July 31, 2013
by Dafyd Martindale
Two of the South Burnett’s most creative artists will be opening a joint exhibition at Kingaroy’s Nimue Art Gallery on Saturday (August 3).
Dot Rowland and Robyn Dower will be on hand at the King Street gallery between 10:00am and 2:00pm to answer questions about the works that form “Inside Out & Back To Front”.
What’s unusual about the exhibition is that both artists have remarkably different styles; neither is known for working to any particular “theme”; and there’s an age gap between the pair, too.
Yet they’re both firm friends and have been for several years.
And their works – while vastly different – blend together seamlessly to create an engaging show that most art lovers will genuinely enjoy seeing.
Dot Rowland is the more senior of the two artists and first came to public attention in the region over a decade ago with her meticulous watercolours.
Over the years she’s won countless awards and prizes in regional art competitions and had many solo exhibitions.
Her artworks can be now be found in pride of place on the walls of many South Burnett homes and businesses.
In recent years, though, Dot has expanded into other media and her works have taken a number of abrupt turns in both style and subject matter.
In fact, in the current exhibition, she has three or four different styles on show. The only thing many share in common is her signature.
Robyn, meanwhile, has risen to public recognition in the last few years for quirky, engaging and often brilliantly creative artworks that span everything from papier-mache sculptures through to large-scale acrylics.
While she’s hardly the overnight sensation she might appear – Robyn toiled quietly in the background for more than a decade to perfect her technique before exhibiting in public – in the past twelve months she’s had major exhibitions at both the Wondai Regional Art Gallery and the Kingaroy Art Gallery which have drawn critical acclaim.
One of her works was also selected for the recent Curator’s Choice touring art exhibition which was displayed at the Gympie Regional Art Gallery, the new Hervey Bay Regional Art Gallery, and the Wondai Regional Art Gallery.
The latest show features new works from both artists as well as some items from their back catalogues.
It’s a bright, colourful and striking mix, and the genuine warmth of both women’s views of the world almost leaps off the walls.
The official opening will occur at 11:00am.
Afterwards, the exhibition will remain on display at the Nimue Art Gallery from Tuesdays to Sundays until the end of August.
Admission to view it is free.
