Another first show for the year and a fabulous array of talent from the stable. So I am picking my favourites from this and first up is two wild and wonderful works by Floria Tosca, drawings on bleached Toad skin. I’m not a big fan of the Toad as I grew up with the Cane Toad in Central Queensland in the 70’s and there was a Bounty on it’s head, these works make me relieved that from a shameless pest there can be totally useful beauty.
A blast from the past of someone I have not seen in a long time and happy to see again and enjoyed looking at his new approach to his work, ‘thorns’ by Brett McMahon, it’s a huge departure to what I last saw he was doing. He’s not just a painter now, he’s playing with different mediums and creating a new persona as well. I like what I see and hope to see more.
An ode to Mike Kelly by Wade Owen shows off sensitive watercolour brush strokes. Love a great watercolour. Also from a favourite artist is the hauntingly beautiful mixed media on paper by Luke Crouch. Luke can do no harm. In the corridor are a couple of playful gouache’s by Josh Honeyman, love gouache. Also love Peter Nelson and his work, I’m not infatuated with him, he’s just a really nice guy with a wonderful creative and talented head on his shoulders.
Another artist that can do no wrong is Caz Haswell, always a surprise to see what Caz comes up with next, her work is charming, playful and intelligent.
OMG!!! As I missed her last show I just wasn’t sure what to expect, ‘You think you’re scared? I’m going to have to walk home alone’ by Halinka Orszulok is a masterpiece of pushing that button, tweaking a painting until it can’t be tweaked no more. Halinka knew exactly when to stop painting this lonely dark walk home alone as if Halinka has been in that situation many times to know exactly how the light falls on a dark forest edge of a clearing. It’s scarily surreal and I love it!
Fleur MacDonald
4th February - 25th February 2012
www.flindersstreetgallery.com
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