February 8, 2024 - February 29, 2024
YVONNE ZAGO – THE NATURE OF THINGS
Artist:
Yvonne Zago
Location:
subiaco
The Nature of Things is a small showing of paintings that contain elements of botanical painting, landscape painting, and pattern design, arranged in the form of a simplified still life.
The botanical elements, all from the genera Orchidaceae, are of species native to Western Australia. Orchid hunting is a pastime originating in the Victorian era that still captivates people today, including me.
For a decade I have been observing the emergence of species that flower in my region of the Perth hills from May until November. These seven months are represented in each of these seven paintings, based on that species’ flowering time. Some are from my local area, and others are from hunts further afield to Reagan’s Ford, Narrogin and Margaret River. The vases that contain the flowers (an incongruity as picking orchids is illegal) form the landscape element and tell the story of my finds in recognisable Delftware-style renditions, using only Indanthrone Blue and white.
Creating patterns has a long history in fabric, lace and wallpaper design. Versions of these patterns form the bases for my still lifes, grounding the vases and providing a counterbalance to the realistic forms of the flowers.
Pattern recognition is fundamental to the practise of orchid hunting, where some species are only 3-5cm tall and hidden amongst shrubs. Visually locking onto the colours and patterns of the flowers is one of the key skills all orchid hunters will understand.
The botanical elements, all from the genera Orchidaceae, are of species native to Western Australia. Orchid hunting is a pastime originating in the Victorian era that still captivates people today, including me.
For a decade I have been observing the emergence of species that flower in my region of the Perth hills from May until November. These seven months are represented in each of these seven paintings, based on that species’ flowering time. Some are from my local area, and others are from hunts further afield to Reagan’s Ford, Narrogin and Margaret River. The vases that contain the flowers (an incongruity as picking orchids is illegal) form the landscape element and tell the story of my finds in recognisable Delftware-style renditions, using only Indanthrone Blue and white.
Creating patterns has a long history in fabric, lace and wallpaper design. Versions of these patterns form the bases for my still lifes, grounding the vases and providing a counterbalance to the realistic forms of the flowers.
Pattern recognition is fundamental to the practise of orchid hunting, where some species are only 3-5cm tall and hidden amongst shrubs. Visually locking onto the colours and patterns of the flowers is one of the key skills all orchid hunters will understand.
