By Callum Ludwig
January’s exhibition in the Warburton Waterwheel gallery is ‘part retrospective, part re-imagining and part an exploration into new ideas and processes.’
‘Every Silver Lining has a Cloud’ by Taryn Lee-Steere is on display in the space throughout the month, combining elements of Ms Lee-Steere’s long interest in art and more recent venture into the mental health sector.
Ms Lee-Steere said her journey in the arts began 40 years ago with a degree in Printmaking from Edith Cowan University in Perth.
I have lived and worked in Melbourne since 1999, over this time I have had several solo exhibitions whilst I worked for 20 years as a picture framer,” she said.
“A career change in 2019 now sees me working in the Mental Health sector in Melbourne where I manage a residential facility. I spend my weekends with my children in the Yarra Valley,”
“My work is primarily about process rather than specific themes, however, there are constant underlying ideas around memory, loss and the challenges that life presents us and how they form us as human, the layers of life that are layered down as we move through our years and how they make us who we are.”
The exhibition contains a range of mediums, including oil and acrylic works, wood carving and constructions, encaustic paintings, resin work and carved polystyrene works.
Ms Lee-Steere said exploring multiple mediums is one of the joys, for her, of being an artist.
“I have no formal training in any of the exhibited mediums and they have all been an exploration of process. Encaustic wax work, a medium I found by accident whilst playing with wax, is not commonly seen in Australia, it is a great visual metaphor for the layers of a human life,” she said.
“Ceramics is a medium that I was inspired to try by the work my mother did in the 80s. She was competent with wheel-thrown and hand-built ceramics and also had a great sense of whimsy which I feel I have inherited, I am basically happy to explore any medium that can be layered and worked back into; such as oil painting,”
“The wood pieces are a new departure and not in the least inspired by the differing colours and smells of various woods, this is a medium I would look towards further exploration in my East Warburton studio.”
The exhibition marks the end of an enforced hiatus of about eight years from making art for Ms Lee-Steere who has ‘the space to once again explore’ her ‘love of creating.’
Asked about the title of the exhibition, a play on the popular metaphor by reversing it, Ms Lee-Steere said life is a series of highs and lows and without the darks, how would we know the lows.
“Primarily I am an optimist, however, I believe that fundamentally life is a series of challenges to be worked through and invariably we are constantly presented with challenges that will always appear even when (and especially when) things appear to be going smoothly,” she said.
“Working in mental health I have come to know that challenges (often life-impacting/threatening ones) can visit any of us at any stage, there is also something empowering in noticing these lows, exploring them, seeking support for them and holding onto the tiniest bright light on the horizon,”
“I feel very fortunate to be able to exhibit in this beautiful local space and also grateful for the kind and helpful assistance of Michele (Osterhoudt) in putting the exhibition on.”
