Erica Grey imparts that the depictions in her current exhibition further her visual ruminations of what Home represents both functionally and symbolically, as well as that which may lie Beyond.
“Whilst I live on the Gold Coast close to the seaside, my vistas are essentially imagined and full of nostalgia,” she relays. “Scenes with white timber houses, vintage French furnishings and lush tropical gardens are recalled. A vast memory bank of imagery, sometimes from armchair travels of television shows and styling magazines, is reinterpreted into new visions of my ideal home.”
“The views out to sea and islands are mostly imagined although some foliage reflects elements from my own garden,” Erica furthers. “When I look out the windows I see our orange Tulip Tree, red Hibiscus shrubs, Bird of Paradise plants and tall palms. I have now come to realise that these outdoor spaces interact with and positively enhance my perception of a comfort zone. They have inspired a re-evaluation of the notion of Home.”
Erica informs that the painterly process towards pictorial outcomes unfolds in a largely intuitively way. Layers of multi-hued acrylic medium and decorative patterns evince her musings and reveries. Apart from the paintings, the exhibition also features stitched works fixed over framed canvas. “Little snapshots of homes, a balance between soft and rigid material. Odes to the abode,” she declares. “I relish quiet painting and sewing times, they’re therapeutic. The processes used are meditative and a way of reflecting on my place in the world.”
“Life is a journey and often a quest to find balance amidst uncertainty,” Erica opines. “It’s important to celebrate precious moments like spending time with family, friends and pets. Even routine, mundane things should be enjoyed.
My works aspire to thread together the narrative of a whimsical existence, one that evokes a pleasurable sense of place and home. I hope that the imagery’s interplay ushers the viewer beyond everyday concerns and into a transcendent domain.”
JACQUELINE HOUGHTON
An award-winning soft sculpture and wearables artist, Erica has also been a finalist in important portrait prizes including the Moran National Portrait Prize, Perceval Portrait Prize and the Hurford Hardwood Portrait Prize. She was once again a finalist in the 2020 Tamworth Textile Triennial touring exhibition with a wall-hung crochet sculpture. In 2011 and 2017 she gained the award for Artistic Excellence in Townsville’s Strand Ephemera Sculpture exhibition with aquatic themed, soft sculptural forms.
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