers’ on Saturday 3 November 2012..

Joel is a Hobart-born, Melbourne-based artist who is represented in ‘Dreamweavers’ with four large photographs presented in a light box format.  Joel’s photographs are produced using computer generated imagery (CGI). His images are colourful, yet evoke a haunting air of mystery and foreboding which is further highlighted through the presentation of his images in light boxes. In the exhibition, Joel’s work is described as ‘...garish and highly surreal...combining... the bizarre baroque of Surrealism with a spine-tingling mastery of CGI.’

At the opening, Joel spoke about his work which explores the idea of the abandoned theme park and its representation in popular culture. He also discussed the work of the other artists featured in ‘Dreamweavers’, and reflected on curator Simon Gregg’s vision for the show and his desire to create a journey that challenged audience expectations of the gallery experience.

For more about 'Dreamweavers' see this link to an episode of ABC TV's Art Nation:  www.abc.net.au/arts/stories/s3319649.htm

'Dreamweavers' is also profiled on the NETS Victoria website: http://netsvictoria.org.au/dreamweavers/

'Dreamweavers' is at Ararat Regional Art Gallery until 20 January 2013.


 

Amongst the Trees

It was a privilege to welcome Tim Jones to Ararat Regional Art Gallery on Thursday 20 September 2012 to officially open his exhibition, 'Amongst the Trees' with an artist’s talk. Tim's exhibition features sculptures and exquisite wood engraved prints from the mid 1980s to today, plus two small tapestries on loan from the Australian Tapestry Workshop.

At the exhibition opening Tim spoke to an appreciative audience about his journey as an artist. In attendance were many people who had recently participated in his workshops in Halls Gap, presented through Grampians Brushes.  Tim spoke about his lifelong interest in art which developed as a child growing up in North Wales. As a small boy Tim spent hours with his father, who was a woodwork teacher and restorer of Gypsy caravans, learning about Celtic history and Romany life. His father also introduced him to the art of wood engraving, and he subsequently received a Christmas gift of print making tools, ink and boxwood in which to engrave his imagery.

As a young adult Tim studied for a Bachelor of Arts degree at the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Polytechnic, where he further developed his skills as a wood engraver. He had an enduring fascination with Australia, and after completing his tertiary studies in England he arrived in Australia in 1983, enrolling in postgraduate studies at the Victorian College of the Arts. He soon established his reputation as one of the most accomplished printmakers working in Australia.

Aside from trips back to Wales and a stint in New York in the mid 1980s as a studio assistant to renowned English painter, John Walker, Tim has lived in Australia, establishing a home and studio at Hanging Rock in central Victoria in the 1990s. His move to Hanging Rock transformed his practice, and he abandoned urban scenes and cityscapes and rekindled his childhood interest in nature. His personal iconography combines layers of cultural influences and life experiences and his images of trees and forests are alternately Welsh or Australian, and sometimes a combination of both.

Tim Jones is represented in many public collections, including the National Gallery of Australia and the National Gallery of Victoria. He is well known for his public art commissions in Western Victoria including ‘Scar Tree’ (2003) in Horsham, and most recently, ‘The Seafarers Tree’ (2012) in Port Fairy. ‘Amongst the Trees’ continues to 28 October 2012.

Golden Years

In 1981 one of Ararat's most important artistic sons, Stan Kelly, began teaching painting at the Ararat Town Hall's Art Craft Workshop. Stan Kelly was a respected artist renowed for his comprehensive study of eucalypts.  Many of the original participants in these weekly classes attended with the aim of learning botanical art from this master of the genre. Stan Kelly died in 1994, but the group continued and is known today as the Stan Kelly Art Group as a tribute to their late teacher.  Today the group has broadened and its members pursue painting and drawing in all mediums to explore a wide range of subject matter.

The Stan Kelly Art Group will exhibit recent work at the Ararat Regional Art Gallery from 5 September to 28 October 2012 to mark the 2012 Golden Gateway Festival (19 to 28 October) and to complement the inaugural Ararat Antiques Fair at the Ararat Town Hall (26 to 28 October).

Art group members have taken on the challenge of making a new painting or drawing in response to the theme, 'Golden Years'.  The theme has been interpreted broadly by members, and resulting works will extend from reflections on Ararat's gold mining and agricultural past through to more poetic explorations of the idea of nostalgia.

Jenny Watson Visits Ararat

Jenny Watson, one of Australia’s leading contemporary artists, will visit Ararat Regional Art Gallery on Wednesday 12 September 2012 at 7pm to talk about her international career and 30 year-plus arts practice, which includes painting and mixed media on fabric, often incorporating text and script.  Her illustrated talk will provide an insight into her development as an artist and coincides with the gallery’s ‘Recent Acquisitions’ exhibition which includes her suite of eight lithographic prints on show until 22 October 2012.  

Jenny Watson came to prominence as an artist in the late 1970s during a formative period in the rise of Melbourne’s underground creative community.  During this time Jenny’s practice included commissions for post-punk musicians including Boys Next Door and The Go-Betweens.  In the early 1980s Jenny’s art was positioned as part of the ‘return to figuration’ in international contemporary painting known as neo-expressionism.  She exhibited widely and was represented in Paul Taylor’s groundbreaking 1982 exhibition, ‘Popism’, at the National Gallery of Victoria, which signaled a new internationally-focussed critical context for Australian art.  She represented Australia at the 1993 Venice Biennale and her work is represented in all major Australian public and private collections. She continues to regularly exhibit internationally and is represented by Anna Schwartz Gallery (Melbourne), Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery (Sydney), Greenaway Gallery (Adelaide), Transit (Belgium), Annina Nosei Gallery (New York) and Gimpel Fils (London).   She will present her first one person show in Tokyo in October 2012 with Tomio Koyama Gallery.

Jenny’s diaristic art is often knowingly child-like and expressionistic, and her use of colour and energetic mark-making heightens our empathy with her subjects.  She makes the ordinary extraordinary in her ambiguous narratives, which are often tinged with pathos.  Her work increases our identification with seductively familiar situations, which are personal and specific, yet evocative of our collective memory.  She often paints directly on fabric sourced from a range of cultural contexts which adds further layers of meaning to her work.

Jenny Watson’s talk is free.  Please RSVP to (03) 5352 2836 or gallery@ararat.vic.gov.au by 10 September 2012 to confirm your attendance.