Tuesday, July 14, 2009

"Life / Still Life" - Opens 31 July!

Jayes Gallery is pleased to introduce two emerging artists in their first exhibition together. In an exhibition well worth viewing “Life / Still Life” with Orange artist, Di Smith and her friend, illustrator, Edwina Riddell we see two artists who both take a fresh look at life and those everyday items we all take for granted. Both have a strong sense of colour and a love for their particular mediums that shows in these expressive works.

Smith paints with loose, vibrant colours her new works of interiors and rustic farm life. Whilst Di is still developing her own ‘language’, she has executed these works deftly with expressive brushstrokes and strong colours straight from the palette.

Di says of her work “My approach to creating a painting is to capture the way a scene or setting affects me.

I like to represent this with robust and colourful strokes in a form of realism. In this way I show the energy and beauty held within a scene as well as the unique completeness that is often overlooked in that scene. My travels have shown me that people have always sought comfort and order, so my subjects - whether life or still life – are simple things we choose to spend our lives with or to see.”


"Wash stand" by Di Smith

Riddell’s works are painstakingly put together in watercolours and pencils. These works explore the dancer Nijinsky and the energy contained within his dance set against everyday objects.

The artist states “I have been drawing forever and illustrating for many years but felt I needed more room for self-expression.

I enjoy the spontaneity of watercolour, the richness of oil paints and the subtle depths of blended colour that can be achieved with coloured pencils which is what I have used here.

In these works I'm exploring the concepts of life and still life. The dancer Nijinsky fascinates me.  No film of his dancing exist, only still images attempt to capture his vitality, a legendary life frozen in time   He is juxtaposed against the vibrant presence of still life subjects.”

We invite you to join us at the opening at 6.30 pm on Friday July 31 and meet the artists in person for what will be a delightful show. The exhibition closes on August 30.

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