the round up....

So somehow in my busy week last week I was able to catch a few exhibitions! Yeah I say... as there are ALOT of brilliant shows opening around town at the moment - the last hurrah before all the galleries close for the holidays!

At Object Gallery Kylie Johnston has curated a beautiful contemporary jewellery show called Precious Pendants which comprises of 40 beautiful, poetic pieces of wearable jewellery that make you swoon and realise just how many fantastic jewellers we have in this country. With every taste catered for, each neckpieces in the show varies in material, colour, style + structure...

Pieces by Maureen Faye Chauhan + Kristina Brenke.

Neckpiece by Lauren Simeoni.

When I walked up the stairs and into the space what immediately grabbed me was the fantastic colours on the walls.... Dusty orange and pink fill the space and make the tiny room lighter and bigger than what actually is... The jewels contrast beautifully in this respect; standing out and proud on the walls... Hanging on purpose built pendant hangers each piece can be easily seen, studied and admired... even if they sit behind a sheet of perspex so as to avoid the subtle touch of inquisitive fingers!!

Beautiful piece by Mary Ann Talia Pau.

Its a great summer show and well worth a sticky beak ...

and its on at Object Gallery until the end of January 31...

Another show I loved was The drawn Line at King on William.

Boy..... what an inspirational show for all us drawers out there! With Elizabeth Cummings, Jenny sages, Wendy Sharpe, Tom Carment, Rachel Ellis + Kevin Lincoln, the exhibition explores the way an artist expresses themselves with the use of a simple mark...

Jenny Sages ....

The Cummings watercolours blew me away with their simplicity and use of colour to describe the Australian bush.... and the textures that Sages achieves with wax encaustic and pigment are so beautiful that you want to touch each work! I Loved!!!

Its on until Dec 20...

Eastwood, L’antichambre, ink on paper, 2009 135×141cm

At Robin Gibson Gallery in Liverpool st David Eastwood is up to his old tricks of trying to confuse and befuddle the audience with his hyper-real paintings!! David's work has always been incredibly complex; following the traditions of the old masters of Europe with a focus on the study of ornate objects and fabrics in grand and stately rooms.

Each work takes months to complete and while looking at each work you get the sense that David truly loves his craft. I was struck by how much detail he can squeeze into each canvas... and they are truly beautiful and hypnotic!!

Eastwood, Bcon Dust, Acrylic in Linen, 2009

Davids show Ulterior/Interior is at Robin Gibson gallery until Dec. 2

Aidas work at ANU gallery earlier this year...

And finally to Aida Tomescu's biannual solo exhibition at Liverpool st gallery... However...its not a solo show this time, as she has switched it up and acquired the work of Tony Tuckson with which to exhibit! Tuckson's abstract work from the 60s and 70s is well renowned and is an old old favourite of mine. And so it was a surprise to see it hanging with Aida - especially since she had to seek the permission of Frank Watters who holds the estate of Tony Tuckson...

So yes, nice surprise to see them there.

Aidas work you either love or loathe.

Her work is intense and rich with colour and texture building layer upon layer until she is satisfied the work is complete. I have loved her work in the past for this colour and mark making style of excess; however this time I was lost. And maybe seeing the quiet and simple genius of Tuckson in the same room did not help Aida's cause.

Tuckson's simple drawings in the colours of the Australian landscape made sense and he knew when to stop and let them breathe. Aida did not know when to stop. Like a tagged wall of graffiti, the works seemed to be to be too chaotic and confused ..

Im glad that I saw the exhibition and I still bought the catalogue, but I have to admit I was slightly disappointed this time round..

Aida's show open on Thursday and is on until Jan 14.

Anyway.... I hope you have a great night with the cool breeze blowing...