Pip Woods is a ceramic artist from Wellington, Aotearoa New zealand. She makes small collections of sculptural vessels, exploring a theme, form or technique. Pip has exhibited in New Zealand and Australia and has been a finalist in award exhibitions, including two time finalist in the NZ Portage exhibition. Pips work is held in collections includingThe Wallace Arts Trust, Pah Homestead, NZ.

This collection of ‘Mountain Vases’ is a tribute to Piopiotahi or Milford Sound, in Fiordland Aotearoa NZ. I was fortunate enough to visit this most spectacular place this year, and was in complete awe of the vast mountain walls which rise out of the sea; the misty, mossy rainforests and the tourquoise waters. I wanted to capture glimpses of these features in this series, as well as reflect the human interaction with this environment which is reassuringly managed under the principles of ‘kaitiakitanga’ or guardianship, providing the protections necessary to preserve this pristine, magical place.

Pip Woods is a ceramic artist from Wellington, Aotearoa New zealand. She makes small collections of sculptural vessels, exploring a theme, form or technique. Pip has exhibited in New Zealand and Australia and has been a finalist in award exhibitions, including two time finalist in the NZ Portage exhibition. Pips work is held in collections includingThe Wallace Arts Trust, Pah Homestead, NZ.

This collection of ‘Mountain Vases’ is a tribute to Piopiotahi or Milford Sound, in Fiordland Aotearoa NZ. I was fortunate enough to visit this most spectacular place this year, and was in complete awe of the vast mountain walls which rise out of the sea; the misty, mossy rainforests and the tourquoise waters. I wanted to capture glimpses of these features in this series, as well as reflect the human interaction with this environment which is reassuringly managed under the principles of ‘kaitiakitanga’ or guardianship, providing the protections necessary to preserve this pristine, magical place.

Pip Woods is a ceramic artist from Wellington, Aotearoa New zealand. She makes small collections of sculptural vessels, exploring a theme, form or technique. Pip has exhibited in New Zealand and Australia and has been a finalist in award exhibitions, including two time finalist in the NZ Portage exhibition. Pips work is held in collections includingThe Wallace Arts Trust, Pah Homestead, NZ.

This collection of ‘Mountain Vases’ is a tribute to Piopiotahi or Milford Sound, in Fiordland Aotearoa NZ. I was fortunate enough to visit this most spectacular place this year, and was in complete awe of the vast mountain walls which rise out of the sea; the misty, mossy rainforests and the tourquoise waters. I wanted to capture glimpses of these features in this series, as well as reflect the human interaction with this environment which is reassuringly managed under the principles of ‘kaitiakitanga’ or guardianship, providing the protections necessary to preserve this pristine, magical place.

Andrea won the inaugural National Emerging Art Prize in 2021. She has also been a finalist in the Darling Portrait Prize 2020, Ravenswood Art Prize 2020, The John Leslie Art Prize 2018 (Best Gippsland Landscape winner), Clyde & Co Graduate Art Prize 2016 (winner), the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize 2014 and the Nillumbik Prize 2013. After returning to university in 2014, Andrea finished both her BFA and MFA at RMIT (Melbourne) in 2018 and has focused on refining her work and building a strong art practice ever since. Andrea’s work is held in the Gippsland Art Gallery’s permanent collection and of course Morgan’s Financial Art Collection in Sydney with the inaugural NEAP winning piece ‘Flossie’. Most recently, Andrea was highlighted in Vogue Living Australia’sFemale Artists To Watch at This Year’s Affordable Art Fair, Sydney.

Solstice 14 – 24th June

“Snow evokes powerful memories. The crunch of it under foot. Catching the flakes on your tongue. Skiing on a bright blue day. The way it made everything quiet and perfect after the first snowfall. Winter play – the sleds, snowballs, snow angels and snowmen. How good it felt to go inside and warm up when it all got too much. This show coincides with our Winter Solstice and has given me the opportunity to reflect on my life lived in a snow laden country before I settled here. The solstice events twice a year remind me of the dramatic turn that my life has taken. For me it brings memories of Canada, of watching the flakes shimmer in the streetlights as I stood in the dark, waiting for my school bus. Listening to the radio hoping to hear school was cancelled. The fresh foot of snow on the ground when we left our wedding reception. The definitive change of the landscape. Many people in this country come from places where snow in winter was a fact of life, and although many cannot fathom -30c and a blizzard, those of us who do know what the winter can hold keep a special place in our hearts for it”. – Andrea Sinclair

Linda is an Australian artist currently living and working on Bundjalung land. She has a background making screen-based installations for museum exhibitions, and has practised and taught traditional printmaking. Linda has exhibited in a number of group shows in Australia and overseas, and had her first solo show “Vessel” at the Tweed Regional Gallery in 2022. Later that year she was selected for the National Emerging Art Prize “ACB Selects” exhibition. In her current solo show “Inside Story”, Linda celebrates colour, the beauty of interiors, and the play of the familiar and the mysterious in everyday objects.

“On a literal level, the exhibition’s title “Inside story” evokes the interior world of the still life genre, and specifically my house and collected objects. But it also refers to the internal processes involved in painting these still life subjects: observing, imagining, and relating to them in a very focused way, and then expressing and sharing that private experience by rendering it in paint.

I love the still life genre – the way it can simply present objects that are beautiful and comforting, yet it also delivers a kind of strangeness that becomes embedded in the layers of paint through the process of artist/object interaction. Learning how to articulate the beauty and ambiguity is an ongoing pleasure.” – Linda Kruger

An essential part of Julz Beresford’s practice is being in the landscape, to be still and present observing nuances which inform the way she focuses her attention. It is here that Beresford collects her Gouache studies and drawings which later become a critical part of her studio-based work. These ‘Plein Air’ studies refocus her mind back to what had captured her attention. Often Beresford responds to the colour of her subjects and searches for locations where she finds a connection. One which pushes her studio-based practice to rethink the physical application of this expression. She is interested in questioning the physical process of mark making in such a way that translates the observed ‘real’ into an expressive piece of art. She ask’s herself ‘how does the process of mark making translate the essence of the place I’m trying to recreate’?

Beresford’s intent is for the audience to feel engaged with the energy of the landscape. Her works are both an expressive piece of the whole process, and an embodiment of how it actually feels to be there. Her paintings have a sense of intense energy. She paints ‘Alla Prima’ with a vigorous and spirited application challenging herself to remain in the moment and ‘solve’ the painting as a whole.

In this body of work Beresford has once again returned to the memories of her childhood. Contrasting her romantic views of the countryside with the euphoria experienced, while boating on her local waterway. Both landscapes working together building a language of mark marking which inadvertently directs each other. She treats her studio-based practice as a learning journey where she constantly challenges herself on ‘how she sees’ in order to physically interpret her ‘reality’ of the Australian landscape. Moulding a style of storytelling which relay the emotions of her mind. A bold type of realistic expressionism.

The Tablescapes exhibition is a stunning collection of artworks showcasing the creativity of various celebrated artists in our community. Each artwork is a unique interpretation of still life, exploring different styles, colors, and textures. The exhibition is carefully curated to highlight the simplicity of an artistic subject. It’s an exploration of the many different ways objects can be represented, from realistic to abstract interpretations that challenge our perceptions of form and perspective. The Tablescapes exhibition is a must-see for anyone who loves still life and wants to experience the creative expression.

Featuring a fantastic collection of artworks from nine celebrated artists, including Karima Baadilla, Ella Holme, Jennifer Ross, Sam Wilkinson, Sally Browne, Anh Nguyen, Alix Hunter, Louise Anders, and Nick Coulson.The exhibition is a beautiful collection of artworks showcasing the creativity of various celebrated artists in our community. Each artwork is a unique interpretation of still life, exploring different styles, colours, and textures. The exhibition is beautifully curated highlighting the simplicity of still life. It’s an exploration of the many different ways objects can be represented, from realistic to abstract interpretations and challenge our perceptions of form and perspective. Tablescape is a must-see for anyone who loves still life and wants to experience the creative expression from these talented artists.

This exhibition is online only.  Please get in touch to view the works in person.

Born in Malta, Kate Vella is an emerging visual artist, now living in The Southern Highlands of New South Wales.Largely self-taught Vella paints from life, her focus is on depicting florals, fruit and vessels.Working with acrylics, Vella’s work is intuitive and spontaneous with an emphasis on reimagining the still life genre. From a very young age she had a vision to be a painter, but it wasn’t until 2018 when Vella began pursuing her creative career. Vella held her first solo show “ Antidote” in Sydney in 2019.Since then she held numerous solo exhibitions and participated in various group shows and collaborations. Vella was awarded First Prize in, The Agency Still Life Bowral Art Prize 2022 and The Hannah Forbes Memorial Prize 2023. Vella has been twice Finalist in Ravenswood Australian Women Art Prize Emerging Category 2022, 2020, Goulburn Art Award 2022, Meroogal Women’s Art Prize 2020 and Kangaroo Valley Art Prize 2020. Vella was also awarded Highly Commended in The Blue Square Competition 2019 and Commended in Belle Property Bowral Art Prize. Vella’s work is held in private collections in Australia, Internationally and in The Osborn Boutique Hotel in the Southern Highlands.

My work represents a deep connection to the still life genre. Guided by my instinct, I focus on depicting table scenes arrangements of ordinary everyday objects I feel emotionally drawn to. I find endless inspiration in flowers, fruit, antique and vintage kitchenware that have been passed down through generations, aiming to give them a new life and identity. I have the freedom to work loosely building on multiple layers. Working in a non- traditional style and technique; I aim for a pentimento result, painting over earlier brushwork only leaving faint traces to be seen. I continue to explore with light, colour, shapes and scale with a focus on developing a fresh take on still life, and working at capturing moments of joy and beauty in everyday life.

Raised in Oakland California, Emily first moved to Australia in 2005 and now splits her time between downtown Sydney and Gunning NSW. Her limited-release cityscapes explore Sydney’s historic surrounds. Rhythm, light and pattern inform and elevate everyday moments, and the work allows viewers to share in her personal visual narrative. ‘Emily in Glebe’ follows three sold out solo shows in 2021 and 2022. Emily was also a finalist in the 2021 National Emerging Art Prize, as well as a previous Mosman Art Prize finalist, and is represented by Michael Reid Northern Beaches.

Emily in Glebe’ celebrates the jubilance of post-lockdown Sydney (on Wangal and Gadigal land), wandering sun-soaked streets and jumbled back alleys with her singular observations of urban living. The paintings were developed from a series of inquiries undertaken in late 2022 – Emily’s “Glebe Residency” – unearthing quiet gems from the inner-city enclave. These new works burst with light, colour and rhythm – with the freshness of exploration and joys of discovery.

Emily Cullinan is a trailblazing artist who, at 70 years old, has spent a lifetime capturing the essence of her people and culture through her paintings. As one of the most senior women in the community, Emily has been an integral part of the Iwantja art scene for many years, but it is only recently that she has experienced a real breakthrough in her painting practice.
Emily’s latest works, titled ‘Ananyi Ngura – Travelling Country’, are a beautiful tribute to her early years. They are inspired by her memories of traveling vast distances on foot across the APY Lands with her family. As she paints, she shares stories of the old ways, of a time when there were no cars, and people lived barefoot, traveling around the bush to collect food and hunt for game.
Listening to Emily is like stepping back in time, to a world where the land was everything, and survival depended on the knowledge passed down from generation to generation. She speaks of the places she visited, the foods she ate, and the joys and hardships of life on the road. She remembers the wagons, pulled by camels, that would take them to new places, and the times they would travel in groups, singing and sharing stories around the campfire.
For Emily, painting is a way of keeping those memories alive, of preserving a way of life that is in danger of being forgotten. She takes small paintings and experiments with her palette and mark-making, infusing each piece with the colours and textures of the land she loves. Her works are a testament to the power of art to connect us to our past, and to remind us of the beauty and resilience of the human spirit.

Lauren Jones is a visual artist based on the Sunshine Coast. Working primarily in oils, her still life scenes speak of moments captured in time. Lauren’s works, executed with immediate brushstrokes, are evocative and impressionistic. Her art showcases the materiality of paint and celebrates the process of painting through a delicacy and freshness rendered by the alla prima technique.

Born in 1989 in Queensland, Jones earned a Bachelor of Arts (Creative Literature) from the Sunshine Coast University in 2009, and in 2012 a Bachelor of Fine Art (Painting) from Monash University.

Lauren’s work has featured in various group exhibitions this year including most recently ‘Paint’ at Noosa Regional Gallery.

Currently Jones works from her home studio in the Noosa Hinterland, Queensland. Her work is held in private collections across Australia.

My work has long explored quiet, curated domestic still life scenes with reoccurring personal objects. This series is quite sentimental and encapsulates childhood memories exploring a particular fondness for the Icelandic poppy. Every September, for as long as I can remember, my mother has grown poppies. Her garden fills with bright, crumpled petalled blooms and huge spilling bouquets fill every corner of her home for a couple of weeks. I remember vividly the anticipation for the first bloom, planted and nurtured/cared for months long before they begin to flower. These paintings are an ode to my mother. (a most magnificent woman) Earthy, kind and loving. While painting this series I have also been inspired by the botanical latin names for the flower and symbolism of the poppy. Symbols of sleep, rest and peace are associated with the poppy with many Ancient Roman tales of rest and slumber.

Colleen Guiney is an emerging artist living in the south-west coast of Victoria. She has exhibited widely including recent shows at Boom Gallery, Geelong (2017/18/20/21). Career highlights include solo exhibitions at Pigment Gallery in the Nicholas Building (2009) and First Site Gallery, RMIT (2009). Colleen was recently a finalist in the Lethbridge Landscape Art Prize (2021) and has been featured in The Artist Issue of Country Style Magazine (2019).  She has also been a finalist in the Lethbridge, Williamstown and Waverley Art Prize.

Colleen lives in Port Fairy, and with her partner operates Drift House, an award-winning boutique hotel known for its design aesthetic. Her work is woven into the design, including two feature murals in the establishment.

Colleen’s paintings represent the physical act of painting and the inner calmness that occurs when she paints. In the making of her paintings, she expresses something that is felt rather than observed and has developed a methodology through layers of texture, colour and intuitive marks and shapes that reference the natural landscape around her. Colour is the most important element of her work and getting it right is key to knowing when a painting is working, or when it is finished. Nature is the ultimate inspiration for the work, and what is left on the canvas reflects how Colleen experiences it through her own interior landscape.

I play with aspects of abstraction and landscape and explore personal themes that reflect my world. A deliberate and respectful connection to nature is pivotal to the work, and the story follows; reflections of my relationship with the outside world as I search for loveliness and connection at a deeper level.

Louise is a representational artist trained in the classical method of painting and drawing.  Her art practice began in earnest in 2015 when she left her 10-year career as a scientist to pursue her ever-present passion for drawing and painting. She attended numerous workshops in Australia, before pursing full-time artistic training at the Grand Central Atelier in New York in 2016 and 2017 under the direction of Jacob Collins.  Louise and her family have recently moved back to her home town of Adelaide, Australia after more than 10 years away.  She has set up a studio in the Adelaide hills where she is surrounded by eucalyptus trees, rose gardens, native flowers and fruit trees.  Louise has shown her art in numerous awards in Australia including being a finalist in the Moran Portrait Prize, Hans Heysen Landscape Prize, AME Bale Award  and Calleen Art Award to name a few.

Presently, Louise is drawn to painting fruit, flowers and leaves from the gardens that surround her.  She loves the continual cycle of nature, watching buds bloom, blossoms morph into fruit, leaves pale and fall.  She gathers her subjects by hand directly from her garden and the surrounding land.  Her drawings and paintings are all completed from life allowing her to observe, understand and interpret nature and light in all its complexity.

Grace Butterfield has a background in interior design and fashion, which has developed her appreciation for well-crafted things. It has also inspired the style of her work. Attention to detail, timelessness and coherence are what is hoped for in fashion and interiors, and is what she hopes for in her art.

Grace has been studying a Bachelor of Fine Art at Griffith University QCA, with a major in Studio Art. In 2021 she was awarded academic excellence for her studies. That same year Grace was chosen as part of the Salon de Refuse that ran alongside the Brisbane Portrait Prize, and in 2022 she was a finalist in the Lethbridge 2000 Small Scale Art Award.

“I use traditional methods of oil painting to show, quite simply, beautiful things. I think the richness of an oil painting can help us appreciate an object, image, or what’s around us. My first solo exhibition is about allowing ourselves the pleasure of seeing beauty in everyday. When you really look, a simple object becomes infinite shades, textures, even memories. The aim of my work is to encourage the viewer to stop, even just for a second, and enjoy the little things in their life” – Grace Butterfield.

Based on the Northern Beaches in Sydney, Lou Knowles is a painter that loves colour and texture. She mainly works in oils, however collage and photography are also part of her process. Lou started using oils in the late 90’s and it’s been a major part of her practise ever since. She is heavily influenced by what surrounds her, the spaces, objects and people that fill them. The design of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s is apparent in the shapes and elements of her work. Spatial awareness and predominantly the negative space are fascinating to Lou. It is within these parameters that her work evolves. Abstraction is her newest focus and challenge.

“As I explore abstraction in my practise, I am aware that life is a series of abstract experiences. Our brains try to rationalise every situation, some which are simply irrational. Experiencing change, turns your world upside down in both positive and negative ways. It is easy to become chaotic in an already full life, juggling things. To express feelings and communicate through a medium of colour and texture has been an important tool for me. Putting paint on surfaces gives me the time to think and deconstruct my reactions to certain events. Colour has always been a part of my process and creating textures and depth through the layering of colour, allows the observer to witness the stages.

Light, colour and shadow are present in my work as metaphors for life, love and loss.

Ocean Sounds’ is a series of paintings that demonstrate my connection to the salty ocean on my doorstep. I use it as a constant inspiration but also as a cleansing and nourishing experience.” – Louise Knowles

Exhibiting a variety of techniques approach and style from the artists exploring their chosen media and showcasing their unique creativity. All artworks sitting simultaneously together giving the audience a rich and complex offering.

On view from the 1st December until the 28th January.

Vicki is  a self taught artist living on the northern beaches of Sydney and working from her home studio in Mona Vale. She was recently the winner of the Lloyd Rees Award at the Lane Cove Art Society in 2021, and has won numerous awards in the Australian Miniature Society including first place in oils 2022.

‘A dip in the sea has the power to calm the mind, invigorate the body and soothe the soul. It is also a place to connect. I am inspired by the women that share my love of the sea, their warmth and strength, their love of life, their support and their age defying beauty. I am drawn to explore these moments of connection and the ever changing morning light and mood of the sea’.