Mr Kerry Bartlett, Member for Macquarie officially launched the captivating new exhibition of Cathryn McEwen’s artwork at Gallery BC Mt Victoria on 18th June 2006. The work of Cathryn McEwen captures intimate moments in time and allows us to connect and witness the power of the personalities she portrays . Her images of animals, still life, and tightly cropped figures create an arresting and often emotional response from the viewer. Her paintings and drawings have a "hyperreality" about them. There is a sense of humour in some, and a mystery in others. The "personalities" of inanimate objects and creatures emerge through clever cropping and distortion.
The official opening of this exhibition will have special significance to the Macquarie electorate with the commissioned painting of Mr Henry Edwin [Ed] Smith being present for its first and only public exhibition. Ed was a direct descendant of James Blackman who built Bowman Cottage in Windsor 1815-1817, one of the earliest surviving cottages in the Hawkesbury and who was District Constable of the Richmond area from 1819 to1820. Blackman also pioneered the Hartley to Mudgee area. Closer to home Governor Macquarie’s secretary J.T Campbell had as his convict servant Ed’s other great great grandfather John aka Richard Smith whose son became a pioneer of the Oberon area. The Smith’s were well supported by Governor Macquarie and have a strong bond with this area. Cathryn was commissioned by Ed’s family to paint the memorial painting of Ed following his death last year in June.
Ed’s daughter Vivienne Cunningham-Smith said “ Cath has the ability to capture the true soul of her subject whether that be my father proudly sitting atop his horse or the chicken lined up in Turkey with a row of pigeons pretending not to be different and not to be noticed! A sentiment my father would have approved of I dare say! Looking at his portrait I’m still looking into dad’s face seeing his soul , his love of the land & nature and the “pride of being” that so typified him. This quality shines in all of Cath’s work”.
Cathryn is an artist, teacher, illustrator and art director living in Sydney (since 1984). Prior to this Cathryn exhibited widely in her native Canada. Cathryn is currently teaching Full Time in Visual Communications at Insearch which is affiliated with the University of Technology, Sydney.
Cathryn McEwen has been a Portfolio Artist at absolutearts.com since February 2006. View more of her art at http://www.absolutearts.com/portfolios/c/cathrynmcewen/
IMAGE
Cathryn McEwen
Sheepish, 2006
Oil Painting,
80 x 60 X 40 cm
Price: US$ 1000
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