Pittwater Life December 2020 Issue

Art Life
Art Life
Highly regarded art
dealer Michael Reid
OAM has fulfilled a
personal dream with the
opening of his new gallery
on Barrenjoey Road at
Newport.
“The gallery, Michael
Reid Northern Beaches,
has been in planning
for several years – we
have been searching
for the right space and
the optimum moment
to launch,” Michael told
Pittwater Life. “Simply
put, the real estate and time was right, and our creative
achievements had effectively outgrown our Headquarters
in Surry Hills.”
Michael Reid Northern Beaches will host Studio
Direct, which showcases a selection of high-quality
emerging Australian painters; and CLAY, a gateway for
inspiration, insights and the acquisition of collectible
ceramic and pottery art.
Biodiversity in high detail
Mona Vale-based visual artist Pamela
Pauline is busy preparing for her latest
Open Studio on December 12-13.
Pamela’s practice is informed by a lifelong
connection to nature; her photographic artworks
have become increasingly known for their focus
on Australiana, whether it be stunning ocean
vistas or our magnificent flora and fauna.
Pamela’s most recent bodies of work focus
on biodiversity, telling a story not often told -
that of Australian endangered flora as well as
threatened birdlife. Using her skills garnered
from nearly two decades as a professional
portrait and landscape photographer, Pamela’s
technique involves taking many photographs
and then carefully selecting, compositing and
layering to create the final highly detailed
compositions. Some of these artworks include
up to 150 photographs.
As a Master Photographer with the
Australian Institute of Professional
Photography (AIPP), she currently holds the
NSW Illustrative Photographer of the Year
title for her recent works on Australian flora
and fauna. She has also received numerous
national and international awards.
A keen bushwalker and nature lover, her
topical work explores the beauty of vulnerable
species to highlight Australia’s biodiversity
crisis with the aim of advancing conservation
programs. Drawing entirely from
photographs of living collections, these works
sit somewhere within conceptual, staged and
documentary photography.
* More info pamelapauline.com; also
Facebook and Instagram.
Michael Reid lands on Beaches
Both programs are
directed by curator and
author Amber Creswell
Bell and offer a unique
collecting experience that
connects art collectors
with artists at the
developing stages of their
creative careers.
“Audiences can look
forward to an exciting
and evolving program
of exhibitions which
will changeover every
fortnight,” Michael
explained.
Michael Reid Northern Beaches completes Michael’s suite
of art galleries, alongside Michael Reid Sydney in Surry
Hills; Michael Reid Berlin in Germany; and Michael Reid
Murrurundi in the Upper Hunter of New South Wales.
* Find Michael Reid Northern Beaches at 2/358 Barrenjoey
Road Newport. Open Wednesday to Sunday 10am-
5pm (Sundays by appointment); michaelreidstudiodirect.
com.au and michaelreidclay.com.au
Pod & pod summer schedule
This summer will be very different for
our local artists but Julie Hickson of
pod & pod will still be showcasing her
works – with only one market locked in,
Julie has plans for two local Open Studios,
on successive Sundays December 6 and 13
from 10am-4pm.
With COVID-19 restrictions in place,
check podandpod.com.au for details and
info on distanced time slots on both days.
Further, on New Year’s Day Julie will be
busy loading in for her solo show of new
work at Be Brave Artspace in Avalon.
“This gem of a gallery located on Careel
Head Road has upstairs and downstairs
spaces, perfect to exhibit my new graphic,
organic abstractions of Australian seed
pods at entry level,” Julie said.
Since her artist’s residency at The
Australian PlantBank in 2018, Julie has
continued to interpret x-ray photography
and find ways of depicting the interior
landscapes of gum nuts, pods and seeds
(pictured ‘converge l wattle’).
Expect recent pod & pod botanical works
featuring the large Wiriyagan - Banksia
Serrata triptych which at 2.4 metres
wide is Julie’s largest artwork on canvas.
Market goodies with large and smaller
prints, framed prints, tea towels and other
giftware will also be available.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions there won’t
be an opening night – but Julie says there’s
still the opportunity to drop in and discuss
her new work with her in person. – NW
* Visit daily from January 2-9 (10am to
4pm); Be Brave Artspace, 5-7 Careel Head
Road, Avalon.
Hazel eyes botanical beauty
You could call talented oil
paint artist Hazel Chien
a late bloomer – she didn’t
pick up a paint brush again
until her 40s, when all of her
three children had finished
high school!
Hazel – Eye Doctors Mona
Vale’s Summer Feature Artist
– was born in Taiwan before
moving to Australia with her
family in 2001.
“Ever since I can remember,
I have always wanted
to be an artist – as a child, I
drew and painted with any
scrap material I could find in
a poor and scarce environment,”
she said.
Growing up, she longed
to attend an art school to
pursue her passion, but like
many artists, her parents had
other plans and this dream
went unfulfilled.
With her children’s schooling
complete, Hazel began
her artistic path with Botanical
Art – she was fortuitously
mentored by the famous Beverly
Allen at the workshops
of The Royal Botanic Garden.
She also took workshops
with distinguished Blue
Mountains artist John Wilson;
it was there she developed
amazing techniques of oil
painting on Australian landscape.
Hazel says she thoroughly
enjoys playing with the
different textures of these
medium.
“I am always looking to
achieve a high degree of accuracy
and realism,” she said.
“I am particularly passionate
about colour, composition
and aesthetics and I keep my
creative work spirited and
vivacious by seeking inspiration
evoked by emotion and
atmosphere.”
Hazel loves to travel and
many inspirations are drawn
from these adventures.
She strongly believes that
ideas and inspirations are
everywhere.
“All you have to do is look,
and you’ll find your Muse
even in the most unlikely
places.” – Nigel Wall
* View Hazel’s art at Eye
Doctors Mona Vale from
Monday Nov 30 through
end February (9am-5pm);
Level 3, 20 Bungan Street
Mon Vale.
Art Life
56 DECEMBER 2020
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
DECEMBER 2020 57