"Lux" is the latest show by the artist's artist, Suey McEnally, an interestingly shy, "real-thing" artistic type who bangs away on paper stapled to her studio wall, with condoms filled with oil paint, dissolved in a double boiler using Sennelier Oil Pastels. The result is a series of remarkable, translucent landscapes which, in the words of another artist friend, Polly Joannou, are "quite magical". Somehow, they make themselves into a shimmer of marks, light and colour that dissolve into the heat of an Australian paddock or the frosty fronds of a pine tree on an icy morning.
Sharing in the Studio complex with Suey should send you for the ear phones - you know, the old fashioned ones which not only keep your music in, but shut the outside noises off), but the sound of Suey working actually creates an energy in the Balmain 1+2 complex that inspires other artists. And not only other artists - Suey has a nearly perfect sales record, which means she sells nearly every work she manages to whip into submission in her laborious, 5-7 layer process. For an artist who does not promote herself, she manages to have her work regularly on show -she has been invited to a number of prestigious charity events; shown in galleries interstate -often by invitation from other artists; as well as landing spots in top-of-the-line art prizes such as the Blake, Wynne, Sulman Refuses, Paddington and Dobell.
There is not one dud in this show, which caused a few arguments as to our "favourites" - you could pick any one, really. All prices are reasonable, too.
A special mention to the artist and gallery Director, Peter Francis Lawrence and his long term partner for having the strength to put their money where their mouths are and support artists they believe in, by developing the SMART (Sydney Metropolitan Art) Gallery initiative which selects a limited number of artists for exhibition at the Danks St Depot Galleries.
On till October 18th -Image: Suey McEnally, In the Light of the Resurretion, 2007 Oil Pastel 120 x 200cm
Gabrielle - I have just spent some enjoyable time looking through your fabulous blog! Your work is engaging and I will be back to read your blog all the way to the beginning.
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