LOCAL artists John Andrews and Meg Tulk are bringing their exhibition, “The Spirit of Nature”, to the Gloucester Gallery, where it will be on show from 22 April.
The Spirit of Nature is the pair’s second joint exhibition in the Gloucester Gallery.
Andrews has been painting since the age of twelve, accumulating decades of experience, whilst Tulk has dedicated herself seriously to the craft for only four years.
The two artists met three years ago, and on a visit to Tulk’s farm, Andrews admired the artwork on the walls and asked Tulk if she would like to exhibit with him.
“It took a great deal of persuasion,” Tulk recalled.
“Since that first exhibition,” Andrews told News Of The Area, “Meg’s work has gone from strength to strength.”
Andrews cites his mother as the greatest influence on his artistic journey.
“We lived on a remote farm, but my mother made sure her four children learned to paint and appreciate culture.”
Both Andrews and Tulk speak of their love of the natural world, the turning of the seasons, and the extraordinary scope that nature offers the artist, from realistic to abstract interpretations.
Nature is the unifying element of this exhibition, yet each artist has a unique style that encourages viewers to observe nature from different perspectives.
Andrews recalls a particularly memorable moment when a neighbour at Uralla, having seen one of his exhibitions, came up to the gate and offered, “I still don’t like abstracts, but that was the only way you could have represented that rough bit of country.”
Meg enjoys playing with colour using a wet-on-wet technique that enables the colours to “move and blend on the canvas”.
“My paintings are highly colourful, based on realistic forms but not necessarily realistic colours,” said Tulk.
Tulk’s commitment to the natural world does not end with the canvas; it extends even to her frames.
“All the frames have been crafted from timber collected and milled right here on our farm,” she said.
Oil on hardboard dominated Andrews’ earlier work, though he has since made the transition to acrylics, a medium he finds far more versatile.
“Acrylics can be used in a watercolour style or a thick impasto depending on the subject or feeling I wish to evoke,” he said.
The Spirit of Nature will be formally opened on Sunday, 26 April at 11am at the Gloucester Gallery.
All are welcome, and entry is free.
By Wendy BUSWELL
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