Both artists approach this abstract expressive process in different ways. Owens marks are more frenetic, they convey an energy that often demands we take note of the journey. The overlapping colour and mark making jumps out at us. Courtneys pathway to connection and memory is gentle. Swathes of tonal colour leading us into the heart of her work. On this palette the intentional directed marks and dissonant colour lead us towards understanding and keeps us engaged with the intent of her work.
“Her Laden Tamarillo Tree” is a body of paintings that explore and reminisce the fond memories Olivia Courtney has collected spending time with her Nana.
Memory is a recent and new direction Courtney has been navigating in her painting practice. Previously only mediating the formal language of painting through collage, she felt stuck in her work, limiting the context of her paintings to process. Revisiting memories has allowed her to gather a new language needed to create and resolve the space on the canvas.
‘Summer Holiday’ by Cliff Richard playing in the background, the gingham tablecloth at every dinner, the lolly jar! Using these memories as prompts, Courtney responds to them by extracting and intuitively arranging colour, materiality and form.
These paintings are asking you to spend time with them, each mark, movement, spread and pour. This process and these works embody a sense of feeling, a moment that is contemplative and emotional.
Paint and sculpture, like poems and music act as a conduit to memory. The process of listening and engaging can lead to a changed state of being, trigger action or take you to place of inaction, a place of silence and solitude.
This body of work explores the inner workings of two opposing ways of being. One is outgoing, takes challenges, talks a lot and enjoys big gestural colourful paint strokes . The other enjoys time alone, quiet, calm, soft colours in controlled shapes and marks. These works explore the relationship between these dualistic forces. Bold, gestural marks break free of controlled shapes and blocks of colour. A sense of rest and unrest is present in each piece. A new energy emerges from the painted canvas and sculpted forms as these forces meld and learn to rest beside each other.
'These works are a piece of me. There is an invitation here for you to use these works to access and explore your own state of being.'
View Maria Owen's exhibition here
We invite you to come view and celebrate the work of these two very different artists.
Opening Event Saturday 22nd 3 - 5pm
We look forward to seeing you there.