CAS at Carringbush
Carringbush Hotel, 228 Langridge St, Abbotsford
27 September until 7 October 2023
Review by Vida Ryan
Opening night - Wednesday 27 September 2023
A lovely night was had by all who attended the exhibition at the Carringbush Hotel (Abbotsford, Melbourne) on Wednesday. There were 28 works exhibited, each expressing different genre’s in acrylic, pencil, ink, oil and mixed medium.
On entering the dinning area, many people were enjoying a meal from the vegan menu and viewing the art, thoughtfully hung on the red brick walls. The open fire was on and everyone was enjoying being together listening to the fine piano music played brilliantly by Lachie Smith in the background. The meals I must say were really good and the staff were very attentive and friendly.
A painting was purchased on the night by a gentleman who saw it at Carringbush on the previous night. The painting by Soo Swan Goh, titled 'Our Hearts innermost recess’, is done in a mixed medium. The artist's comment about the painting is that it symbolises the sanctuary concealed within our soul's depth. The painting also was the winner of first prize in the CAS Annual Exhibition last month. Congratulations to Soo Swan Goh.
From the left: Thalia Andrews titled 'Snow Storm', Karen Foley titled ‘Fiji' on top and 'Tropical Rainforest' on bottom, far right sold painting by Soo Swan Goh titled 'Our hearts inner most recess'.
There were many interesting works displayed, from beautifully executed still lifes, abstract, linocut, watercolours and inks just to name a few, each expressing the artists' thoughts about nature and some amusing analogies on the things that make us laugh, also reflections on the more serious side, what challenges the individual, and change with our natural world.
Barbra Gambin’s ink drawing called 'In waiting’ was an interesting character, sitting with oversized features and gazing with a forlorn look and the character's arm hanging off the knee gives the viewer the sense that the waiting is taking its toll.
Edgar Gambin's work titled ’The last breakfast before supper’ is a small acrylic finely done with a thick black and gold lined frame which takes the eye into the the scene of the egg shaped world sitting in a child’s egg cup with a duck motif standing on a green base. A silver spoon lying beside with a red to burgundy background. The simplicity of the composition speaks volumes and can get the viewer thinking about the the children of the world and what the future holds, many analogies can be thought of whether that be feeding the world and caring for those who don’t have enough to eat, to todays exploration of the world's resources and what holds for the future.
Top: Edgar Gambin titled 'The last breakfast before supper’. Below: Barbara Gambin titled ‘In waiting’.
Sveta Chay’s works in acrylic, 'Still life’ with a feminine head glass bowl of flowers, and 'Summer dreams’ with ripe cut paw paw fruit with a cherry holding the composition together, is sensuious and expresses feminine vitality. The pastel colours are warm and inviting and the black seeds reflecting the light draw the eye into the abundence of life. There were many works one can talk about, I have just covered a few. If you get the opportunity to go and see the exhibition, it runs until 7 October 2023.
Left: Kathe Bibi Ostermark titled: 'How to get off your high horse’. Middle (Top): Sveta Chay titled 'Still Life with an emerald ring'. Middle (bottom): Sveta Chay titled 'Summer Dreams’. Right: Vida Ryan titled 'Floral Interlude'.
Left to right; Robert Lee titled ‘Moire111’, Kylie Castan (two watercolours), top titled ‘Springtime’, below titled 'Poetic posie’. Soo Swan Goh titled 'Nuwa-Pillars of Heaven'. Far right: Susan Gustafson titled 'Twelve Apostles - Victoria'.
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