Landsborough Galleries



Outside of the gallery 2012

  The Landsborough gallery is “a new, purpose-built fine art gallery situated in historic Landsborough on the Sunshine Coast. Sited as the first gallery on the Sunshine Coast Art Trail, there’s no question about the variety, range and popularity of some of the artists whose works are held on the premises” (Landsborough Galleries, n.d). Just a few of the artists currently featured are Ando, Donald J. Waters, Greg Postle, and Giovanna Cattoi as the artist in residence.

Roadside advertisment 2012

What I love about this local gallery is that because it’s located in an almost rural environment, it doesn’t seem to fall victim to the artistic pressures most metropolitan galleries fall to. It’s small, featuring one room divided into three sections with an additional room dedicated to prints in the back. The walls are anything but white as they glow rich orange and black, allowing the artwork hung on the walls to pick up the colors and reflect them. This makes for a well-blended presentation on a wall consisting of different styles of art, in this case painting; however, I did notice that there were many canvases haphazardly leaning against several walls and sculptures were occasionally abandoned in corners, suggesting that although it’s great that they’re a local gallery providing commercial art to the community, they could step up their professionalism with their presentation.

Inside the gallery 2012

The works for sale are primarily paintings, reproduced prints, and sculptures. Prices range from several hundred to over $28,000. What I noticed was that many of the works were centered around the idea of water and its connotations. Being that Australia is an island continent, I understand the recurring motif, in that water is Australia’s lifeblood. It’s a source for hydration, shipping transport for incoming and outgoing resources and an external environment that many other countries might not have land access to. Presenting many artworks with the similar basis for themes gives the gallery a pleasant flow for the viewer without too much repetition.

Donald J. Waters, Sea Sirens 2012

 The majority of the artworks are completely original or at least of a limited edition (i.e. the prints). They are however easily recognized to be ‘commercial art.’ This means that while they are quite visually appealing, they don’t convey an excessive amount of conceptual depth. In even simpler terms, they’re the sort of art an every-day-average-Joe would buy to decorate their kitchen or bathroom. This isn’t a negative comment, fore there may be people out there looking for the simple beauty of a painting, such as Ando’s The Secret, an oil painting of a bottle of 1959 Penfolds’ Grange Hermitage. The title is referring to the fact that Max Schubert, the wine’s maker, had to make the wine in secret in the beginning before it became one of the world’s most iconic wines. Ando also endowed his own secret meaning in the tribute to the 1959 vintage. Perhaps whoever buys the piece will find a personal value of their own in the painting.



Ando, The Secret 2012

 There wasn’t a specific exhibition on display at the gallery, rather, they showcase the works of their commissioned artists. One appeasing aspect to the gallery is that its resident artist, Giovanna Cattoi, is available for a call-in chat during the gallery’s open hours.

I enjoyed visiting the gallery as I am not a true-born Australian. The visit allowed me to see what sort of art SELLS in Australia, meaning what appeals to the average Australian’s visual palette. My delight in the gallery can only be multiplied to the local citizens as they themselves are more able to connect to the content in the artwork. The Landsborough galleries are an excellent choice for art seekers looking for local art without an exceptionally long trip to Brisbane.



Giovanna Cattoi, Head Study 2012



Unless noted, I took all of the pictures in this blog.

To check out the galleries online, click the link below!

http://www.landsboroughgalleries.com.au/default.asp

Landsborough Galleries, n.d., viewed 28 September 2012,

            <http://www.landsboroughgalleries.com.au/default.asp>