Turning the TAP on

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Turning the TAP on is the name of an exhibition at TAP Gallery, 278 Palmer St, Darlinghurst, opening 7pm, Wednesday the 17th of November. The exhibition features work by a small group of artists who are completing their Advanced Diploma at the Nepean Arts and Design Centre ,TAFE NSW-Western Sydney Institute.

Turning the TAP on  features work by Cole Barrett, Hilary Latta, Brenda Maccioni, Amanda Mayrhofer, Alasdair McDonnell, Phillip J. Murray, Helen Nairn and  Andy Petith. For more about the artists and their work, see the profiles below. The exhibition will be opened by Anthony Bond OAM, e exhibition was officially opened by Tony Bond OAM, Assistant Director Curatorial, & Head Curator International Art from the Art Gallery of NSW. To hear Tony Bond's Art Gallery of NSW.

We hope to see you at the opening.



Cole Barrett

Cole Barrett, in the studio, 2010

Cole is a traditionalist draftsman and painter whose objective is to make art that is something rather than art that is about something; to depict the subject rather than refer to it. He works primarily in ink and watercolour on a range of surfaces from wood to unsized xuan paper, depicting figurative, floral, and faunal subjects. Working first and foremost by direct observation and secondarily with an Imaginative Realism approach to depicting that which does not exist, in accordance with the Secular Humanist Artist Manifesto, Cole's intention is to record, entertain, conceptualise and edify through selective recreations of aspects of reality via the use of comprehensible representational visual language.

Helen Nairn

Artist Helen Nairn, who recently won the $4000 abstract category of the 2010  Crockett art prize http://www.bman.org.au/

 My art practice is installation work that explores constructions and associations of forms of everyday material and objects either found, bought, gathered or made, combined with domestic ready-mades that emphasise relationships within communities of things. My art is representational and symbolic. What may appear as one thing could be something else entirely. Found objects are representational of things other than what they are – for example the chair could represent a person or a tree --- multiple objects are placed together to represent something greater than the sum of the parts ---- for example multiple chairs could represent the church or a rainforest. I will attempt to integrate abstract and traditional ways of working within a given space (which will impact final form and content). The resulting work will be a powerful statement of my personal vision of Christianity and the world around me.

To view more of my work go to   http://helennairn.yolasite.com/

I exhibited with other Advanced Diploma students, at Penrith Regional Gallery and Lewers Bequest in an exhibition called "Framed " in 2010.This is a set from that exhibition. http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsifineart/sets/72157624170320971/

Phillip J. Murray

Phillip J. Murray with work in progress, October 2010.

The prints I have made in 2010 are about the world and its histories. Each of the places I have depicted have some sort of saying attached to them, and I have tried to use had a little bit of humour in each one where the sayings have double meanings . My preferred medium is the lino cut. I like the activity of carving. Initially it may seem to be crude, but I find it a very relaxing and challenging technique. I love the experience of starting with a blank lino, and bringing out the image I have in my head. I cut directly into the plate rather than planning the image meticulously. This allows for spontaneous marks/figures from which the compositions growthe following site has some of my art from an exhibition at The Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsifineart/sets/72157624170320971/http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsifineart/sets/72157624249726173/

Alasdair McDonnell

Alasdair McDonnell in the studio, 2010

Why dogs?

Mans’ first relationship with animals was with dogs. Dogs were there when Hannibal crossed the Alps. Real people keep dogs. 99 44/100 % of dog owners have greater success in life, etc. Seriously there is a long tradition in art in most of the mediums of using dogs as subject matter. Consider the portraits of Rembrandt and Vermeer, Velasquezs' famous portrait of the Spanish Royal family, Sir Joshua Reynolds and George Stubbs, Lucian Freud, the list is substantial. Personally what intrigues me is that fascinating synthesis, the way the dog reflects the characteristics of the owner, and all the ways including genetically that man has manipulated dogs.

 These drawings in gouache are intended to capture the fascination of dogs, but also to celebrate their relationship with man, because mostly they are lovely creatures guaranteed to provide unconditional love.
http://www.adairart.yolasite.com/,
http://www.debate.net.au/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53924264@N05/

Andy Petith

&Y

organic .childminded .experimental .freeflowing .innavative .spontaneous .combustibull  .inventitive  .apelike recycled editstorted .junkevolving .artist .who .adapts .adopts .& is .adept IN.his .art .& .uses it as .the medium to .connect .life's .dots .......     ............     ............     .............      ..............    .............    ........

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsifineart/sets/72157624959621292/

Brenda Maccioni

Brenda Maccioni in the studio with work in progress for the Tap Gallery exhibition

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I have drawn and painted since I was a child. There have been many influences in my life.  Most influential are my mother and grandmother.  They passed down to me the love of handicrafts.  I have used fabrics from these crafts in my artwork, mainly hessian, calico, cheesecloth, prints, and tapa. By using these fabrics, fibres and prints as symbols, I hope to make people aware of their own memories and the importance of teaching the next generation some of the skills involved in using these materials. Whether it be in drawing and painting, embroidery, printmaking, rugmaking or sewing.

I am interested in the structure of composition, expressing emotions through the use of mark making and placement of colour and materials to develop a personal style of visual language which will continue to evolve.

This is a set from an exhibition I was involved in with other Advanced Diploma students, at Penrith Regional Gallery and The Lewers Bequest
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsifineart/sets/72157624170320971/

These photo's are works in progress from my work this year at Tafe, Western Sydney Institute, Nepean College, Kingswood
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brendamaccioni

Amanda Mayrhofer

Amanda Mayrhofer in the studio, October 2010.

I am an artist who draws inspiration from the natural environment.  I work with a range of mediums from photography, painting and drawing with pastels and charcoals.  I am currently working on a series that explores the colours and forms found in flora.  The artists that have influenced my works are Tim Maguire and Georgia O' Keefe.  I have also been using macro photography to reveal the  secret little “hidden gems” found hiding in flowers and to capture these images and reproduce them further as  paintings and drawings.

This is a link is to an exhbition that I was involved in with Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsifineart/sets/72157624170320971/

Hilary Latta

'Buzzy Bees', public artwork by Hilary Latta, Hervey Bay, Queensland , 2009

I paint what I feel, not what I see. My art is my metaphor, it is about me. When I am sad I paint joy, when I'm down, I paint up. When I'm blue I paint yellow, when I'm dead I paint life. I am. Look at my work feel pain, feel my joy. Feel my sorrow, feel my strength, feel my need. I am. I live, I die, I leave a part of me behind. I am.

To see more of my work, visit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54010825@N08/sets/72157625250286204/