Nancy Whittaker, Tarrangower Times

Liadaan has created a magical garden just down the road from the Maldon CBD located at Avalon Studio – Greenhouse Gallery and Sculpture Garden, 26 Parkins Reef Road.

Within the garden there is an outdoor gallery full of trailing plants in hanging baskets, ceramics and mixed media sculptures, together with oil on linen paintings of flowers and fruit. Just in time to complement the Festival of Gardens. And of course, to celebrate spring. The Gallery is open for the Central Victorian Clay Trail, which will be on Saturday 2, Sunday 3, Monday 4, and Tuesday 5 November.

This magical mix of creations is set within a garden that has areas to sit and contemplate the cool green growth around you, or gaze at the waterlilies in the pond. It is an altogether immersive experience.

Liadaan’s magical realism is most evident in her mixed media sculptures such as the piece titled After The Storm. Where she has combined ceramic sculpture with mistletoe. And another titled The Scream of the Falling is also a combination of ceramic with mistletoe.

There is a particularly meaningful work titled Mother and Child, which can be ordered to be cast in bronze.

Meanwhile Liadaan has just recently had work exhibited in a group exhibition of large paintings in a selected exhibition in Florence, Italy, organised by the Rossocinabro Gallery in Rome. She entered two plein air landscapes featuring Maldon and surrounds in North Central Victoria. This is the outcome of contacts she had made over the years with curators who have seen her work, commencing when she represented Australia in the Florence Biennale in 2013 and had a solo exhibition in Verona in 2016.

Liadaan’s artist statement sums up her approach very succinctly… Dividing my work between the disciplines of painting, drawing, sculpture and poetry, I am a contemplative artist. I am not necessarily looking for a lot of detail in a subject; however, sometimes I like to take a portrait or still life to a higher finish. I look for the light, mood, atmosphere and poetry favouring late afternoon, moody and crepuscular subjects. Due to the moving light my landscapes are mostly understated. My focus is always the interplay between the lights and the darks. Figures are usually painted in contemplative poses. I work plein air and in the studio and attend weekly life drawing and painting groups. Still life is also a well-loved subject.

My ceramic and mixed media sculptures are always based on the feminine and often accompanied with animals and plants. Nature and dreams are the inspiration for all of my art work.

I like to write haikus, which are often accompanied by small tonal paintings.

I don’t follow art trends keeping true to my own vision and working from the heart. I consider all of my work to be a meditation.

Liadaan was also happy to have been chosen as a finalist for the Kennedy prize in South Australia this year with a pastel work titled Japanese Study. Around 50 artists nationwide are chosen, so she said, “this was a huge thrill to be hanging with the best.” 

When not creating more delightful plantings in her garden, Liadaan is presently working towards a pastel drawing exhibition at the Convent Gallery in Daylesford in December. She is unstoppable.

Over the long weekend there will be two books for sale in the open air gallery: Tomorrow In Your Dreams by Kurt Forrer, and Dancing on Green Air Paintings and Haikus by Liadaan, which was launched at an exhibition in March 2021, thanks to Dino Marasà and staff at Studio Byblos, Italy.

For further information contact: liadaan.com or 0400 741 206.

Liadaan
Avalon Studio – Greenhouse Gallery and Sculpture Garden
26 Parkins Reef Road, Maldon, Phone 0400 741 206 Open cup weekend Saturday 2nd, Sunday 3rd, Monday 4th, Tuesday 5th 10am – 4pm.
This showing of sculptural works is part of the Central Victorian Clay Trail.
There will also be a large display of floral and fruit paintings in oil on show to celebrate spring.

This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 1 November 2024.