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For the past five years, Fiona Barrett-Clark has looked to the changing skies for inspiration to create her paintings.
And unlike a photo of an incredible sunset (which never seems to capture the magical beauty of the real thing), Fiona knows how to do these ephemeral scenes justice.
Her distinctive style of ‘pared-back realism’ is something that she’s always played with in her painting practice — from back when she studied a diploma of fine arts right out of high school, to her years painting on the side while working an office job.
But the story behind these contemporary landscapes really started with a piece she created for the Little Things Art Prize in 2017. It caught the eye of Saint Cloche gallery owner Kitty Clark, who encouraged Fiona to create more scenes depicting her suburban Sydney neighbourhood.
‘The timing was perfect, with two young kids — and then later Covid-19 — I was incredibly lucky to have my subject matter right outside my door,’ Fiona says. ‘I have just become more and more inspired by it.’
‘On any given day I can walk out my door a see the most incredible views. It’s like seeing fireworks every day. Even when it’s cloudy there is usually a moment that is sublime.’
Behind each one of her oil paintings on plywood, there’s a series of photos Fiona has taken on her nightly walks at dusk, in search of her next painting. She paints the sky all in one session, leaving it to dry for weeks until returning to add in the foreground, filling in details like electricity lines, street lamps, or shadowy treetops that make her works feel so nostalgically familiar, and uniquely Australian.
Fiona has created 15 original paintings for her TDF Collect show, Dusk, and we can’t wait to show you them in person.
The exhibition opens on Thursday September 12th (if you’re Melbourne based, please join us and Fiona, for opening night drinks), but online pre-sales for this beautiful collection of work are open now!
See the full catalogue of artworks here and email art@thedesignfiles.net to purchase.
Dusk
TDF Collect
14 Little Oxford Street
Collingwood, VIC
Opening night:
Thursday September 12, 5.30pm – 7.30pm
Exhibition dates:
Friday September 13, 10am – 4pm
Saturday September 14, 10am – 4pm
Sunday September 15, CLOSED
Monday September 16, 10am – 4pm
Tuesday September 17, 10am – 4pm
For all artwork sales and enquiries please contact art@thedesignfiles.net and we’ll get back to you ASAP.
TDF Collect exhibitions are generously supported by Dulux, Bodriggy, Minimum Wines and TINA.
