…..The Collection
art on country
Since leaving Prahran College of Advanced Education in 1975 Diploma in Art & Design, majoring in Drawing and Sculpture.
I have marked many canvases in the visual and performing arts: theatre, film, television, Rock’ n Roll ( Midnight Oil & The Sunrize Band – Maningrida Arnhem Land ) and at State and National institutions: Artback Northern Territory Arts Touring, National Gallery of Australia, Tiwi Islands Shire Council - as some exciting highlights.
All my life I have maintained an avid interest in drawing as a discipline that informs / forms the basis of my creativity.
2021 Denise Officer - organised an artist camp at Pitcairn Station Mid North South Australia - dry arid country owned by the Sawers family - 4th generation pastoralists engaged in regenerative sustainable farming practices - John R Walker, landscape artist was invited to lead and inspire a group of SA regional artists. These videos record the camp and the resulting 2 exhibtions and inspired Denise’s SALA exhibition Are we there yet? featuring works on paper of Pitcairn Station.
Reviews
Are we there yet? The Exhibition… takes its name from the incessant question from kids in the back of the car; the upcoming referendum; and/or from Ithaka, a poem by the distinguished Greek poet C. P. Cavafy.
Are we there yet? features the work of three artists based in and around Burra in mid-north South Australia.
-
Description text goes herReview by Anastasia Papadopoulos
Are we there yet? The exhibition of the same name opened to great fanfare with an animated discussion on the title – it’s ultimate relevance today and that possibly we are always on the journey.
This journey has been successful artistically and is generating sales for this volunteer-run gallery.
A highlight of the new display is a wall of Officer’s green and orange pastel and gouache landscape works created around Pitcairn Station Mid North East SA - after a big rain in 2022, particularly the Pitcairn Climb series – showing a large vision of the hills -perhaps portraits of similar views repeated until she felt she ‘got there’
Officer’s Manunda Creek series, drawn in ochre, blue and white, is of the dry, arid underground creek that courses its way through the country; its imagery is a contrast to the seasonal wet of the Pitcairn Climb series.
These works are well executed, presented together double hung, and look impressive.
Along with these are a collection of watercolours inspired by the Glenelg River
Western Victoria with several peaceful, expansive sea views of NT Larrakia
Country, Buffalo Creek, and Lee Point that have been subject to a campaign to prevent Defence housing being erected on Aboriginal Land.
There are Chinese concertina books on display that Officer uses in the field Plein air to capture the essence of her views. Out and about with a book and a pot of ink, paint and a long-tipped brush or stick produces these interesting and collectable items. They are displayed elegantly on builders' scaffolding.
It is a co-cohesive body of work and well worth a visit – The SALA exhibition is on until Sunday, 17 September, at Burra Regional Art Gallery.
SALA artist Denise Officer will make the gallery her studio on two consecutive Saturdays; Sept 2 and 9 at 2 pm. Officer will work in Chinese Folding books, her medium of choice en plein air in the bush.