Photography @ Australian National Botanical Gardens

Annual events can be valuable.There is an annual photographic display at the Australian National Botanic Gardens produced by local high school students with the subject matter all drawn from the gardens. The plants are pictured close up and at a distance. The vegetation is in groves and in small stands. The students work with light  and shade, angle and perspective and through creative processes they produce remarkably beautiful images.

In the exhibition there is a section devoted to altered images in which students take take their images and work them into new product by colour change or other techniques. the whole thing is a testament to the rich beauty of the Gardens.

Samples below

 

Andrew Sayers – A lens of clear air @ Beaver Galleries

5-29 November 2015

Andrew Sayers death was a tragedy. He became a hero of mine through his leadership in the first years of the National Portrait Gallery. This exhibition focuses on his reflection on his life in Canberra and the south co ast. The last few years of his life have been devoted to painting and the product is simple and beautiful One called room with a view has a great look at the lake and hills in Canberra. Another likeble one has h taken in the look from the top of Scrivener Dam back over the floats across the water.

It was a special look into the work of a good man who has blessed Canberra through all his work. I was thankful that Beaver put it on.

The Art of Lest We Forget @ Queanbeyan Arts Centre

4-14 December 2015

The Queanbeyan Arts Centre hosted one of the many art exhibitions reflecting on events during the First World War. All the paintings are submitted by members of the very active Queanbeyan Arts Society.  I have included some pictures and posters from the exhibition. The styles and contents are varied and engaging.

Their web page is as follows:

http://www.theq.net.au/the-art-of-lest-we-forget/

Nigel Lendon – Modeling the now @ Drill Hall Gallery

The Nigel Lendon exhibition is a set of structures of intersecting mainly wooden blocks to create colourful towers or blocks. The collections come in black red and white and some in big ranges of colours. Works are short and chunky others almost challenge balance by their narrow height.

Pics, blog and gallery sheets below

https://glasscentralcanberra.wordpress.com/tag/nigel-lendon-modelling-the-now/

Elements of Place – Avi Amesbury @ Form Studio and Gallery

Elements of Place Avi Amesbury

The recent exhibition of ceramic objects at Form Studio and Gallery demonstrated Amesbury’s gift to create items of functional beauty. Size, shape design and surface glazes work together in great ways.

I have included some pics, a link to the catalogue and ,gallery materials  below

Click to access Avi%20Amesbury_Catalogue%20of%20work.pdf

 

Juhani Kiovumaki – The Apostle @ Huw Davies Gallery

22 Oct – 15 Nov 2015

In the exhibition at the Huw Davies Gallery titled Juhani Kiovumaki – The Apostle, the artist explores some reinterpretation of the early events of the Christian faith influenced by the Christian mystic G I Gurdjieff who was born 150 years ago next year. The images have an intimate look and are clearly an outwork of consideration of Da Vinci’s Last Supper.

It is always enjoyable for me to reflect on materials inspired by Christianity. Pics are below with the gallery sheet

 

Denise Higgins and Gary Smith @ Canberra Contemporary Art Space Braddon

23 Oct- 21 Nov 2015

Denise Higgins and Gary Smith have created a thoughtful work that the blurb talks about it engaging the recesses of the mind. As soon as I heard about it I wanted to be in it. My take on it was much more tied up in detention, exclusion and fear. The barbed wire fenced maze surrounded by reflective surfaces and embedded rooms that weave other experiences into the main one is a confronting and thought provoking world to enter into. While the space is fully enclosed and sparkly in its newness it still is a very discomforting place to be.

I have put some snaps below but it has to be experienced.

 

Surya Bajrachayra – @ Canberra Contemporary Art Space Bradbon

23 Oct 21 Nov 2015

Surya Bajrachayra created a set of fun works that focus on the (dreadful in my view) Abbott Government and his role in that and they went on display just after the end of that experience. I liked each of them for the way they teased with his role and the context in which he worked.

Pictures below and the gallery sheet

Borderline – Hayley Lander @ Belconnen Arts Centre

23 Oct = 15 Nov 2015

Frames or the lack of them can change the impact of artworks. In this series Hayley Lander has portrayed the rough gnarled beauty that draws close to us in the suburbs. There is a gaunt feeling about these paintings due to the harsh ragged edge of each of the works. It is a good idea and is a strong part of the works especially against the pale wall paint.

The samples and gallery sheet are below.

Tony Curran – How you show yourself… @ ANU School of Art Gallery

10-31 October 2015

This exhibition was part of the graduate series at the School of Art Gallery. Tony Curran focuses on the mix between performance and portrait production. Below are a sample of the works and the gallery material. They varied from semi life like to impressionistic products.