FLOORTALK with Alex Thorby

Alex Thorby is a Sydney based artist. She completed a Certificate of Fine Art at Meadowbank TAFE and a Bachelor of Art Education and Postgraduate Diploma (Painting) at City Art Institute (COFA), Sydney.

She lectured in drawing and painting at Western Sydney TAFE Institute and the Wesley Institute, Ministry of the Arts, Sydney from 1996 to 2012.

In 1982, Thorby spent a year studying under Max Meldrum’s protege, Graeme Inson, whose tonal philosophy of “maximum effect from minimum brush stroke” still continues to influence her approach to painting.

Her work was purchased by Margaret Olley for the AGNSW Margaret Olley Trust collection and was shown in the 1996 Margaret Olley Retrospective, AGNSW. Her work has been selected as a finalist in the Archibald Prize, Portia Geach Portrait Prize – 16 times, Doug Moran Portrait Prize, Paddington Art Prize, Salon des Refuse, Highly Commended in the Mosman Art Prize and Winner of the Waverley Art Prize, oil painting, twice.

Alex Thorby is represented in the permanent collections of the AGNSW, Margaret Olley Trust, State Library NSW, New England Regional Gallery, Armidale University, NSW, Inverell Art Gallery and Waverley Council.

Thorby's exhibition 'Balancing on the Horizon' delves into the unknown disquiet of climate change with playful and contemplative paintings. Working en plein air and later in the studio, Thorby reconsiders a leisurely hot summer’s day at the beach, sunbaking, surfing and gazing out to the horizon.

Figurative paintings and sculptural installations explore the tumultuous emotions of joy and loss at a time when balance has multiple meanings and future horizons remain unknown.

Manning Regional Art Gallery Exhibition dates 23 March – 13 May 2023

 

When

Location

free event, all welcome

Manning Regional Art Gallery, 12 Macquarie Street, TAREE, 2430, View Map