Bare

Part of a series for a group exhibition titled "Nude_Naked" in 2017.

Existing outside of the realm of the ‘real’, the figures in these paintings serve as archetypes, or scaffolds upon which the nuances of the psyche can be exposed. The body is naked, but it is not the lack of clothes that creates a state of true nudity. It is when another is allowed to look beyond the skin that we feel as if we have truly been stripped bare.

It is this sensation of being beyond the body and the flesh that I hoped to capture within these barely tangible, imagined landscapes and their ethereal occupants. In the same way that we might find ourselves almost forgetting our body, our nudity, and our vulnerability when we enter the psychological space of another.

Please note that due to the soft, subtle tones within this painting it can be hard to fully capture the colours through photographs.

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Painting soft things, slowly.

Mary's early work addressed themes of mortality, isolation and the psyche. Indistinct characters drift in and out of the work, drawn from the mind of the artist to serve as an anchor for mark making and mood: becoming vague notions rather than specific persons. Exploration of the emotional possibility of the mark leads the work towards abstraction as paintings become anchored in expressive drawing.

After a hiatus from her painting practice, Mary's recent work has taken on a lighter quality. Newfound intention sees the work moving away from the heavier psychological themes into a gentle appreciation for the natural world and subtleties of feeling, often anchored on representations of animals. The importance of softness and the expressive, emotional mark continues to inform the work.

Born in Canada, Mary has lived in Australia since January 2004. She completed her Bachelor of fine Art (Honours) at the National Art School in East Sydney before moving to Melbourne to pursue work in the disability support sector.

​Her work can be found in private collections in Australia, Canada and the United States.

(Profile photo courtesy of Andrew Tsangarides)