Turnleftthenright
An exhibition of artworks created by
David Stewart
29 November – 5 January 2008
“Turnleftthenright is how I got to Yamba. No matter from which direction you come, north or south, it's how we all get here.”
For the past two years, Wooloweyah artist, David Stewart has turned considerable attention to painting landscapes, forming another magnificent collection of works that will put Yamba's Arthouse Australia Gallery on the “not to be missed” calendar for everyone living in and visiting the Clarence Valley this Christmas.
In his large landscape paintings, David is able to convey the emotional connections made between the physical environment and human beings. This seemingly pristine environment, a locus of beauty and freedom, reflects a vision the local community has for it, of an unchanging future. Well maintained headlands, free from Bitou bush, pathways built to accommodate the waves of people, visiting the area, a holiday destination. We can see where we've been. From sand mining to regeneration. From sea shanty to million dollar shack.
David's painting, “Fully Renovated”, depicts a quaint little fibro fishing shack that has local history and character written all over it. It is the idea of renovating history to suit our cultural needs that interests David.
Fully Renovated
In searching for symbolism within this work, the ocean surfside villages have their own vernacular of iconic symbols. These modernist fibro dreams remind us of our father's or grandfather's pioneering days. A time when kero lanterns, an old ice box and the kero fridge, and chrome bunk beds furnished the humble beach shack. The red melamine dinner set has remained as enduring as the beach rock letter box, built with pride, to distinguish this humble holiday abode.
As this era comes to an end, we may well find that the utopian dream is still out there, but it won't be as simple as finding it at the end of the road.
This is David Stewart's second solo exhibition at Arthouse Australia gallery, Yamba. His work is also exhibited at Red Hill gallery in Brisbane . David has a Bachelor of Visual Arts, QCA, Griffith University and was a finalist in this years Tattersall's Club National Landscape Art Prize.
“Turnleftthenright” officially opens on Friday 7 th December, at Arthouse Australia Gallery, Coldstream St. YAMBA - Phone 6646 1999 - OPEN 9.30am to 5pm Mon to Fri, 10am to 2pm Sat or by appointment or visit our website: www.arthouseaustralia.com.
