The Report.

On Wednesday I went to Sydney to visit several galleries. Instead of driving I took the train and had a much less stressful day. It was one of those sparkling sunny days that Sydney is famous for and as I walked through Paddington the air was heady with the scent of Murraya.
First I visited James Dorahy Project Space in Potts Point. colouring-in (material) is group show  group  by the galleries artists. There is a strong and consistent aesthetic to the artists James represents and the exhibition sat really well in the curved walled space.

Sullivan and Stumpf also had a group show of the galleries artists. I enjoy these shows as I am introduced to the work of artists I haven't seen before and can watch out for their solo shows.

Sherrie Knipe's Waterways above was a watering can made from plywood butterflies and in the downstairs galley there were two gouaches by Sydney Ball which unlike his usual minimal work were layered images of drops of paint and which were testament to his skills as a great colourist.

From there I went to Danks Street after a costly retail detour in Oxford Street.

Dominik Mersch had a group show where the Stefan Thiel woodcuts were the standout works for me. I enjoy the shifting grids he creates in works like Ali.

Stefan Theil, Ali, 2009, 44 x 38 cm, cut- out.

Conny Dietzschold was showing the sculptures and drawings of Robert Schad.  The drawings  explore the line with great elegance and when translated into delicate sculptures the works occupy space in an improbable manner and seem to dance above the floor belying their construction from sturdy steel quad. I would like to have seen them in a larger space to fully appreciate their lightness of form.

Robert Schad, Steel Sculpture.

   

The Friday Report

Yesterday I went to Ikea to get a few furniture items for my new studio. Any journey to Ikea is taken with a great deal of trepidation. I hate the place! I have an anxiety attack even before I get out of the car. Their lovely catalogues make the idea of getting a few pieces of utilitarian furniture look so easy and, as I don't like wasting days shopping, I always get sucked in. Into the nightmare world of Ikea, into the cheery egalitarian disney world of Scandinavian chic, sucked though endless walkways with all the other happy homemakers, most of whom are decades younger than me and pushing those multiple prams. The nightmare begins. What am I doing here?

Two hours later after wrestling with 1.6m long cartons which weigh 33kg (oh, I would happily pay a 20% service charge for some assistance or, perish the thought, an online shopping service) I emerge into the car park much in need of sustenance that is not of the meatball and watery coffee self serve variety. Mr Ikea, are you listening, baby boomers who are good customers need a little more service. 

Enough of the griping. I summoned up what energy I had left and went to see Tom Loveday's exhibition Memorial at Dominick Mersch Gallery .

Tom Loveday, Yellow Memorial, © 2009, 214cm x 183cm, Acrylic on Canvas.

These dynamic works, rather than providing a quick fix of cheery optimism, invite contemplation with their beautiful composition and skillful use of colour and tone. All is well with the world again.

When I arrived home there was an invitation to the opening of Jordi Alcaraz's exhibition at Galeria Nieves Fernandez in Madrid in the mail ..... if only!

Jordi Alcaraz. Altered Book.

The rest of the week was spent blissfully in the studio.