An Emotional Exhibition

Illawarra Mercury

Saturday March 14, 1998

By SHADY COSGROVE

THE Historic Hillcrest House is showing the works of three Illawarra artists - Kylie-Jennifer Warner, Paul Souter and Regina Brewster - during its weekend exhibition, Views From Within, on display until March 22.

The three artists each have unique styles and offer very different work, but all agree that their pieces act as interpretations of the world around them, not mere representations.

Paul Souter enjoys painting landscapes and images, whether they are sea scenes or European buildings.

"Art is different than life. I bring more out. It's a bit more romantic," Souter said.

"Rather than a plain door with a bike there, it's a bit more than that. You can suit your own vision of what's there or what could be there."

Regina Brewster also paints, and enjoys capturing the vitality of the rainforest in her artwork.

"I love the rainforest. When I paint, I want to put my feelings in the painting," Brewster said.

"I feel very strongly about the forest. It's the voice of nature. How in the ancient Aboriginal legends, that the gum trees once spoke to people and all went well. But then they refused to listen and there was no more wind and no more tide, and no birds singing like the earth was dying. If you listen to the nature and you feel it, then all goes well."

For Brewster, painting offers more depth than a photograph.

"With the paintings, it's from emotion. You can have a photo of a place that doesn't do anything," Brewster said.

Kylie-Jennifer Warner also finds deep emotion in her work.

"My work tries to express what I have found out about life," Warner said.

"I also try to show people that we're not alone. There's a universality in human experience."

Warner uses words with images, broken glass, clocks, beads and even clocks and wardrobes to create artworks that offer insights.

"To de-mystify art a bit, words are a big part of my art," she said.

"This comes from my own interest and background in English literature. I try to use words from modern day songs that people will recognise as well as classical literature."

Views From Within will be showing at Hillcrest House, 12 Railway Cres, Stanwell Park, today, tomorrow, next Saturday and Sunday (March 21 and 22) from 10.30am to 4pm.

© 1998 Illawarra Mercury

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