Wild: Women & Nature

Lyn Hodnett

10 June - 9 July

Opening Friday 10 June 7:30pm

Lyn Hodnett paints women. Her striking paintings of women have developed over many years but the common thread is her interest and fascination in myth, legend and stories. A printmaker and a painter Lyn brings her exceptional skill with portraiture to the fore in her newest collection of work. Identity and connection to the land and ‘home’ are explored in a series of work where she chooses to paint over postcards, salvaged wood, wall papers and other textured and collaged surfaces, both hiding and revealing previous stories or histories / ‘her’stories.

Many of these portraits are full of images of fruit/flowers/insects/fish/birds and other wildlife. These details have symbolic meaning to the artist but the viewer is left to interpret them in their own way.

The colour varies from dark and brooding through to bright and joyful. The collection as a whole seems to offer a journey of womanhood. Each portrait offering a glimpse into the world of the artist but also into women’s myriad stories/roles and connections.

“I found a wild women quote from a book I have read and re read.  It comes from an inspirational book 'Women Who Run With Wolves' by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. It has been such an important book for me. Over the years I have had it,  I return to it again and again. Given to me by poet and playwriter Emteaz Hussain because she said  'you must have this book'. She was right, I think we all should have this book.” Lyn Hodnett

'With  the wild nature as ally and teacher we see not through two eyes but through the many eyes of intuition. With intuition we are like the starry night, we gaze at the world through a thousand eyes. The wild woman is fluent in the language of dreams, images, passion and poetry. 

Clarissa Pinkola Estes