Images from upcoming exhibition of 'Cityscapes' by Rachel Ireland-Meyers

November 07, 2011

Images from upcoming exhibition of 'Cityscapes' by Rachel Ireland-Meyers

An exhibition of acrylic paintings starts this Thursday...

Price range $240 - $600

Morning walk to Battery Point sold

Artist's Statement
For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by people, architecture and landscapes; what intrigues me even more is the interplay between all three. As a theme, 'Cityscapes' is concieved not with the thought of describing any particular place in detail, but with expressing fundamental moods and emotions and as a celebration of the way in which the city of Hobart rests like a glistening jewel against the dominant backdrop of the landscape.

Constitution Dock

As a studio-based artist, I have several paintings on the go at any one time, and I prefer the exploration of ideas and techniques to take place spontaneously. My first choice is to work in a loose, free and experimental way without a fully preconcieved idea of the finished result. I find the colour and mood of my paintings intuitively during the painting process rather than working them out in advance.

Homeless in winter

Over time, I have also become convinced that the faster and more spontaniously I work, the better the painting turns out. For me, the creative process is one of change, allowing the subject to reveal itself. My process is to continually test, discard, search and finally exhibit. For example, horizon lines can be minimal, non-existent, dominant, low or high. Realism in any of my paintings is never my goal, “if you want to see a real city/landscape, go and take a photograph and enjoy it.”

My red dawn sold

My approach to painting is “expressive,” to overstate existing colour and light for the sheer joy of expressing my own feelings for the chosen subject. There is always a “subjective” judgement involved regarding colour interactions. Some combinations appear attractive, others disturbing – but I choose to allow the viewer to make up his or her mind.

Girls' rainy night out

I have always been someone who believes in the concept of “value adding,” and have chosen to offer 10% of all the proceeds of purchased artworks to support what is called the “Cuban Project.” This is a fundraising endeavour to assist four local Hobartians to travel to Cuba for what will be an experience of a lifetime. Commencing in February 2012, Elias Solis, Luis Aburto, Maggie Abraham and Violeta Solis will study both Cuban culture and music for one year in Havana, and a further two months of Latin percussion in Brazil. Together they will develop not only as young adults, but also develop their passion and skills as musicians. Importantly, upon their return to Hobart, their goal is to share their knowledge, their experiences, and musical talents with the broader Hobart community.

All money raised will go towards a cumulative fund to support the group with living and learning expenses while in Havana (Cuba) and Salvador(Brazil).