Wednesday, 10 August 2022
Sunday, 21 August 2022
BLACKCAT GALLERY
420 Brunswick StreetFitzroy, VIC, 3065, Australia
Place
“Out of the Box” was formed by a group of ten women who forged strong friendships while completing our diplomas of visual arts at Box Hill Tafe in the early two thousands. The present group consists of the following women. On completing our studies, we began working on our art practices in isolation which made it hard to maintain a regular body of work ,On reflection, we decided to meet as a group on a regular basis, as a way of encouraging and supporting each other’s creative endeavours. This has resulting in regular group exhibitions over the following years.
“PLACE” is the theme decided upon for our forth coming exhibition. As individual artist we have each interpreted “place” differently, based on our own emotional connection to location, history, experiences, and memories. We have explored the many triggers that connect us to a place, be it a song, smell, photograph or feeling. Portraying this essence of ”place” in the forthcoming exhibition, is our challenge, as we produce our own unique body of work.
The art works are created in a diverse range of mediums, including painting, drawing ,glass, photography, sculpture, and collage.
The group consists of the following artists:
Beryl White
Claudia Hull
Eileen Gruen
Evelyn Young
Kathy Siganakis
Kerstin Anna Cuming
Lynette Joy
Megan McDonald
Virginia McNamara
About some of the artists and their artwork
Beryl White
Place _ A special place
Sun, sand, sea, and solitude. Bonds formed in childhood, Now a deep and ongoing connection that continues to renew my spirit
Eileen Gruen
As a migrant from the woods of North America, I was astonished by the different colors and textures of the Australian bush, which seemed harsh and indifferent at first, but which I have come to love, including the 943 varieties of Eucalypt. Also fascinating was the Australian tendency to preserve and renovate old housing, rather than following the regrettable American habit of tearing it down and building something new. Hence the two themes in my current work.
Glass has been my favorite medium for almost 25 years, and lends itself to constantly evolving experimentation. The leaves were a new departure for me in casting and glass powders; as an aside it lead to a not always successful interest in identifying the various species.
Kerstin Anna Cuming
During Covid times I ended up staying in Germany. During the many months of Winter I was challenged by those long dark nights and cold days in a place where I didn’t feel at home. Feeling lost and overwhelmed by restrictions and mandates I was searching for a way to navigate the inner and outer darkness I was finding myself in.
The warm glow of lit up windows and candlelight brought some solace and rest to my anxious heart. Only in hindsight did I become aware of the symbolic nature of the light shining in the darkest of places however faint it might be.
Lynette Joy
My son died. Then my daughter died.
Years of health challenges followed, created in part from not facing my grief.
Eventually I retired and my decades-long dreams of travel, were shot to pieces by Covid. I had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, nothing to distract me from myself. My home became my sanctuary, became my PLACE of healing. The things of our everyday life that we often rush past without paying much heed – birds, pets, frog calls, warm tea, home made food, art, music and most importantly, silence, became my partners in healing. This small handful of paintings captures some of the things that turned my thinking from ways to the end, to the joy of being
alive.
Megan McDonald
“Cars, open roads, and blue skies – there is nothing better than getting in the car, winding down the window, and going for a scenic drive on a “blue sky” day.
Sometimes the destination is planned, other times the final place is not – just like in life.”
https://www.blackcatgallery.com.au/events/groupshow-place