Revisiting Tonya Graham's Studio

In preparation for our 2017 F.O.O.D. Week exhibition On Common Ground I'd like to revisit our 2015 studio visits with two of the artists involved.  Tonya Graham exhibited with us back in 2015 with Nina Machielse-Hunt for Tango.  I visited Tonya at her beautiful Millthorpe home and studio to find out more about her practice at the time.  You can see the full story here. 

Tonya has been hard at work creating new pieces for On Common Ground, our F.O.O.D. Week exhibition. This is what she had to say about the new work and her connection to our local landscape:

"The landscape is always changing, the seasons, the times of day. Layers of landscape, folding and rolling into the distance; rows of trees, patches of paddocks, lines of road. For each of us different shapes or colours standout even when we are looking at the same view. These artworks are glimpses or snap shots of what I see, what I have collected.

We are usually moving through the landscape: driving, riding, walking, not absorbing all the details. While we move we are usually absorbed in our thoughts and moods, what we see is affected by what we are feeling, colours details, textures, rhythm. The landscape around us leaves a quick imprint as we pass through it.

I have 3 pairs of paintings, each capturing the same environment at a different time in my life, each a glimpse or an imprint.

The collages are made up of what I have picked up, I enjoy the brining together of materials that aren’t a usual combination. Collages fit together like the landscape, unusual textures and colours together exploring random association to create an unusual harmony."

- Tonya Graham

On Common Ground opens Thursday April 6 - 23 with an Opening Night on Friday April 7th 6-8pm. Local wines to be supplied by Faisan Estate and canapes on arrival, we'd love to see you there!