Studio Visit and Interview with Nerrida Parfitt

In August, I had the privilege of visiting Nerrida Parfitt at her lovely home in Ballarat to preview the new pieces for her solo exhibition, Pause. Nerrida’s studio is a sun-drenched room perched on the top floor of her house. The bright and airy space, filled with natural light, is a stark contrast to the moody, introspective, and at times mysterious nocturnal scenes she masterfully brings to life on canvas. Each work reflects her unique ability to transport viewers into a world of quiet wonder and suspense.

Pause is an absolutely stunning exhibition by Nerrida Parfitt and is open to the public from November 6th through 16th.

Q and A with Jason McDonald

We first discovered Jason McDonald’s work as a finalist in our first ever Mini Series Art Prize back in 2019. Jason’s magnificent, unique and quirky photography work has been a favourite of our audience ever since. This August we are excited to present Jason’s new exhibition here at The Corner Store Gallery. He has created two new series, "Diorama Melodrama” AND “Portraits of Maggie”. Jason’s clever play on words and Australian culture are always a joy and this exhibition will be no exception.

The exhibition will be on display from August 28th until September 7th with an Opening Night Celebration on Friday August 30th from 6pm, we’d love to see you there.

We caught up with Jason recently to find out more about these new series and what makes him tick…

Studio Visit with Karlie Simring

Karlie's work is a masterful interplay of composition, texture, pattern, and materialism. Her distinct voice in the realm of modern textile art is remarkable. This solo exhibition is the result of her outstanding talent being recognized by our bi-annual Mini Series Art Prize in 2023. Selected unanimously by our panel of judges—Anne Masters, Larissa Blake, and myself—we are proud to present Unseen by Karlie Simring.

Q and A with Michelle Ball

This July, I am thrilled to welcome a new artist, Michelle Ball, to The Corner Store Gallery. Just four short weeks ago, I extended an invitation to artists for a last-minute exhibition, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Michelle Ball’s artwork stood out with its exquisite beauty, and I knew it would be a perfect addition to our exhibition calendar.

Michelle is a talented still life and landscape painter from the Northern Beaches of Sydney. Her surroundings of bushland and water clearly serve as a rich source of inspiration for her work. Her paintings capture the serene and vibrant essence of her environment, bringing a unique perspective to our gallery. We are confident that visitors will be as enchanted by her work as we are, and we look forward to showcasing her work Flora 24 at the gallery this July 3rd to 13th.

Michelle will be taking up residency in the gallery from Saturday the 6th of July until the close of the exhibition. Make sure you pop in and visit her while she creates new work in our beautiful space.

Studio Visit with Daniel Rivers

Daniel Rivers first showcased his work at The Corner Store Gallery in 2022 as a finalist for Inside This Box. I've been a fan of his style ever since and was thrilled when he agreed to hold his first solo exhibition with us this year.

Daniel possesses a unique talent for composition and colour. Using soft pastels, his landscapes and suburban scenes exude an ethereal quality. His eye for portraying light over the course of a day or throughout the seasons is magnificent.

I recently visited Daniel in his sun-drenched home in Thirroul just before he packed up and moved to the Newcastle area. Under Sandstone Skies is Daniel’s first solo exhibition, showcasing his deep affection for the landscape surrounding Thirroul on the South Coast. It is an ode to the scenery that has surrounded his home for the past seven years.

Q and A with Georgia Bragg

We caught up with one of our brand new artists Georgia Bragg before Heart Place, a new group exhibition with Colleen Southwell, Skye Bragg and Maggie Mackellar. Four artists with a shared history of common ground explore connection to place, the concept of feeling at one with a landscape, and the ways these bring them together.

Heart Place is on exhibition from May 22nd through to June 2nd. Online sales launch at 8pm May 21st. We’ll be hosting an informal “meet the artists” Q & A with Graziher Editor Victoria Carey on Saturday May 25th at 2pm, followed by afternoon tea and drinks sponsored by Heifer Station Wines. We’d love to see you there!

Studio Visit with Skye Bragg

Skye Bragg is a silversmith based in Peak Hill and is exhibiting as part of our new group exhibition Heart Place opening this Wednesday. Skye’s work is heavily inspired by nature and in particular the Australia bush. Immaculate silver gum nuts and leaves sit amongst the real thing in tiny cubed shelves in Skye’s studio. Skye is a collector of beautiful things, in particular dried leaves, pieces of bark, seed pods and gum nuts etc. These treasures are dotted through out the studio and provide endless inspiration. Scribbly gum bark is mimicked and emulated in silver using a rolling press. Many different techniques are used to create intricate representations of nature.

Q and A with Colleen Southwell

We caught up with one of our all-time favourite artists Colleen Southwell before Heart Place, a new group exhibition with Skye Bragg, Georgia Bragg and Maggie Mackellar. Four artists with a shared history of common ground explore connection to place, the concept of feeling at one with a landscape, and the ways these bring us together.

Heart Place is on exhibition from May 22nd through to June 2nd. Online sales launch at 8pm May 21st. We’ll be hosting an informal “meet the artists” Q & A with Graziher Editor Victoria Carey on Saturday May 25th at 2pm, followed by afternoon tea and drinks sponsored by Heifer Station Wines. We’d love to see you there!

Studio Visit with Pippita Bennett

Pippita Bennet is a wonderfully clever textile and fibre artist based in the Blue Mountains in NSW. Pippita has exhibited work with us over the past couple of years as part of group exhibitions and art prizes we’ve held at The Corner Store Gallery. I was immediately drawn to Pippita’s work due to it’s uniqueness, attention to detail and quality of work.

Pippita uses vintage and plant-dyed textiles with thrifted threads to create immaculate, stitched landscapes and other scenery. The colours and patterns are stunning along with the textures created by the different fabrics and fibres used. The incredible amount of work that goes into these pieces is evident, Pippita finds the process very therapeutic and finds herself with needle in hand most of the day.

Q and A with Monique Fedor

We first discovered Monique Fedor through our Inside This Box Group Exhibition back in 2021. Monique submitted the most beautiful still life painting of a pear on a plate and has been part of The Corner Store Gallery family ever since. Every single painting she sends our way has found a loving new home immediately, they sell out every time.

We are absolutely thrilled to present Field Notes by Monique Fedor, her newest body of work. Exploring her immediate surroundings and the poetry of every day life, Monique paints moments in time with graceful determination and a conspicuous aesthetic.

Studio Visit with Jane Tonks

This September The Corner Store Gallery is proud to present the newest body of work by local landscape painter Jane Tonks, Refuge. Jane has been exhibiting with the gallery for a number of years and is a very popular member of the local arts community. Jane depicts the local bushland surrounding Orange in great detail with a deep, personal love of the landscape. Her attention to detail, colour and patterns found in nature is extraordinary and the viewer is tempted again and again to look closer and notice the detail.

Refuge is Jane’s first solo exhibition with The Corner Store Gallery and is on exhibition from September 13th to 23rd and we invite you to join us in celebration for the opening on Friday September 15th from 6pm.

Studio Visit with Emily Heath

Emily Heath is one of our favourite emerging artists here at The Corner Store Gallery and is fast becoming one of Australia’s most popular still life painters. She’s also, I might add, a hilarious person and we click very well. We first discovered Emily’s work back in 2021 when she was a finalist in our Inside This Box group exhibition. After being invited to join our stable, Emily’s paintings became hard to hold onto as they quickly started walking out the door with their happy new owners.

Emily’s work is beautiful, unique, skilled and deeply personal. Her natural talent and eye for colour and composition are apparent in each and every work. The juxtaposition of traditionally depicted household items against more modern and unusual elements is at once humorous and intriguing. This body of work is an exploration of what it means to be a working artist and a mother and wife in the domestic environment.