Nafisa's artistic narrative further unfolds as she discusses her award-winning book, "Tuscan Temptations," a captivating exploration of her time spent in the heart of Italy. The book, enriched with her original journal entries and sketches, offers readers a unique glimpse into her creative process and the inspiration drawn from the Tuscan landscape. She shares, “'Tuscan Temptations' isn't just a book; it’s a part of my soul that I chose to share with the world. It encapsulates my experiences, the beauty of Italy, and how it profoundly influenced my art.” During the segment, the original journal, a treasure trove of artistic insights and personal reflections, is displayed, allowing audiences to directly connect with her journey. Nafisa announces that both the book and replicas of her journal are available for purchase, inviting art lovers to immerse themselves in a world where Tuscan beauty and artistic passion intertwine.

In a seamless transition from the world of two-dimensional art, Nafisa explores the enduring allure of sculpture, particularly focusing on the process of lost wax bronze casting—a technique as ancient as it is intricate. She admires the Renaissance era, a period when bronze sculpture reached unparalleled heights of beauty and complexity, symbolising a harmonious blend of artistic vision and technical mastery.

Nafisa explains, “The process of creating a bronze sculpture, from the initial modeling in wax to the final casting in metal, is a fascinating blend of art and alchemy. It's a method that has bridged centuries, connecting modern artists with the legendary craftsmen of the Renaissance.”

Through her narrative, she highlights the meticulous steps involved in lost wax casting, emphasizing its significance in preserving the purity of the artistic expression, and how it allows for the creation of dynamic, lasting works that communicate across time, resonant with the spirit of Renaissance artistry.

Nafisa talks about art of portraiture and portrait prizes

Nafisa, a globally awarded artist known for her profound impact in the art of portraiture, shares her insights during an exclusive segment titled "Talks with the Artist." Her work, celebrated in Europe, America, and the UK, transcends mere visual representation, weaving intricate stories and emotional depth into each piece.

Nafisa will discuss the significance of portrait prizes, not only as accolades but as pivotal moments that foster growth and recognition in an artist's career. She offers first-hand insight into her creative process, her influences, and the compelling narratives behind each of her creations, inviting audiences into her world where each portrait is a window to a vividly captured soul.

Peter Ward creates prints, collages and artists’ books from his studio in Geelong, Victoria. He is regularly a finalist in the major Australian print prizes and has had his artists’ books acquired by the Victorian, NSW & Queensland State Libraries as well as the Australian National library.

His earlier artists’ books concern themselves with the existential threats of global warming and the magical thinking surrounding the pandemic. Lately he has been drawing inspiration from the industrial landscape. The prints in this exhibition take images from the artists’ books and elaborate or re-interpret them.

Purchase works online now

In the heart of Rome (Trastevere) is a hidden cloister with a millennium of history of life, healing, silence, death and the sacred. Ospedale Nuova Margherita ( circa 1089 AD) . 

Silent and still. Calm and intense. Rich in colour and stark in emotion.  

Silenzio nello spirito. (Spirit of Silence). Within this is the human condition. One internal space. No need for voice. A man.

Born in Adelaide, David began his career in Sydney 32 years ago as a film photographer working with transparency and 35mm. In 2008, he transitioned to the digital medium. Since 2004, David has held 13 solo exhibitions. These explored the female nude, the abstract in nature, Australian landscapes, and European cities. David’s last three exhibitions have included themes of solitude.

In 2019, David exhibited a series of 37 portraits in a 17th Century church in Croatia. He joined with local artist, Veljko Radovniković, for an acclaimed photo-documentary project providing voice and face to the elders of a small Dalmatian fishing village. 

David’s desire for creative expression is foremost. He believes that the essence of his work is found in the initial seeing. From this, the imagining and composing flows. 

David’s career is augmented with being a qualified Art Therapist - as a previous clinician, group facilitator and teacher. His interests are with the aged, dementia and practitioner development.

David’s other passions include swimming in seas, Italian Opera, palliative care, design, teapots, the Rabbitohs, gardening and the music of JS Bach, Bowie and Gustav Mahler.

Purchase works online

Come and meet Nafisa at the SHAC Annex and chat while she works on a piece of art for March and discusses her work displayed at the SHAC Annex.

‘Chard’ Exhibition

Thursday 8 February – Sunday 10 March

Opening Saturday 10 February 4-6pm

These three artists, who collaborate together at Canberra Glassworks, are united in their desire to instil their chosen medium with ideas of transition and transformation.

‘When you travel to another continent to work and live there, what do you keep and what do you choose to leave behind?’ Peter Nilsson, 2023 As well as collaborating together at Canberra Glassworks since 2016, in casting (Ryan, NOT) and engraving (Nilsson), what unites these three diverse artists is their desire to instil their chosen medium with ideas of transition and transformation.

Hailing originally from the Netherlands (Ryan), Scotland (NOT) and Sweden (Nilsson), their work collectively explores the casting, inscribing and paring of culture. What is revealed is the alchemical process where the grit of one material (sand) becomes liquid then solid and transparent (glass) without losing its essential DNA, not unlike the chemical fermentation of grapes to wine. Does culture choose us or do we choose it? And how does this choice ultimately shape and transform us? This is an exhibition that asks us to name our poison.

Purchase Works online here

Grandiflora

This exhibition is a celebration of the beauty in nature with the Australian Wildflowers being my subject of expression. Coming from a Dutch heritage, I am inspired by the Dutch Golden Age flower paintings, capturing intricate detail with the design of large painted compositions of floral arrangements including blooms from different regions. 

As I have been working with the subject of Australian Wildflowers for more than a decade, my love for our flora in their diversity with respect to their colour and form has continued to fuel my curiosity for these most intriguing of specimens. The study of their structures and changing forms through their life span has made me appreciate the miracles of their shapes and by close observation through charcoal studies, the mystery is unraveled. 

Documenting a flower while it blooms, decays and pod seeds are formed, allows me to feel more connected to my subject. Each and every flower is unique and so each study becomes a portrait, each composition of multiple flowers- a group portrait. By working magnifying glasses and presenting them as larger than life, I am able to depict what cannot be seen with the naked eye, drawing the viewer in for closer observation to appreciate the multiple layers in the painted work and the intricate detail in the drawings.

Now that the process has come together as a series of work moving from the drawings to the paintings, with an extension of my paintings incorporating bronze and resin sculptures, GRANDIFLORA is a celebration of the flora on a grand scale, proudly Australian.

Come and see beautiful artworks created by our talented SHAC Members.

This is a wonderful opportunity for our supporters to exhibit together and sell their works.

This group exhibition is in our new gallery space back in Robertson at 91 Hoddle Street from Thursday 11 January to Sunday 4 February 2024.

Join us for the official opening on Saturday 13 January 4pm – 6pm.

Purchase online now

Stephanie Tetu and Penny Simons Exhibition

Painter Stephanie Tetu & sculptor Penny Simons are both immigrants & former residents of the Southern Highlands.
For this exhibition: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, they have taken an intimate look at the peculiarities of their chosen land - a little strange, whimsical, wonderful, and poignantly beautiful.

Penny Simons

Penny was one of the founding partners of “Cloth”, a Sydney-based bespoke textile design business begun in the 1990s, that produced hand-printed, dyed and constructed textiles for the furnishing and fashion industries. 

Prior to this Penny gained a BA Hons. Constructed Textiles, majoring in weaving, from Winchester School of Art, England. 

Penny had a studio in the artists collective the SHAC in Robertson, in the Southern Highlands from 2018-2022, and now works from her studio in Addison Road Community Centre Marrickville, Sydney.

@penny_simons

Stephanie Tetu

As an expatiate, having moved to Australia from Canada ( the other side of the world) in 1995, I am still mesmerised by the forms and the colours of this land. The quality of the light is cleaner, brighter I would even say harsher. It is an intense country. Everything is different, the flowers are downright spectacular and the animals are eccentric. And the birds, let’s not forget the birds

Collector's Choice

Phillip Russell is a Southern Highlands-based artist who is best known for his landscape paintings of Australia’s natural bushland.  

This exhibition is a collection of twelve small and two larger paintings, mainly exploring the bushland and vistas of our region and including other parts of New South Wales. 

Working mainly in oils, in an impressionistic style, he is a bold colourist, transforming his subject-matter with a dramatic and vivid palette. Being particularly attracted to complexity in the landscape, Phillip illuminates the bush with a spirituality that demonstrates his identification with the land. 

Regarding his methodology, with a new painting in mind Philip retains much of the visual imagery as he walks through the landscape. He then draws on his memory, and sometimes with the aid of photographs, he brings forth the various colour and design elements, taking what he needs, to reconstruct them to his own purpose.

Initially, Phillip works broadly to establish the design and concept, but this must be constantly adjusted as the image slowly emerges. This is the start of a long process of careful selection of colour and balance in the tonality.

Listening to what a painting has to say and letting it take on its own character without predicting the outcome is important: the emphasis is on the act of painting and letting the character of the brushwork and pigments speak for themselves.   

His subject continues to be the source of an enduring challenge to investigate shape, light and colour in nature in all its diversity.

CANVAS AND CLAY is a fusion of floral artistry which celebrates the captivating world of Australian flora through Julie Lynch’s exquisite still life paintings and Denise McDonald’s enchanting ceramics. This exhibition highlights the fascinating interplay between 2D and 3D, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the vibrant colours and textures of our native flora, where brushstrokes meet clay, and art springs to life. Join us in discovering the beauty of these botanical treasures.

Pre-purchase online before the exhibition opening here

Exhibition OPening: Saturday 7 October 4pm – 6pm

Opened by Julie Haseler Reilly - Ceramic and Bronze Sculptor

Julie Lynch

Julie Lynch is a multidisciplinary artist; the art of observation is a cherished discipline that fuels her dual roles as a designer and a visual artist. She possesses the unique ability to hone in on the ordinary facets of everyday existence, revealing the latent beauty concealed within life's cracks and layers.

An aficionado of pattern and colour, Lynch finds solace in the uncharted territories of limited and unconventional colour combinations. Her love for texture, whether manifested through the bold impasto strokes or the intricate layers of collage, imbues her creations with a sense of depth, pattern, and tactile allure.

Within the sanctuary of her studio lies a treasure trove of artistic tools and ephemera, a testament to her fervent dedication. Every stroke, every hue, and every creative impulse finds its home among the vast array of paints, brushes, vintage vases, textile swatches, and objets d'art that grace her workspace. 

In her own words, she bestows upon us a poignant wish: "May your life be creative and full of inspiration!" Julie Lynch, a visionary artist and a guardian of the wonders of the every day, invites us to join her on a journey of boundless creativity and discovery.

www.instagram.com/julielynchartanddesign/

Framed Limited Edition Prints that are SOLD from 6 November that are numbers 2, 3, 4, 5s will be sent to the buyer's home address - and will be sent out approx 1 week from ordering. They will incur an additional $25.00 packing and freight charge - they will be insured.

1. Medium paintings not collected from the SHAC Gallery or from Julie Lynch’s Sydney address will be freighted out nationally at a cost of an additional $100 - they will be insured.

2. Large paintings not collected from the SHAC Gallery or from Julie Lynch’s Sydney address will be freighted out nationally at a cost of an additional $200 - they will be insured for the value of $2000.00. If the buyer requires higher insurance a new freight quote can be provided,

3. International Shipping will be individually quoted.

Denise McDonald

Denise McDonald produces functional ceramic tableware and feature pieces that bring together a celebration of our unique Australian flora with a love of heritage motifs and bold rich glazes. This fusion results in pieces that have a contemporary design with a hint of nostalgia.

You will find a 100-year-old flannel flower pattern dominating this exhibition. It was sourced from Federation architecture, a textured window in Denise’s family home in Sydney, a window her family has been looking at for 5 generations.

Denise uses this heritage Flannel Flower pattern for a number of reasons. It celebrates our unique Australian flora, it speaks about the history of the decorative arts, heritage patterns and Federation Architecture.

Pieces have been selected for this exhibition that reflect and complement the subject matter of Julie Lynch’s paintings. Denise hopes that you will enjoy immersing yourself in the playful relationships between the 2D and 3D artworks.

https://www.instagram.com/dmpottery/

Renewal

This body of work has evolved over time and combines my three areas of art practice, drawing, painting and printmaking. It is a direct intuitive response to a landscape that I’m particularly familiar with. I grew up on a farm in northwestern NSW and that landscape continues to influence my work to this day.

The cyclical changes of the seasons and the ability of nature to recover from catastrophic events, though increasingly challenged, have long held a fascination and provided endless inspiration for my work.

Caroline is a Newcastle based artist with a strong connection to the Australian landscape. Drawing is the core of her practice alongside painting and printmaking.

The influence of having grown up in a mixed farming enterprise on The Liverpool Plains in NSW in a family of creatives has always been a constant source of inspiration and driving force in all aspects of her work.  

“I work intuitively and spontaneously whether it be en plein air or in my studio.  For me, there is a certain amount of freneticism required in the way I work in order to capture and describe elements with an uninhibited visceral quality I desire.”

Purchase works online prior to the exhibition opening here

Exhibition Opening: Saturday 7 October 4pm – 6pm

‘Renewal’ will be opened by Jane Cush, SHAC President and Artistic Director

www.instagram.com/callytraillartist/