The current colourful and exciting exhibition at the Traffic Jam Galleries features the work of Nicholas Daunt and Rebecca Pierce.
Daunt’s beautiful series of large paintings, entitled ‘Undaunted Return “ demonstrates another jump and expansion in Daunt’s work.
Born in London, he studied here at what was then known as City Art Institute, (part of UNSW). Daunt has also lived in New Zealand and America and has exhibited internationally.
Now living in the Coffs Harbour region of NSW he is represented in public collections in Australia and in private collections worldwide.
The current series of paintings are moody and elegantly abstract with brushstrokes visible. The seascapes in works such as The Tide and The Wave are full of swirling energy , and quite different to works such as MEDITATION which use far more muted pinks and purples. The swirls of colours are complementary yet contrasting.
As Daunt says ‘’ my work has a strong landscape quality. It seems to search for a perfect place, maybe coming from endless seeking within myself, always looking for the perfect colour combination to enhance my work. It also takes on an energy that scars the landscape in a frenzied innocence, almost naïve, like man’s seemingly relentless way of destroying the environment “.
Pierce’s work , in her latest series entitled The Happy Point, are also large canvases , some rather abstract, bold and vibrant.
Pierce‘s work is represented in corporate and private collections in Australia and Internationally.
This artist primarily works with paint, inks and fine points on canvas and paper as well as sometimes sculpting. The large human faces in this series are outlined in black lines, sort of like stained glass, and filled with colourful semi-abstract designs.
Pierce also seems to have a fascination with different coloured eyes. An example of this is her rather scruffy, bearded sailor portrait.
Landscapes are also included:- I loved the delicate, rainy texture of Lime Ribena and the Flame Trees, and the joyous, swirling, jumping lines of Rock the Cradle 1 and 2.
Multimedia is also part of Pierce’s work, for example Clio the White Cockatoo– a portrait of a team member who works at the gallery with the white cockatoo being her totem.
Pierce has devised a wonderful feathered headdress and included sinister, spiky barbed wire with ribbons, meant to indicate that she is free. Pierce is also referencing Byzantine mosaics with the calm , still pose.
As Pierce says, ‘The Happy Point sees the incorporation of mountains across the face , undulations, crevices, cracks and flattened spaces forming perceptible features such as the eyes, nose and mouth- these features becoming one with the landscape.’
This intriguing, fascinating exhibition can be seen at the Traffic Jam Galleries until Tuesday 13th October.
The Traffic Jam Galleries is located at 41 Military Road, Nuetral Bay. Here is a pic for you of the venue from the outside-
