Regionalis
Showcasing Regional Contemporary Visual Artists.
One person one BIG dream… Funding
Hi everyone,
While this site was originally intended to support a one off group show, I am now seriously considering making the project an ongoing one, offering Regional Contemporary Visual Artists the opportunity to be seen in a Melbourne metro setting” and be able to be seen on the same level as metro Artists.
I know many already do, but there are those who may need a nudge, and it’s those who I want to support.
So here’s the big dream… find ways to bring Regional Contemporary Visual Artists to the city to be part of group exhibitions, maybe one or two per year.
It will require a few things to make this a reality, having done the first show means I have a solid structure to work from and a growing experience in putting these sorts of things together. Here’s what I think is needed to get the ball rolling…
- A great venue to showcase contemporary works.
- Regionally based Visual Artists wanting to explore more opportunities to be seen.
- Supporters and or sponsors who share the dream in some way…
- Funding and in kind support.
- Media exposure…
To bring all this together will take some work, those who know me know that’s not going to be a problem, but getting support from the right people and or organisations will be another.
If you want to jump in and make suggestions, give me ideas, and assist me to bring this all together then drop a line in the comments section (at the end of this article) and or send me an email… info@stevegray.biz
You may have contacts to people who want to support regional Visual Artists… funding bodies with grants to support the idea… a venue or three which could be suitable.
Let me know if you can assist in some way so I can start to bring the foundation plan together and get a brilliant result.
Cheers
Steve Gray
Opening
Openings to exhibitions are always an intriguing device… Nerves, friends to catch up with, people to network with, people to “Keep Happy” and all the rest , which goes with an event of this calibre. Here are some of the photo’s for those of you who could not make it.
On Show…
Here are some of the images hung in the gallery for Regionalis. Join us at the opening Aug 19 6-8pm.
Regionalis on TV
This short video is from a TV news story about the Regionalis exhibition’s connections to Black Saturday. WIN TV Gippsland 11/8/09
Regionalis radio interview
Here’s kerrie Warren talking about the Regionalis show.
Kerrie Warren - Radio Interview
Interviewed by Shirley Westerberg at Vision Australia on 93.5 FM August 09
This opens in a new window and starts playing.
Kerrie’s Story for radio
It seems to be media week for our Artists again on ABC radio and this time Kerrie chats about her experiences of Black Saturday and the new work this has spawned.
Two Artists, one Firestorm… Black Saturday
Two of our exhibiting Artists, Werner and Ursula Theinert were interviewed on ABC radio recently about their experience on Black Saturday fighting the fires that threatened their home and how that has influenced their current art works. Check out the amazing interview…
The works which have been inspired by this tragic event in Victorian history will be in this exhibition.
Art in development
While this exhibition is set for mid August, it doesn’t stop the Artists from working! Here you can see some of what Steve Gray has been up to as he logs a journal with pics of where he’s at now. Take a look.
Meet the Artists
Apart from catching up with the Artists for a “quick natter” at the opening, you might want to have a longer chat with them one to one, or hear them explore their work with a small group. Well now you can…
Aug 22 the Artists involved in Regionalis will be in the gallery from 1pm to 4pm ready to chat to you about their work.
So join us for a while and find out about art from the inside.
New York Connection Kerrie Warren - Artist
Kerrie Warren Abstract Expressionist and Regionalis Artist, was interviewed on ABC Radio recently about her New York Exhibition and work.
“Kerrie lived out a long-time dream last month, when an exhibition of her abstract expressionist paintings went on display at a gallery in New York’s Chelsea art district.
While Kerrie has always aspired to see her work go on show in New York, it could hardly have happened at a worse time, arriving to find the city’s art district in the grip of a major recession.
“New York is in a recession at the moment, so I did get to see it at its low side,” Kerrie said. “I got to see a very true and real aspect of New York. To go all that way and see artists that struggle just like we do at home, that was an amazing experience.”
Read the rest of Kerrie’s Interview here…“
Art Collector Magazine Aug 09
Somehow this makes the exhibition all the more real.
New York Magazine applauds Warren’s work.
News flash, well not quite as it was from last month, but great news none the less! New York Magazine Gallery and Studio published this article on Kerrie Warren’s Exhibition and works… Well Kerry you must be very pleased to get these great comments, especially in the lead up to more exhibitions like Regionalis. Well done!
Article from New York Gallery and Studio Magazine June 09
Steve Gray arts log
Steve has added to the art log he has running on his artists page. You can read about what he’s been up to recently and see some of the images which will be in the exhibition.
The overlay pages, two per image.
Peter makes a stand and gets some attention for it.
Peter Biram one of the Visual Artists to be part of the Regionalis exhibition, achieved another milestone and was recognised for his efforts recently.
You can read the whole article here. Well done Peter, the article gives readers a small taste of his stance on the environment and art. Here’s a small part of it. “We are a group of artists - a collective social and political voice - who are concerned primarily about the environment.”
This is a small piece of things to come and you can see more at the Regionalis exhibition, Aug 19 - Sept 5th at red gallery 157 St Georges Rd Northcote. Wed - Sat 11am - 5pm.
Ursula explores Black Saturday
Ursula Theinert feels passionate about the importance of art in helping to stimulate interest and discussion in the community about environmental issues.
“My focus is on the profound spiritual connection we have with nature and the dichotomy of our behaviour to our world.” Ursula’s paintings attempt to highlight the ‘hidden’ realities in forest and land management practices. “… it fascinates me that on the ’surface’, pine plantations give the impression of environmentally positive outcomes, however, on closer scrutiny they lead to ‘deserts’ under their canopy for native flora and fauna.”
Ursula’s current series is about her experiences of the Black Saturday fires and looks at the profound spirituality felt during that dreadful night. “My paintings reflect my coming to terms of the aftermath and attempt to express the loss of the old realities and the acceptance of the new beginning.”
Ursula is involved in a group of professional artists who feel passionate about the environment and have formalized their ideals and goals in using art to encourage discussion and insight into the complex environmental issues we all face.
“Our group are going to have a touring exhibition called ‘Fields of View’ which will focus on the environmental disaster of the Black Saturday fires, beginning in February 2010. The Regionalis show with five others will be a great lead up to it.”
Ursula also paints portraits. “I continue to paint portraits and will also keep entering the Archibald Portrait Prize because I feel the portrait work has broadened my painting techniques, skills, and knowledge of the art world. It has also been incredibly stimulating meeting and getting to know the wonderful people who have agreed to sit for me.”
Ursula’s Art Teacher Peter Biram “dared” Ursula to enter The Archibald, in 2006. “I have entered four times and have managed to be successful four times as an entrant in the Salon des Refuses.”
Peters Water comment
One of the works you may see in the Regionalis Exhibition is this piece based on the Murray Rvier by Peter Biram this work was a direct response to the current water crisis we are experiencing in Australia at the moment.
The work explores the delicate balance of the value of water in one of the driest continents on this planet; within this framework the issue of global warming plays a huge part as a conceptual concept within the work.
New York Exhibition
Kerrie Warren’s work can be seen in New York at the Agora Gallery, Chelsea, June 2 to 23 2009, in the lead up to the Regionalis Exhibition in September. Her first foray into the New York art scene should be a great one.
Artists make firey escape
Two of the Artists to be represented in the Regionalis Exhibition in September are survivors of the tragic Black Saturday fires, you can read about their harrowing experience in a new article by Ursula.
The Artists
Peter Biram
A landscape and portrait Painter. Peter has entered the Archibald Portrait prize five times now and has been in the Melbourne “Salon De Refuses” for selected artists whose works have been “refused entry” to the Archibald Prize. His brightly coloured landscapes turn heads at exhibitions whenever the works are on display, an avid Environmental Expressionist, Peter’s work takes the landscape genre to a new level.
Steve Gray
A Painter and Photographer, Steve brings literal yet abstract images to this exhibition. Working on a theme of Harm in all its forms, Steve’s paintings will take on the environment from a personal level, challenging the basis by which we look at our ecology and explore it visually and with text.
Leonie Ryan
A 3D Artist with a metaphysical approach to her work. Leonies installations can involve manipulated photographs, glass, resin and many other materials, challenging the way we see things and their many possible distortions.
Ursula Theinert
A painter and photographer, Ursula lost many of her works in the Black Saturday bush-fires. While saving their house from the impending flames, she lost much of her artworks as flames engulfed the studio. Ursulas dramatic landscapes have now been imbued with a fresh yet deeply dark foundation from the bush-fires. The works for this show promise to be solidly revealing.
Werner Theinert
An Art Photographer, Werner stood shoulder to shoulder with his Wife Ursula as they fought the fires on that fateful Saturday when so many lives and assets were lost statewide. His photographic works may therefore take a different turn to earlier works because of this. Werner manages to engage viewers with the details and visual intrigue of optical illusions, while blending direct text references to bring the viewer to a sense of bare reality.
Kerrie Warren
A vibrant arts practitioner, painter and artistic coordinator. Kerries work speaks for itself, be it organising a traveling Art show (Wild Dogs Downunder) or producing her highly energetic abstract expressionistic paintings. Kerrie is represented by galleries in Singapore, New York and is fast becoming sought after in Australia. Her personal viewpoint on the environment is compelling in it’s depth and intrigue, just spend a few minutes staring at one of her paintings and you will be transported to a complex world of colour and rhythms.
Media Information
For people in the media, please take this link to find an article outlining the exhibition and the artists involved.
Supporters, we thank you!
To all our supporters of this exhibition, we thank you.
From our promotional partners Black Dog Promotions, regional support agencies, Art Stuff web based Visual Art resources, the Baw Baw Shire who strongly supports it’s local Visual Arts scene and Gippsland Artists a group supporting the fantastic work of artists in the Gippsland region..
red gallery
Regionalis, a chance to explore our worlds…
The Regionalis Exhibition during August and Sept 09 will be a chance for six Visual Artists to explore their views on the Environment. From global issues to personal ecology, the exhibition will showcase 2 and 3 D works.
Each artist will provide viewers with visual information to show how they have interpreted the theme and a written statement to accompany the imagery.
Many of the works are a response to the Black Saturday fires which devasted many parts of Victoria.