NEXUS Community Gallery marked a significant milestone on Tuesday 19 August.
It has been operating out of its current premises at the Butter Factory in Bellingen for 20 years.
To celebrate the longevity of this community gallery, which is a testament to all its volunteers, new exhibitions will run through to 12 September.
In the Main Gallery, Polly Wells and Elisa Hall are exhibiting a joint showcase of their recent works.
Polly has lived in Bellingen for over 30 years, surrounded by its extraordinary beauty and natural diversity.
“It’s not hard to see why I’m drawn to painting the landscape,” she said.
“The main focus of my work has been the everchanging light.
“As human creatures we’re finely attuned to weather, the rhythms of the day and the seasons.
“We read the light…and we read into it.
“The dawn and dusk are particularly evocative of emotional responses within us.
“The dying of the day can arouse a heightened awareness of our mortality, the impermanence of things, and the mystery of life.
“The light of dawn often induces states of wonder, of possibility and renewal.”
Bellingen has been Elisa’s home for 25 years, during which she has taught oil painting techniques and drawing.
“In my own work I’m interested in the minutiae,” she said.
“Looking at how the light falls through glass or on a flower.
“I love colour and how it makes me feel. I like the intimacy of things.”
Her paintings are about the passing of time, how things are alive and then die, but are still beautiful.
“I also like to paint symbolically, so the paintings will be more than representational; there are quiet meanings within each picture.”
Polly and Elisa have both been classically trained in Renaissance techniques.
This involves painting in layers and understanding the properties and possibilities offered by the paint itself.
Their paintings are not just about their subjects, but also about how they are painted.
While both artists have held many exhibitions, this is their first together.
By Andrea FERRARI
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
