Abstract Immersion with Andrew Hillhouse
The opening night of Andrew Hillhouse’s On the Nature of Daylight exhibition was a celebration of colour, texture and light, discovers Rebecca Jamieson Dwyer.
Andrew Hillhouse has been a fixture of Noosa’s creative scene for more than 30 years, so it was no surprise that the local arts community turned out in force to celebrate the opening of his latest exhibition, On the Nature of Daylight, at Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre.
Inspired by the Impressionists’ fascination with light, each work captures shifting moods and moments across the day, expressed through energetic, intense colours and bold marks.
Guests mingled, chatted and enjoyed celebratory drinks and canapés as they explored the 20 works on display. Presented on canvas and polycotton in a range of sizes and finished with hand-crafted Tasmanian Oak frames, the collection drew visitors deep into Andrew’s rich, mesmerising world.
Led by a spontaneous approach to creativity, Andrew says his work reflects memory as much as landscape.
“I am not scientific in my approach,” he says. “I tend to relate to abstract landscapes rather than a perfectly painted scene because when we remember something, a memory is never perfect – it starts to decay or fade, so your recollection becomes less and less accurate and your memory is always an impression.”
Also a celebrated architect, Andrew held his first solo exhibition at Noosa Regional Gallery 20 years ago. He says he relished the process of creating this new body of work and sharing it with others.
“The opening night was fantastic,” he said. “A huge thanks to all my friends and supporters who came along!”
Visit Andrew in his studio as part of Noosa Open Studios this October.
