Contemporary Showcase 18

A selection of recent works by CAS Inc. Members

Decoy Café Bar Gallery, 303 Exhibition St, Melbourne

6 March to 1 June 2017

Review by Shelley Vincent

This exhibition of 24 works, by 10 artists, largely consists of pieces inspired by or depicting nature. They range in size and scope. From the large "Coastal Landscape" by Bruce Webb to an intimate still life of apples ("Royal Gala", by Raluca Racoti). "Landscapes" by Neda Starac is small in size but evokes wide expanses. It also appears to use a marbling technique to create what could be aerial shots of a distant landscape.

Royal Gala, oil on stretched canvas, 30 x 26 cm, by Raluca Racoti

Various creatures appear in some pieces. There is the delightfully invented one in 'Tree Creature" by Cressida Fox. A mythical being is imagined in "Water Nymph" by Graham Edwards. There are also realistic depictions of some big cats in the pieces by Lilly Antoneavic - a curious ocelot, a prowling panther and regal puma.

Baghera the Panther, pastel on canvas paper, 18 x 25 cm, by Lilly Antoneavic

Our Earth, acrylic, 61 x 76 cm, by Kathy Best

Some pieces remind us of the preciousness of the planet we live on, such as "Our Earth" by Kathy Best. Or they can celebrate the mystery of nature as in the works by Vicki Lam. These works incorporate resin, with mixed media, which gives them an otherworldly appearance. Still other pieces may remind us of places we have been or would like to go to, such as "Burano 3" and "Burano Boats" by Bruce Webb.

Autumnfell, mixed media & resin, 65 x 55 cm, by Vicki Lam

Mangroves, fabric, net & threads, 47 x 35 cm, by Maryla Juchnowski

A variety of materials have been used in the pieces. Maryla Juchnowski has combined fabric, net and threads to create a mysterious and textured landscape in "Mangroves". Pia Maganov has used sweeps of acrylic paint to create her energetic canvases. Oil paint has been used effectively in many works, some to create interesting textures. The use of pastel on canvas paper in Lilly Antoneavic's "Baghera the Panther" gives the work a lovely soft, fur-like texture.

A New Beginning, acrylic on canvas, 61 x 61 cm, by Pia Maganov

All these works can be enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee in the lively atmosphere of the Decoy Café.