Sitting here in the gallery on a rainy day, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on my first Solo exhibition at Art Gallery on Ovens.
Today is a bit quieter. I have been really thankful to the visitors who have dropped into the gallery over the past week and enjoyed their conversations. At this time of our second stage 3 lockdown you can see that it is taking its toll on some of us and others are trying to maintain an upbeat outlook.
As visitors have entered the gallery, a few are just grateful to step into the space to talk to someone, others have enjoyed my colourful canvases that visually give them a pickup, and a few have come for me, and that special gift that only they can give to me as an artist – encouragement and affirmation that my art talks to them, that the figures have a presence and a feel or movement about them and that they are not just 2 dimensional.
This is what will sustain me to keep making my figurative art and capturing our human existence no matter what life brings to us all.
These viewer comments also make me consider that despite the lack of crowds and sales in my exhibition at this tough time for artists in lockdown, I need to look at the exhibition as a success on different levels both for myself and my brave visitors.
We need to remember our resilience in the face of the unknown, the strength and courage to be who we are, and the hope and faith for the future ahead.
I can’t wait to get back into the studio to begin my creative journey again.
Janet Leith - Director