Adele Bauer
At the core of my painting practice is an intention to capture a moment in time, bringing attention to the ephemeral nature of the present. In my portraits of my studio peers, I aim to capture the serenity of the mind to hand connection. As artists, our hands are central to our creative practice. The repetitive motions of mark making, threading a needle, mixing oil paint on a palette with a palette knife, are almost hypnotic in their calming effects. When I paint, time slows down and all that exists in those few hours are my eyes, my hands, and the materials.

Ebony

This portrait of my friend and peer Ebony was painted from a photo of her in our Monash studio. Behind her is a sheet of charcoal dusted paper which she was drawing on the day I took the photo. Her gaze is candidly turned away from the viewer as she ties up her hair.

Thread

This painting brings attention to the process of art making, the therapeutic act of using our hands to create something from our imagination.

Lost in Conversation

This painting diptych is part of a series entitled Photo Album which explores themes of time, past, grief and nostalgia. The washed out cyan paint echoes weathered photographs found in family photo albums, which was the inspiration for this work.

Passage

Another painting in my Photo Album series, this painting was based off a photo I took from a road trip with friends. The blurred motion in the background of the painting signifies the fleeting moment, and the joy of youth.

Interior

This painting was influenced by the effects of social isolation - which we all experienced in some form during lockdown. The dimmed lighting is a representation of the anxiety and uncertainty which so many of us experienced over the past couple of years.

Claustrophobia

Another painting influenced by the lockdown in 2020. My friend and fellow artist Jeanne kindly posed for me over Zoom for this series.

Installation view 1

Installation view 2

Installation view 3

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