Real/Unreal – Exhibition

“So Close” – but oh, it’s so far away. Damon Pearson makes a heart-felt plea, in a work from his “Throw Away Planet” series, painting the colour and beauty of our gem of an Earth seen from the dry dead craters of Earth’s Moon.

Cats, dogs, and all the other animals are to be found in Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s “Noah’s Ark” – to purchase framed or unframed – what an opportunity to own one of Marie’s special prints.

A bathroom scene like no other, by Alex Dent “The Death of Capitalism”; colour lurid, content in your face. Love the cupid, love the clown, love the dog. Down with capitalism!

Going down “…Into the Abyss”, down to the subterranean depths of Bud Stephenson’s imagination. And Bud’s thoughtful pieces “Figurative Abstract” and “Canoeing Down the Cooper” with their restrained line and colour; put yourself on his wavelength – here’s a hint – the sound of creation. To prove the point, take a look at “Volcanic Breakthrough”.

Two subtle and desirable oil paintings “Victoria Park” 1 and 2, by John Taylor. Watch this artist!

Lorell Lehman’s drawings and fairy figures, emanations of a febrile imagination and scary child’s visions of those worlds way, way, way beyond real.

Dee Clarke, one of BRAG’s newly discovered photographers, with an Aussie windmill like none seen before, dwarfing the trees and standing proudly in ethereal company “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.

Aussie Kanck’s “unreal” photographs, “Begonia Stamens” (ask him about it), “Young Dancer” and Victoria Square Fountain”.
Tammy Quinn – whoever would have thought a country racecourse could have such a perfect quality of unreal? Maybe the uncanny use of white – what do you think? “Reflections” and “Dawn’s Kitchen” – the green Tammy has brought out to great effect, enhancing the enigma of out-of-focus objects of stone and rusted iron.
Four flower studies in the abstract by Roslyn Batten, BRAG’s latest flamboyant colourist – be amazed!

What’s the story here? Julie Wilson’s oil painting of green-eyed wolves, a garden of purple iris, a beautiful girl-child clothed in hot rich blood-red satin in an atmosphere of sinister fun? Thanks, Julie!
Barbara Cannon’s four works “Day Dreams”, “Imagine”, “Bird Watching” and “It Could be Anything”, are an artistic vision of created femininity. Those wide-eyed faces, so bland, so unfeeling, but what is going on, now, behind the scenes?

Inspired by the theme, Sam Snell’s “Beyond the Hill” and “Sugar and Spice and Things Not Nice” can be imagined in thick luscious licked-on paint, wild and sensuous they must be, with nothing thin and economical about them. Over the top and beyond is the way to go Sam.

Una Grimshaw’s oval painting “Mathematica” where we can see the movement of brush in hand, creates a swathe, a mass, a built-up bundle of dense line. Her blue-green felted and beaded “Shaman’s Bag” could belong to an undersea princess.

Francoise Dent, whooee! These lovely, lively pieces. Find some more time for sculpture, Francoise.

Along the lines, but still surprising, are Graham Shaw’s stainless steel recycliana, “Mr Squiggle” and “Orgasmatron”. These beautifully constructed works say a lot about our society where something of such value can be made out of bits, highly polished and loved, to suggest meaning for what has been lost.

Roz Hill, another discovery, went out and photographed an approaching rainstorm, dense and dark, with clear untroubled sky beyond. Unreal!

Bob Landt’s intriguing paintings in watercolour have great appeal; “The New Wife’s Car” and “Field of Dreams” – with an attraction to story telling, and what stories! The farmer’s shed filled with collectibles is enough to deter the farmer’s new wife. And here we’ll stand, deciding what dream to choose and what story to believe – the reality of our predicament.

Heather Parker’s “Rome”, a fascinating and alluring watercolour showing a place of alleys leading in a confusion of impossible directions, with just one certainty, the guarded archway to what might be the Real World.

“Balance” by Geraldine Muenchow, a textural delight of opposites, bound together by a road leading maybe north, maybe south. Who cares? The painting satisfies, and that’s the thing.

Glenys Christopher’s delicate and subtle small squares of light, playful watercolours with titles to match, are a delight to view, and her “Three Critters” and “Double Delighted” are well within the bounds of the unreal.

Congratulations to all.

Review by Artivist.