23 July – 6 September 2015
‘Birds’- Carolyn Graham, Linocuts
‘Private’ – Margaret Cromb, Woodcuts
‘Places and Spaces’ – Jennie Stewart, Drawings
Three new exhibitions at Falkner Gallery will show great diversity of technique and subject matter – drawings, woodcuts and linocuts of birds, letterboxes and landscapes.
Carolyn Graham is a regular exhibitor at Falkner Gallery – every two years she shows her new works. This year she has created a wonderful series of birds – owls, water birds, palm parrots, cockatoos and others. All are in the linocut technique and all have her characteristic simplicity and understatement. She eliminates unnecessary detail in order to express bold, dramatic and expressive images. As with her earlier landscapes and animals, she manages to capture the essence of these superb winged creatures.
Castlemaine artist Margaret Cromb is also a regular exhibitor at Falkner Gallery. Her new exhibition titled ‘Private’ consists of woodcuts depicting a wide array of letterboxes. She describes her fascination with Central Victorian letterboxes in groups of two or three, or in long lines, beside country roads. Often made from empty farm containers in metal or plastic, or other quirky objects such as toy trucks or plastic pigs, they are all uniquely individual and reflect the personalities of their owners. On a recent visit to cities and villages in France and Italy, she noticed that letterboxes there were frequently located in narrow doorways facing onto the street, often surrounded by small gardens of potted plants or vines. The doors were firmly shut to the public but again reflected the individuality of their owners. In comparing the letterboxes of Australia and Europe she asks the question: “Do they reflect differences in ‘national’ character?”
Nature and the emotion it conveys, is the subject of the drawing exhibition “Places and Spaces’ by Expressionist Jennie Stewart. All works in the show were created in the local landscape. She writes: “Nature provides both a rich sanctuary and a theatre – the thrill of being alive to its ever-changing repertoire is the essence of what I wish to communicate. My drawings and paintings are as much about memories and processes as they are about a given place”
She works en plein-air but uses line, stroke, shape and colour to convey thought, feeling and emotion rather than a literal representation of local topography. The resultant drawings pulsate with vibrancy and energy, encouraging the viewer to feel the respect and awe that our landscape deserves.
Works in the three exhibitions offer a diverse view of our world, as well as the imagination and technical proficiency of the three talented artists.
T: 03 5470 5858
W: www.falknergallery.com.au