Must See- Yoko Yamaguchi's show at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre Gallery!

You all must see Yoko Yamaguchi's show, on at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre Gallery until October 13th 2008! Yoko is Rarified's new trainee framer and a dedicated and talented artist. Her works deal with issues of cultural identity and the work is absolutely stunning in the space. All serious collectors take note, this artwork from an up and coming emerging local artist is so worthy of collection! I'll let Yoko's work do the talking, please go along and see it and support Yoko. Below is Yoko's artist statement from the show, titled; 'Only Me'.

"Name is one of the ways we identify self. Our name goes with us our entire lives, from birth to death. It may even continue after death as a memory. There can be so much feeling, passion, belief and love associated with a name.

Ones name is a very dear thing to most individuals. It is a gift from their family, and everyone has their own. My name is my only treasure. I am eternally grateful for the name my family bestowed upon me; Yoko.

My solo exhibition at Tuggeranong Arts Centre Gallery is including recent of my works which I created in School of Art, and also recent new works. This show provided a good opportunity to get to know myself, and to think about my past experiences and memories one more time. Japan and Australia are two countries that I feel a personal connection with. Each of the keywords I identified as being important to my life (self, family, personal identity, Japanese and Australian culture) opened up feelings and possibilities within my art that I have and will continue to explore. The questions I forced myself to answer regarding my own identity created answers that inspired my art.


One particular aspect I explore in my art is culture. Two different cultures dwell within me at all times, mixing but not quite blending with each other. My formative years were spent immersed in Japanese culture. Who I am now and how I perceive the world owes much to this time. Despite this heavy influence and the deep regard I have for my cultural heritage, I also feel that bit by bit, piece by piece, my identity is being transformed under the influence of Australian life. Ever so subtly I note changes in my way of thinking, my point of view.


I spent a long time trying to find a commonality between Australia and Japan until I realized that I was the answer I sought. It was me that connected these two cultures together in my mind and it is my experiences that I should try to express in my art. "


Source- Yoko Yamamguchi - Artists Statement- 'Only Me' Oct' 2008.

Exhibition Murray Kirkland- 'Clouds and Flying Dreams'

'Clouds and Flying Dreams' an exhibition of paintings by artist Murray Kirkland opened at Rarified Friday 15th August at 6.00pm and runs until Wednesday 27th August 2008.

The exhibition features sublime images of clouds, juxtaposed against whimsical paintings of aerial views of the Australian landscape.

In Murray's words;

'I originally started painting clouds as a release from working on the war related work that I have been doing since 1994.

Often people ask how I manage to make them look so peaceful, I guess if they know the other artwork I do, they would understand.

I enjoy the challenge of representing the subtle tones and play of light in clouds, so now rather than a counter to the war related work, clouds have become something I seek out.

I read in a food column in the Sydney Morning Herald a couple of weeks ago, “When was the last time you lay on the grass and watched the clouds?” The author went on to say that the reader probably can’t remember, but I do and I do it as often as possible.

It’s not just painting clouds that works as therapy, you have to take the time to look at them, it’s bit like smelling roses, you should always take the time.

I guess the aim of this exhibition is to show others how I perceive things; I’ve been having flying dreams all my life, a beautiful and exhilarating experience.

Personally I want to encourage people to look up more often, to take the time to
look at clouds, to smell the roses, to slow down.'

The exhibition is on show at the Rarified Framing Gallery until Wednesday 27th August 2008.