‘… art has seven functions: to help us remember the good; to give us hope; to remind us that sadness is part of existence; to rebalance us; to help us understand ourselves; to connect us to the experiences of others and to look at mundane life in new ways.’
So said philosophers Alain de Botton and John Armstrong in their book ‘Art as Therapy’. Or so it was quoted by Jean Flynn in an article she wrote about art and decluttering. Flynn, a teacher of art history at TAFE, said she would never consider getting rid of any art when she’s decluttering because it all sparks joy. And I’d have to say, that’s enough for me!
I’ve had a particularly joyful January, too! Usually (by design) a pretty quiet month for me, this year it’s been full and fantastic, thanks largely to catch-ups with friends and family, preparing for the year ahead with a variety of art events, and a few wonderful and memorable visits to the theatre. Admittedly the first was towards the end of last year, but ‘RBG: Of Many, One’ (the story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, played brilliantly by Heather Mitchell), was extraordinary – she was extraordinary, not least of all because she was the sole actor for the entire performance.
Next, ‘Amadeus’ – wow! Welsh actor Michael Sheen (who played Salieri) and Rahel Romahn (Mozart) were, like Mitchell in RBG, better than I could have imagined, and the costumes, exquisitely beautiful. And then I saw ‘Room’. I don’t think I could have chosen three better theatrical events to go to over summer. Part of the Sydney Festival, ‘Room’ was wonderfully weird and I couldn’t begin to tell you what it was about because it made little sense at all. That said, it seemed to focus on a man – an architect – who was trying to design a room. Swiss performer James Thierrée (playing this architect) is the grandson of Charlie Chaplin, and great grandson of playwright Eugene O’Neill, so has performance in his blood. And he had a cast of incredibly talented people with him. He was mesmerising, and it was all great fun!
I also went on a three-hour cruise, which fortunately didn’t end up with us being shipwrecked on a desert island as it did for Gilligan all those decades ago! The Riverboat Postman delivers mail to those living on the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney, who are unable to get regular mail deliveries, and it takes passengers as well as mail bags! The reason I went is because I will be exhibiting at ‘The Cottage’ in Brooklyn later in the year, and so it was an opportunity (read ‘excuse’) to see more of the area, take lots of photos and get inspired! I’m planning on painting another little ‘Postcards from …’ series – this one ‘Postcards from the Riverboat’ – and am just getting started on that now.
And it’s just been confirmed - I will also be exhibiting as part of an exhibition called ‘Embrace’ at Gallery Lane Cove in April. More to come on that next month.
As well …
Biblio Art Prize continues at Blarney Books & Art, 37 James Street, Port Fairy, Victoria, to the end of February
‘Earth unframed’ at Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen, ACT, from Friday 10 February to Sunday 26 March
Northern Beaches Rotary Art Show at Mona Vale Memorial Hall, Mona Vale, NSW, from Friday 24 to Sunday 26 February
Ku-ring-gai Art Society Autumn Exhibition at The Gallery, St Ives Shopping Village, NSW, from Monday 13 to Sunday 26 March
‘Embrace’ at Gallery Lane Cove, 164 longueville Road, Lane Cove, NSW, from Wednesday 5 to Saturday 29 April
Sydney Royal Easter Show, Homebush NSW, from Thursday 6 to Monday 17 April
Wingecarribee Prize for Landscape Art at the Bowral Art Gallery, 1 Short St, Bowral, NSW, from Saturday 8 to Sunday 23 April
Anderson Art Award at The Gallery, 81 Marine Drive, Tea Gardens, NSW, from Friday 14 to Sunday 30 April
‘The Cottage’, 10 Dangar Street, Brooklyn, NSW, Saturday 27 May to Sunday 2 July
Until next month.