DAY 77 - KUNUNURRA

15 May 2008



DAY 77 Pilbara – Kimberley Trip

KUNUNURRA

Even though the car yard was close by we made a deliberate effort to avoid it so as not to jinx anything as we were hopeful that the part will arrive today regardless of what everyone else said.

So today we went exploring the town on foot. Around the corner from us and a bit along the road was Rockalong Stonework with a huge range of zebra rock made into beautiful pieces. You could also get unpolished cut pieces of stone. We bought a few pieces to polish up ourselves. It is a beautiful rock with very unusual markings.

We continued into town and went to Red Rock Art. As part of the Ord Muster celebrations they had an exhibition opening tonight. Phillipa Watt’s beautiful woven baskets were there as well as a range of indigenous art using ochre. Some of the boab nut carvings were fabulous and there were a few beautiful pieces etched on slate.

Our Land Gallery presented a huge selection of indigenous art. A pity the work was jung so closely together. There were several contemporary pieces that I fell in love with.

Finally we went to Lovell Gallery. We were there for a quite while. As we walked into the main gallery “wow” escaped my lips. In front of me was a 16 x 2 metre oil on canvas work Beyond the Beehives by Nadeen Lovell. It had only been unveiled last Friday. It is a most amazing work and though I am no art expert it should be hanging in the National Art Gallery. Hockney’s Grand Canyon pails into insignificance besides this work that captures the essence and spirit of Purnululu. Having been to Purnululu we could identify with every component of the work. We both were in awe of it. The carton for the painting shows that it was envisaged that it would take 7 2x2metre panels to do the work. However, as she progressed with it the work was extended on one side and it is now made of 8 2x2m panels.

When you enter the gallery you are met with the following statement:
To grasp its meaning, we must allow a response to a work of art. Give yourself time for a response.

This statement also captures what this gallery is about with a wonderful space to view the work, and an invitation to sit and consider it and if you wish water, tea or coffee and biscuits to sustain you.

Nadeen Lovell is the owner of the gallery and exhibits work not only by herself but by Kimberley Kohan, Peter Mulder, Trish Purchase, Al Mason, Polly Shiner, Mary Raymond, Graham Austin, Jan Parish, Kathryn Pekin and others. I loved AL Mason’s acrylic work on corrugated and rusted iron. It had such character. I really enjoyed Peter Mulder’s acrylic on canvas series Evaporation 1,2,and 3 and Salthbush and Yellow Cow. Simon Hemsley’s organic works using mixed media on canvas Fitzroy Valley in the Dry struck a chord with me with its rich ochre colours. Nadeen Lovell’s work really struck a spot with me. Her colourscapes were a wonderful take on colour of an area with still recognisable landscape features such as in Floodline. I referred to landscape and soundscape in my blog on Purnululu. Colourscape completes the picture for me. Nadeen defined colourscape as “word devised to encompass an impression of the landscape with the emphasis on pieces of colour”. I can see this having an influence on my own work in textiles. But getting back to the works on dislpay. Nadeen’s Echoes in the Ord was beautiful as were here totally organic works Rusted, fractured and very old and Ochre flow. We spent some time talking to the artist herself.

Due to copyright I cannot show any picture here but please visit www.lovellgallery.com.au to see her work.

We continued exploring the town and visited Just Framed. They specialise in comical boab prints. Whilst the prints maybe comical they rally capture the uniqueness and individuality of each boab tree. Just loved the prints.

After getting some food for dinner we made our way back and stopped at the car yard to pick up some thing. We couldn’t believe it – our car was ready. The parts had arrived and they had just finished putting things together. WHAT A RELIEF and WHAT JOY. I rushed back to our lodgings and you haven’t seen anyone pack up so fast. Min drove around and everything was put in and with great relief we moved to Ivanhoe Caravan Park. We felt free and we were just so happy to get our home back again.