Images from upcoming exhibition by Ann Menezies...

With just a few days to go, we are looking forward to Ann's first solo exhibition with us.  'Following the Light' is a collection of beautiful paintings of rockpool reflections in both oils and acrylics.  To find out more, read Ann's artist statement and see images from her exhibition below...

Artist Statement
My paintings express my romance with the Tasmanian coastline.  As I explore our rocky beaches, I am enchanted by the many gifts of beauty:  The sparkling sun dancing on the tides, minute communities of intertidal life-forms, reflections of trees warped on a rock pool’s shimmering surface backed by the silvery sky. 

There is a lot of searching and careful observation while roaming beach areas for suitable rock pools.  My favourite places have been Blackman’s Bay and Parker’s Beach on the Tasman Peninsula.  When I take photographs, I am looking for colours under the water’s surface, interesting reflections and, if I’m lucky, a snail or two!  It can be quite an involved process as I wait for the wind to still, sometimes also waiting until the sun is in the right position.  I get my camera close to the water’s surface and make lens adjustments to capture the multi-layering of the rippling surface, the subaqueous platform and the reflection beyond.

I am an artist and teacher of Visual Art.  In the past I have painted a lot of portraits with flowing cultural patterns, a comment on our mixed society and our inner spiritual being peering through the eyes of our beautiful outer facade.  When I moved to Tasmania I began to investigate the landscapes of Tasmania and micro landscapes reflected in intertidal rock pools. 

I paint in oils and acrylics and use only primary paints in my palette to achieve every subtle colour change  in my works.   What you are looking at is the rock pool reflection turned upside-down to create it’s own unique landscape.  A mingling of surface reflections and underwater intertidal activity.

Price range $220 - $1800

                                            Coles Bay Rock Pool                acrylic on paper  
$220

                                Black Rock Pool     acrylic on canvas
45cm x 30 cm
         $350    sold

                              Orange Rock Pool      oil on canvas
          40cm x 30cm        
 $380

                        Reflection at 4pm #1   oil on canvas
30cm x 30cm
                  $320      sold

                                  Reflection at 4pm #2             oil on canvas
   25cm x 25cm 
$220

  

                                      Parkers Beach Reflection        acrylic on canvas
 40cm x 50cm
 $390

                                    Rockpool with Blue Sky           oil on canvas
 40cm x 30cm
                       $350           sold

                                     Reflection Land Play         acrylic on board
  105cm x 45cm
               $500   sold

                                 Reflection Land Play #2        oil on canvas
  100cm x 40cm
   $720

                                    Pink Reflection    acrylic on paper 
   40cm x 50cm
  $370

                           Blackmans Bay Reflection    oil and acrylic on canvas
95cm x 50cm
$1800

The exhibition runs from Thursday, 7th - 27th June.  We hope you can join in the celebrations at the opening this Friday, 8th June at 5.30pm.