© Martin Browne Contemporary
© All images copyright of Sam Michelle
This catalogue is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission.
COMPILER: Bianca Luciano
PHOTOGRAPHER: Simon Strong
ARTIST PORTRAITS: Suzi Appel
COLOUR SEPARATIONS: Spitting Image, Sydney
Front Cover: Tile 4, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm (detail)
25 May - 17 June 2023 Opening Reception 2:00 - 5:00 PM Saturday 27 May 2023
PLAY
Oil paint is not just a medium for me, but a full-time practice and focus. It allows me to create detailed and layered pieces that capture the beauty and complexity of my preferred subject, nature.
Within this exhibition I explore the concept of ‘Play’ through the medium of still life oil painting. ‘Play’ is a collection of paintings in which I use flowers, textiles, and vessels as metaphors for classic childhood games. I hope that by juxtaposing these everyday objects as games, I will be able to create a visual representation of the playful spirit that we often lose touch with as adults. Too often we get caught up in the minutiae of our everyday lives, and we forget to take a step back and enjoy ourselves as a result. With my paintings, I hope to inspire viewers to embrace their inner child and find joy in the simple things, in our daily tasks, in our workplaces, and with our friends and family members.
The compositions in each of my paintings are made from home-grown flowers combined with vessels and textiles that I have collected over the years and transformed them into playful settings. As an example, you may see that portions of fabric are used to represent a snake, and stripes on another fabric are used to represent the rungs of a ladder. Another playful example is vessels and flora constructed to resemble a jenga tower. These paintings are fun compositions of games which when played as an adult, bring out our inner child.
Overall, my exhibition is a celebration of playfulness and creativity. I hope that my paintings will inspire viewers to approach their own lives with a sense of whimsy, fun and imagination, and to not forget the importance of play in our daily lives.
- Sam Michelle, May 2023
LIST OF WORKS
1. Twister Tapestry, 2023, oil on canvas, 156 x 186 cm
2. Dahlia Dress Ups, 2023, oil on canvas, 146 x 146 cm
3. Gardens and Grandmasters, 2023, oil on canvas, 143 x 143 cm
4. Play, Final Curtain, 2023, oil on canvas, 136 x 156 cm
5. Dahlia Tower, 2023, oil on canvas, 153 x 118 cm
6. Ammobium Jigsaw, 2023, oil on canvas, 108 x 108 cm
7. Tile 1, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
8. Tile 2, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
9. Tile 3, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
10. Tile 4, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
11. Tile 5, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
12. Tile 6, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
13. Tile 7, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
14. Tile 8, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
15. Tile 9, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
16. Tile 10, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
17. Tile 11, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
18. Tile 12, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
19. Tile 13, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
20. Tile 14, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
21. Tile 15, Play, 2023, oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm
Tile 1, Play, 2023
Oil on canvas 80 x 80 cm
Tile 2, Play, 2023
Oil on canvas 80 x 80 cm
Tile 3, Play, 2023
Oil on canvas 80 x 80 cm
Tile 4, Play, 2023
Oil on canvas 80 x 80 cm
Tile 5, Play, 2023
Oil on canvas 80 x 80 cm
Tile 6, Play, 2023
Oil on canvas 80 x 80 cm
Tile 8, Play, 2023
Oil on canvas 80 x 80 cm
Tile 9, Play, 2023
Oil on canvas 80 x 80 cm
Tile 10, Play, 2023
Oil on canvas 80 x 80 cm
Tile 11, Play, 2023
Oil on canvas 80 x 80 cm
Tile 12, Play, 2023
Oil on canvas 80 x 80 cm
Tile 13, Play, 2023
Oil on canvas 80 x 80 cm
Tile 14, Play, 2023
Oil on canvas 80 x 80 cm
Tile 15, Play, 2023
Oil on canvas 80 x 80 cm
SAM MICHELLE
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 PLAY, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
2022 Balance, Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2021 Blink Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2021 The Elegance of Spring Collection, online Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2020 Dual Citizen Collection, Gallerysmith Melbourne
2020 I Love You More Collection, online Gallerysmith Melbourne
2020 A Summer Perspective Collection, online Gallerysmith Melbourne
2019 The Country Collection, online Gallerysmith Melbourne
2019 The Long White Cloud Collection, online Gallerysmith Melbourne
2019 The Peony Portrait Collection, Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2018 The Nature of Spring Collection, Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2018 The Getty Collection, Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2018 The Autumn/Winter Collection, Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2018 The Summer/Autumn Collection, Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2017 EMPEREUR, Scout, Melbourne
2017 The Cloth Collection, Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2017 Effloresce, KAB Gallery, NSW
2017 Flourish, St Cloche, Sydney, Curated by Amber Creswell-Bell
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022 Sydney Contemporary Art Fair, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
2022 Mothers Day Group Show, Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2021 Thread/s, Works featuring Helen McCullagh textiles
2020 The Moon, the Sea and Me, Studio Home, Christchurch NZ
2019 Share the Dignity, Sydney
2019 Spring Fling, Studio Home, Christchurch NZ
2019 NEXT, Sydney Contemporary NSW
2017 The Inauguration, Southern Buoy Studios VIC
2017 Hyper-Botanica, Gallerysmith, Melbourne
2016 Life Still, St Cloche, Sydney, curated by Amber Creswell-Bell
2016 KAB Gallery, Terrigal NSW
2016 The Moree Gallery, Moree NSW
2015 Brunswick St Gallery, Melbourne
2014 Fawn Gallery, ARI, Melbourne
2014 Art Space (launching artist), City of Casey VIC
2014 9 x 5 Group Exhibition, Walker St Gallery, Dandenong VIC
AWARDS and PRIZE EXHIBITIONS
2022 Shortlisted, Omnia Art Prize, Topeka VIC
2019 Shortlisted, St Kevins Art Show, Toorak VIC
2018 Shortlisted, St Kevins Art Show, Toorak VIC
2017 Shortlisted, St Kevins Art Show, Toorak VIC
2017 Highly Commended, Edrington Art Show VIC
2016 Awarded ‘Home Based Business Of The Year’, Casey & Cardinia Council Business Awards VIC
2016 Best in Show, Cardinia Art Show VIC.
2015 Commissioned Artist, Holt Anzac Exhibition VIC
2015 Highly Commended, Yakkerbo Art Show, Pakenham VIC
2014 Best in Show & Feature Artist, Dromana Art Show, Dromana VIC
2014 Finalist, ‘SHE’ Exhibition, Walker St Gallery, Dandenong VIC
2013 Highly Commended, Edrington Art Show, Berwick VIC
2013 Highly Commended, Dromana Art Show, Dromana VIC
2012 2nd Prize & Highly Commended, Fleetwood Art Show, Berwick VIC
2011 1st Prize & Highly Commended, Fleetwood Art Show, Berwick VIC
2010 Highly Commended, South Eastern Art Festival, Berwick VIC
SELECTED MEDIA
2022 ‘Super Creative’ Podcast interview ep 30
2021 ‘Creative Collection’ Home Beautiful Feature, pg 32-35
2020 ‘Sam Michelle’s Realist Still-Lifes Capture The Beauty of Two Landscapes’, The Design Files, Sasha Gattermayr, August 24
2020 ‘An Artist’s Australian Home Has an Envy Inducing Sunroom and Art Studio’, Apartment Therapy, Natalie Jeffcott, April 10
2020 ‘Interview with an artist – Sam Michelle’, 2ser 107.3 Sydney, Radio Interview, March
2019 ‘The Observer’, Home Style Magazine, Alice Lines, pg 92-95, July issue
2019 ‘10 creative Kiwi women who are smashing it in the home and interior world’, Homes to Love, Bea Taylor, April,
2019 ‘Sam Michelle is the Kiwi artist everyone who loves still-life should know about’, Your Home and Garden, Fiona Ralph, February, pg 20-22
2018 ‘Artist Sam Michelle’, interview, Hocking Stuart Red Magazine, Issue #25, July 2018.
2017 ‘All I Want for Christmas’, Country Style Magazine, stylist Jessica Hanson, November
2017 ‘Studio Visit and Artist Interview: Sam Michelle’, Creative Women’s Circle, Jo Watson, October 30
2017 ‘Sam Michelle Flourish’, The Design Files, Elle Murrell, July 11
2017 ‘Space to Create: Artist Sam Michelle’, We Are Scout, Lisa Tilse, Aug 07
2017 ‘Winner of the Blue Thumb Art Prize People’s Choice Award’, Bluethumb.com.au, Matilda Jenkins, 07 Feb.