ORANGE WALL GALLERY
Plein Air Park: Recreational enjoyment of light
Julie Purcell
10 January to 2 March 2019
Julie is a Queensland College of Art graduate with a bold, impressionistic style of painting. She created the works for this exhibition “en plein air” in Millar Vale Park in Maryvale. “En plein air” is a method of painting outside the studio in the open air popularized by the Impressionist artists of the late nineteenth century. It coincided with the introduction of readymade artist canvases and paint in tubes. It created opportunities for artists to capture people at leisure and the effects of light on the landscape at different times of the day.
Julie’s paintings are small as she developed a ritual of riding her bicycle to the park with her painting materials stowed in the bicycle basket. Spending time in the park helped her understand the joy of the park experience – relieving stress, observing nature and learning to enjoy the solitude.
She also started leaving her finished artworks in the park tucked into the hidden spaces on an old tractor. The public’s interaction with the artworks added a new dimension to Julie’s creative process starting conversations and revealing small appreciative interventions to the display.
A significant feature of Julie’s paintings is her unconventional framing technique.
“I am interested in finding ways to simultaneously highlight and cross the boundary between painting and object, this is an approach inspired by my interest in the ruptured boundaries of ceiling painting in the Baroque era where illusionary tromp l’oeil meets architecture and sculpture in what is described as a Bel Composto effect (beautiful composite).”
MAIN AND FOYER GALLERIES
Iconic Queensland
The touring exhibition of the 2017 Queensland Regional Artists Awards
17 January to 23 February 2019
The Iconic Queensland touring exhibition, showcasing artworks from 28 regional and remote Queensland artists, comes to Warwick Art Gallery from 17 January to 23 February 2019.
Curated by Henri Van Noordenburg, the exhibition challenges perceptions of what Queensland icons are, through the artists’ unique interpretation of their communities, characters and environments. From dribble-castles made of sand to the suburban sight of Nana watering her garden on a sun-drenched day, the artworks provide a unique snapshot of regional life through the eyes of its artists.
Works included in the exhibition span 17 diverse regions, speaking strongly of the state’s high calibre of artistic talent outside of Brisbane.
Flying Arts Alliance Executive Officer, Kerryanne Farrer, was blown away at the quality of the works selected for exhibition this year. Over 200 artworks were initially submitted for inclusion in the Iconic Queensland exhibition as part of the Queensland Regional Art Awards in 2017.
“Regional Queensland boasts a wealth of artistic talent that is proportionally under-represented in the State and National arts sector,” she said. “By presenting touring exhibitions like Iconic Queensland, Flying Arts is honoured to provide a platform that celebrates our regional artists, recognises their creative achievements and presents their work to new audiences across the state.”
Warwick Art Gallery Director Karina Devine is thrilled to host Iconic Queensland at the beginning of 2019.
“This exhibition is the perfect way to start a very inspiring program at Warwick Art Gallery in 2019”, said Ms Devine, “We have scheduled sixteen exhibitions during the year ranging from outstanding touring exhibitions to exceptional local artist exhibitions. Iconic Queensland is an exhibition that will really challenge our thinking about this beautiful state of ours.”
Experience Iconic Queensland at Warwick Art Gallery 17 January to 23 February 2019 open 10 am to 4 pm Tuesday to Saturday.
Flying Arts is a not-for-profit organisation inspiring the appreciation, practice and professional development of the visual and media arts as a lifetime interest or career throughout regional and remote Queensland, supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, the University of Southern Queensland and corporate partners and benefactors.
Image: The Sandmen Jo St Baker Bamboo Resin and Sand WINNER Flying Arts ‘Art for Life’ Award
