Noctilucent, or night shining, is a soft, glowing light that appears in the clouds at twilight, and is accentuated by the long shadows merging in the landscape beneath.
I will be returning to Canberra to present a new suite of works depicting the northern twilight skies and landscapes that were created in response to living in Denmark for the last 5 years. I moved from Melbourne to Copenhagen with my family in 2018 and the quality of light, the seasons and the landscapes, are all completely different to my native Australian experience, and an ongoing source of inspiration.
Rural and urban landscapes have been a constant theme in my work for many years and my aim has always been to capture small moments of beauty found in everyday environments. Living in Denmark has significantly impacted my practice and has meant that I have an even greater awareness and appreciation of light in the landscape – from the bright Australian sunlight to the more subdued northern European light.
The Danish seasons are also strikingly different; in the depth of winter, the sun often cannot be seen behind the clouds, and then only between the hours of 9am and 3pm. Light becomes a fragile and precious thing, that is highly valued and appreciated. I often find inspiration in those moments of twilight, when there is a soft, glowing light, accentuated by the shadows that merge in the landscape.
While each of the prints and paintings are depictions of quite specific places that I have a connection to, it is important to me that they are not recognisable landmarks, and that the scenery could in fact be anywhere. I want to draw attention to these quiet moments of beauty or the sublime in our surroundings, as a kind of reminder in the value of pausing and appreciating these fleeting moments in the midst of our busy, often screen-based lives. The artworks, and their subdued colours are about capturing a moment of quietness and self-reflection. In a way I hope that the images could be anywhere and connect to everyone’s personal experience of beauty in their own environments.
Exhibition location:
Beaver Galleries, Canberra
81 Denison Street
Deakin, Canberra ACT 2600 (view map)
10am - 5pm Tuesday to Saturday
+6126282 5294
[email protected]
http://www.beavergalleries.com.au/
