Yes

Katarina Widderington-Oliver

March 1 - April 31

Katarina Widderington-Oliver is a contemporary visual artist who works with a variety of mediums ranging from oils, enamels, acrylics, collage, 3 dimensional objects, ready-mades, inks, paint pens, etc. Her work is diverse in nature and in vision, ranging from abstract landscapes, contemporary cityscapes, abstract patterns and urban art using narratives and commentaries.

‘Yes” is an eclectic mix of works completed over the last 12 to 18 months.

Born in England of Anglo Maltese decent she was raised as an Australian. She have been a practicing artist since the age of three. Katarina has been involved in art education, artist in ‘residency programs’ and community arts projects. Katarina has had work featured in regional and private galleries in both WA and Victoria. She also has work featured in several private collections in West Australia and Europe.

Katarina is a Daylesford resident of approximately 2 years. She was originally from West Australia where her major artistic influence stemmed from the beautiful outback. Her more current influences stem from the local area and the beautiful city of Melbourne.

 

 

Love & Other Things

St. Mel

December 30 - March 1

Caught in the Act

Kitty Kamakaze

December 1 - December 30

Seasoned temptress Kitty Kamakaze is being coaxed out of her underground world of seduction and mischief by 'Cant Think Straight' gallery. Opening on the 3rd of December, 2011, 'Caught in the Act' spotlights a dreamlike world of tease, fantasy and exhibitionism that Kamakaze has made her home.

'Caught in the Act' offers a genuine snapshot of alternative sexuality. Each painting is taken from Kamakaze's private photo album which documents Kamakaze just before she leaves the house for parties, to go to clubs and before stepping onto the stage. The series really does catch Kamakaze in the act of preforming sexuality.

Each canvass offers a different snapshot of Kamakaze as she forms, explores and explodes her own sexual identity. Each canvass offers a different glimpse into Kamakaze's explosive lifestyle. From the romance of old styled burlesque imagery to the urban kink of a nurses uniform. Kamakaze peers out of each portrait with the strength and joy of a true radical.

Kamakaze is a formidable figure. She holds two degrees and is half way through her thesis, her PhD is in near sight. Having started the not-for-profit group Flux Artist Society at the age of 19 years old where she ran the organization, curated and exhibited for 4 years before retiring, Kamakaze was always assured of success. Kamakaze now works as a model, dancer and artist and is looking forward having her academic work published again next year.

Kamakaze has suggest that her last portrait may be a collaborative work with her partner. 'I think for the last painting I might ask my partner to take the photo. I want to see how he is able to construct how he sees my sexuality. He's a great artist. It'll be hot giving him all of the control....well for 1 hour anyway.'

Kamakaze's works offer a challenge to the way we think about sexuality. In the end the series simply asks the audience 'who are you performing for?'

Places and Spaces

Andrew Gray

October 5 - November 30

From the Ballarat tip to the streets of Daylesford. Artwork using recycled garden lattice. Weathered pieces of lattice have been reworked to reflect local, nearby and faraway places and spaces. 

Artist Profile

Making art pieces to me is a time to play, experiment and discover.

I like the freedom in not following any tradition or formal technique. I paint and make artworks using various materials including found objects. The variety keeps me fresh with ideas and my imagination alive. My paintings are abstract and I’m always planning new things to paint, make and do.

My inspiration comes from observations of everyday life. And sometimes I have no idea where my ideas come from. I enjoy picturing and creating something in my head and then making it come to life. Most times my aim is very clear and off I go and then occasionally something will present itself through the process and set me off in another direction. This can be really exciting and freeing to just let go and see what happens.

Previously I was part of an Artist Co-op in Melbourne’s western suburbs before moving to Ballarat. Whilst in Melbourne I did exhibit mainly through the Co-Op so am enjoying the opportunity of branching out in rural Victoria.

Life

Rynelle Walker

August 1 - September 30

Can't Think Straight is proud to be presenting contemporary Aboriginal Artist, Rynelle Walker. She began painting in 2000 while working in the Northern Territory. Celebrating women and mother earth, Rynelle captures beauty, struggles and strengths through her unique use of colour and intricate dot patterns. Rynelle has been involved in a number of group exhibitions and her work is now held in both corporate and private collections throughout Australia.

This exhibition is called 'Life'. Many elements contribute to our struggles in Life, the Struggles that surround us and also those within.

Our Life is a Journey therefore Stories Unfold.  Many or Most of which are never put into words that other people can read.

People - Kullilli

Community - Tharymindah

South West Cunumulla, Cherbourg

The Nude

Anne Atkinson

June 1 - July 31st, 2011

For many years, Anne has been drawn to the human form with all its power and beauty. “I find every model exerts a kind of intoxicating influence over me – an influence that pushes me to explore further, beyond the edge where flesh meets atmosphere, across the contours, volumes and landscape of our form… to where I can reveal the most intimate rhythm of life.” 

Anne’s interpretation of the human body has resulted in many exhilarating journeys. She has created sensitive and challenging compositions where symbolism co-exists with figurative passages, detail versus void and reality rubs shoulders with memories, dreams and subjective experience. From this gloriously rich palette, Anne has developed a language of marks that speak with emotion, awe, reverence and respect. 

The Zoo: Dis-encaged and Liberated

Pep Phelan

1^st April – 31^st May

This is the newest exhibition from Melbourne artist Pep Phelan. The Zoo: Dis-encaged and Liberated explores concepts of mainstream social compliance, self-imposed limitation, and the infusion of spirituality as a means of liberation.

In 2011, humanity and our current social systems are in a state of major change and dramatic upheaval, creating opportunities for individuals, communities and social non-conformists to break free of the ideals enforced by religious and political organisations. Wild animals are caught and caged at the zoo for many reasons; to parade in front of the public for mental knowledge or amusement, to counter the 'threat' they hold to the community as humans trespass further into their habitat, or put into breeding programs for 'their own good' as the numbers of a their species dwindle in the wild to the point of endangerment or imminent extinction. Like the wild animals at the zoo, humanity too has been caged and held hostage by religion and politicians who believe they are only 'doing what is best' for us, forcing us to fear, hate, and feel vulnerability, lack and insufficiency. This in turn creates a reliance on the ego whose sole task is to 'divide and conquer' for it's survival. With spiritual understanding we have nothing to fear, realising that it is in fact only our own egos that keep us caged and isolated by 'buying into' the fear. With pure and spiritual love of ourselves we will all become 'dis-encaged and liberated'.

You're A Star

Katarina Widderington-Oliver

1^st February – 31^st March

Sometimes it’s hard to fit artists into boxes particularly Katarina Widderington-Oliver, who is no exception. Identifying as a painter,she is heavily drawn toward mixed media, where more than one medium is employed to reach an overall effect.

The artworks all commence life as paintings and gradually morph into mixed media products. Often Katarina uses found objects and uses them in conjunction with more traditional artist media, such as paint on canvas.

Katarina has been journaling over the last 20 years and examples of her journals are randomly featured in many of the works in the form of drawings and writings.  Quotes and thoughts are often featured in her paintings, many have derived from her personal experiences or current events that may have been dominant at the time. Some of the featured comments are a record of strangers conversations overheard on commuter trains, on the streets, in cafes etc. Some quotes are personal thoughts on the meaning of her feelings on everyday life.

The artworks are exciting, vibrant and intricate. The viewer is often captivated by their boldness, sense of colour and contemporary vibrancy. The work draws on the many different elements of a variety of art movements such as classical drawing, fauvism, street art etc, which provides an exciting art journey for the viewer. This is an eclectic collection of work which will compliment any collection.

Katarina Widderington-Oliver is a Contemporary Visual Artist who is on study leave from Art Teaching. She completed a Graduate Certificate in Visual Arts at The Victorian College of the Art, Melbourne University in 2010.

She has recently been offered a place in the Masters program RMIT 2011.

Katarina has been working as an artist for over 20 years; she has been involved in art education, artist in ‘residency programs’ and community arts projects.

Katarina has had work featured in regional and private galleries in both WA and Victoria. She also has work featured in several private collections in West Australia.

 

Played

1^st December – 31^st January

The concept of the exhibition is about youth, innocence and game playing, and how those things affect who we are as adults, Marcia has explored this theme through images of people playing games or playing in general.  Whilst some of the images are of children others are not, the images of children are demonstrating where it all starts and the images of adults are showing where it can end up or how, even when we grow up we still continue to learn new behaviours through games.

Marcia was playing a board game one day and realised that they do teach you strategy...how to manipulate things...how to cheat to get your way and win, how to win honestly and from good game play and strategy, how to be a good sport if you lose etc. They teach you so much, this why she focused on the literal playing of games as a youth and an adult, to visually represent her theme.

Marcia asked herself a lot of questions about playing games such as, is it possible to take it too far? Can the concept “Play to Win” take someone from being an ambitious person, looking to maximize his or her enjoyment of a game by playing their best or, can it do something far worse and teach them all the wrong lessons in life? Do we put too much pressure on kids to 'win' a game in order to 'succeed’.  Or through our desire to encourage children and young adults, are we driving and fostering a behaviour that may make them into an adult with unhealthy strategies to succeed in life and fostering wrong personal behaviours. Having said this, many children will have been encouraged to play games and participate in ways that build them into fair, strong adults who don't see 'winning' as everything, who treat others equally and don't use others to better their own position.

Drag School

October 1 - November 30, 2010

Drag School is a unique drama education program conceived and produced by Rei Alphonso. It is comprised of a series of interactive ‘playshops’, culminating in a photo shoot and exhibition/performance evening. Aimed at GLBTIQ youth, this program aims to use drag as a platform to explore gender, identity and sexuality, giving the participants the tools to evolve as performers and persons of diverse queer identities. 

Running initially in Melbourne, fundraising is currently underway to bring Drag School to regional Victoria, combating the isolation and lack of support so often faced by GLBTIQ youth who do not have access to the concentration of resources in metropolitan areas. As part of the fundraising scheme, the first Drag School photo exhibition is showing at Can't Think Straight, a progressive new gallery located in Daylesford from October 1st- 30th November 2010.

Come along to the launch on the 2nd of October  from 6-8pm,  and support the younger members of our alphabet soup. The exhibition itself showcases the many and varied talents of the Drag School graduates, the faces of our next generation of performers and activists, and is not to be missed. Prints will be on sale with all proceeds going to support the regional tour of Drag School.    

For interviews or further information, contact enquiries@cantthinkstraight.com.au, or call Mim Morgan on 0411 250 648. 

Take a Drag

July 1 - September 30, 2010

Hello people... get ready for Cynthia Scibberas! She will be hitting our walls on 1st July with deeply enthraling photographic images of Balinese drag queens in her series 'Take A Drag'. The launch will be on 3rd July, so get yourselves down to Daylesford, it is sure to be a night like no other!

An intimate, colourful, and theatric photographic exhibition of transgender, identity, diverstiy and community.

Exhibited at Can't Think Straight Gallery and Gift Shop July 1st - Sept 30th 2010

Launch Night 3rd July 2010 6-9.30pm