Roland Hemmert   online art gallery
artist's statement




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My artworks are not just about what the eye can see or about a particular point in time. They are an attempt at capturing the feel and essence of a particular place.

Often I revisit a place in order to further explore other aspects of that landscape or to elaborate on a theme or a series.  It's all about getting intimate with place.

So, in order to do this I end up spending a lot of time just sitting or walking and of course sketching a particular landscape and generally just tuning in. I believe that country is sentient and if you listen close enough you'll hear Her speak.

I'd even go so far as to say that certain places ask to be painted or even written about. In the same way as a person would commission an artist to paint a portrait .  And so quite often I've found myself whilst on a painting trip taking a detour thereby gathering landscape commissions along the way.

As for the artworks, my pastels are usually started on site but always completed away from the place. I do this for 2 reasons. The practical one is that under hot conditions both I & the pastels have a tendency to melt and secondly when I'm away from the subject I reflect upon what feelings and memories I retain.  As for my oil paintings they are always done in the studio where I draw upon the sketches and also reflect and visualize being back out there.

My pictures are also informed by my interest in the Psychology of CG Jung, Eastern Philosophies, Poetry, Literature and Archaeology.

I also have an amateur's passion for aboriginal rock art and if there is an art site in the vicinity of where I'm travelling I make a point of visiting it. I'd like to think it adds another dimension to me, not only just as an artist, to visit these places.

So all these elements come together in the crucible that is my studio and I hope that my pictures, to quote van Gogh "speak".


 curriculum vitae


Feb/March 2010
Solo Exhibition “3 States” 
Weswal Gallery, Tamworth NSW

Dec 2009
Christmas Group Show” 
Weswal Gallery, Tamworth NSW


2009/10 
Images & text included on
Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute Website
for Stories of the Blue Mountains

November 2009
Group Show 
Weswal Gallery  - Tamworth

JUNE 2009
Red Earth Country
SOLO EXHIBITION
The Milk Factory Gallery
BOWRAL NSW

DEC 2008
Group Show 
The Milk Factory Gallery  Bowral  NSW

JULY 2008
ARTWORK FEATURED IN MAGAZINE
WORLD LITERATURE TODAY
To illustrate an essay by  Poet  Mark Tredinnick

DEC 2007
GROUP SHOW
HATHILL GALLERY
BLACKHEATH


JULY-  AUGUST 2007
SOLO EXHIBITION 
LANDSCAPES  
HATHILL GALLERY BLACKHEATH



APRIL 2007
BRANCHING OUT: STORIES OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS
HOSTED BY BLUE MOUNTAINS WORLD HERITAGE INSTITUTE
BY INVITATION ONLY


SEPT 2004
SOLO EXHIBITION:
WESTERN JOURNEYS 
L&S GALLERY BATHURST


2001 WORKS ON SHOW AT LILIANFELS KATOOMBA



2001 ARTWORKS ON CONSIGNMENT WITH
DISCOVER ART AUSTRALIA
SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
 

2000  WORKS ON SHOW AT
LILIANFELS KATOOMBA


2000
GROUP SHOW
INTERIOR JOURNEYS
GALLERY ON LURLINE KATOOMBA 





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