Pablos Art Gallery - Current Exhibitions

CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

ROAR! gallery ... 55 Abel Smith St, Wellington

(corner Cuba St and Abel Smith St - above Real Groovy)

DRAWING PARALLELS a group show exploring what drawing is and what its boundaries are 6 - 23 August 2008
The act of drawing is the nucleus of creativity and the fire in the belly of the artist. In celebration of drawing ROAR! gallery has called on mark makers from Cape Reinga to the Bluff for their finest works. DRAWING PARALLELS makes drawing a focus for creation and cohesion in all creative fields of endeavour. This exhibition is an exploration of what drawing is and what its boundaries are. Drawing is immensely broad in scope as an art form, but how far can it go?

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE INSTALLATION Pablos Art Studios Inc. is a creative space In Wellington. Since 1993 Pablos has worked with people who experience mental illness, to support creative exploration and personal growth. In 2001 Pablos developed its artist-in-residence project and to date has worked with ten established artists from all over New Zealand, including Bronwynne Cornish, Simon Morse and Tom Sladden. This project connects Pablos artists with professional artists and their art practice and strengthens networks and partnerships across the arts. Our current artist-in-residence is Yelena Barbalich, who will be based at Pablos for two weeks to develop an installation work as part of the Drawing Parallels show at ROAR! gallery. Yelena is drawing in acrylic on large panels to create a shimmering landscape of form and colour in flux. Yelena is an abstract artist who shows that the qualities of line, shape, proportion and colour convey meaning directly without the use of words to explain. Her art has become an outlet for ideas and feelings despite the fact she has an intellectual impairment and is unable to fully communicate through spoken words. Her strength as an artist is her consistent approach to her art making that has developed over the past 15 years. She has exhibited on a regular basis in Wellington since 2001 and is widely collected. She is currently part of the New Dowse exhibition ‘My House Surrounded by a Thousand Suns’. Her designs can been seen etched on the entrance door at 100 Tory Street and on the Ministry of Education website.
NEXT Flying the Coop Petone Arthouse group show featuring It’s my Goal. Yes!!! by Daniel Phillips 27 August - 13 September 2008

The Petone Arthouse is a creative space in Jackson Street, Petone, established in 1996 by the IHC to work with clients who had a particular interest in art. Today, 20 artists use the Arthouse each week to pursue their creative interests, and to work with professional artists who support them develop and extend their creativity. The Arthouse has brought us many of our emerging Outsider artists. ROAR! gallery is working with the Arthouse to curate the exhibition *Flying the Coop. “We’ve worked with some of these artists before and it’s exciting to see their latest creations. This show celebrates the kind of bold and dynamic artwork often associated with this creative powerhouse. You can expect to see bright colour, expressive form, and a collection of wild and crazy papier-mâché birds” says Gaelen Macdonald of ROAR! gallery. Liz Sutherland, the Arthouse Coordinator said “I’m always amazed by the artists’ individuality – they stay true to their own styles. We encourage the artists to discover what they’re good at and allow them to develop it in their own unique way.” One of their best known artists is Daniel Phillips, who is currently exhibiting at TheNewDowse, the Ministry of Transport and in the NZ Telecom Art Awards. As part of Flying the Coop,* Daniel has his own show, *It’s my Goal. Yes!!!* Daniel loves trains, and the excitement of an upcoming trip on the TranzAlpine fuelled the work for this exhibition, jammed packed with trains, planes, and dialogue. In April this year Daniel went on the TranzAlpine, and this exhibition of works on paper and paintings was created, not as a recollection of this journey, but created in preparation for his big trip.
	“Daniel’s forethought into all aspects of his journey was astounding. Every conceivable detail is accounted for – from the meal on the plane, to the linen on Daniels motel bed.” says Gaelen. “While many of us might consult a travel agent before we take a trip, Daniel turned to his art materials as a way of both planning the adventure and working through any issues before he left.” So did the trip live up to Daniel’s expectations? Well now he’s got a new goal. ”It’s my long term dream to go to London, to Paris through the undersea tunnel… I need to know what time the plane arrives at Wellington Airport and what time the plane leaves…First I need to save up lots of money. I would like to sell lots of artwork.”
Come and share in the opening celebrations @ 5.30, on Thursday 28^th August, and help make Daniel’s dream a reality.

To be informed of exhibition openings and other Gallery events e-mail roargallery@paradise.net.nz