Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Exhibition Q&A with Wayne Eager
 | Where was the "beach holiday" spent? Sandy Point, Gippsland |
 | What is the word Mimili? Mimili is a community on the Anangu Pitjanjatjarra Yangkantatjarra (Aboriginal) lands NW South Australia. |
Where was the "green grass"?
Alice Springs, after a big rain the buffel grass grows profusely
 | Where are "the steps"? to Heaven |
 | What is "Partita"? A collection of musical compositions. |
 | Where is "Pipalyatjara"? A place in the far north western corner of SA |
 | Where is "Kalka Road"? A place in the far north western corner of SA |
 | What is "the APY Run"? My drive to work, the roads to the communities Indulkana, Fregon, Ernabella, Mimili, Amata, Nyapari, Kalka. |
Artwork of the Day - Blackman - Cat's Tale
Charles Blackman (b. 1928)Cat's Tale
Etching
40 x 30 cm (paper size)
15 x 15 cm (image size)
no.9926
Charles Blackman is a major figure in Australian art of the post-war years. His haunting and enchanting images of women and girls, absorbed in daydreams or games have an enduring appeal. Two significant themes in his work have been the Schoolgirl and Alice in Wonderland. Deep shadows and the accentuation of his figure's eyes occur throughout Blackman's works with a pervasive sense of melancholy.
Charles Blackman was largely self-taught, but he attended night classes in drawing and design at the East Sydney Technical College from 1942-45 under Hayward Veal. Blackman was a co-founder of the Melbourne Contemporary Art Society in 1953 and was one of seven Antipodeans responsible for the Antipodean Manifesto - a reaction against what they saw as the meteoric rise of abstract expressionism and non-figurative art in Australia and its intolerance of figurative painting. He has exhibited frequently since and is known for his facility in drawing.
In 1951 Blackman married a poet, Barbara Patterson, who was to become a lasting presence in his work. Blackman has won many awards throughout his career, including the Rowney prize for drawing in 1959, the Helena Rubenstein Scholarship in 1960, the Dyeson Endowment Award and the Crouch Prize. Blackman's work was included in the Whitechapel Open Exhibition in 1961 and Tate Gallery exhibitions of Australian Art 1962-63. A major retrospective, 'Schoolgirls and Angels,' was organised in 1993 by the National Gallery of Victoria, touring to Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. In 1997 Blackman was awarded an OBE for his services to art. His work is held in all Australian state and most regional galleries, institutional and private collections.
Charles Blackman was largely self-taught, but he attended night classes in drawing and design at the East Sydney Technical College from 1942-45 under Hayward Veal. Blackman was a co-founder of the Melbourne Contemporary Art Society in 1953 and was one of seven Antipodeans responsible for the Antipodean Manifesto - a reaction against what they saw as the meteoric rise of abstract expressionism and non-figurative art in Australia and its intolerance of figurative painting. He has exhibited frequently since and is known for his facility in drawing.
In 1951 Blackman married a poet, Barbara Patterson, who was to become a lasting presence in his work. Blackman has won many awards throughout his career, including the Rowney prize for drawing in 1959, the Helena Rubenstein Scholarship in 1960, the Dyeson Endowment Award and the Crouch Prize. Blackman's work was included in the Whitechapel Open Exhibition in 1961 and Tate Gallery exhibitions of Australian Art 1962-63. A major retrospective, 'Schoolgirls and Angels,' was organised in 1993 by the National Gallery of Victoria, touring to Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. In 1997 Blackman was awarded an OBE for his services to art. His work is held in all Australian state and most regional galleries, institutional and private collections.
GALLERY NEWS 29 JANUARY 2010: Sidney Nolan, Leonard French, Brett Whiteley, Roger Kemp
83 Moncur Street Woollahra NSW 2025tel: 02 9362 0297 fax: 02 9362 0318
email: art@evabreuerartdealer.com.au
website: www.evabreuerartdealer.com.au
Important Australian Paintings
Sir Sidney Nolan (1917-1992)
Sir Sidney Nolan (1917-1992)Kelly 1959
Polyvinyl acetate on board
151 x 120.25 cm
signed lower left: N
verso: Feb 23rd 1959 / N
no.8163
Provenance: Private collection New South Wales
Exhibited: Unmasked: Sidney Nolan and Ned Kelly 1950 - 1990, Heide Museum of Modern Art, 11 November 2006- 4 March 2007
Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly paintings are among the most important in his oeuvre. Painting the first of his Kelly series in 1946-47 (National Gallery of Australia), Nolan returned to the Kelly figure many times and it is the 1950s Kelly paintings in particular which establish “a new magic and imaginative power.”1 In these later Kelly paintings the ‘naïve’ style of the 1940s Kelly series has been replaced by a more human, emotional intensity. In Kelly 1959 Nolan combines the heroic image of Ned Kelly with the classical image of martyrdom. This work highlights Nolan’s interest in the mythic and uniquely Australian Kelly saga as a story which parallels classical legend. Painted while Nolan was in New York on a Harkness Fellowship, Kelly 1959 is executed in polyvinyl acetate (the medium used for the Leda and Swan series also painted at this time) which Nolan scraped across the board in multiple transparent layers of luminous and varied colour.
1 Clark. J., Sidney Nolan: Landscapes and Legends, ICCA, Sydney, 1987, pp.120-21.
Visit our website to view other paintings by Sir Sidney Nolan
Leonard French (b.1928)
Leonard French (b.1928)Winter Fountain c.1987-93
enamel and gold leaf on hessian on composition board
122 x 137 cm
Signed: l.r. 'French'
Provenance: Private collection Perth
no.11197
Leonard French's works frequently depict epic stories, such as the Iliad, the Odyssey and events from the Bible. These stories allow him a platform to explore universal themes, most frequently the struggle and spiritual journey of a hero. His highly individual and distinctive works reveal a plethora of influences, from Byzantine mosaics (his symmetry and precision), to Gothic (bright colours outlined in black), Romanesque architecture (squat, solid figures) Cubism and the work of Léger to name but a few. This work, Winter Fountain, exemplifies all these elements. The two figures in the work – one black, one white and both with distinctive rounded heads, first began appearing in French’s work in the late 1980’s. Like many facets of French’s work they appear to be highly symbolic, but with the exact meaning intended by the artist obscured. Other works wit these figures include The Release (in the collection of the Bendigo Art Gallery), Duet and The Tightrope (both in private collections.) Winter Fountain from the Duality series, expresses a deep sense of self and individual mortality. The series which was created during the late eighties explores the human condition as the figure struggles with between light and dark images of self. French's work is represented at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, all state galleries, most regional galleries and is also included in many major international collections, including the MoMA, New York. French also completed numerous monumental commissions in Australia, the most famous being the glass ceiling in the Great Hall at the National Gallery of Victoria.
Visit our website to view other important Australian paintings
Brett Whiteley (1939-1992)
Brett Whiteley (1939-1992)Untitled (Bird) 1978
Oil on board with mixed media
82 x 85.5cm
Signed 'Brett Whiteley 78' lower left
Provenance: Private collection Sydney
no.8781
Brett Whiteley created some of the most important paintings of twentieth century Australian Art. His mastery of, and unique approach to form, colour, light and gesture in a body of work which spans subjects from birds to boulders, have made him one of the icons of not only the Australian art world but also internationally. Brett Whiteley is represented in the National Gallery of Australia, all state galleries, many regional galleries, as well as many important public collections both in Australia and overseas. Three of Brett Whiteley’s most memorable solo exhibitions were devoted to the theme of birds in 1979, 1983 and 1988. “It is not too fanciful to think of Whiteley’s bird paintings as self portraits”, Barry Pearce has commented. “He loved them since childhood and in his last phase of work they became symbols of both domesticity and freedom.” Reference: The Australian Magazine, 26 August, 1995, p.16.
“Pearce has described Whiteley as “Australia’s most sublime painter of birds, “as essential symbols of the song of creation and the joy of life.” Reference: Barry Pearce (1989), Australian Artists, Australian Birds, Angus and Robertson, Sydney, p.144.
Visit our website to view other paintings by Brett Whiteley
Roger Kemp (1908-1987)
Roger Kemp (1908-1987)Untitled c.1963
Acrylic on masonite
91.5 x 122cm
no.5320
Roger Kemp is represented in the National Gallery of Australia, all state galleries, many regional galleries as well as many other public collections throughout Australia. Kemp has been the recipient of numerous coveted awards including the 1968 and 1970 Blake Prize. “Kemp’s contribution to the development of abstract painting in Australia is substantial. He has shown how a personal language can be developed from experience with effort and tenacity without recourse to models from abroad.”
Reference: Roger Kemp: Cycle and Directions 1935 –1975, Monash University Department of Visual arts, Exhibition Gallery, Melbourne: The Gallery, 1978 pp.1-2.
Visit our website to view other paintings by Roger Kemp
Kevin Connor (b. 1932)
Kevin Connor (b. 1932)Movie World People 1993
Oil on linen
71 x 91.5cm
no.6155
Kevin Connor is represented in the National Gallery of Australia, most state galleries, many regional regional galleries as well as many other public collections throughout Australia. He has been the recipient of numerous coveted awards including the 1975 and 1977 Archibald prize, 1991 Sulman Prize and the 1992 and 2005 Dobell Prize. Movie World People 1993 is a bold, painterly work. Connor's brush work is loose and immediate, the paint application heavy, enlivening the painting with a distinct sense of movement.
Visit our website to view other paintings by Kevin Connor
James Gleeson (1915-2008)
James Gleeson (1915-2008)Untitled (Two Figures in Psychoscape) c.1965
oil on board
19 x 14.5cm
Signed 'Gleeson' lower right
Provenance: Sydney Antique centre
Grafton House Gallery
Private collection Cairns
no.11139
Visit our website to view other paintings by James Gleeson
David Boyd (b.1924)
David Boyd (b.1924)Three Children by the sea c.1999
Oil on board
26 x 22 cm
Signed: "David Boyd" lower left
Provenance: Private collection Sydney
no.11017
Visit our website to view other paintings by David Boyd
Contemporary Paintings
Elisabeth Kruger (b.1955)
Elisabeth Kruger (b.1955)Spill 2007
oil on linen
122 x 122cm
no.10885
Visit our website to view other paintings by Elisabeth Kruger
Wayne Eager (b.1957)
Wayne Eager (b.1957)Fragrance, 2008
acrylic on linen (framed)
152 x 122cm
no.10424
Visit our website to view other paintings by Wayne Eager
Tony Irving (b.1939)
Tony Irving (b.1939)Beyond the fence 2009
oil on linen
80 x 130cm
no.11146
Visit our website to view other paintings by Tony Irving
Judy Cassab (b. 1920)
Judy Cassab (b. 1920)Women with Sphinx 2007
Oil on canvas
39.5 x 50 cm
Signed 'Cassab 07' lower right
Provenance: The artist
no.10678
Visit our website to view other paintings by Judy Cassab
Anna Platten (b.1957)
Anna Platten (b.1957)Head and House 2007
charcoal on paper
125 x 100cm
no.10769
Finalist in the Kedumba drawing prize 2007
Visit our website to view other artworks by Anna Platten
Paul Procee
Paul ProceeMy Spineless Cousin 2009
Oil on copper
25 x 20cm
no.11195
Visit our website to view other paintings by Paul Procee
Philippa Blair (b.1945)
Philippa Blair (b.1945)Knockout 2007
oil on canvas
152.5 x 152.5 cm
no.9863
Visit our website to view other paintings by Philippa Blair
Geoffrey Proud (b. 1946)
Geoffrey Proud (b. 1946)Cloudy Day, Rain Sprite
pastel on paper
67 x 47cm
signed 'Proud' lower right
no.10161
Visit our website to view other pastels by Geoffrey Proud
Featured Graphic
Arthur Boyd (1920-1999)
Arthur Boyd (1920-1999)Lovers in a Landscape
Etching A/P
26.5 x 30cm (image)
37.5 x 52.5cm (paper)
signed Arthur Boyd, VI/VI, A/P
no.10436
Visit our website to view other graphics by Arthur Boyd
John Coburn (1925-2006)
John Coburn (1925-2006)Rare Bird 1987
Screen print A/P (6 colours)
artist' proof: 10
48 x 70cm (image)
54.9 x 74.9cm (sheet)
signed, dated LR, inscribed with title LC and edition LL
printed by Michael Phelps, Sydney
commissioned by the New South Wales State Cancer Council for its Bicentennial Collection: A portfolio of Australian artists (a boxed set with 11 other artists)
no.10386
Visit our website to view other graphics by John Coburn
Current Exhibition
February
Gallery 1 & 2: Summer Exhibition
Upcoming Exhibitions
March
Gallery 1: Autumn Exhibition
Gallery 2: Wayne Eager
April
Gallery 1: Autumn Exhibition
Gallery 2: Pam Sackville
May
Gallery 1: Autumn Exhibition
Gallery 2: Brian Seidel
Please send us an email if you wish to be added to the weekly newsletter list.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Artwork of the Day - Olsen - Paella
John Olsen (b.1928)Paella
etching A/P
6.7 x 9.7cm (image size)
40.5 x 30.2cm (paper size)
John Olsen is one of Australia's most significant and accomplished artists and is recognised for this both nationally and internationally for his energetic and distinctive art.
Olsen's name is widely associated with his exuberant and colloquial You Beaut Country series which firmly established his reputation in the early 1960s. He is also famous for his interpretation of Sydney harbour in his commission for the Sydney Opera House called The Salute to Five Bells undertaken in the 1970s.
Plants, birds and animals began to feature in his works during the 1970s and 80s when he travelled extensively across the country, giving new insights into Australia's regional and desert landscapes though he has always sought to capture a spiritual and universal dimension to the landscape and the natural world in his work.
Olsen has won many awards including the Archibald Prize in 2004 for his self-portrait, the Wynne Prize in 1969, and an OBE in 1977. His works are represented in the National Gallery of Australia and most state and regional galleries. His works are also held in private and corporate collections both nationally and internationally.
Olsen's name is widely associated with his exuberant and colloquial You Beaut Country series which firmly established his reputation in the early 1960s. He is also famous for his interpretation of Sydney harbour in his commission for the Sydney Opera House called The Salute to Five Bells undertaken in the 1970s.
Plants, birds and animals began to feature in his works during the 1970s and 80s when he travelled extensively across the country, giving new insights into Australia's regional and desert landscapes though he has always sought to capture a spiritual and universal dimension to the landscape and the natural world in his work.
Olsen has won many awards including the Archibald Prize in 2004 for his self-portrait, the Wynne Prize in 1969, and an OBE in 1977. His works are represented in the National Gallery of Australia and most state and regional galleries. His works are also held in private and corporate collections both nationally and internationally.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Sackville - Artist Statement - 2005 Exhibition
I began painting in watercolour over 20 years ago and was inspired by such artists as Ellis Rowan and Charles Demuth, and the luminous works of J.M.W. Turner.
When I was approached to paint flowers I was intrigued by their softness, delicacy and fragility, qualities I sought to capture in everything I painted. As I continued to paint flowers over many years, I developed a great passion for them, and began to explore different ways to express their vibrant beauty.
I have always enjoyed using graphite on paper to create subtleties of form and tone, light, shade, strength and softness, particularly in portrait making. However, I find that watercolour is the ideal medium for my still life images. I love the translucency and vibrancy of watercolour, the way the colours run and blend together creating their own hues. Watercolour offers an amazing depth of tone and brilliance, as well as the softest shades, through which the white paper shines as light or is disguised. It beautifully captures the glow of porcelain, the fold of drapes and the radiant colours of fruits and flowers.
Over the years my work has become much more expansive. I have gained freedom through greater size and increased intensity of colour. Although I am occasionally tempted by other painting media, watercolour somehow maintains its hold over me.
When I was approached to paint flowers I was intrigued by their softness, delicacy and fragility, qualities I sought to capture in everything I painted. As I continued to paint flowers over many years, I developed a great passion for them, and began to explore different ways to express their vibrant beauty.
I have always enjoyed using graphite on paper to create subtleties of form and tone, light, shade, strength and softness, particularly in portrait making. However, I find that watercolour is the ideal medium for my still life images. I love the translucency and vibrancy of watercolour, the way the colours run and blend together creating their own hues. Watercolour offers an amazing depth of tone and brilliance, as well as the softest shades, through which the white paper shines as light or is disguised. It beautifully captures the glow of porcelain, the fold of drapes and the radiant colours of fruits and flowers.
Over the years my work has become much more expansive. I have gained freedom through greater size and increased intensity of colour. Although I am occasionally tempted by other painting media, watercolour somehow maintains its hold over me.
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