An exhibition of paintings and prints selected by Dr Carole Shepheard for Waikato Society of Arts. Hosted in the Artspost Galleries.
Panel discussion led by Dr Carole Shepheard.
Understanding abstraction in art is to accept there are many pathways to navigate, and abstract painting has powerful limitations at the same time as immense freedom. It is a multi-faceted genre that has no specific form or shared vision but more an emphasis on a different way of ‘seeing’. While this reinforces the notion that painting is not solely about representation, it is not a closed, restrictive art movement. It is a place where many artists venture into territory that often begins with a ‘loose' idea or feeling that they then allow to develop, change or morph, however it might also be a formal arrangement of symbolic visual elements that require a predetermined structure or methodology. Abstract painting wants us to be with it longer that representational mahi and hopes that meaning is released piece by piece over time. It demands slow contemplation, silence and a willingness to accept the mental, psychological, and emotional aspects of the field. "You don’t make the painting — the painting makes you… ”. Jim Harrison
My print selected for this exhibition, The Expanse of the Unknown, explores venturing into the physicality of large-scale printmaking. During the process I reflect on where we are poised in time, standing on the edge of change. Facing uncertainty. Uncharted territory. Opening to new experiences. Hopes, fears vacillate…courage, no matter what…embracing what emerges, excited for new possibilities.