Garden surrounds go on show

THE Hive curator Karen Spreadborough said May was a time to reminisce on the incredible experiences at The RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

“Following 11 wonderful years, COVID put an end to our travels there with Will Wilson’s bronze sculptures.

“This had me dreaming about a re-creation of the garden theme a little closer to home, previously touched on in 2021 with an exhibition of Jo Reitze’s gouache series of paintings of the Cloudehill Garden in the Dandenongs.”

The seed was sown and Reitze will return to the gallery this month, this time with bold, lush, oil paintings of her own garden, which is an ongoing source of inspiration throughout her long artistic career.

The shadows and dappled light are explored, the myriad of patterns, bold colour and the soothing mix of greens in a style of her own that is hard to pigeonhole.

Reitze was a finalist in the Geelong Contemporary Art Prize in 2021 but has also received acknowledgement in more traditional prizes such as A.M.E. Bale Prize, MSWPS, the VAS, and is now showing in 25, celebrating the Whitehorse Civic Collection of Art, alongside the likes of Frederick McCubbin.

Joining her is the talented Alexandra Lewisohn, first introduced to the gallery by her highly regarded artist and naturalist uncle Richard Weatherly.

Lewisohn’s paintings, like her garden, are a key part of what grounds her soul and occupies her time. Despite limited opportunities for painting more recently, and a shift from Daylesford to Melbourne, she has been able to paint some of her best works to date.

Only seven paintings create “The Lamp series,” delicate gouache paintings of interior vignettes styled with a selection of flowers from Lewisohn’s own garden and a choice of objects from her growing collection.

A touch of whimsy, a barrowload of beauty and intricate attention to pattern and details all feature strongly.

Together, these two fine artists will exhibit in Surrounds, a depiction of beauty found both inside and out.

The exhibition will run from The Hive, 41 Smithton Grove, Ocean Grove from today (Friday, May 5) until May 28 with an opening tomorrow (Saturday, May 6) from 2-4pm.

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