Jane Downing : Connected

Connected by Jane Downing

July & August 2020

At a time when many of us are feeling new degrees of isolation, Jane Downing is interested in the ways in which we remain connected to each other. Through family, friendships, interactions, or just being on this planet together, Jane is interested in exploring new forms of connection.

Technology can sometimes create barriers between traditional forms of human engagement, yet also provides new forms of interaction. Jane feels that all living things are connected one way or another, “dependent, reliant and loved”.

Jane’s optimistic paintings showcase her love of colour and express her exploration into the essence of connection through art. Jane states that by “painting from within, I harness my emotions and life experiences”.

Her aim is to provoke thought, gratitude, nurture and caring for each other through her paintings in this exhibition.

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Iso Prints by Bob Emeny

by Bob Emeny

June & July 2020

Iso Prints is a collection of print works undertaken by the artist in his Terang shed studio during the Covid-19 pandemic isolation period.

Bob Emeny’s first solo exhibition was at The F Project Gallery just over two years ago in January 2018. The exhibition ‘Head Lines’ comprised mainly of prints of heads, large woodcuts, carved into scrap wood, smaller  etchings and some figurative sculptures.

Two years on and in the midst of the Covid 19 pandemic, Bob has been working in isolation in his shed continuing exploring his fascination with the medium of printmaking and the human figure with a focus on faces.

Iuventus

by Connor Ovenden-Shaw

April 29 to May 24 , 2020

Iuventus is the second solo exhibition by local queer artist Connor Ovenden-Shaw. 

Carrying on from Connor’s solo exhibition Lineage at Warrnambool Art Gallery in 2017, which explored how femininity had interweaved and shaped his upbringing through the use of strong female figures he had surrounding him, Iuventus is a further exploration of his youth through similar themes ,femininity ,sexuality, loss , and family breakdown. Iuventus is less subtle and more light-hearted in its approach of hard hitting moments in Connor’s life in a bid for the viewer to connect his  past experiences with that of their own upbringing or family trials. These mixed media works touch on youth, sexuality, gender and growing up in rural Australia through the use of family photographs.

Milieu by Julie Keating and Alison McIntosh

Milieu Is a joint exhibition by regional artists, Julie Keating and Alison McIntosh. While their work is quite different and they work in isolation, they share an interest in their rural environment.

Julie’s work is a direct response to the catastrophic fires that have swept through so much of the country. Living in the Otways she did not have to travel far to witness first hand the bleak and  blackened landscape, the strange silence of what was once lush forest. But Julie’s work inspires optimism, appearing in this monochromatic world, life appears, in all its beauty of colour and detail.

Alison’s work is based on stories told, and observations of people and animals.” Milieu” provides an opportunity to explore the relationships between animals, people and their environment. Living in the country this connection is evident in so many situations. At times there is a co-dependency with animals and at other times we are simply the observer.  Through her colourful play of rich oils and glazes, shapes and textures, Alison attempts to give voice to a language which is wordless.

Collage, Photography & the Body

by Steve Tierney & Tanja Bruckner

February 6 to March 1, 2020

Steve Tierney is a mixed media artist and designer known for his striking, minimalist collages assembled using images cut from vintage magazines of the 40's and 50's. Tanja Bruckner has made a name creating avant-garde and theatrical photography for the commercial fashion industry, and regularly exhibiting her own portrait & landscape photography.  

Growing up as teenage friends in Sydney, the two lost contact for many years. During this time they each found themselves exploring themes of representation, gender and popular culture. They connected again recently when Tierney approached Bruckner with the desire to create his own source material by working directly with a photographer, and the two developed their ideas into their current practice of using large scale imagery and non-traditional materials.

Collage, Photography & the Body is part introduction, retrospective, and teaser. The artists will present works spanning ten years of practise, hinting at what audiences can expect from their next major piece - Reflection, a large scale art installation presented by the Port Fairy Winter Weekends Festival in 2020.