Opening Night - What Lies Beneath by Nadine Bastow

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My work reflects my 50 year immersion in the ancient and precious dunes and water ways of Gabbadah, where the mouth of the Moore River meets the Indian Ocean (also known as Guilderton, 1 hour north of Perth). This is Yued Noongar country and I am a visitor, my time here is momentary yet this country is embedded in my visual and physical memory. This connection is what I hope to reflect in my recent work.

My mixed media paintings are an expression of landscape rather than a literal interpretation and the indelible imprint it leaves on the individual. The extraordinary West Australian light drives my work: blindingly white on the soft steep dunes, starkly contrasting long cool shadows and phthalo blue skies, bringing life to the sand and water. Colour, light and pattern reflect in the tea-tree stained waters of the Moore River, as it voluptuously winds its way along the contours of the dunes. The river form is ever changing as it swells to capacity, eventually breaking through into the Indian Ocean with wild force at the sandbar.

I am inspired by nature in all its forms and - the colour, light, pattern, rhythm, impermanence, resilience and cruelty. What lies beneath are the memories, the long and the short history of its inhabitants and a sense of place leaving an indelible print on all who come, swim, sit and take time to notice.

About the artist

Nadine Bastow is a mid-career artist with over 30 years of experience having exhibited both in WA and internationally, with 3 solo exhibitions and numerous group shows. Nadine is a mixed media landscape painter creating highly textural surfaces, layering print, paint, ink and paper. Also a portrait painter and sculptor, she embeds layers of rich colour, collage, printed imagery and texture whether on a 2D or 3D surface. As a secondary art teacher having taught throughout WA and internationally, Nadine has acquired a broad range of experience and expertise as both an artist and an educator.