
Like many other works in this imaginative and vibrant exhibition, Sally Darlison’s Croatian Fishing (no 33, mixed media, $735) deserves to be seen up close, for it is only when you are standing in front of the work that wonderful textural complexities reveal themselves. Sally imaginatively utilises diverse media, including hand-dyed silk organza, collaged photos, fragments of maps, and a combination of machine and hand-stitching to convey her experience of the Mediterranean coastline, and particularly of Croatia. The tonal depths of the azure, turquoise, and blue organza perfectly interpret the gentle shimmer of the sea waves. The image of the sun-drenched boat idealises the life of the local fishermen. The intricately collaged maps narrate the artist’s love of inveterate travel. The seemingly disparate elements within the picture combine to create an aesthetically pleasing artwork, which transports the viewer into the Mediterranean idyll.
The exhibition is current until Saturday 31 May 2014.
View complete exhibition online at http://www.quadrantgallery.com.au/sally-darlison.html

If Sally Darlison’s exhibition transports you to the distant lands, Rachel Young immerses you in the local experience. Like most other works in her exhibition, Sturt’s Pea (no 111, enamel on copper, $375) is literally the product of the artist’s environment. The inimitable shape of the black bulbous centre and the sharp outlines of the distinctive sang-du-boeuf petals of this native and iconic Australian plant gradually emerge within the abstracted design of the composition. The flower has a special significance for this South-Australian artist, as it has been adopted as the state’s floral emblem since 1961. All materials for this artwork (and just like all other works in the exhibition), including copper, gold leaf, and enamel, were also sourced locally within the proximity of the artist’s studio, in the vicinity of the Olympic Dam. The abstracted design of the composition pays homage to the Indigenous heritage of the area.
The exhibition is current until Saturday 31 May 2014.
View complete exhibition online at http://www.quadrantgallery.com.au/rachel-young.html