Traffic Jam Galleries - Danielle McManus and Bronwen Newbury

The latest exhibition http://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/traffic-jam-galleries-presents-works-by-danielle-mcmanus-and-bronwen-newbury/ A charming exhibition has just opened at the Traffic Jam galleries featuring the works of Danielle McManus and Bronwen Newbury. Danielle McManus’ style is haunting and distinctive. Born in Sydney, McManus interweaves elements of her Maltese heritage with experiences of everyday life. McManus is influenced by the work of artists such as Frida Kahlo, Margaret Woodward, Arthur Boyd and Seventeenth Century European manuscripts. Her palette is rich and colourful showing a deep love for her home country and its vibrant colours. Her works could be used as book illustrations, whimsical and romantic, and featuring fluid lines. People in her idiosyncratic style often have slightly tilted heads, large eyes and curved arms. McManus’ paintings often tell a a narrative. An example is her work Letting Go about a World War 1 nurse and her lover’s letters. They are mainly clear, relatively simple compositions with a dramatic splash of colour placed within the work. There is the cheeky but thoughtful The Archer (Cupid) featuring a dangerous bow. The Performer is rather melancholic and Alice-In Wonderland like– note the white rabbit. Poppies feature again in the bottom third of the canvas and a single stem is delicately held in the middle of her body. Paper Boats again picks up on the fragility of childhood and lost romantic memories. Madam Butterfly is a small, delicate black and white work with turquoise butterflies and a girl with a Pavlova/Ballets Russes look- very appropriate. Rescue Me is an exuberant depiction of a boy and girl on a wooden toy horse pretending to be a prince and princess. Bronwen Newbury is based in WA. She especially flew to Sydney for the opening. Bronwen often paints groups or even crowds of people enjoying their leisure time whether it be boating, in cafes, at festivals or at markets. The main theme of her oeuvre is a rumination and ideas about togetherness, community, hedonism and the Australian delight and fascination with The Great Outdoors. There are some vibrant, energetic paintings of a game of cricket- Almost and At The Ready. There is also a long, narrow painting of a horse race- Winning Post. One can feel the explosion of energy as the horses dash past the post and the work also depicts the crowd’s excitement. In the current series there are also wonderful pictures of open spaces (similar to say Martin Place) and the crowds caught in the rain scurrying for cover- Rain Crossing. Also Newbury has included several beach scenes, and boating scenes that develop a rather abstract look with the dots and oblongs of beach umbrellas and towels viewed from above and exuding a hazy summer feel . I have only mentioned just a few of the works by these two interesting artists. Well worth a visit the current exhibition of works by Danielle McManus and Bronwen Newbury is on at the Traffic Jam Galleries until the 17th September.