THE SOLO SHOW
Mike Barr's painting titled 'Winter Buses - Currie Street’
The Solo Show (Blog by Mike Barr)
Near the mouth of Australia’s largest river, lies the serine river port of Goolwa and not far away is Goolwa Beach - one of the most amazing beaches in the world.
If your in Goolwa for the day, you’re sure to visit the river, the beach, the bakery or have lunch at the Corio, maybe afternoon tea at Hectors on the Wharf, and of course you just have to do Artworx!
Artworx Gallery and Gifts came into being in 2005 and has gained the reputation of being the Fleurieu Peninsula’s best – and for good reason.
Artworx has a wide-range of unique pick-up-and-buy gifts as well as original paintings, sculptures, handmade original furniture, glassware and jewellery by local and interstate artists. It’s big main gallery and four other gallery rooms provide adventure for art lovers and gift-buyers alike. It truly has something for everyone!
In 2021 Artworx presented their first solo exhibition and it was a great success.
Late in 2021 I was invited together with Tina my wife to have concurrent solo exhibitions in May 2022.
Having been a foundation artist since its inception in 2005, it has been my dream to have a solo showing here. It was not really practical when the gallery only had two rooms back then, but with its later expansion, new owners Belinda and Steve have stood on the shoulders of previous owners and taken the plunge - Artworx has come of age in the exhibition world.
Solo exhibitions come about through concentrated effort by the artist and gallery at considerable cost to both. It’s both an investment and gamble by both parties, with no guarantees of success.
What solo shows do though, is bring a focus.
It is a focus by the gallery on one artist and as I like to say, “an artist works never looks better than when they are hanging together”. It’s definitely a showcase of the artists intentions with their art and often will show a definite theme in subject and in style.
Something interesting happens when an artist has a solo show to aim for. Apart from the investment in materials that has to be made, the artist often finds a rhythm in their work that might go missing at other times. The accumulation of consecutive works for a specific purpose has a life and momentum all of its own and it shows in the body of work. In this sense, solo shows are a unique opportunity for artist and buyer alike.
The works have been done, framed, delivered several weeks ago and now await the expert hanging by the gallery.
Seeing your own solo show for the first time in a gallery is an emotional moment for artists. Even though we have created and lived with the paintings, we don’t really see them until the hanging! It’s an experience that we never forget.
Our solo show ‘Impressionist Adelaide’ begins on Sunday May 15th and run up till June 10th, 2022 at Artworx Gallery & Gifts at Goolwa. Details of the show are on the Artworx website – artworxgallery.com.au
- Mike Barr