Author: LDFA

Lauraine Diggins OAM

Posted by on March 8, 2019

On International Womens Day, we’re celebrating all women worldwide; and in particular one woman close to our hearts, Lauraine Diggins. The staff at Lauraine Diggins Fine Art are very proud that Lauraine has received a Medal of the Order of Australia at this year’s Australia Day Honours for services to the museums and galleries sector.

Beyond her reputation in the commercial art world and relationship with numerous artists, Lauraine enriches the visual arts in this country through her support and philanthropic contribution to many public institutions. We particularly admire her ability and passion in placing artworks in public collections for all the nation to enjoy. Her promotion of indigenous art, from the expansive exhibition A Myriad of Dreaming: Twentieth Century Aboriginal Art in 1989; her success in negotiating Gloria Petyarr’s representation through the international fashion house Hermes; her ongoing involvement in the arts of Utopia and her keen sense of an educational focus through the Gallery’s website are worthy of recognition.

Congratulations Lauraine, it is a well-deserved honour.

 

Read Lauraine’s OAM citation here.

gg.gov.au

#BeBoldForChange

Andrew Sayers: Exhibition Opening Sat 2 March

Posted by on March 1, 2019

Brave the heat and join us at the exhibition opening of gouaches by Andrew Sayers where the sense of light and air and space will cool you down!

We look forward to Doug Hall AM (former Director at QAGOMA and former Australian Commissioner, Venice Biennale) sharing his insights about Andrew Sayers, the artist, who is more widely known and celebrated for his successful institutional career including the founding Director of the National Portrait Gallery.

Featuring gouaches from 2010 – 2015, the “secret” life of Andrew Sayers – the artist – is revealed with themes ranging from the attractive bridges of the south coast of NSW; sites of volcanic history in Victoria; the colours of the desert; and nature, particularly seas and skies. The works have been inspired by his passion for geology; his curiosity about structure and how things work; and an obvious interest in atmospheric effects.

Preview the exhibition through our website and we hope to see you whilst the works are hanging – showing until 27 April 2019.

Vale Kathleen Petyarre

Posted by on December 11, 2018

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this post includes the name of a person who has died.

We were saddened to learn of the death of celebrated Utopia artist Kathleen Petyarre on 24 November 2018. Recognised as one of the premier contemporary painters of the central and western desert art movement, Kathleen’s work was executed in the finest detail, depicting the travels of Arnkerrth, the Mountain Devil Lizard. Since her prize winning entry at the 1996 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, she found new representations bordering between cultural histories and abstractions and was celebrated through many exhibitions; on the international stage and through the survey exhibition Genius of Place at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney (2001). Her compositions often focussed on diagonal tensions; illustrating travels and sacred sites. Kathleen’s abilities as a painter were matched by her seniority in cultural knowledge and matriarchal duties of custodianship.

Read the personal tribute from Christine Nicholls, Flinders University as published in The Conversation.

“The thorny devil is unable to cover country in a straight line – she always takes a semi-circular route across her vast, arid country. This seems an apt metaphor for Kweyetemp Petyarre’s life, which hasn’t followed the trajectory that her younger self had foreseen, perforce veering off and rounding corners that she had never dreamed of in her childhood. That life, so rudely interrupted by the colonisers, was largely held together by her love of her family, and their love for her.

Petyarre also enjoyed being feted as a successful artist, and the travel that involved – arnkerrth is a great traveller.”

Christine Nicholls, Kathleen Petyarre: a brilliant artist whose life was rudely interrupted by colonisers. The Conversation, 26 November 2018

McWilliams on show at John Glover’s Patterdale Farm

Posted by on December 7, 2018

“The old King Billy pine cupboard has been decorated by Tasmanian contemporary painter, Michael McWilliams, who began his career painting on old furniture from his family’s antique business. The painting above the cupboard is a watercolour of Nile Farm as it was in 1962, painted by a Launceston local.”

A recent article celebrates the heritage restoration project of John Glover’s Patterdale Farm in Tasmania, featuring a beautiful antique cupboard painted by Michael McWilliams. McWilliams has of course been a previous winner, and finalist on numerous occasions, of the John Glover art prize and has his own historic home and garden in Tasmania, so it is a real delight to see this connection with McWilliams’ artwork in Glover’s home.

Read the article here

Homestolove.com.au : Inside artist John Glover’s restored Patterdale home in Tasmania. The surrounding bushland continue to inspire more than 180 years after John Glover’s paintings made them famous. 5 December 2018

Janet and Mike Green Exhibition Opening and Artist Talks

Posted by on November 30, 2018

Missed the pleasure of our most recent exhibition opening? Eager to hear an insider’s view about the artworks? Videos of the exhibition opening for Alice and Beyond: Recent work by Janet and Mike Green, with opening remarks by Rod James, along with individual conversations with both Mike and Janet, are now all available for viewing – enjoy!

 

In Conversation with Mike Green

Posted by on November 23, 2018

Enjoy a brief teaser of the video, In Conversation with Mike Green, which will be uploaded in full to our website next week, along with In Conversation with Janet Green and the exhibition opening speeches.

ALICE AND BEYOND:

Recent Paintings by Janet and Mike Green

17 November – 15 December 2018

https://www.facebook.com/LauraineDigginsFineArt/videos/283096082561029/

Sidney Nolan documentary screening Tues 6 November

Posted by on November 2, 2018

Following last week’s documentary on John Peter Russell (which you can now catch on iview), this Tuesday 6th November the ABC is screening a documentary on Sidney Nolan at 9.30pm.

Nolan’s iconic imagery, especially his Kelly series, is ingrained in the Australian psyche.

Everyone feels they know Nolan, but that is far from the truth.

John Peter Russell documentary screening Tuesday 30 October

Posted by on October 26, 2018

In conjunction with the current exhibition of John Peter Russell at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, a documentary about this fascinating artist will be screened on ABC television Tuesday 30th October at 9.30pm. Australia’s Lost Impressionist examines the relationships and influence of John Peter Russell within the French avant-garde in the late 1880s.

Part of the French avant-garde of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, John Russell was a close friend of Vincent van Gogh and Auguste Rodin, taught impressionist colour theory to Henri Matisse and dined with Claude Monet. Yet history has largely forgotten Russell, who was a key member of this ground-breaking group of artists during one of the most exhilarating periods in art history.

For further details about the AGNSW exhibition which is showing until 11 November please click here.

For details about the documentary please click here  and for a preview click here.

Vale Mirka Mora

Posted by on September 27, 2018

We pay tribute to Mirka Mora who recently passed away, aged 90, and was remembered and celebrated on Tuesday at a State Memorial at the Palais Theatre. Remembered and celebrated for her joie de vivre and for the indelible impression she has made on Melbourne city, through her personality; her art and the sophistication brought to the city through her restaurants. Her artistic practice covered so many differing media but was always characterised by a readily identifiable style, her use of bright colours and patterns and dreamy figures. Mirka’s art is part of Melbourne’s psyche with her mural at Flinders Street; her mosaic at St Kilda and the much-loved murals in a number of Melbourne restaurants.

Mirka’s art and spirit touched many. Enjoying a long lasting relationship with Heide Museum of Modern Art, Mirka involved herself in the life of the museum and its various programs.

Mirka’s passion for life and art has left a lasting impression amongst those at Lauraine Diggins Fine Art, learning from and dealing with her as an educator and artist. We are deeply saddened by the loss of a passionate, colourful and generous soul, who gave so much, Melbourne is all the more richer.

Read a tribute to Mirka Mora by Sabine Cotte as published in The Conversation here

 

Mirka & Nerida at a school arts program, Heide Museum of Modern Art