By Tyler Wright
The Yarra Valley Gallery & Arts Hub (YAVA) launched a new exhibition on 7 April, showcasing the work of locals Jessica Harris and Amanda Ruck.
Their works have been combined to form ‘The Universe Within’ an exhibit inviting viewers to connect to their own internal feelings and emotions through art.
Jessica’s tiny collages are mixed-media works and are part of a mural, representing the large emotions we tend to compress inside ourselves yet form such a significant part of our lives.
Whereas Amanda’s acrylic works are on large canvases and are paired with a ‘familiar’ – an object that inspired the painting.
“It was matching up their philosophies in a way that would compliment each other,” Gallery Manager and curator Dakini Maddock said.
“They might be very different work, but it makes it a more dynamic and interesting exhibition.”
Amanda is a landscape painter, cloud painter on canvas and wood panels.
“I work to very beautiful, big, ignited blue skies, but I often tend to work at [sunset],” Amanda said.
“Nature continuously inspires me.”
And you can see that in the clouds and trees of her paintings, often with what she calls a sense of “hope” in the horizon created by a particular colour like naples yellow.
“I just wanted to put together a show that everyone could engage with in terms of their emotions.
“Sometimes the inspiration is really obvious, like a color or the light. Sometimes it’s a little less obvious and kind of travels a little bit deeper.”
Jessica Harris’ works are reactions to events happening in her life and her feelings, as she started creating tiny art during 2021’s lockdown.
“I wanted to do a lot, so I thought bringing them down small would be more practical and more of an introspective look,” Jessica said.
The artist and educator will be holding a ‘Repetitive Lines and Patterns’ workshop on Saturday 16 and Saturday 23 April in the Margaret Lawrence studio at YAVA from 10am to noon.
“It’ll be a mindfulness type session, using the lines to just relax and take some time out.”
Dakini will also be holding guided meditations with breathing exercises one day a week throughout the exhibition, choosing a different work from both Jessica and Amanda’s collection each time for participants to focus on.
“It’s about grounding and coming back to the present moment and having a bit of a rest. It’s self care for people, but in a beautiful environment with beautiful artworks.”
Engaging with people through workshops and guided meditation is something Dakini is attempting to implement in the future after obtaining feedback from a group of young mentees at YAVA.
“I’ve seen how that’s worked in other galleries, especially in Europe” she said.
“[We are] trying to meet people on those different levels.”
A gold coin donation box is at the gallery upon entry, and the exhibit will be running from now until 1 May with doors open between 10am to 4pm Wednesday to Sunday.
Guided meditations will run on Wednesday 13, 20 and 27 April from 6:00pm to 7:00pm.
For more information, head to https://www.yava.org.au/theuniversewithin
