Last Saturday evening I went to the opening of an exhibition at Tamworth Regional Gallery of paintings by Ross Laurie and David McBride. Both artists work derives from the landscape in which they live. Ross lives in the country near Walcha and David is from the Mendooran area near Dubbo. Ross's work is complex and textural while David's work is done with large flat blocks of colour in which balance of these fewbrilliantly-coloured elemental shapes are carefully balanced. A couple of links to information and images of the artists are

http://www.damienmintongallery.com.au/artists/ross-laurie
http://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/news/local/news/general/gallery-brings-artists-together-for-exhibit/1773069.aspx

Ross taught me many years ago and is always a challenging and highly professional teacher and artist. I feel that I can always rely on his honesty and an opinion of my work that is based in experience and knowledge.

This Friday just gone I attended the opening of a Uralla artist Barbara Mackay. Her paintings are free and expressive and reflect her engagement with the landscape. Barbara has travelled extensively and has a wealth of experience, talent and a strong commitment to her art. She recently had an exhibition in Kuala Lumpar, won an award there and the exhibition that just opened is going to travel enabling many people to view her work.
A link to her work in the recent Malaysian exhibition is

http://www.annexegallery.com/index.php?option=com_eventlist&view=details&id=131:the-magic-hour-barbara-mckay-solo-show&Itemid=28

The exhibition opening at Gallery One Two Six was a nice friendly one. The crowd that turned up were mostly friends, family and fellow artists. Not really ones to purchase works but definitely a lot of fun to mingle with. I wasn't happy with the way my work had been hung but have since negotiated to change this. It is so easy to assume that the gallery curator will know how you intended your work to be seen. It seems so to be so obvious to the artist after living with the artwork for a while but not so to those coming new to the work. I came across this piece when reading an interesting book by David Bayles and Ted Orland titled, Art and fear: Observations on the perils (and rewards) of artmaking. "The truly special moments in art-making lie in those moments when concept is converted to reality - those moments when the gulf is being crossed [between the original idea and the finished piece]. Precise descriptions fail, but it connects to that wonderful condition in which the work seems to make itself and the artist serves only as guide or mediator, allowing all things to be possible."

I had hoped to go on a drawing/painting trip to the MacDonnell Ranges. This unfortunately looks like being called off. I was so looking forward to experiencing the brilliant colours and raw rugged landforms of the Outback areas. It is a part of the world that I have been hankering to experience for such a long time.

This is another of my 30cm x 30cm oil on canvas works.

Gorge landscape. Oil on canvas. 30cm x 30cm


I have been working on some paintings that I have put in a group exhibition in Armidale. The group involved are those represented by the gallery, Gallery One Two Six. I had a solo exhibition there last year and it is a nice light space with a great atmosphere and constant clientele. The opening will be this Friday night and should be fun. I am working also towards the exhibition in Dubbo in May and am looking forward to meeting up with friends there and exploring the area. This is an image of another of my 30cm x 30cm works.