Sophie Dunlop

Clear Light II

28th February to 17th March 2012

For most still life painters, the ‘exacting’ nature of their work is the careful and orderly placement of inanimate objects within the constructs of an orchestrated setting, and thereafter depicting invariably, the changeable yet natural light and shade of the day.

For Sophie Dunlop however, whilst her predecessors have certainly exerted an influence on her art practice, she has been perhaps more leisurely in ‘setting the scene’. Her studio, is ‘littered’ with assemblages of glassware, porcelain, gorgeous and fragile seashells collected from her increasingly infrequent walks along the beach, and an embryonic collection of antiques, the catalyst for the latter having emanated from her .late father’s insistence to paint “more beautiful things”. Her father was, of course, the distinguished realist, Brian Dunlop.

Inspired by these humble props that punctuate her studio, Sophie relishes the unique and intricate details of each object she conveys. Her meticulous style is countered with a curious eye and unconventional composition, to provide the viewer with a fresh yet thoughtful vision of the familiar. Shapes and colours repeat to draw a delicate link between the most disparate of objects. Sophie imbues her subject matter with a quality that goes beyond the purely visual; she injects the canvas with intensified colour and texture so that the viewer may go beyond the surface.

Sophie believes she inherited a desire to be an artist, notwithstanding an initial resistance during her teenage years. And with the maturity now of a decade or so of formal practice as an artist, she finds that one painting flows into another, confirming her career choice.

In this new series, Sophie has focused on ‘light’: that evoked by the literal glass objects encompassed in her compositions as much as the metaphor of ‘light’, and all its various connotations. Compositionally, Sophie hopes for the perception of looking through stained glass windows, when viewing these paintings; discerning the light bouncing off the objects, and enjoying the reflection of shadows.

“Clear Light II” is also something of a tribute to her late father: at the time of his death (December 2009), Sophie had just commenced painting glassware, recalling one of his favourite sayings, “on a clear day you can see forever”.

Biography

Sophie Dunlop was born in Sydney in 1971. She comes from a family of artists, her father being the late Brian Dunlop. Throughout her childhood, she travelled extensively and learnt from her father and his peers. Sophie grew up and studied in Sydney and in 2003 she moved to Adelaide where she now lives. She works full time as an artist and has a studio in the historic precinct of Port Adelaide.

All enquiries welcome: Tel: (03) 9417 2828 Email: enquiries@catherineasquithgallery.com.

Glassware II	Glassware with Gelato	Shells with Green Glassware	Hibiscus & Gelato
Fig Branches	Glassware with confectionary	Glassware with Bougainvillaea	Gelato Bowls & Hibiscus
Prawns & Oysters	Nocturne	Sushi & Oysters	Nest