Four Visions, a range of talent and styles

ART & SOUL

16 Jan, 2023

Four Visions – an exhibition by Geoff Ruthe, Mary-Anne Boyd, Rachel Moore and Sheryl Jury – opens on Thursday evening January 19 at 6pm at the Mangawhai Artists Gallery.

The exhibition reflects the visions of four separate artists and also brings together current and past winners of the Kaipara Art Awards showcasing a wide range of talent and styles.

In the recent 2022 Kaipara Art Awards Geoff Ruthe won the 2D Painting Award, after winning the Judge’s Award in the previous year, with his distinctive landscapes. Rachel Moore won third place in the 2D – Other Media Award with her sensitive watercolour and ink landscape depictions. Sheryl Jury is also a past winner from the Kaipara Art Awards.

“In this exhibition my work explores the way in which the landscape resonates with me, both emotionally and personally. I express this through an emphasis on colour, form and movement,” says Geoff Ruthe.

“My vision in the forthcoming exhibition is to explore heritage artifacts,” says Mary-Anne Boyd. “I explore the changes they reflect in everyday life, and the joy that flowers and colour can bring. They are depicted in acrylic and collage mixed media.”

Rachel Moore’s recent body of work looks deep into the realm of landscapes but not in the traditional form.

“I work towards finding a balance in the unexpected with the expected, to create a harmonious whole,” says Rachel. “This often creates an obscure or imaginative realm but at the same time a vision we can understand or relate to. Perhaps even sparking a memory of a place visited or a moment in time.”

Rachel has developed her love of watercolour through play, experimentation and, with addition of illustrated detailing, she has developed her own style.

During 2022 Sheryl Jury was lucky to be able to do an intensive life drawing and painting programme at Studio E scalier in France for three months. The school is located in a medieval town north of Bordeaux and south of the Loire Valley, about two hours by train from Paris.

“As they are nudes, the works I did there won’t be on display at the upcoming exhibition at the gallery! Rather I bring watercolour and pastel landscape pictures from my travels both in France and, towards the end of 2022, in Tasmania. In these works I capture snippets of scenes that have caught my eye and imagination. They are painted in pastel and watercolour portraying the natural beauty of nature with pockets of mystery and history.”

n Four Visions is open daily from 10am to 3pm from Friday January 20 to midday Wednesday February 01. The Mangawhai Artists Gallery is at 45 Moir St, in the village at Mangawhai, next to the Library Hall and opposite Bennetts.

Four Visions artists. From left, Sheryl Jury, Mary-Anne Boyd, Rachel Moore, Geoff Ruthe.

Geoff Ruthe, and emphasis on colour, form and movement.

Rachel Moore, with addition of illustrated detailing, she has developed her own style.