It’s a Party! Celebrating new exhibitions at the Forrester Gallery
Published on 19 January 2024
Come on in and join the party!
In his sixth solo exhibition with the Forrester Gallery, Ewan McDougall’s artworks return to Ōamaru with an explosion of colour in Too Much Monkey Business. His array of largescale oil paintings have taken over the downstairs galleries in a riot of vibrancy, humour, and cavorting. Ewan says that ‘the essence of my painting is partying, without the chemical assistance, and I love it!’
Born in Wellington, Ewan McDougall’s family later moved to Ōamaru where he was educated at Waitaki Boys’ High School and taught art by Colin Wheeler. After studying in Dunedin, he travelled and worked overseas, returning to Aotearoa in the 1980s. He now lives in Whaka Oho Rahi | Broad Bay with his wife, Sarah, where he paints full-time.
Sarah McDougall writes of Ewan’s work, “The working man’s life is never far away, nor the party animals that work hard and play hard ... It’s a 24/7 party-up with both sun and moon shining”.
Join in the party and admire the movement, joy, passion, and humour of Ewan’s works.
Around the corner in the intimate Vault Gallery, local artist John Baster examines Ōamaru’s early Italianate townscape designs through a series of miniature models in The Miniatures of the Grand Tour. With each model meticulously studied, sketched, measured, planned, and crafted, John’s miniatures display the beauty of Ōamaru’s heritage with his perfectionist’s eye.
Upstairs in the Community Gallery, local artist Jeff Armstrong’s Imago Dei contemplates metaphysical questions about the nature of being, personhood and the I-Thou relationship highlighted in the artist/subject encounter through a series of oil portraits. Aiming to “honour the innate mystery, dignity and beauty of the subjects’ essential personhood,” Jeff’s beautiful portraits of friends and family are stunning to behold.
Celebrating the ever-changing seasons and the power they wield; our newest collection show Hour after Hour explores our local landscapes through a selection of artworks from the Forrester Gallery’s permanent collection. With an array of landscapes from local and national artists such as Colin Wheeler, Colin McCahon, Hilda Edgar, Grahame Sydney, Doris Lusk and Eion Shanks, experience nature’s transformation as you walk through this exhibition.
Ewan McDougall and John Baster’s exhibitions open on the 27th of January.
Jeff Armstrong’s and Hour After Hour open on the 3rd of February.
There is an opening at the Forrester Gallery on Friday 26th of January 5:30pm for Ewan, John and their supporters.
Free entry.
ENDS