2017 Western Downs Regional Artists' Exhibition Catalogue

ON SHOW 2017 WESTERN DOWNS REGIONAL ARTISTS’ EXHIBITION

3 September – 8 October 2017

Cover image: Jodie Coker Show Pony (detail) 2017 Acrylic on canvas | 75cm x 100cm

Message from the Mayor

On behalf of the Western Downs Regional Council, I am pleased to

Curator By Request program. I also acknowledge the support of

officially open the fourth instalment of the Western Downs Regional

grants and prize sponsors, including: the Australian Government

Artists’ Exhibition.

through the Regional Arts Fund; Queensland Gas Company; SunPork

This year’s exhibition theme is ‘On Show’ in which artists were asked to create an artwork in response to the idea of how we, and other species, exhibit ourselves and our things when others are around, as well as the spectacular ‘shows’ that nature frequently provides.

The exhibition includes a breadth of artwork mediums, including paintings, drawings, photographs, and sculptures, which together showcase realistic and abstract expressions of identity, animal muses, and landscapes in all their variations.

It’s wonderful to see the vision that the region’s three main art gallery committees — Gallery 107 @ Dalby; Lapunyah Art Gallery, Chinchilla; and, Dogwood Crossing, Miles — have demonstrated in coming together to jointly develop the exhibition each year and to rotate hosting the resulting exhibition between them. It’s even more pleasing to see the leadership of this group through the Western

- Tong Park, Dalby; Gallery 107 @ Dalby; Sandy Pottinger; and Coles, Dalby; without whom we wouldn’t be able to stage such a professional exhibition and provide the extra encouragement for artists that comes from winning a fiscal prize.

I wholeheartedly congratulate the Exhibition Organising Committee on presenting the wonderful skill and talent of 31 featured artists through showcasing them in this exhibition, demonstrating the connectedness of communities through cultural events that are supported locally and achieve regional participation, all while activating our creative spaces.

We look forward to seeing you over the next few weeks at the 2017 Western Downs Regional Artists’ Exhibition at Gallery 107 @ Dalby, and I look forward to the 2018 exhibition to be hosted at Lapunyah Art Gallery, Chinchilla.

Downs Art Gallery Network.

I congratulate all the artists who submitted their work, and welcome

Cr Paul McVeigh

as this exhibition’s curator Lisa Beilby from Flying Arts Alliance’s

Western Downs Regional Council Mayor

ON SHOW | 1

Foreword by the Exhibition Organising Committee

On behalf of the Exhibition Organising Committee, which includes representatives from Gallery 107 @ Dalby, Lapunyah Art Gallery, Chinchilla, and Dogwood Crossing, Miles, we are pleased to present the 2017 Western Downs Regional Artists’ Exhibition.

Gallery 107 @ Dalby is excited to again be hosting the exhibition, after being the inaugural host of the new region-wide collaborative format in 2014.

As soon as the exhibition closes each year, the planning for the next one begins, with the Committee meeting to brainstorm ideas for the next year’s theme. The challenge is to agree on an idea that can be open to interpretation and can ignite an artist’s imagination by avoiding prescription, so that there can be freedom to create amazing and varied artworks.

The creative stimulus for this year was the theme ‘On Show’, aimed at exploring how humans, animals, and the natural realm exhibit themselves, their possessions, and their moods when others are around. We’re thrilled to see the breadth of ideas that

Carolyn Tillman President Gallery 107 @ Dalby Inc.

2 | ON SHOW

Gail Taylor President Lapunyah Art Gallery Inc.

this theme has inspired, from animals as muses, to the disguises humans carry, to flowers and landscapes in their natural and manmade environments.

This exhibition continues to bring together and showcase the high degree of skill and talent of emerging, developing and established artists throughout our regional communities. The exhibition emphasises how amazingly creative and talented our communities are, and how important it is that we come together to share the creative experience for the enjoyment of all.

We acknowledge and congratulate all of those involved in bringing this year’s exhibition together. We would like to thank our sponsors for supporting our local artists, to be active and vibrant through connecting in our community facilities regionally.

We are confident that there is something for everybody in this exhibition, which features 31 of our talented regional artists. We hope you enjoy the opening and look forward to seeing you at the 2018 show, to be hosted at Lapunyah Art Gallery, Chinchilla.

Roz Brownlie Chairperson Dogwood Crossing Gallery Committee

Kim Osburn Bowerbird bling (detail) 2017 | Graphite and watercolour pencil | 60cm x 49cm

Curatorial Essay

by Lisa Beilby

Welcome to the 2017 Western Downs Regional Artists’ Exhibition: On Show.

It is always a joy to immerse oneself in a room of art; to look carefully at the treasures the artists have chosen to place ‘on show’, and then to have the privilege to choose which of those items link with aesthetic and ideas for a pleasing curatorial outcome from the collective body of work submitted.

The making of art is often very personal and, at times, extremely intimate in production — brush stroke by brush stroke. In contrast, the destination of these creative outpourings is often intensely public. Such is the paradox of exhibition.

A curator has a heavy duty to interpret for the visitor to the gallery — for their enjoyment as an art-going public. However, they also must be conscious of showcasing the exhibiting artists at their best, with respect to their ideas, their works and with mindfulness of their trust.

The making of art is often very personal and, at times, extremely intimate in production — brush stroke by brush stroke.

This year the chosen entries for On Show have been collected into a pleasing set of themes:

Creatures — both familiar and exotic … do the tigers scare the horses here? What sweet faces and striking poses are on offer.

Landscapes — of a wide variety, showcasing unique places and moments in time, with both super-realism (urban photography and portraits of individual trees) and pleasingly more design-based compositions, also dealing with this subject matter but with a graphic sensibility.

Exquisite blossoms — colourful, lush and decorative. At times, just displayed for your viewing pleasure, and then, a more thoughtful arrangement emerges. Could I lie in those giant creamy petals like a drowsy garden fairy? One can almost smell the roses and hear the chatter of the ladies underneath their exquisite plumage.

And finally, another theme emerges, a more sinister phenomenon — The Disguise. The flashiest show is sometimes a ‘masking’. The mysterious, cheeky or intangible represented in art straight from the mind and soul of the artist.

Helen Dennis Fabulous fascinators (detail) 2017 Acrylic on canvas | 61cm x 76cm ON SHOW | 5

Kardia Stokes Scene One, Act One (detail) 2017 Photograph on canvas | 40cm x 80cm

All these artworks have been craftily executed, the range of techniques diverse, from photography and digital media, to handhewn and the hand-drawn or coloured-in. A wonderful range of offerings, well-supported by interesting artists’ texts, at times just as fascinating to read as the artworks are to peruse.

Both domestic and imaginary lives have been skilfully observed and illustrated. Rural themes such as celebrating the love of a beast, or the gentle observation of a vista, or the capture of a moment at a waterhole, are confidently displayed. Contrastingly, some works use strong colour, contemporary characters, or strikingly unique concepts to explore the overarching theme, On Show.

As in all competitions, difficult decisions must be made by those conscripted to judge. This year, many works have also been commended, reflecting the overall high standard on offer. It can be a comfort to an artist (or a curator) not to be present as viewing or judging takes place. I do believe however, that the acknowledgement of these responses assists with the journey, the striving for new creative adventures, explorations diversity in subjects and embracing of new challenges — the stuff the feeds great art.

Congratulations to the small group of formal winners: 6 | ON SHOW

Fabulous fascinators, Helen Dennis In first place On Show, is a bird’s-eye view of one of the most traditional sites and spectacles of the showiest of the shows — ladies at the races! A place to indulge the natural instinct to prance, to preen, to rise to occasion when given excuse, to dress-up and wear an outrageously decorated ‘fancy’ on our person — mythically and mysteriously titled a fascinator. The framing of the subject by the artist offers up the crowd and the spectacle like a heady bunch of scented human flowers, presented in a bouquet of chatting and fun — a big day out enjoying the ‘sport of kings’.

Stunning Hydrangeas, Rosanne Steele Second prize is an indulgence in pastel shades supported by a darker edge of deep green lushness dropping away to an unknown ground. This floral panel presents a dazzling offering of natural beauty, celebrating with high magnification and repeated pattern.

The petals of these hydrangeas seem almost to lift off the canvas, almost as if the hand could run over their soft delicacy by just reaching out. Are we in a larger-than-life dream? Or are we hiding in the garden under Grandma’s prize shrubs during a childhood game?

Art is the increasing effort to compete with the beauty of flowers — and never succeeding.

Marc Chagall

Scene One, Act One, Kardia Stokes This work is intriguing for a number of reasons. It is a celebration of both the grand spectacle of theatre and the minutiae of everyday living, each figure identified as poised to take off to their respective genres and stages. Whilst it may appear at first to be a simple photographic tableau, pleasing in its playfulness, dramatic in its colour treatment and shadowy magnification, the accompanying artist’s statement is key to gathering the impact and entirety of this still life and its deeper concepts. The ideas hark backwards and forwards in time, across being On Show, straddling both theatre and popular culture.

My hearty congratulations to all the artists who were generous enough to put themselves On Show. This fabulous exhibition showcases their diverse talents, and their region, at its collective best.

I leave you with this lovely quote from painter, Marc Chagall:

Art is the increasing effort to compete with the beauty of flowers — and never succeeding.

Rosanne Steele Stunning Hydrangeas (detail) 2017 Acrylic on canvas | 51cm x 150cm ON SHOW | 7

Participating Artists Jodie Bacon

Amanda-Lee Marchant

Guy Breay

Sonia Miers

Roz Brownlie

Anna Moeba

Jodie Coker

Priscilla Mundell

Kylee Jane Cooke

Kim Osburn

Meg Cullen

Kerryn Rabone

Helen Dennis

Jayne Rohrlach

Kristen Flynn

Daniel Slavin

Cindy Grimes

Rosanne Steele

Ella Harth

Kardia Stokes

Patricia Hinz

Joanne Sutton

Georgia Houseman

Mary Tierney

Barry Johansen

Catherine C. Turner

Carol McCormack

Rebecca Villiers

Kylie McLean

Gaye Wright

Megan McNicholl

Jayne Rohrlach Deer ahead (detail) 2017 Sculpture and collage | 105cm x 66cm x 33cm

Prize Winners FIRST PRIZE – $1,000 Helen Dennis Fabulous fascinators

SECOND PRIZE – $500 Rosanne Steele Stunning Hydrangeas

THIRD PRIZE – $300 Kardia Stokes Scene One, Act One

YOUNG ARTIST AWARD – $50 Ella Harth Phar Lap

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD – $200 Please place your vote at the gallery

INSTALLER’S AWARD Voted for by the volunteer exhibition installers

HIGHLY COMMENDED Roz Brownlie 36½ weeks Barry Johansen Invisible man in the spotlight Carol McCormack Wet day at Trilby Kylie McLean Sweet bouquet Megan McNicholl Prickly pear Jayne Rohrlach Deer ahead Joanne Sutton Crème de la crème Rebecca Villiers Always on show

Kerryn Rabone Suitably superficial (detail) 2017 Pencil | 25cm x 20cm ON SHOW | 9

JODIE BACON Bacon takes inspiration from people and moments in her life that have great impact.

Often preferring to work with charcoal the artist chooses to use bold colours to express her newly found acrylic techniques.

She layers colours on colours to bring forth the subject’s form and desires.

ROBERT

Robert 2017 | Acrylic on canvas | 60cm x 40cm

“My interpretation of ‘on show’ is the ‘alpha male’ and how everyone, especially the ladies, see him. This painting captures the subject in his natural laid back seductiveness of the 19th century. It shows how he puts pride in his appearance and his uncanny ability to hold eye contact, all the while knowing the opposite sex loves the show he puts on. The painting is inspired by my muse and fiancé Robert who has brought great colour, laughter and fantastic hats to my life!”

GUY BREAY Breay is attracted to the texture of old gnarled and twisted timber that already has natural and interesting shape and movement. His carving styles have evolved and reflect his life experiences, imagination and inspiration that he gets from the natural beauty of wood. Breay endeavours to enhance his creations with movement, use of lines, negative spaces, contrasts in colour and texture.

BIRUNIL … BIRD-OF-PARADISE

Birunil … bird-of-paradise 2017 | Wood | 30cm x 124cm x 20cm

10 | ON SHOW

“‘Birunil’ was our family farm at a bend in the river in Papua. We loved to sit on our verandah admiring the flights of the birds-of-paradise with their magnificent tail feathers on show. This carving depicts a birds-of-paradise in flight trailing its beautiful tail feathers.”

ROZ BROWNLIE Brownlie’s photography practice ebbs and flows. In recent months it has morphed and moved towards the increased use of digital manipulation, in order to create meaningful but more creative and abstract images.

36½ WEEKS “My nephew and his wife, who are fourth generation farmers on the Jimbour Plain, are expecting a baby shortly. We had many conversations about how much the mum-tobe was ‘showing’ throughout her pregnancy.

I imagined this baby bump silhouetted and juxtaposed against the flatness of the land surrounding their home, and wanted to portray both that ‘showing’ of their bump, as well as the ups and downs of that journey.”

36½ weeks 2017 | iPhoneography | 46cm x 56cm

JODIE COKER As an artist Coker always tries to bring a whimsical beauty to life in her works.

Recently she has been enjoying the textural experience of finger painting and experimental colour which has allowed her to really feel.

SHOW PONY “‘Show pony’ expresses mankind’s fascination with the horse and its many uses. The soft nature of the animal is depicted with the use of colour and texture.

The acrylic paint lends itself well to the finger painting method. I met this horse who was participating in a fundraiser at a local school fete. Such a gentle beast, I knew I had found a new muse to put ‘on show’.”

Show pony 2017 | Acrylic on canvas | 75cm x 100cm ON SHOW | 11

Night watchman 2017 | White charcoal and pastel on paper 40cm x 34cm

Liliums and Gypsophila 2017 | Watercolour | 72cm x 54cm

KYLEE JANE COOKE

MEG CULLEN

For Cooke, art is cathartic: slowing time, her heart rate, and giving her a sense of freedom whilst creating. The pleasure and excitement Cooke feels seeing someone’s face light up when they’re looking at her artwork, far outweighs the pressure of completing a piece to her own high expectations. Cooke feels that she is still learning and progressing her skills.

Drawing and painting are some of Cullen’s earliest memories. A lifelong love of art has resulted in years of commitment to study and practice. For her, every work is a new experience.

NIGHT WATCHMAN “Sentinel on my gate post, eyes gleaming in the night. Guardian and watchman motionless but for those piercing, knowledgeable eyes proudly ‘on show’ in the darkness.”

12 | ON SHOW

LILIUMS AND GYPSOPHILA “Liliums are ‘show off’ flowers that command attention in any arrangement. Teamed with Gypsophila, they welcome the morning light.”

Fabulous fascinators 2017 | Acrylic on canvas | 61cm x 76cm

HELEN DENNIS Dennis’ artwork seeks to represent and interpret her interaction with the environs in which she lives. The narratives communicated by her works are designed to be more observational than judgemental.

As she believes art should tell a story, Dennis intentionally chooses images which interest her aesthetically and topics which stimulate her intellectually.

FABULOUS FASCINATORS “On show, the fashion conscious lady struts in her finery, fluffing her fine feathers for the other ‘hens in the pen’.”

ON SHOW | 13

Around me 2017 | Lino print with mixed media | Variable

KRISTEN FLYNN Flynn produces art that foregrounds raw art elements and is just like some of the modernists, believing there is pure emotion in each colour. Her work could be described as street expressionism. Flynn often explores random versus controlled, geometric versus organic, and street versus the background of her rural surroundings.

AROUND ME “My work shows the vibrancy and energy that is on show all around me. The three works focus on the belongings of my surroundings and their importance. My street expressionist work depicts local energy, brigalow leaves, and local produce to name a few. Along with these, the face and eye motif are symbolic in communicating that they are being watched and enjoyed. My work is made up of many layers. I have used media including lino print, pencil, and collage. This allows me to work quickly to build a concept based purely on emotion and expression.�

14 | ON SHOW

CINDY GRIMES Grimes has lived in the Western Downs region for over twenty years, dabbling with an interest in drawing and painting during that time. In 2017 she has enjoyed depicting the landscapes and people significant to her, using watercolour, mixed media, acrylics, and discovered the fun of working in metal.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS “The first impressions of ‘Cadilla’ Hannaford — all the challenges and opportunities of a new property purchase ‘on show’. What is immediately obvious and ‘on show’ in those first few visits becomes less significant as we transform a place into a home.”

First impressions 2017 | Pen and wash, collage | 74cm x 98cm

PATRICIA HINZ Making art is central to Hinz’s life and she is never happier than when in the studio painting: hours go by without notice. Colour is paramount in her work — it evokes feelings and emotions and can affect mood.

Subject matter is important but the colour line and rhythm of the painting are even more important to her finished work.

LEAF LITTER ON SHOW “Nature is not only ‘on show’ with grand statements of mountain ranges and wide vistas. Sometimes I am surprised by the little gems — a butterfly’s wing, a fallen leaf, a single bloom, or leaf litter caught briefly in a sunbeam on the forest floor.

Here the patterns of nature show themselves to great advantage.”

Leaf litter on show 2017 | Mixed media | 63cm x 80cm ON SHOW | 15

Phar Lap 2017 | Oil pastel | 55cm x 45cm

Whiskers 2017 | Pencil | 29.5cm x 21cm

ELLA HARTH

GEORGIA HOUSEMAN

Harth is a 13-year-old budding artist from Dalby. She enjoys working with a range of mediums, including oil pastel, pencil, digital animation, and costuming. She hopes, one day, to pursue a career either in theatre costuming and design or movie animation.

Houseman enjoys drawing what people work hard to hide. From stray hairs to age marks, to her they are what make us unique.

PHAR LAP “Phar Lap was a thoroughbred racehorse who won many races in his career, including a Melbourne Cup, two Cox Plates, an AJC derby and nineteen other ‘age for weight’ races. His final race was in Tijuana, Mexico, which he also won. He died after a mysterious, sudden illness in 1932 in Atherton, California. He has been honoured by a life-size bronze statue valued at approximately $500,000 which was unveiled on 25 November 2009 near the place where he was born, Timaru. I was inspired to draw Phar Lap, as a national icon in both Australia and New Zealand, so I to might honour this the ‘Australian Wonder Horse’ and put him ‘on show’ in this gallery.”

16 | ON SHOW

WHISKERS “To be ‘on show’ is to display without fear. The way we show or display ourselves is what comes to mind when I hear the words ‘on show’.”

Invisible man in the spotlight 2017 | Digital print | 90cm x 40cm

Sweet bouquet 2017 | Ink pen | 55cm x 45cm

BARRY JOHANSEN

KYLIE MCLEAN

Formally trained as a fashion designer, Johansen has taken his artistic skills to the digital realm. Working on his iPad, Johansen translates his traditional drawing skills and photographic knowledge to create a body of work that resembles watercolours.

McLean is an Australian contemporary artist. She spent her childhood creating and painting for family and friends. After travelling extensively, marrying and having three children, her desire to create and share her art became her new year’s resolution.

Inspired by a friend, she has put ink pen to paper and hasn’t looked back, using a drawing technique called stippling (applying texture and tone in small dots). She likes the hyper-realistic effect this technique allows and particularly enjoys the challenge of drawing animals. Despite McLean’s love for black and white, she also enjoys the freedom of acrylic paints with bold and vibrant tones. McLean looks forward to continuing to refine her technique, to share with others what makes her heart sing, and pay tribute to the beautiful life she leads with family and friends.

INVISIBLE MAN IN THE SPOTLIGHT “In March 2017 I held my first exhibition in my hometown of Dalby. Invisible man in the spotlight is a work that extends from this experience and the loss or gain of identity in presenting autobiographical content in a small town setting. Being ‘on show’ is larger than life. It’s like that blockbuster movie poster with the big name actors who ultimately fade into a storyline that is judged by the audience. Self-identity, fading into the background in order for the masterpiece to speak for itself.”

SWEET BOUQUET “What’s ‘on show’, what’s not ‘on show’. Putting yourself on show is much easier with a sweet bouquet.”

ON SHOW | 17

MEGAN MCNICHOLL McNicholl is an opportunistic photographer.

She keeps her camera within reach so that she doesn’t miss creative opportunities when she is out and about. McNicholl enjoys the challenge of capturing ‘a moment’ in — what she hopes — is an interesting and thoughtful way.

PRICKLY PEAR

Prickly Pear 2016 | Digital photograph | 44cm x 44cm

“The plant in this image — the prickly pear — is one of the most invasive weeds ever imported to Australia and was mistakenly planted as a benign ‘showy’ garden hedge. It had a devastating impact on rural life across the Western Downs during the early part of the twentieth century. I have used double exposure, a photographic technique that combines two different images into a single image ... capturing two elements from times past ... corrugated iron and the prickly pear flower, the ‘on show’ feature of the plant. A reminder that what is ‘on show’ is not always a reliable indication of one’s true nature.”

CAROL MCCORMACK Every year McCormack spends time exploring remote areas of Australia, seeking out whatever they have to show. Her paintings relate to the land: its scenery, its birds and plants, its history, its magnificent colours. McCormack allows the landscape to dictate the marks that she makes.

WET DAY AT TRILBY “I think as a landscape painter I constantly deal with what nature puts ‘on show’.

For me, the birds are the highlight of any landscape, and as an amateur ‘birdo’, I love to spot them in-situ, and then work them into the landscape. Water is always a drawcard for both bird and traveller — I painted the Grebes on a wet day when camped at a billabong beside the mighty Darling River.”

Wet day at Trilby 2014 | Acrylic on canvas | 40cm x 51cm 18 | ON SHOW

Untitled 2016 | Spray art | 68cm x 46cm

Empower 2017 | Acrylic on canvas | 69cm x 104cm

AMANDA-LEE MARCHANT

SONIA MIERS

Marchant lives on the Western Downs. She enjoys creating with many types of mediums and canvases. Creating has always been an emotional outlet for her from a young age. She enjoys the outdoors and nature and sees beauty in everyone and everything.

Miers is a passionate local artist, with a rich history in visual art education. She has developed her style through her studies (Bachelor of Visual Art/Bachelor of Education), work as a secondary school visual arts teacher, and love of travel. Her work has been exhibited as far afield as Singapore and the United Kingdom.

UNTITLED “For me having an artwork ‘on show’ is both exciting and scary at the same time. It is almost as if I am ‘on show’ myself, as my painting represents part of me and my deepest, darkest feelings and desires.

On show for the world to see. But only if they care to look.”

EMPOWER “The journey of strong women forging a path from humble beginnings to a future full of opportunities is a common theme in my art. The central figure is ‘on show’ highlighting the emergence of young ambitious women. It also reminds audiences of our roots and the importance of nature and tradition.”

ON SHOW | 19

ANNA MOEBA As an agoraphobic, art is a medium for Moeba to express her inner feelings.

She loves to work with mixed media; what is hidden beneath the paint is what is hidden within.

HUMMINGBIRD #2 “Hummingbirds always seem to be putting on a ‘show’. They have the most unusual flight behaviour. They are the only birds that can hover for a long period. They are acrobatic flyers; they can fly backwards and instantly change direction. At times they even fly upside down.”

Hummingbird #2 2017 | Mixed media | 51cm x 61cm

PRISCILLA MUNDELL Mundell has been involved with the Miles Art Group for most of the 45 years she has lived in the Condamine District. Mundell is always experimenting, in particular with mixed media and has, at this moment, a passion for Australian trees.

GARDEN TREES

Garden trees 2017 | Mixed media | 53cm x 67cm

20 | ON SHOW

“These trees are in my garden and I admire them daily. The birds are wonderfully ‘on show’ in them every day, and also the blossoms when they flower. They all have showy barks changing with the seasons. Our children played many games amongst them.

Some have our pets are buried under them.

They are always welcoming through flood, drought, storms, and the ups and downs of life on the land. They were here when I arrived and will be standing long after I have gone, for someone else to enjoy.”

Bowerbird bling 2017 | Graphite and watercolour pencil | 60cm x 49cm

Suitably superficial 2017 | Pencil | 25cm x 20cm

KIM OSBURN

KERRYN RABONE

Growing up in Cheltenham National Park in Victoria, Osburn observed many bird species at very close range. Most of her adult life has been spent on rural and remote properties in both the Northern Territory and Queensland, abundant with bird life. Whilst predominantly a pencil, ink and charcoal artist, more recently Osburn has been experimenting with watercolour washes and watercolour pencil for highlighting and fine detail.

Rabone’s body of artwork reflects several different styles and media because she loves to challenge her capabilities. She enjoys creating visually pleasant and vivid artwork, however from time-to-time chooses to artistically express her frustration with society’s ideals.

BOWERBIRD BLING “The satin bowerbird is unique in the fact that he builds a bower from sticks and leaves to lure his ladies. He tempts them with his interior decorating skills and ‘blings’ out his love nest with stolen treasures. The arrangement will be changed and added to until he is satisfied with the display.”

SUITABLY SUPERFICIAL “I have chosen to explore the idea of people being physically ‘on show’ by sporting the most ‘on trend’, popular, expensive clothing brands or styles but remaining mentally absent in their superficiality.

Their identity becomes objectified by their obsession with their material facade; they fear that they are nothing without it.”

ON SHOW | 21

Deer ahead 2017 | Sculpture and collage | 105cm x 66cm x 33cm

JAYNE ROHRLACH Rohrlach has always dabbled in all mediums of art and craft, excited to try something new. It has only been since retiring and joining the Bell Art Group that she has had the time to take her art to the next level of seriousness.

DEER AHEAD “I thought Deer ahead is a fitting response to the theme — as humans we like to place our achievements ‘on show’. Whether it is trophies for sportsmanship or the darker side of displaying our hunting abilities.”

22 | ON SHOW

DANIEL SLAVIN Slavin is 19 years old and moved to Dalby earlier this year from Melbourne for a new life. His passions are gardening, animal care and of course drawing. Inspired by a range of fantasy and animated films he has been drawing colourful characters since he was a child in the hope of making people smile and bringing them happiness when they see his work.

THROUGH THE UNKNOWN REALM

Through the unknown realm 2017 | Mixed media | 57cm x 70cm

“The theme ‘on show’ helps me, and other artists create meaningful art because it brings out a lot of possibilities and creativity, like a journey of beasts or a person going through strife. I created this art piece using both normal and watercolour pencils as well as black fine liner. The idea of the art’s concept was inspired by films that I used to watch throughout my childhood as well as using interesting characters and colours to create colourful surreal artwork.”

ON SHOW | 23

ROSANNE STEELE Steele is a versatile and accomplished artist. She recently started a new venture painting flowers in acrylics. Her colourful work captivates the viewer, encouraging a closer look at the intricate and exquisite detailing in her pictures.

STUNNING HYDRANGEAS Stunning Hydrangeas 2017 | Acrylic on canvas | 51cm x 150cm

“This work of art, as I am sure you would appreciate, took quite some time and much attention to detail. It was quite a challenge for me but I am happy with the outcome. I think it would look fabulous behind a bed, but for the present I think it deserves to be ‘on show’ for all to admire.”

KARDIA STOKES Naturally mindful of metaphor, Stokes struggled with this year’s theme because it seems so obvious and self-sufficient. Yet the need to express remains and her images are trying to bring together the elements of performance, audience, and expectations in her medium of choice: photography.

SCENE ONE, ACT ONE

Scene One, Act One 2017 | Photograph on canvas | 40cm x 80cm

24 | ON SHOW

“An opening scene: four archetypes ready for action in their respective roles, scripted and rehearsed. The stage is lit, characters already casting ominous shadows. Audience expectations are high, and suspense is palpable: what will happen next? And if there is no such thing as a passive receiver, should we worry what impressions the impending performance will leave?”

JOANNE SUTTON Sutton is a contemporary artist inspired by the surroundings of rural life. Beautiful blooms, curious cattle, and high-spirited horses, all feature in her repertoire of work using the mediums of acrylics, watercolours, and oils. She finds joy in crafting art for others and seeing them connect with the images she creates on canvas.

CRÈME DE LA CRÈME

Crème de la Crème 2016 | Acrylic on canvas | 91cm x 122cm

“As the sunlight hits the petals on a rose in the garden, bursts of creamy colour reveal themselves. What appears initially as a simple palette becomes an artist’s dream, with complex shades of colour emerging.

From the unfurled outer petals to the rich golden centre, colour takes on a new light — white is not white; instead the rose becomes a reflection of its surroundings and all that is around it is now ‘on show’.”

MARY TIERNEY Primarily a realist painter, Tierney enjoys using a variety of mediums to depict the many and diverse facets of the Australian landscape.

THE NT SHOWING HER TRUE COLOURS “Red rocks, dry spinifex, purple distance against a bright blue sky. The Northern Territory’s unforgettable colours are the inspiration for this painting.”

The NT showing her true colours 2017 | Watercolour and gouache | 76cm x 59cm

ON SHOW | 25

CATHERINE C. TURNER Turner is an emerging author, amateur musician, and hobby photographer … as she has no skill with a pencil or brush, she figured photography would be the way to express her creativity visually. As such, she has taught herself some basic composition techniques and has a long way to go. But candid images that capture the world off guard are what truly inspires her, rather than over-edited images in this digital age.

‘LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY’ ON SHOW IN PARIS

‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity’ on show in Paris 2015 | Digital photograph | 30cm x 40cm

“The outpouring of the French people’s resolve in the face of terrorist attacks on the magazine ‘Charlie Hebdo’ in Paris in January 2015, was still evident in the markings in the Place de la République in May of that year. #jesuischarlie”

REBECCA VILLIERS Villiers has worked extensively with textiles in her arts practice. Over the years she has repurposed vintage garments into ‘wearable art’; hand painted silk to make into fashion garments, kimonos, quilts and wall-hangings; dyed fabric and made costumes for film and theatre. Currently she is exploring the diversity of the paint medium on all manner of objects. Repurposing and recycling are still important elements in all aspects of her life and she continues to express these principles in her artwork.

ALWAYS ON SHOW

Always on show 2017 | Mixed media acrylic with collage | 155cm x 105cm

26 | ON SHOW

“A wonderful theme to work to. ’Always on show’ is appropriate to the ever-changing image of ourselves and others. The frame for this piece came from insulation packing cases. The collage designs are repurposed and repainted card. Only the mirror and paint is new!”

GAYE WRIGHT Wright is mostly self-taught having returned to her love of art after 40 years. Nowadays she explores and has fun with a variety of mediums and techniques. The beauty of the world inspires her. Her passion is to bring excitement, meaning and appreciation to others through her creativity.

SEA ANEMONES — VIVID SYDNEY “The stunning lights that were ‘on show’ during the Vivid Sydney Festival 2017 inspired me through their colour and magnificence. The Opera House sails were transformed into a huge canvas that showed off the magical beauty of unusual sea creatures to a huge audience around the world.”

Sea Anemones — Vivid Sydney 2017 | Mixed media | 34cm x 44cm

ON SHOW | 27

Acknowledgements On Show Hosted by Gallery 107 @ Dalby 3 September – 8 October 2017 An initiative of the Western Downs Regional Council, in partnership with the committees of Dogwood Crossing, Miles, Lapunyah Art Gallery, Chinchilla and Gallery 107 @ Dalby.

Kindly supported by the Regional Arts Fund; Queensland Gas Company; Sunpork - Tong Park, Dalby; Gallery 107 @ Dalby; Sandy Pottinger; and Coles, Dalby.

Photography and file optimisation by Photographers of the Great Divide (Spowart + Cooper) Many thanks to the planning committee, staff, volunteers, and artists involved in the delivery of this exhibition.

Copyright is retained by the artists for their artworks and statements, and by Lisa Beilby for the curatorial essay.

ISBN 978-0-9808329-7-6

PRESENTED BY THE COMMITTEES OF

KINDLY SUPPORTED BY

‘This project is made possible by the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, which supports the arts in regional and remote Australia.

Megan McNicholl Prickly Pear (detail) 2016 Digital photograph | 44cm x 44cm 28 | ON SHOW

1607021