14 April – 29 May

‘Nesting Habits’ – Margaret Castle

Small oil paintings – David Moore

The exhibitions commencing 14 April at Falkner Gallery demonstrate two artists’ approach to nature and the everyday.

Botanical artist Margaret Castle was born in Kyabram and grew up in country South Australia before returning to Victoria in the 1970s. In recent years she has lived in Melbourne and the Macedon Ranges.

She began her botanical art career in the 1990s. She taught art and was Artist in Residence in several schools in Melbourne for 30 years. The landscape, gardens and plants around Victoria’s central highlands have deeply inspired her paintings, printmaking and sculptures.

She writes: ‘My art has been built around a lifelong love affair with the landscape and nature. My artistic journey has taken me through many mediums and subject matters that have slowly evolved. Currently I am obsessed with birds nests. They have such complex designs and are contructed by master builders and architects…… and birds are outstanding recyclers!’

Her exhibition ‘Nesting Habits’ consists of a series of detailed watercolours and sculptures of nests, sometimes with their occupants carefully rendered. Surrounding many are leaves, twigs, berries and feathers all making reference to the wonderful intricacy of the woven forms. Her three dimensional nests and collaged works make reference to the lives and scavenging habits of the nest-builders.

Margaret is well recognised with her work collected both in Australia and overseas.

Also well recognised in Australia and overseas is artist David Moore. Following his highly successful recent exhibition at the Castlemaine Art Gallery, David is exhibiting a number of small oil paintings in two spaces at Falkner Gallery.

The works – still lifes upstairs and new landcapes downstairs – offer a subtle contrast in style as well as subject matter. Humble and ordinary fruit, vegetables and kitchen crockery are depicted in oil on canvas with apparent simplicity and yet they express a sense of solidity and form. He writes: ‘I try to encapsulate my subject matter in the simplest of ways. This requires a quietness of approach to be able to strip the subject back.’

The small, oil on cedar board landscapes downstairs continue his exploration of morning and evening light along the road tracks and hills of Chewton. The resultant glimpses are rich and evocative; they glow and reflect the warmth and richness of natural light and tone of Central Victoria.

Both artists will be present Saturday 16 April 2 – 4pm