Artists’ exhibition considers the consequences

Painter Linda Gallus and ceramicist Kaye Clancy share a studio together in a character-filled, tiny 1860s cottage on Clancy’s property in Drysdale.

The old stove is the only warmth in winter, and the building certainly isn’t insulated, but it is a cosy inspiring space with a room at the front to display Clancy’s work for visitors.

Many of the walls are decorated colourfully with flyers from every exhibition Clancy has ever been to, except the back room, which is delightfully covered in pages from obsolete Melways volumes.

Clancy, a descendant of the Bangerang people, graduated in 1996 from RMIT Melbourne University in fine arts, majoring in ceramics and printmaking. Shee has been creating her whimsical ceramic birds, animals and figures for several years, and is familiar in Melbourne, Geelong and Kyneton, with many collectors drawn to the character she captures.

Clancy also runs workshops and is involved with school groups, many times featuring as an artist in residence, including Geelong Grammar, Geelong College, Carey Baptist Grammar School and Bellarine Secondary College.

Gallus has had a long career teaching art at Geelong College, Bacchus Marsh and beyond. Her painting career has ticked along beside this, but since retirement she has enjoyed having even more time to dedicate to her art.

In recent years, she has exhibited at the established Convent Gallery in Daylesford and The Hive in Ocean Grove. A highlight was her exhibition at the National Wool Museum in Geelong, The White Farm; and the acquisition of two of her paintings into their permanent collection.

This past year, a series of works capturing locations from Sidney Nolan’s “Wimmera” series was well received at two public regional galleries; Horsham and Mildura. This idea stemmed from a family connection between Nolan and her grandfather in his Dimboola store where Nolan had a studio.

In July, Consequences sees these two artists arrive at a poignant environmental statement from differing perspectives, as they consider the impact on our land from all things invasive.

The shipload of immigrants, with visions of the home they left behind, and no eyes for the beauty of the new and different land before them, is captured in the curation of the ceramics and paintings in a wonderful creative collaboration between the gallery and the artists.

The exhibition will run from today (Friday, June 30) to July 30 at The Hive Gallery Ocean Grove, 1/41 Smithton Grove, Ocean Grove.

Consequences will be opened by Bellarine Landcare’s Sophie Small tomorrow (Saturday, July 1) from 2-4pm in a free event where all are welcome to meet the artists.

For more information, head to thehiveoceangrove.com.au