Contemporary Showcase VII

 The latest CAS group show on at the Decoy Café, “Contemporary Showcase VII”, has a diversity of palettes. On the ground floor bright hues dominate. Heather King’s strong primary colours in Same Place, Different Time and The Affair evoke strong emotions. The rich, clear colours of Acoustic Movement by Karen Foley reflect the crisp notes of the guitar depicted, in a distorted grid. The bright contrasts and complementary colours in Minder by Antonietta Sanfilippo nudge against up against each other in soft, thick lines and shapes. In a quiet spot under the stairs Sea Dance by Dawn Cole gently undulates in warm pinks and muted bluey-greens. The shapes of seaweed, fish and seahorses float in and out of each other. Some of the same tones are also seen in the atmospheric Old City of Quebec by Jenny Scholes. The multi-layered Find Your Way Home and Breatheby Cheryle Bannon have rich, intricate colours.

 

 

Heading towards the stairs we find some natural tones in A New Rhythm by Rosemary Mangiamele. On the stairs the browns and greens of nature are more evident with Framed by Kathe Bibi Ostermark, The Fledgling by Dawn Cole, Bay and Inlet by George Eustice, and the ethereal The Woman Standing on a Precipice by Eva Miller. Adding some other hues are the blues in Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk by Kathe Bibi Ostermark, and the variety of pinks in Blossom Mist II by Karen Foley.

 

Upstairs, more restrained tones are evident. The city and its dreams are grouped together in darks and greys in Sleeping City and Tropical Sunset by Nathan Moshinsky, Dimensional Diversity by Ria Timms, and A Melbourne Evening by Jenny Scholes. The mysteries of nature are then explored in Ancient Mysteries by Rosemary Mangiamele, the eerie Abyss by Sarah Friedman, and Misty Autumn Morn, Yarra Valley and The Bride and Groom, Stones Winery, Yarra Valley by Ian Whitford. Interspersed are the colour-treats of Glamour by Sarah Friedman, Composition in Green by Eva Miller, and Inseparable Elements by Ria Timms.

 

 

In summary, this show of 27 works by 14 artists provides something of interest for most colour-tastes. Plus you can enjoy it all with a nice pot of tea.

Report by Shelley Vincent