Exquisite Detail: a gathering of works by Christina Graham, Craig Williams, and Ryan Rivers

A signal box … a fleeting remark … a spotted guinea fowl: three very strange bedfellows to make sense out of but stick with me … all will be made clear. 

Over the last decade the presence of these artists were slowly absorbed into my consciousness. Seeded by images of their work, my curiosity solidified into admiration of their mastery and technical skill. It then deepened into respect, for their unfailing commitment to their creative practice and the gentle spotlight they shine on our precious and fragile natural world. Theirs is not a loud campaign … but one that builds up through time; subconsciously drawing people into their worlds – one work at a time. It is an enduring celebration of the natural world - plants and animals in particular.

As a curator, I find myself drawn to artists who work outside the “mainstream” - living amongst us in the everyday – making their way as artists - a precarious living at the best of times.

For them, making art, like breathing, is an innate process. I have huge respect for those who are able to make a living through their work without compromise  … it is this authenticity that draws you in.

The challenge to travel the line of “authenticity” and not, “production line” is often lost … but to date, this is not the case for Graham, Williams and Rivers.

Since their appearance about a decade ago on the corners of Launceston’s Wellington and Canning Streets, Rivers’ “Black Cockatoo” peers out from gnarly banksias as I wait for the traffic lights to change. Emerging out of the uncompromising box-shape of a signal box , with skilled brushwork, strong composition and colour work it is a box no more … the cockatoo’s shiny black eye - watchful and lively, hardly stopping its banksia feast - waits to see what your next move is.

There are others around town, all with the same energy. On further investigation revealed a dedicated but very private artist with a strong creative practice from college to art school to the present day – exhibitions, awards, commissions with a growing following of committed collectors.

Described as “FLAUNA” – Rivers’ stunning metamorphosing creatures transition into..? … or out of? … plant-life … affectionately and intricately rendered and brought to life through fine, layered and mixed pencil work … with a dash of white gouache or pencil here or there. You could be forgiven for thinking you saw them breathing … or blinking as you turned to the next one …fleetingly … in your peripheral vision.

The curled tiny echidna “Rolling in ants”, the gentle joy of “Wommoss”, the affection of his “Pademelons” … Rivers has created a pathway to understand both creatures and artist alike.

On the edge of a chance encounter between a colleague and Williams outside a favourite café haunt a couple of years ago … I was told afterwards “That bloke paints birds… he’s the real deal.” … a fleeting remark … followed once again by the hunting down … research … and the wonder!   

Williams has been honing his art practice for a while now … exploring and refining until finding his “niche”. Building his practice and following online; he has carved a path uniquely his own - seamlessly uniting his bibliophile and ornithology passions. His technique is incredible – layers of micro-brushstrokes … magically breathing air between each layer … again, the illusion of potential movement at any given moment.

A spotted guinea fowl – small, plump, jewel-like busy-body of the avian world immediately drew me in, delighting my eye and capturing my heart. I knew it was a watercolour and I wanted to know the artist. Meeting Graham for the first time, she was the driving force of a gallery/museum’s rebrand and communications campaign.

While her work is clean and minimalist, it doesn’t lose its warmth and connection with the viewer. What is unique to her practice, is the elevation of the everyday. She shines a spotlight on her subject … paying homage to it through hyper-detail and precision shaping by her watercolour technique … transforming it into a treasure … amplified by the reduced scale, intensity of colour, and line-work. 

Her's is a skill that has grown from childhood. Encouraged by her parents in a television-free home environment and honed through a formal visual arts degree in painting, Graham’s practice is considered, skills-based and built on methodical research and inquiry. 

In times such these, I feel we need artists like Graham, Williams and Rivers more than ever. Their work delights the eyes. There is magic in the way they bring things to life. The joy of RIvers’  “flauna” … Graham’s glistening vegetables and freshly picked herbs … Williams’ birds who flit, glide and dart across the pages they inhabit … vibrant, celebratory and fragile.

There is magic to be found in the character and affection each artist imbues in their subjects; and delight in the amazing intensity of technique and skill with which they wield their brushes, pens, and pencils. These are visual jewels that claim your attention … stepping outside time. I invite you to join me, moving into the wonder of their “exquisite detail”… a place of magic and awe. 

NOW OPEN: Hive Tasmania, Ulverstone until Sunday, 17 September 2023