Article by Marina Marangos
I am not a painter but I am always interested to see how others hone their craft so I accepted an invitation to see Terry Swann talking about her watercolours.
https://www.terryswann.com.au/
I asked a lot of questions and she was kind enough to answer all of them from how she started in watercolours, (she was terrible in oils) to her grounding in drawing and being a curious young thing which took her out camping and exploring and doing her art en plein air. She is largely self taught in her own technique but is generous about sharing her tips with some interested females. She was nurtured along the way by Gisele Scheinberg https://www.jwire.com.au/obituary-gisella-scheinberg-oam/ a famous gallery owner in Sydney, who taught her how to run a business and how to be ethical and how to do paintings her own way. Through her and her famous gallery she shared exhibitions with Arthur Boyd and Margaret Ollie.
She spent time in far north Queensland with an Aboriginal community and recently went back to present the mayor with one of her paintings.
She has travelled to many remote parts of Australia, sometimes with other artists painting the landscape, the water lillies, the woolly lillies, the gum trees and the Wollemi pines. The link above will give you a good insight into her art.
On the wall a painting which was a little different – painted when she listened to Rusalka, Djovark’s opera and the Song to the Moon. “The Song to the Moon” mirrors the story of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid and French legend Mélusine, Rusalka tells the story of a water nymph who yearns for the love of a mortal prince and sacrifices her voice to a witch. From listening came the inspiration for her painting and this is what I admire about the creative spirit. You never know from where that inspiration will come. And sometimes knowing that story gives you a deeper appreciation of the art work.
Some of the art work has Australian water lilies and woolly lillies which are tall aquatic plants resembling irises.
Can you see them in the bottom left hand corner of the painting she is holding up ? She painted them while we watched.
The gallery always houses interesting art work -I was totally taken by the Gordon Studio Glassblowers. The ones below evocative of a swirling sea and sunsets over the sands.
Such a delightful morning – thank you https://redhillgallery.com.au/
