Now that the Jacarandas are in flower, Brisbane people can appreciate the Jacaranda in a whole new way. Multi award winning sculptor, Peter Steller, exposes the hidden beauty inside our Jacarandas.

Having salvaged some of the Jacarandas after they died in New Farm Park during the drought in 2008, Mr. Steller has created an exhibition that is a unique blend of art and history that will preserve the memories for many.

His exhibition, “Once a Tree and the Sea”, opens on Thursday, 3rd November and will run until the 20th of November.

The sculptures are mostly inspired by the activities of and around the park, be it lovers embracing, people jumping for joy, birds preening or boats sailing along the river. Each sculpture has a story to tell.

Peter’s creativeness is displayed by his superb use of the inherent natural beauty in the wood to enhance and transform each piece into a unique creation, while elevating the viewer’s experience by the sensation imbued by the wood when touched.

His beautiful and evocative wood sculptures each explore form and shape from a contemporary perspective, yet with such sensitivity to grain and texture of the organic material it becomes poetry to the eyes.

Complimenting his sculptures are his amazingly realistic bright and vividly coloured seascapes of Stradbroke Island and other scenes. The varied and bright colours of the water, the sparkle of the sun reflected off the waves, are an essential part of the natural beauty and charm that Stradbroke holds for him.

He enjoys capturing this interplay of colour, light and reflection; one can practically feel the sun shining …

> You can catch Peter talking about his work on Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm.

> Make sure you pop by on the opening night, taking place on the 3rd of November 2011 at 6:30pm at C Gallery, Centro II, 13A/23 James Street, Fortitude Valley.

> Check out Peter Steller’s website! www.peterstellerart.com

Featuring at the Ryan Renshaw Gallery in Fortitude Valley from 12th October until 14th November is an exhibition from Brisbane’s award winning photographer, Martin Smith.

The exhibit, entitled ‘A Perfect Price for Donny‘ will feature honest and funny photographic stories that reflect moments and memories in his life.

In past Martin Smith exhibitions, you could find people laughing at the stories he has inscribed on his photographs. Come along and be part of some of the more intimate moments in his life!

The opening reception with the Brisbane artist will take place on Friday 14th October from 6-8pm. Come along to meet the talented artist himself, but be quick because RSVPs are essential!

>Check out the gallery’s website: http://ryanrenshaw.com.au/

> Or email Ryan Renshaw Gallery for further details: gallery@ryanrenshaw.com.au

- Despina Papamanolis, QH Guest Blogger

Images: Derek Hudson. Kate Moss. Paris 1998. Courtesy Polka Galerie.

        Jean Marie Perier. Karl Lagerfeld. Hamburg 1995.Courtesy Polka Galerie

“Indulge in fashion decadence when Kate, Karl and Chanel make their Sofitel Brisbane debut on Friday September 9th.

Sofitel Brisbane Central presents Fashion Stills, a unique and exciting collection of photographs featuring some of the most iconic figures and moments in fashion history. Designed and staged by the famous Polka Galerie in Paris, the exhibit has been touring with Sofitel Luxury Hotels at Melbourne and Sydney throughout the year, with its final destination – Brisbane, Queensland.

Fashion Stills invites you to take a peek behind the scenes at Dior, Chanel, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Yves St Laurent, Christian Lacroix and Givenchy, with the famous faces of Karl Lagerfeld, Carla Bruni and Kate Moss.  Star photographers, Derek Hudson, Francoise Huguier, Jean-Marie Périer and Gérard Uféras, have all succeeded in capturing unique moments on the couture catwalk.”

Accor Press Release

For all lovers of high fashion designers, Fashion Stills will be on display at Sofitel Brisbane Central in its very own custom deigned gallery on the lobby level from Friday September 9th until Monday December 26th 2011.

On top of the official Fashion Stills launch, Sofitel will be hosting one of their famous High Tea’s to go hand in hand with this exciting event - inspired by fashion and filled with chocolates + sweet treats alike!

> Polka High Tea bookings can be made from September 9 and runs daily from 2pm.

> To book, call Sofitel Brisbane Central on 07 3835 3535 or visit sofitelbrisbane.com.au.

Every new book by Jeannie Baker is a publishing event not to be missed!

“Jeannie Baker has created a picture book that takes us into the lives of two families: an Australian family, whose way of life strikes a familiar chord, and a family from a far away country with a way of life that differs more than one can imagine.”

In conjunction with the Ipswich Festival of Children’s Literature, the intricate works of Jeannie Baker will be on display for all to enjoy.

Mirror by Jeannie Baker shows some incredible finely-detailed collage illustrations. Constructed from a wooden baseboard and the creative use of sand, clay, paint, and all sorts of fabrics - these are truly some striking pieces!

> Check out Jeannie Baker’s work + buy her book!

Where: Ipswich Art Gallery - Children’s Gallery

When:  Monday, 18 July 2011 - Sunday, 2 October 2011

> For more info, go to: ipswichartgallery.qld.gov.au

Food paintings that are melt in your mouth!

UK-based graphic designer + painter, Joël Penkman, recently had a show in Liverpool showcasing these creative treats. Inspired by sweets and traditional British foods, these prints are perfect to frame and brighten up your home!

Featured above are just a few of my fave picks from both the ‘British Food‘ and ‘Sweet Selection‘ collection - love the use of playful pastel colours!

> To make a purchase + view the entire collection, visit his website: www.joelpenkman.com

With a body of work we can only describe as whimsical, evocative and playful, artist Mia Taninaka has truly enchanted the local arts scene with her intriguing, illustrative artworks.

With hours and hours of painstaking drawing involved on each and every illustration, and her other loves - hand stitching, patchwork, and textile mediums - that come into play on her large scale paintings and the conceptual works of art that she creates on wooden panels, it’s a definite explorative process behind all of her stunning designs.

QH LOVES Aussie talent! Mia is also one half of Wolfie + Huck, a collaborative design team - their blog is a definite must-see!

> See more of Mia’s art on her blog @ wolfieandhuck.blogspot.com

After a two year sabbatical from the art world, Elizabeth & Wayne Bloomfield have re-opened their exhibition space on Seventeen Mile Rocks Road in the western suburbs of Brisbane. This new ‘Boutique Gallery’ will showcase Elizabeth’s latest works as well as provide an ambient meeting place to discuss design, settings, art advice or simply to partake in a glass of something agreeable on a Thursday evening or a Saturday afternoon.

Viewing art takes time & personal space so they encourage you to relax & stay as long as you wish. Comfortable chairs, refreshments and a child friendly environment ensure maximum opportunity to acquaint yourselves with Elizabeth’s distinctive and emotional use of colour and landscape. You are welcome at any time but please call ahead if you wish to visit the gallery out of the hours below; primarily Elizabeth will be working at the studio 5 minutes away but loves to be disturbed! …so please do not hesitate to make a last-minute appointment to view the current exhibition.

Check out the website for more info > http://elizabethbloomfield.com
Visit the Gallery on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elizabeth-Bloomfield/155921497799121

Semi-Permanent - a world leading, annual creative conference prepares for Brisbane once again!

The 2011 Semi-Permanent tour will hit Brisbane on Friday 5th August, offering a full day of premium creative experience!

Semi-Permanent is all about creative design, inspiration & innovation. From graphic design, film, photography, fine art, web and architecture, all disciplines of design will be well and truly covered.

Featuring 8 speakers from a wide range of design disciplines sharing their expertise and some art exhibitions to visit on the side, this event will really get your creative juices flowing. To top it off, Semi-Permanent will also be hosting an after party for all attendees!

Come along to meet some creative experts - it’ll definitely be worth it!

DON’T FORGET! Make sure you pick up your free event pack which features the new Semi-Permanent book, showcasing the works of creative talents from around the world.

The Semi-Permanent event will take place at the Great Hall, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Southbank from 9.30am - 6pm on August 5, 2011. Tickets must be purchased to attend this event.

> Purchase your tickets online! (General Early - purchase before July 22 $130, General Late - purchase after July 22 $230, Students $80, discounts are also offered for group bookings): semipermanentevents.com

> Check out the event program: www.semipermanent.com/sp_bris_program.pdf

> For a complete guide to the event, visit their website: www.semipermanent.com/event/Brisbane

Above: Joan Miró | Silence

If you have been under a rock the last few years - you won’t know that GOMA is is Queensland’s premier visual arts institution and a leading art museum nationally. The Gallery’s driving philosophy is to connect art and people (which is acheived just beautifully) I am so proud to have this fabulous gallery part of my home city! Recently returning from visit to Paris I was pleasantly surprised to have part of the city follow me back to Brisbane! ’Surrealism: The Poetry of Dreams’ includes more than 180 paintings, sculptures, photographs and works on paper and films by 54 artists and  have travelled to GOMA directly from the Musée national d’art moderne, Centre Pompidou, Paris!

The Musée national d’art moderne, housed in Paris’s iconic Centre Pompidou, is one of the world’s best museum collections of modern and contemporary art. Its Surrealism collections are the finest in Europe — and the core of this collection is now living in GoMA.! This exhibition presents more than 180 works by 56 artists, including paintings, sculptures, ‘surrealist objects’, films, photographs, drawings and collages. ‘Surrealism: The Poetry of Dreams’ is an opportunity to see important art works that rarely leave Paris, in an exhibition that will provide a fascinating and comprehensive overview of this important artistic movement. (some hightlights below!)

Above:  Jackson Pollock | The Moon-Woman cuts the circle

Above: Salvador Dalí | Hallucination partielle. Six images de Lénine sur un piano (Partial hallucination: six images of Lenin on the piano)

Above right: Dorothea Tanning | Chambre 202, Hôtel du Pavot (Room 202, Hôtel du Pavot)

Above: Victor Brauner | Loup-table (Wolf-table) 1939, 1947

Above right:  Man Ray | Oeuvres de Giacometti: Femme tenant l’objet désagréable (Works by Giacometti: Model holding a disagreeable object)

Film and photography are also represented throughout the exhibition, including films by Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí, René Clair and Man Ray. Important photographic works by Hans Bellmer, Brassaï, Claude Cahun, Dora Maar, Eli Lotar and Jacques-André Boiffard also feature. The exhibition is rounded out with late works that show the breadth of Surrealism’s influence, and includes major works by Jackson Pollock, Arshile Gorky and Joseph Cornell.

‘Surrealism: The Poetry of Dreams’ will be accompanied by an innovative Children’s Art Centre program, an exciting range of public programs, including talks, discussions and performances, and a full-colour exhibition catalogue. The popular Up Late program will return on Friday nights from July, as well as an amazing film program at the Gallery’s Australian Cinémathèque.

DID YOU KNOW! GOMA also offers Surrealism High Tea? Take the visual feast that is Surrealism to a different level and indulge in a Surrealism High Tea. $35 per person, including glass of champagne and tea/coffee. Sittings: 10am & 2.30pm daily. Bookings essential, telephone (07) 3842 9916

Grab your tickets online > http://qag.qld.gov.au/exhibitions/current/surrealism_the_poetry_of_dreams/tickets_and_packages

Check out some fave behind the scene shots I came across on the GOMA Facebook page! View the entire gallery online here >  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150197778771716.301532.42483226715&l=bddfae172c

Like GoMA on Facebook too! >https://www.facebook.com/pages/Queensland-Art-GalleryGallery-of-Modern-Art/42483226715?sk=wall

Behind the scenes!

Don’t miss this exhibition. Im so excited to visit the exhibition this weekend!

Something I should know about? email me! > web@queenslandhomes.com.au
Joanne Thies - QH online

Still life painting and photography are slowly creeping back with these paintings by Canadian artist Christoper Stott. They may look like photographs, but they are actually paintings!

Chris has twenty new paintings on display at the Elliott Fouts Gallery in Sacramento, California. These hot new creations will be up through the end of June - but if you’re like us and can’t venture over that side of the world… you can still view the collection on his website!

To check out the new paintings on show or details on how to purchase a piece, visit chrisstott.com. (Keep note: the gallery ships paintings worldwide!)