August news from Wall to Wall Art
The days are getting longer
Rifleman, by Mary-Jane Steffens.
Welcome to the August newsletter. It may be winter, but Wall to Wall members are keeping busy.
Guest artists
The gallery has four guest artists this month.
Mary-Jane Steffens
Kereru, by Mary-Jane Steffens.
In addition to her normal gallery space, collective member Mary-Jane takes an extra spot in the guest area to highlight her new work.
Residents of Ulva Island.
“I have added a few more feathered friends to my collection. My pieces are all residents of Ulva Island, a predator-free island that is part of Stewart Island/Rakiura at the bottom of Aotearoa New Zealand. The dark background in these pieces puts a spotlight on each one of these important residents and at the same time it represents their vulnerability. The subtle koru design is a show of loyalty to some of the native species of Aotearoa.”
Mags Meechang
Manuka on the Edge, by Mags Meechang.
“I love sunshine, colour, movement, laughter and people being happy,” Mags says.
“Paintings often take their own pathway and end results may be far from that originally planned, if ‘planned’ at all.”
Esther Baumann
Wall piece, by Esther Baumann.
"I am currently experimenting with different grout colours. Mosaics are not just about the tiles or glass, the right colour grout is just as important. If not chosen carefully, it can fracture the final look or dull the colours.
“In the new piece, Wave, I have used five colours of grout. It's very subtle and might not be immediately noticeable, but the grout colour enhances the tiles and makes sure the final look is fresh and crisp. Grouting takes a bit of time and patience, you want to make sure the colours don't wash into each other. To achieve a smooth finish, several rounds of cleaning and polishing are necessary. It's a time consuming and fiddly process, but well worth the effort."
Jeanette Brough
Te Waikoropupu Springs, by Jeanette Brough.
“I’m an abstract artist who loves travelling, shoreline rambles and mountain biking.”
Opportunity knocks
Our collective of local artists has a vacancy for a new gallery member. This is the perfect opportunity for a local artist to join a vibrant gallery in the heart of Nelson. Membership fees, gallery duties and commission on sales apply. If you are interested and would like more information and an application form, please email nicole@nicolerussellart.com or call 022 378 6099. The applications close on Friday, August 31, 2024.
Check us out on Facebook and Instagram @walltowallartnelson
Wall To Wall Art Gallery, 112 Bridge Street, Nelson 7010
Phone 03 548 3961
walltowallartnelson@gmail.com
Book review
FABRIC (The hidden history of the material world), by Victoria Findlay.
Reviewed by Paul Deacon.
Victoria Findlay has done it again. Another excellent voyage of discovery following on from her previous three books, Colour: Travels through a paint box, Jewels: A secret History and The Brilliant History of Colour in Art. Part historical survey, part personal memoir and part travelogue, it is well researched and written.
This time Victoria Findlay walks us through the origins and histories of the materials we often take for granted and frequently handle without much thought. How fabrics shaped great industries as big business and international commerce ‘took off’ around the globe in the last two hundred years.
She weaves stories of our relationships with cloth asking how and why people
through the ages have made it, worn it and frequently applied reverential significance to it.
As an example, there is an interesting side story to the humble sack, its creation and usages … and to its re-emergence as a sustainable natural product that’s beginning to replace the ubiquitous polypropylene sacking we’ve lived with in the last 50 years. The book also observes and acknowledges the significant role women have played in the creation and production of fabrics, a role often dismissed or minimised.
There are delightful informative chapters on linen and cotton and of course the tapa cloth of the Polynesian, Micronesian and Melanesian peoples. The book also provides excellent reference maps and a handful of delightful illustrations (I only wish there had been more).
Findlay focuses on barkcloth, tapa, cotton, wool, tweed, pashmina, sackcloth, linen, silk, patchwork and imagined fabrics with so much more in between. A super read.
Gallery snippets
Collective members take on the manning of the gallery for a few days each month, and visitors often comment on particular works.
This small piece by Leigh Dougherty attracted admiration from three different viewers over two days recently.
Blue Trawler, by Paul Deacon.
Paul says this painting … “marks a different nautical theme for me instead of sailing ships. Beaching trawlers such as this is a common occurrence on the shingle beaches of Sussex and Kent.”
Nicole Russell continues to offer private lessons. You can contact Nicole at Nicole@NicoleRussellArt.com or phone her at 022 378 6099.
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