2017 a year in review

As the end of 2017 rapidly approaches, I cannot help but look back on the year that has been. I am proud that we have managed to present a total of 19 exhibitions in our little Newcastle gallery, supporting Newcastle artists in 15 group and 4 solo exhibitions while also curating 3 exhibitions at Janet Clayton Gallery in Paddington, Sydney. 2 solo exhibitions by Gallery 139 Artists, Helene Leane and Dino Consalvo and one group exhibition. I have had the pleasure to spend time absorbing and appreciating the most beautiful, inspiring and thoughtful art, art that not only confirms to be me that I'm doing the right thing but also encourages me to keep going.

So with that in mind, we hope to see you at the opening of our first exhibition for 2018, THE DOGGIE SHOW on Saturday 13 January from 2-4pm.

~ Ahn Wells December 2017

images: from exhibitions held in Gallery 139 during 2017

Making a CONNECTION

Connection 2017 acrylic on board 100 x 80cm by Dino Consalvo in situ

The purpose of collecting art is different for every collector. For me, it's about making a connection with the artwork, there's something about looking at a piece of art that triggers something deep inside the brain and tells us this image is important. It moves us in some way and if the practicalities of owning art are right, then we buy and start forming an art collection. 

I started collecting from art school, at first not realising that I had planted a seed which has grown over the years. I've always bought because I like the work and haven't had the means to buy for investment. And now that I know what's it's like to own/run a gallery I prefer to buy from galleries. By doing this I support not only the artist but the sustainability of the gallery who supports the artists. 

As a gallery owner, I love when buyers send photos of the works they have purchased from Gallery 139 such as this image above from Nicola who bought this work during Dino Consalvo's one week exhibition. She said, she first saw it on our website and social media and it appealed to her and then she came into the gallery to see it in person. The work connected with her and it was right for her to purchase. We are so please to see it looking at home in it's new home. 

If you have also purchased work/s from our gallery and would like to share a photo of where it lives now, please email us at info@gallery139.com.au or if you are interested in starting an art collection please also contact the gallery. 

~ Ahn Wells
November 2017

Don't pass on seeing Olivia Parsonage's 'The Clocking Tick'

Trolley 2017 21 x 22cm (artwork size) 30 x 30cm (paper size)

It is the last week of Olivia Parsonage's first solo exhibition in Gallery 139. The exhibition ending on Sunday 27 August.

For this exhibition, Olivia made a suite of 19 small scale fabric illustrations and 3 soft sculptures. All made from scraps of materials the artists has collected and been given over the past decades including pieces of her family clothing and fabric samples from a closing upholstery company. Olivia first started making these kind of works in 2011, when she had her first solo exhibition at PODspace gallery (then located in TPI House which is now sadly demolished). She has since gone onto exhibit these works at John Hunter Hospital and in Sydney as part of the 2014 Emerging Artist Craft Award. 

Trained initially as a Natural History Illustrator, Olivia initially sketches out her ideas in thumb nail size and then translates that picture into a fully detailed and colour machine embroidered art piece. She has a keen eye for detail and obsessive attention to form, line and colour. Each work has an embedded narrative - whether it's based on the horrible feeling of having pins and needles in your hands as in the work titled Pins and Needles or the jovial nature of motherhood in Trolley, which depicts a mother pushing her 3 children in an oversized 'trolley'. Olivia has a unique sense of humour, sometimes dark and menacing other times quirky and poking fun at our everyday existence.  

Her works are colourful and make people smile and laugh. It has been a joy to watch people as they walk around the gallery losing themselves in the artworks. I encourage you to visit before Sunday. We are open Thursday - Saturday 11am - 4pm and Sunday 11am - 2pm. 

Congratulations Olivia, welcome to the Gallery 139 family. We look forward to what you create for us to exhibit in May 2018.

~ Ahn Wells
August 2017

From little things grow

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left: Australian Cedar Tree left Gallery 139             right: one week later 

It's so lovely to see that this little stick of a tree has not only survived a week but it has flourished in it's new home. 

John in situ

I love seeing works purchased in Gallery 139 in their new homes. This work was purchased by Dr Carolyn McKay and now lives on her office wall in the University of Sydney alongside Joerg Lehmann black and white photograph to the left and to the right the work by Ben Rak. Exhibited during the solo exhibition LAST WORDS by Simone Paterson, the work quotes the final words written by convicted petty murderer, John Arthur Spenkelink before he was executed in Florida, US in 1979.  

As a Scholarly Teaching Fellow at the University of Sydney Law School, this work fits perfectly on the wall of her office and resonates her own research interests into "justice, prisons and prisoners, visual criminology, surveillance and policing."

If you have purchased a work from the gallery over the past 2 years, send a photo to me at info@gallery139.com.au and tell me little about where it is hanging now and if you don't mind I'll blog about it here. 

~ Ahn Wells 

STUDIO LIFE

Although STUDIO LIFE was a short exhibition, it has been a very rewarding experience to see the work of the 5 artists I have chosen to represent. All 5 artists are extremely hardworking and constantly making work which feeds their practice and keeps their work relevant. Juggling the everyday responsibilities of life with the need to be an artist isn't easy and I hope that I make life a little easier while also providing exhibition space and practice to push each artists individual practice further. 

All the work in this exhibition may be coming down on Sunday 2 April but can still be purchased by contacting the gallery info@gallery139.com.au. 

COMING UP for Gallery 139 Artists
Helene Leane 31 March - 23 April at Janet Clayton Gallery
Helene Leane 27 April - 14 May at Gallery 139

Dino Consalvo 31 May - 2 July at Janet Clayton Gallery
Dino Consalvo September Art Systems Wickham

Olivia Parsonage 9 - 26 August at Gallery 139

Peter Lankas 1 - 18 November group exhibition at Gallery 139

Paul Maher Artist Residency Portsea, Victoria 

Peter Lankas

Helene Leane

Dino Consalvo

Olivia Parsonage

Paul Maher

G139 exhibits at UoN Gallery

For the first time Gallery 139 is presenting an exhibition at The University Gallery - Newcastle, Callaghan campus. We are excited to be collaborating with University curator, Gillean Shaw to be presenting this original Sydney exhibition to a Newcastle audience. It is great to see the work in this wonderful large University Gallery space, the high ceilings and polished concrete floors all contributing to the way this exhibition is experienced. For me, it has been so inspiring to see these artists continue to build upon the momentum of the Sydney experience and to make new work with this exhibition in mind. Like a proud parent, I can't help but feel partly responsible for their development as artists, even though the only thing I offer is encouragement and sometimes a bit of advice. They are all extremely hard working artists, committed to their practices and to the future of their art careers and it's a pleasure to be part of their journey. 

~ Ahn Wells February 2017

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Dino Consalvo Artist builds upon last year's shift towards abstraction and interest in focusing on the details with in the larger subject, in this case the Merewether Ocean Baths. A challenging process for Consalvo whose painting has been pushed to new lengths. With these new works we except to surprise those familiar with his previous en plein air work.

Watch Dino's video below on vimeo ~ a John Cliff production

Peter Lankas Artist has continued to explore the suburbs, finding new imagery in everything around him. His works are filled with social and political commentary, satire and even homage to his favourite artists. In this exhibition Lankas continues to delight us with his familiar imagery, furious colour combinations and confident paint application. 

Watch Peter's video below on vimeo ~ a John Cliff production

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Paul Maher Art delves deeper into this microcosm of a coastal town, analysing it like a sociologist, graphing it like architect. There isn't anyone else in Newcastle that knows this place as intimately as Maher and certainly there is no-one in Newcastle that paints it's with such grace. He will also be exhibiting for the first time large-scale iPad drawings.

Watch Paul's video below on vimeo ~ a John Cliff production

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New floors, new beginnings

It was time to freshness up the gallery space, after 2 years of openings on carpet it was looking like I needed to chance the flooring as regular carpet cleaning just wasn't doing the trick. The options were polished concrete, painting the concrete (depending on the state of the concrete under the carpet!) or floating floor boards. Once we ripped up the carpet and saw the concrete, it became obvious floating floorboards was going to be our best option.  Budget played a major role in choosing the floor material and after some back and forth phone calls, we finally secured some self installing 'click clack' boards from Bunnings! The result has been amazing, the light coloured floor has lifted the gallery space and made it a lovely brighter and has given the gallery a more spacious feel. 

We celebrating the start of the gallery's 3rd year with a big group exhibition: THREE from SAT 14 JAN - SUN 29 JAN 2017, filling the gallery space and installing in a 'salon' style format trying to emulate the style of more European galleries. It was a challenge but we had fun and it was so enjoyable to be around such beautiful works for 3 weeks. 

~ Ahn Wells Feb 2017