The excitement levels are at an all-time high! We are SO delighted to be exhibiting Candy Clarke's SMITTEN Exhibition during Auckland's Art Week (5th - 14th Nov) at our Newmarket Gallery - 17 Osborne St.
We will be honest, trying to plan a visual exhibition filled with Original Paintings during a Level 3 Lockdown has been no easy task! We have been watching the weekly updates from the Government with fingers crossed & breaths held. As they say in show business, "The show MUST go on!" We all committed to making this exhibition a success, The Poi Room team & Candy Clarke went above & beyond to make this a reality.
We thought we would show some behind the scenes of the SMITTEN Exhibition launch & a bit more about insight into this bright & cheerful collection of Original Paintings.
WHO IS CANDY CLARKE?
Candy Clarke is a New Zealand Artist originally from Kerikeri, now based in Nelson. Clarke paints mainly in acrylic upon formed acrylic (in reverse - on 3mm Perspex sheet). Painting on Perspex began as a happy accident! Candy has been honing her painting backward skills for about 20yrs; the softness & reflectiveness of the Perspex adds an animation enhancing the work. The colour beneath the surface is bright & luminous - these features uniquely identify her work.
Candy's subject matter is often in abstract form, a commentary on daily life, social behaviour & current events. With the a love of language, the use of text often features as narrative or stand-alone objects within Clarke's paintings. Inspiration comes from a personal lexicon of collected language, overheard snippets, song lyrics, movie lines, new technology, old sayings, or new catchphrases. Bold colour & graphic components are always evident within Candy's work.
Through her paintings, Candy is always looking for the irony or humour & ways to gently mock the human condition.
WHAT IS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE SMITTEN EXHIBITION?
"Colour! The shows title is 'SMITTEN' which is not only how I’d like you to feel, but it’s also the name of a paint I use. It’s also a continuation of work I had already been doing. One painting leads to the next & then I review how they’ll work together in a show!"
This is just the type of exhibition that all us Aucklander's NEED! It is bright & cheerful, a total mood lifter! We are so thrilled that Candy committed to displaying her work with us.
WHERE CAN YOU VIEW SMITTEN BY CANDY CLARKE?
The Poi Room's Newmarket Gallery (17 Osborne St) has the full collection of Candy's original paintings featured within the SMITTEN Exhibition. The exhibition is apart of Auckland's Art Week & therefore will be running from November 5th - 14th. If you pop by our Gallery Showroom, you will also receive a Bespoke Cookie by Oh Sugar... we thought that might entice you!
You can also view the full collection ONLINE - click here!
SHOP THE EXHIBITION!