Pittwater Life September 2018 Issue

Art Life
Art Life
Fascination prompts
duo’s creative look at
Architecture of Birds
Artists Helen Mackay
and Claire Armstrong
are fascinated by
birds – and happen to both
have current bodies of work
with feathered
friends as subjects.
“Whether
we’re listening
to their song or
watching them
fly through
the skies,
people regularly
attribute
poetic licence
to birds,” said
Claire. “Through lyrics, poetry,
literature, dance, sculpture and
painting we admire, envy, imagine
and even lament them.”
Claire says she sees their
habitats being lost and
honours them with emotive
and thought-provoking portraiture,
trying to capture
their character
and individual
personalities,
hoping this will
raise awareness
of the
need to protect
and preserve a
place for them
within our
world.
A bird’s
sheer physicality;
the perfection of a feather;
the aerodynamic precision of
a wing; the tensile strength
of a beak – these things come
to Helen’s mind
when, on her
walks around
Clareville she
happens upon a
grounded birds
nest.
“Birds are the ultimate
builders and
architects,” said
Helen. “Nests that
can be so diaphanous
and tenuous
withstand almost
all weather, seldom
destroyed but
merely dislodged
from their resident
tree.
“Using any appropriate materials
they can find in nature
and then bits and pieces we
leave behind, they are skilfully
woven into structures that
work harmoniously within
their environment – maybe we
humans could learn a thing or
two from them.”
* Catch the pair’s evocative
exhibition at Avalon Art Gallery
in the Cinema Arcade; it
opens 6-8pm on Friday 14th
September with a special talk
given by Jacqui Marlow of
The Pittwater Natural Heritage
Association for the protection
of the Powerful Owl.
Back by popular demand
Northern beaches
artist Laurie
McKern is returning
to the rooms
of Eye Doctors
Mona Vale as their
feature exhibition
artist for Spring.
Laurie will
exhibit a different,
retrospective
series of original
artworks created
over the course
of two years. The
works illustrate
Laurie’s love of
different medium
including etchings,
acrylics and oils (image shown is The Storm Tree, an original
etching on paper).
Laurie says her restless nature impels her to experiment with
different media, with her love of storytelling, sense of humour
and harmonious use of colour at the core of her works.
You can view her stunning work on Level 3, 20 Bungan Street
Mona Vale from 9am-5pm Mon-Fri.
38 SEPTEMBER 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991