THE BEACH is Traffic Jam Galleries opening exhibition for 2018 with the summer theme of ten artists interpretations of ‘the beach’. Artists included are Andrew Grassi Kelaher, Tracy Dods, Nada Herman, Rebecca Pierce, Bruno Mota, Hugh McLachlan, Katherine Wood, Jenny Green, Terry Barclay and Heidi Hereth. Riotous explosive colour and texture are contrasted with far more ominous deep waters in this most exciting exhibition.
Jenny Green’s fragile delicate yet extremely strong sculptures include Catching Whispers 1 & 2 – dancers in arabesques – and Blue Nude a striking s shape semi abstract faceless female sculpture of finely polished bronze sinuously curved and emphasising the hips.
Bruno Mota’s bright , bold and colourful works show explosive semi abstract use of line shape and colour from the curve of Balmoral Beach to tropical islands ( Muri Beach Raratonga for example) all practically bursting off the polyester.
Hugh Mclachlan is represented by his surrealist silver sculptures ( the fluid Deflating Form for example) and abstract homages to Degas ( Bathing Woman) .
Andrew Grassi Kelaher’s seductive paintings entice one to the beach with the curve of the sand , water and textured rocks. Boats feature prominently too as well as the Little Nippers of Balmoral in between the flags.
Katherine Wood with her stormy seascapes enthrals with their vibrant power and force and often ominous clouds .Some ( eg It’s A New Day) are diptychs most are single tempestuous swirling pieces .
Tracy Dods is represented by some of her seascapes and her series including human figures is included with Bailout , an older man with a red circular floatie. The shifting tideline of the water and the beach is emphasised in the strong compositions.
Rebecca Pierce has several works in this exhibition , all explosive thickly textured and coloured. Heat Haze and Ice Cream Cake , two series , for example are aerial views of a beach with wonderful eyecatching patterns of umbrellas , bodies and beachtowels and richly swirlingly textured Slip Slop Slap is a series of smaller panels , like her flower works , but continuing the hot summer beach theme.
Nada Herman’s Red Hot Pokers Over The Beach contrasts the explosive thickly painted pokers that dominate the painting with the cool water behind them. Most of Herman’s other works included in the exhibition use lots of colourful curves( for beach umbrellas and towels ) and depict humans and seagulls on boiling hot days at the beach but this is contrasted with palm Beach a calmer study of the water at the beach when it is raining .
Heidi Hereth’s work show packed beaches with people lolling and getting sunburnt .( eg Coogee Panorama ) The figurative work is strong , there are seagulls again and the strong lines of the beach umbrellas are echoed in the cliffs and houses in the background.
Terry Barclay has two wooden sculptures included – Jonah , showing a man desperately rowing and trying to control a whale that is a ship , and Dream On , combining the Sun the Moon and a staircase.
A most intriguing blend of paintings and sculptures celebrating summer and the beach.
The Beach is at Traffic Jam Galleries 31 January – 21 February 2018