Claire Souter 'Green Again' Exhibition. 27 July - 26 August 2007
Opening Saturday 28 July 2007 from 2.30pm
at Cairns Regional Gallery (Corner Abbott & Shields Streets, CAIRNS)
RSVP essential on 4046 4800 info@cairnsregionalgallery.com.au
For more info download the invitation (70k pdf file)
Statement about the artist
Claire has always loved the challenge of painting.
She particularly delights in unlocking the technique required to capture her subject.
Whether it’s painting tropical foliage, which is her current fascination and forms the bulk of this exhibition called “Green again”, or seascapes, skies, birds, portraits, pastoral scenes or stained glass re-creations, – which won her such acclaim in the past – her quest is always with the creation of the work itself, rather than the end result.
It is this pursuit of perfection that drives her work; the flash in the forest which has to be captured.
For her, Art -the best Art- is more about perspiration than inspiration.
Which is fortunate for us because whilst she is chasing perfection, the paintings roll off the easel in a steady stream.
“Green again” is a selection of paintings from the nearly two hundred she has completed on this theme during the past five years.
The series is a work in progress and art appreciators with the keenest eye will be able to pick up the evolution without checking the dates.
Being close to the source of production, I can tell you that she feels she still hasn’t captured ‘it’.
Which means we may have “Green again, again” in the near future.
I hope so, because I love this series and feel sure you will too.
Chris Souter, April 2007
Solo Exhibitions
2005 "Leaf Green" John Miller Galleries (JMG) Newcastle, NSW
2002 "On the Shoreline" John Miller Galleries (JMG), Newcastle, NSW
2001 Survey exhibition, Riddoch Regional Art Gallery, Mt Gambier, SA
2001 "Horizons", Greenhill Art Galleries, Adelaide, SA
1999 “Green” – Local Images, Penola, SA
1999 “Pastorale” – Peweena Station, Mt Gambier, SA
1998 “Pastorale” – St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide, SA (Greenaway exhibition)
1997 Penola Festival, Penola Anglican church hall, SA
1997 “Eclairage” – Christchurch Cathedral, Newcastle, NSW.
1996 “Eclairage” - St Peters Cathedral, Adelaide, SA (Greenaway exhibition)
1995 “Light Matters” – Wilson’s at Robe, SA
1995 “Cuore” – Greenaway Art Gallery, Adelaide, SA
1994 “Child’s Play” – Greenaway Art Gallery, Adelaide, SA
1993 “Michelangelesque” – Riddoch Regional Art Gallery, Mt Gambier, SA
1992 “Country Harvest” – Wilson’s at Robe, SA
1990 “Songlines” – Studio One Guest artist, Mt Gambier, SA
1989 “Reflections” – Wilson’s at Robe, SA
Group Exhibitions
2006 Needham religious art exhibition, Riddoch Regional gallery,SA
2005 Postcard exhibition, Cairns Regional Gallery, Qld
2005 A4 Art auction, Riddoch Regional Gallery, SA
2005 Waterhouse natural history art prize (2nd prize category A) SA Museum
2005 Sydney "Art on paper fair" with John Miller galleries, NSW
2005 VAA group exhibition Forest Gardens treetop display, Cairns, Qld
2005 Chardonnay Lodge Vinicultural Art Prize (1st prize) Coonawarra, SA
2004 Waterhouse natural history art prize (finalist), South Australian Museum
2004 Needham Religious Art Exhibition - Riddoch Art Gallery, Mt Gambier, SA
2003 Atrium Gallery, Paradise Palms, Palm Cove Qld
2003 Cairns Art Society, Cairns Regional Gallery, Qld
2001 "Layers of the Land"( Country arts SA). New Land Gallery, Port Adelaide, SA
2001 Mosman exhibition, Sydney
2001 Liverpool art show, Sydney
2000 Heysen exhibition, Hahndorf, SA
2000 Fleurieu art prize (finalist), McLaren Vale, SA
2000 Mandorla art prize (finalist), Perth, WA
2000 Whyalla Santos art prize exhibition.
2000 Needham Religious Art Prize, (winner), Riddoch Art Gallery, Mt Gambier, SA
1999 “Garden Delight” – Riddoch Art Gallery, Mt Gambier, SA
1999 “Pantheist” – New Land Gallery, Adelaide, SA
1999 “Paintings”, Tin Fish Gallery, Adelaide, SA
1999 “Body and Soul” – Studio One, Mt Gambier, SA
1998 Needham Religious Art Exhibition, Mt Gambier, SA
1997 "Thumbprint” – Riddoch Art Gallery, Mt Gambier, SA
1996 “Reverberation” – Studio One, Mt Gambier, SA
1996 Santos Whyalla Art Exhibition, SA
1995 “Upfront shopfront”, Mt Gambier, SA
1995 Santos Whyalla Art Exhibition, SA
1994 “Woman artist mother” – John Walsh Presents, Mt Gambier, SA
1994 “State of the Art/Art of the State 3” Riddoch Art Gallery, Mt Gambier, SA
1993 “Arcanum” – Old Oatmill Barn, Mount Gambier, SA
1993 “Little Treasures” – Quail Gallery, Mt Gambier, SA
1992 “Strange Angels and Familiar Devils” – Riddoch Art Gallery, Mt Gambier, SA
1992 “State of the Art/Art of the State 2” Mt Gambier and Festival Centre, Adelaide, SA
1991 “Raw Nerve” – Regional Art Workers, Mount Gambier, SA
1990 “By the Sea” – Wilson’s at Robe, SA
1990 “Earth air fire water” – Regional Art Workers, Mt Gambier, SA
1990 “Can Artists survive the recession?” – Percy St Studio, Mt Gambier, SA
1990 “State of the Art/Art of the State, Mt Gambier and Festival Centre, Adelaide, SA
1989 “Raw Stakes” – Regional Art Workers, Riddoch Art Gallery, SA
1988 “Women at work” Regional Art Workers, Riddoch Art gallery, SA
1987 “Regional Art Workers” exhibition, Riddoch Art Gallery, SA
Awards
2006 Waterhouse Natural History art price, FIRST prize oil painting
2005 Waterhouse Natural History art prize, 2nd prize oil painting
2005 Chardonnay Lodge vinicultural art prize, winner
2001 Needham religious art prize, winner
2000 Robe art prize, winner.
1997 John Shaw Neilson acquisitive art prize, winner.
1995 Blue Lake Festival Lifeline Exhibition, Winner.
1995 John Shaw Neilson Acquisitive Art Prize - Winner.
1990 "Henri Post exhibition" Winner, still life prize
1989 "Henri Post Exhibition" Winner, Portrait prize
Collections
Riddoch Art Gallery, Wilson's at Robe, Penola Civic Centre, Country Arts SA, New Land Gallery SA, JMG Galleries.
Private Collections
Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne, Adelaide, Switzerland, USA, Singapore, New Zealand, regional South Australia, Victoria, Queensland.
Articles
"What Lies Beneath" by Jannah Kelly - Artists Palette No. 31, 2004
Survey exhibition essay - Justine van Mourik 2001
Adelaide Review - Stephanie Radok May 99
Adelaide Review - Stephanie Radok Oct 96
“Eclairage” - David Hansen 96
Adelaide Review - Stephanie Radok Sep 95
"Progression" Bridget Palmer 95
Adelaide Review - Stephanie Radok Oct 94
"Hiatus - One" exhibition. Bridget Palmer 94
"Michelangelesque" Bridget Palmer 93
"Strange Angels and Familiar Devils" Tania Walker 92
