ORANGE WALL AND FOYER GALLERIES

The Habit of Horses

Roslyn Nolen

 7 March to 1 May 2019

Acclaimed Western Australian Artist Roslyn Nolen announces her latest solo exhibition ‘Habit of Horses’ to be held at Warwick Art Gallery, Warwick in Queensland from 7 March to 11 May 2019. This exhibition will run concurrently with the Adina World Cup Polocrosse event. As the title suggests, the horse in all its glory dominates this forum and the expressive work depicts the noble animal in its truest form.

This exquisite and accomplished collection of 18 works explores the anatomy of the horse in interesting compositions and technical acquisition in a way that will appeal to those in and beyond the equine world.

Growing up surrounded by horses, it wasn’t until adulthood that artist Nolen fully came to realise and appreciate the majestic beauty and soulful intelligence of these creatures.

Both Nolen’s parents came from a lineage of country people, the family had horses and Roslyn’s father was a horse trainer. Nolen reflects that as a child she was never a confident rider and it wasn’t until her nephew, jockey Luke Nolen was given the opportunity of a lifetime to ride Black Caviar that reignited a connection to her past. Painting Luke on Black Caviar sparked a deeply reflective experience; as a result horses now dominate Roslyn’s work.

In preparation for the ‘Habit of Horses’ exhibition Nolen spent time in the Swan Valley in Perth’s’ foothills for the National Polocrosse event 2018 to observe, sketch and capture photo references of the most athletic and tremendous agility; in both horse and rider. Across the week, Nolen had the pleasure of observing this event which she skilfully depicts in this latest work.

Roslyn has also spent time in the remote outback of the Northern Territory observing and photo referencing the most elusive of horses; the wild brumbies. A tremendous and perilous experience, it’s one that the artist says will stay with her forever – in the vast, isolated, empty and sometimes haunting landscapes of the remote Pine Creek region.

With a passion for depicting horses, Nolen continues to explore the animal in its homage to Australia, in both its wild and domestic representation.

Using a range of materials including acrylic, biro and ink, graphite and charcoal, Nolen’s exhibition is a must see.

Roslyn will attend the Adina World Cup Polocrosse event to demonstrate her painting technique in the Polocrosse Australia Museums on the Monday the 22nd and Tuesday the 23rd. You can also listen to Roslyn present a talk about her work at Warwick Art Gallery at 10am on Wednesday the 24th of April followed by a free BBQ.

Warwick Art Gallery gratefully acknowledges the Regional Arts Development Fund for supporting the transportation of Roslyn’s paintings from Perth to Warwick. The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Southern Downs Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

MAIN GALLERY

Unseen

Donna Davis

1 April to 8 May 2019

Donna Davis, an artist who explores the intersection between art and science, undertook an intensive 52-week field research investigation at Purga Nature Reserve, near Ipswich, in partnership with the Queensland Herbarium; documenting fungi species, which grew alongside the endangered Swamp Tea-tree (Melaleuca irbyana).

From this research Donna has created Unseen, a playful and immersive installation work that philosophically and artistically explores inter-species relationships; investigating the intricate web of ‘unseen’ connections with reference to plants and fungi.

In collaboration between artist and scientist, the data and specimens were morphologically and microscopically examined. They were then documented, and classified by Nigel Fechner, Senior Mycologist at the Queensland Herbarium who added them to the Queensland’s important fungi records, as the Purga Nature Reserve had never been documented.

Nigel said, “This work is invaluable in furthering the science of mycorrhizal associations, as well as documenting the unknown fungal flora of the Purga Nature Reserve for the first time.

There is increasing awareness of the vital role that fungi play in facilitating plant species survival in Australia’s mostly nutrient poor soils, but the majority of fungi species are yet to be discovered…

In broad terms, there is an average of anywhere from 4-10 species of ectomycorrhizal fungus for every species of ectomycorrhizal plant. This project has uncovered more than 30 fungi species partnering Melaleuca irbyana at Purga. A number of mycorrhizal species found in the reserve were not previously known to be symbiotic with Melaleuca.”

Unseen uses sculpture, installation and digital media to evoke curiosity and contemplation about the intricate, and often unseen, connections working together to nurture and sustain our living planet.

‘Unseen’ is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland. Donna Davis is supported by the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian, state and territory governments’. This project is also supported by the Queensland Herbarium, centre for research and information on Queensland ecosystems, plants and fungi.

The research collaborations and artwork concept development for this project was proudly supported by the Ipswich Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF). The Ipswich Regional Arts Development Fund is a Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and Ipswich City Council partnership to support local arts and culture. This project was also supported by the Queensland Mycological Society.

Image: Hidden Worlds 2017 Donna Davis Pigment print
Image courtesy of the artist

MAIN AND FOYER GALLERIES

Tainted Landscapes

Michael Pospischil - Chris Fletcher - David LeMay

28 February to 5 April 2019

Tainted Landscapes is an art project involving three friends that began in 2012, when it became obvious that they held similar views about the environment and man’s mark on it, and thought it would be productive to explore this rich vein as a group.

LeMay, Pospischil and Fletcher all work from direct observation and on location, travelling and camping together, taking the time to generate immersive experiences. This working method presents challenges and constraints of its own, with results that can be anticipated but are oftentimes unexpected and surprising. The works impress forward in time as unrepeatable moments, untidy and improvised. Brought back into the studio they can be reflected upon and reworked, perhaps simply left or even abandoned. The Tainted Landscapes exhibition will attempt to frame and express this artistic immediacy and intimacy. 

"The impact of human activity on the natural environment is the subject for three local artists. Each artist is exploring different observations of landscapes under siege. Within a personal vision of nature, each considers the natural environment valuable while recognising people’s place within it and impact upon it. We mine and we undermine the environment with our relentless need to consume. Artists mine and undermine feelings and phenomenal experience, searching for a place within the fragility of this space ‐ observing and painting the landscape differently, connecting needs, beliefs, concerns and emotions."  Curator, Beth Jackson

Image: (TOP) Poisoned Waters Michael Pospischil (CENTRE) Camp Ground at Cranky Rock Chris Fletcher (BOTTOM) Acland David LeMay

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).”

TOURING

A travelling exhibition of work by Loani Prior and Mark Crocker 

Warwick Art Gallery was the producing gallery for the exhibition Portraits of a Tea Cosy. 

Work on this exhibition started in 2012 when Queen of Tea Cosies Loani Prior and photographer Mark Crocker travelled to six towns in three states meeting tea cosy guardians and recording their stories.    From these meetings Mark has produced 40 black and white portraits of the interviewees with their tea cosies in colour.  Their stories have been turned into an audio presentation and delightful quotes about family, friendship and the joy of owning something handcrafted. 

This exhibition also stars 20 exuberant TEA COSIES created by Loani Prior, author of three best selling books, Wild Tea Cosies, Really Wild Tea Cosies and How Tea Cosies Change the World.  They are knitted objets d’art, woolly sculptures; clever and funny, like nothing you will have seen before. 

The exhibition was displayed first in Warwick during Jumpers and Jazz in July 2013.  The tour includes the following locations: Mittagong, Northern Territory, Hervey Bay, Miles, Longreach, Bundaberg, Ballina and Canberra. The tour was completed in 2015.  Mark Crocker's prtraits are now part of the Warwick Art Gallery collection.

This project is supported by the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian state and territory governments and by Arts Queensland in the Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts.

This project has also been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

Warwick Art Gallery, from time to time, organises one off events, residencies or community projects outside of our scheduled exhibition program.  

Toilet Beautification Project 

Opportunity for public space artists

March 2019 

Warwick Art Gallery is coordinating an exciting opportuntiy for artists to beautiful five public amenity building in the northern part of the Southern Downs. 

Interested artists can submit a proposal to create an artwork on one of the following amenity buildings.

 The Toilet Beautification Project project aims to:

• Improve the visual amenity and vibrancy of parks and public spaces by commissioning interesting, fun and captivating artworks that contribute to the dialogue and understanding of a place
• Provide opportunities for artists to publicly showcase their works on highly visible sites and boldly communicate to large audiences
• Celebrate creative arts and foster cultural expression

Timeline