Art in the tropics

North Queensland has gradually developed into a virtual Mecca for the creative soul, having long drawn artists from diverse cultural backgrounds both within Australia and beyond. Inspired by its richness and diversity, renowned artists such as Streeton, Drysdale and Whiteley have all sojourned here in the course of their impressive careers and produced significant, reflective paintings which now remain as part of their enduring legacies to the art world.

Captivated by the people, lifestyle and surroundings of the Far North and Pacific Islands, the distinctive paintings of Archibald Prize winner Ray Crooke create warm, vibrant reflections upon many of the simple routines associated with daily life in the tropics. This highly respected artist, whose works have been broadly acclaimed throughout his long and auspicious career, continues to live and work in Cairns.

Throughout the past twenty-five years the North has experienced a steady migration by talented, practicing artists, who have then settled, enriching the area culturally. Many had not intended to remain in this magnificent, isolated part of the world. Occasionally they were working towards major exhibitions elsewhere. Some had travelled here temporarily, primarily for the emotional refreshment afforded an artist by the stimulus of a new and unworked environment. Other journeys, particularly by the younger artists, were often prompted by the allure of relative remoteness and exotic locations within the distant north. Sometimes subtly, sometimes instantaneously each in their own way became utterly seduced by the magic of this tropical wonderland.

Vibrance, beauty, texture and mood, and every idiosyncrasy of the local population create an abundant feast for the artists' palettes. The innocent simplicity of children playing on an idyllic, tropical beach at sunset; the mere ripple of an incoming tide as it gently laps upon a remote, sun drenched beach; or the laconic characters who regularly frequent the local pubs. The brilliance of the clear, midday sunshine caressing dense, tropical foliage in ancient shadowed forests or perhaps unveiling to emerald translucency a secluded, pristine creek. With such inspirational, diverse and almost inexhaustible subject matter as their surroundings, it is little wonder that the artists' canvases radiate such liveliness, being exhilarated by the lush beauty of the natural environment.

In the 1980's, the then Upstairs Gallery of Cairns was the undisputed hub of Fine Art in the region. Nurturing and actively promoting the unique talents of the north's artistic community, it became the catalyst that burst North Queensland artists David Stacey, Wanjidari, Daryl Trott and JoAnne Hook upon both the national and international stages. During that period the gallery also established an art collective on the northern beaches of Cairns in the old Home School. Artistically interactive, while exploring their individual creative skills, the school became home to Greg Dwyer, Tania Heben, Tom MacAuley and other notable artists while in its existence.

With the arrival of the 1990's the artistic procession to the colourful north by established artists such as Ian Stephens and Helen Wiltshire continued. Young, talented, home grown artists Amanda Feher, Angela Meyer and others soon began to emerge as serious practitioners, their distinctive and individual styles quickly developing as they gained the attention of the local art world.

Painting in her studio at picturesque Mission Beach, Helen Wiltshire's bold, richly coloured paintings reflect the abundance of colour and movement which is typical of Mission Beach, North Queensland & the Wet Tropics. Featuring the exotic cassowary, Ulysses butterfly, richly textured shells and colourful fish her work is splashed on canvas and provides a visual expression drawn from the wonderful wildlife & landscapes of the Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage rainforests in the area in which she lives.

Cairns based artist Dean Vella has received recognition on the national stage and also held many international sell out exhibitions. Dean's use of a thick impasto paint in primary colours creates amazing textures and light, evoking happy, positive emotions to reflect not only the Tropical North, but more recently the Australian outback where he was born.

In recent years this migration of the creative has continued. Committed artists and craftspeople Claire Souter, Jeanette Sellwood and Jan Bainbridge-Perry to name a few, have chosen to take up residence here and contribute the extensive talents of the diverse, artistic enclave already blossoming within the area.

Claire's works are well sought after for their depth of thought, sensuous use of colour and a razor sharp eye for detail. Since coming to Cairns, Claire Souter has produced a body of work that is full of rich colours and lush growth, liveliness and spontaneity, giving us a new, close-up, thoughtful glimpse of the play of light and shade, wetness and shine on the leaves, foliage and flowers of tropical plants and trees.

In 1984 the North Queensland College of TAFE established an Art Course designed exclusively to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Experimental, and the first of its kind in Australia, it soon became a model for similar courses in other parts of the country with large indigenous populations. It proved particularly successful from its inception, encouraging and developing the artistic skills of many talented, young artists from North Queensland and beyond. Throughout its life, this course has become a fertile, nurturing ground for many successful artists including Wanjidari, one of the earliest graduates, upon whom the ancient cave paintings of Cape York Peninsula profoundly influenced her work. More recent graduates, members of the Lockhart River Gang include Rosella Namok, whose dynamic, contemporary works are often associated with stories about life in her isolated Aboriginal community.

Local indigenous artist, Ian Waldron won the Open Painting Award in the 12th National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards in 1995 after completing his Bachelor of Fine Arts. Since that time his painting career has been marked by regular high profile curated exhibitions in public and private galleries. Ian is proudly supported by the Jungara Gallery in Cairns.

Situated in one of Cairns' beautiful heritage buildings, the Cairns Regional Gallery, which recently celebrated its tenth birthday, regularly exhibits contemporary works by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This impressive gallery also hosts selected exhibitions from major Australian and international collections. A diverse exhibition calendar, strongly focussed on promoting and stimulating the development of the visual arts in the region, alongside presenting the art of the world to Gallery visitors, means that international and national touring exhibitions feature comfortably alongside the work of local and indigenous artists.

A complex reflective on the very essence of tropical society, art in the North flourishes in all mediums and genres. The many galleries scattered throughout the region generally exhibit works by local artists and craftspeople and most have their own distinctive flavour. Whether refreshing, vibrant, contemplative, or provoking, the unique art of North Queensland celebrates the spectrum and diversity of life in the northern tropics.

 

Links

Australian Oceanic Art Gallery, Port Douglas
www.oceanicart.com.au

Australis Art Gallery, Kuranda
www.australisart.com.au

Bundarra Gallery, Port Douglas
www.bundarragallery.com.au

Cairns Regional Gallery, Cairns
www.cairnsregionalgallery.com.au

Claire Souter Gallery, Kuranda
www.clairesoutergallery.com

Ian Stephens Fine Art Gallery, Kuranda & Palm Cove
www.ianstephens.com.au

Jungara Aboriginal Art Galleries, Cairns & Palm Cove
www.jungaraaboriginalart.com.au

Yaram Arts, Orchid Plaza, 58 Lake St, Cairns
Authentic local Aboriginal art of North Queensland. Ph: +61 7 4031 0080

Doongal Aboriginal Art, Cairns & Kuranda
www.doongal.com.au