A NOTE FROM THE ARTIST
When this exhibition was touted a year ago, as a direct result of the Radio National interview with Ed Ayers, it seemed that everything would go along as planned. This is my 39th solo show, it should have been straight forward. In fact, the systems in place, and the experience of the team at the Gympie Regional Gallery, made the preparation for this show one of the easiest ever.
I didn’t, however, anticipate suffering an eye injury late January, right at the time allocated for a new body of work about the current gender equality in the sheds. Paintings and drawings of a female shearer and shed-hands were curated out before they were even created.
Nor, like the rest of the world, did I anticipate the Coronavirus. The exhibition was hung the week before the Australia closed down. I am grateful to everyone at Gympie Regional Gallery for the attention to detail that meant that the exhibition is sitting there, perfectly presented, doing the Marie Celeste tango, all alone.
Hence this page.
If you didn’t get to Gympie, and I know so many of you wanted to, then you can see it here. It’s not going to have the same impact as a hands-on gallery visit, nor as many bubbles as an official opening. But I wanted to share it with you anyway. Perhaps this way more people will see it? Perhaps the stories this show has to tell needed a wider audience than simply those who could get there in person?
For whatever reason, here it is. Enjoy.
THANKYOU
My thanks to the current owners of several of the works in the exhibition who have lent them back for the duration. Likewise my thanks to the staff and volunteers of the Gympie Regional Gallery for all your excellent work.
Christine, Lismore, March 24, 2020