Gina Bruce
Through Two Trees
1 – 26 October 2022
Through the framing of trees, Gina Bruce invites us to view a world of poetic formality and emotive dissonance, a place that is both raw and formal, moody and enchanting, serene and vibrant. Elegant vertical posts stretching upwards out of view are met squarely by a bold horizon and a dazzling sky. Stemming directly from the artist’s discipline of working en plein air, and shown here alongside some study images used in her process, these works take the feelings of the outdoors, of nature, of wilderness and place, and translate those emotions into expressive, confident mark-making.
Despite the dynamism on show, it is clearly the artist’s practiced hand that moves assuredly and precisely to achieve the loose, energetic brushwork that forms the vernacular of this series. There is also an adept exploration of colour theory displayed here. Utilising a limited palette in varying tones, the disciplined mixing of paints works to achieve balance and harmony. The vivid sky is permeated only by the occasional cloud drifting by, a detailed exploration of both greyscale and atmosphere. These works show formal and compositional rigour but are unselfconscious and not contrived. They are uplifting, authentic and confident – an enchanting reminder to the audience to consider their own views.
Tracy Tucker Knox
September 2022