General News
29 September, 2022
Worlds collide for latest Gallery 127 exhibition
Throughout October Avoca’s Gallery 127 will showcase the art of two well known locals as part of the Rabbit Holes and Recollections exhibition, beginning tomorrow. The works of Maryborough-based artist Chris Orr and Havelock’s Jill Wyers will be...
Throughout October Avoca’s Gallery 127 will showcase the art of two well known locals as part of the Rabbit Holes and Recollections exhibition, beginning tomorrow.
The works of Maryborough-based artist Chris Orr and Havelock’s Jill Wyers will be on show throughout the month — with the works of both artists showing a contrast of different mediums, styles and content.
With a background in commercial graphic design, Mr Orr later decided to take up painting and has now been at the easel for the past 20 years.
His impressionistic works offer a personal insight into his travels both near and far and said his impressionistic depictions of locations will strike a chord with viewers.
“This exhibition for me is all about recollections — places I’ve been, the experiences I’ve had and how I’ve documented those through art,” he said.
“It’s my own recollections of my personal life that cut through the paintings.
“This isn’t me saying I’ve been everywhere man, it’s showing what grabbed me and the art is really an analysis of why and in a lot of cases, that is something that speaks to others as well.”
Mr Orr said he was inspired to start painting by an exhibition he saw in Tasmania and that over the past 20 years, has painted for himself.
“It’s now almost 20 years since I started painting, I remember going to an art exhibition in Tasmania and thinking ‘I can do this’, so I went off on my own and made a start.
“I paint for myself and I always have and if people see my art and make the connection with it, well and good and if not, somebody else will.
“I think that with any painting anyone does, it’s just got to find its buyer.”
While there’s no obvious visual connection between the two exhibiting artists’ work, Mr Orr said Ms Wyers is his sister-in-law and her work follows a distinctly different path compared to his own.
A qualified artist and teacher, Ms Wyers’ work is largely inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and her own childhood and adolescent experiences, with her works comprised of constructed photographic works, acrylic paintings and printmaking.
“This is the first exhibition I’ve done with Jill, who is my sister-in-law,” Mr Orr said.
“I have always admired Jill’s work, even since before I met my wife (her sister) because it is just so different to mine.
“I think this particular exhibition has its merits because it’s kind of black and white — our work is almost at opposite ends of the spectrum.”
The Rabbit Holes and Recollec-tions exhibition will run from tomorrow, Saturday, October 1 until October 31, with an official opening with light refreshments taking place from 2 pm tomorrow.
Gallery 127 is located at 13-15 York Avenue, Avoca, and is open Friday to Monday from 11 am until 4 pm.