‘Walking Thru the Land’ : Inspiration from the Centre

 

Walking Thru the Land

Latest paintings by Meagan Jacobs

Gallery East, 21 Burnie St, Clovelly NSW

For those of you who know Meagan Jacobs you will know that she loves walking………… everywhere. At home along the beach in Mollymook  on the South Coast, and in the bush. So I think perhaps the title of her exhibition, Walking Thru the Land  has special significance to Meagan. The basis for this body of work, was inspired when she walked (and drew and painted ) the surrounding landscapes of Yuendumu, 280 kms northwest of Alice Springs.

This was Meagan’s 3^rd visit to the Warlukurlangu Art Centre, the longest running and most successful Aboriginal run art centre in Central Australia. It is famous for the colourful acrylic paintings produced by the artists from the community. The mixing of these countless colours was one of the tasks required of Meagan during her stay at the centre. The exhaustive week saw her managing the artists and the studio side of things. When most of the workers retreated to the comforts of Alice for the weekend, Meagan went walking.

Using oil paints and painting plein air ( outdoors on site) she walked and painted her way through 40 or so boards , ordering more before her several months stay was finished. Many are still in Meagan’s studio but 41 works made up this exhibition.

On entering Gallery East at Clovelly I am immediately struck by the strength and confidence of Meagan’s work. No mark or brush stoke is tentative.

 

 

The organic shapes, the intense yet delicate use of her colour palette are abstract but very much evocative of a harsh and beautiful landscape. Meagan has used strong earth colours of red oxides, sienna, ochres with several shades of magenta, teal and splashes of cobalt blue and soft lime green. The large flowing shapes appear solid and resilient but on closer viewing there is a beautiful translucency created through multiple layers of paint which suggests a silence, stillness or peacefulness amongst the unforgiving landscape.

 

 

 

Many of the smaller works in the exhibition were painted on site, in the heat and dust and their rawness and simple execution succeed in capturing Meagan’s connection to each place she painted. The spontaneity and freshness suggest an urgency to capture the light and the moment in time.

 

 

 

Her love of drawing finds a way into many works .The boards provided a robust surface for Meagan often being sanded and scraped , scratched and drawn into .

These lines bring a further element into each painting conveying recognizable elements. Her mark making is generous, comfortable and intuitive. Meagan has captured an authenticity and truthfulness in her observations and translations onto the canvas.

Meagan also uses collage to add texture and pattern.

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The few graphic drawings on paper are more representative with a gestural flamboyance suggesting confidence and an absolute love of drawing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was lovely to see red dots (sold) on many of her paintings. I think Meagan Jacobs is a talented artist we need to watch carefully in the future.

I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibition and chatting to Meagan and was inspired by her wonderful artworks. It was well worth the drive to Clovelly.

‘Walking Thru the Land’ was only open last weekend so to see more of Meagan’s work see the links below.

http://southcoastscribbler.blogspot.com.au/

http://www.meaganjacobs.com.au/#!media/c8pr

http://warlu.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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