Deborah Martin
Fitzroy Library Space
28 October - 22 December 2006
Textured Memories
Rainbow Above, gouache on paper, 42 cm x 29.5 cm, 2003
Deborah had put together quite a large body of 29 works for the display cases and wall - paintings in gouache and oil, and drawings in pen and ink. Of her work she writes, “My art is my personal expression of my personal spiritual journey. My inspirations are received through meditation and contemplation.”
Most of Deborah’s works are gouache paintings in a linear, hard edged, decorative style. I feel that her use of fine lines in white and colours, and thicker bands of colours, to fill in areas of the works, shows a painstaking approach and no doubt enjoyment of the medium and colours. In Soul Flight, the bands of deep, rich reds and yellows against blues perhaps suggest aerial views of land and sea but could be parts of the psyche; the bird flying overhead could be actual or metaphorical.
Rainbow Falls, gouache, 69 cm x 89 cm, 2002
The intricately patterned areas in Rainbow Falls suggest foliage and plants, with the rainbow as a strong hard edged image. In Rainbow Above, a woman in a colourfully banded skirt raises her hands to the rainbow. The recurring theme of the rainbow appears again in Lady With Dolphins; the yellow gowned female form is the focal point under the rainbow, with water, fish, birds and a floating blue lady. The Swan is an abstracted form in limited palette but still in the decorative linear style.
Alight in Joy and Journey of Light are much lighter in palette, in bright yellows and pale blues, and pleasing use of repetitive patterning. Flying Towards the Sun is one of several coloured ink drawings - a whimsical, stylised, decoratively drawn sun and rays, with a hot air balloon and figure floating towards it. As well as the gouaches and drawings, Deborah has also added several traditional oils of sunsets, land and river scapes, making this a varied and interesting show.
Review by Cressida Fox