August 12, 2015
A floor-to-ceiling painting of a river system in the Northern Territory’s MacDonnell Ranges, as viewed from the air, was the centre of attention at the Wondai Regional Art Gallery’s August exhibition opening on Friday night.
Artists Alice McLaughlin and Kym Connell, from the Childers Art Group, told guests the idea for the work came to them after they took a hair-raising gyrocopter flight while on a painting expedition in the Territory.
The hanging, along with many other striking outback scenes composed from a more earth-bound perspective, lined the walls of the Main Gallery and drew admiring comments from the large crowd who attended the event.
Meanwhile, the Front Gallery housed a collection of religious icon paintings by Murgon Catholic priest Fr Michael Carroll.
Fr Michael told the opening night audience he had only been painting icons since 2010, but found himself drawn to the form because it followed several strict rules based on Greek and Russian Orthodox thought, some of which stretched back almost 2000 years.
He said icons were originally developed to communicate religious messages because until comparatively recently in human history, most Christians had been illiterate.
“On the one hand, icons are an aid to prayer,” Fr Michael said.
“But by tradition, they also face towards the viewer so their eyes can look into our souls.”
The Rear Gallery displayed a collection of recent and archival works by Kingaroy photo-realist Jo O’Brien-Welch which also drew many positive comments on the night.
Her works, which range across subjects as diverse as a woman wading on a tidal flat to a close-up of a zebra, are meticulously crafted and painted in such detail they could almost be mistaken for photographs.
Two of the works were finalists in 2013 and 2014 Mortimore Art Prize, a competition that focuses on realism techniques and figurative works.
Jo said because of the amount of time she needs to put into each work to achieve life-like effects, her output is comparatively low compared with other artists.
But she has been pursuing the style for several years and has won many awards for it.
The August exhibition was officially opened by South Burnett councillor Kathy Duff.
“I don’t get many chances to do openings,” Cr Duff told guests.
“But when I do, I always like to do it properly.”
Cr Duff then produced pink tape and a pair of scissors, and with the help of two assistants cut the ribbon to declare the show open.
After this, guests chatted with the artists over finger foods and Kingsley Grove wines.
- “Centrefold – The Beauty Of Australia Revealed” by Alice McLaughlin and Kym Connell; “Icons” by Fr Michael Carroll and “Painting Stripes” by Jo O’Brien-Welch will remain on display at the Wondai Art Gallery from 10:00am to 4:00pm daily until the end of August. Admission to view the exhibitions is free.
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