Durban - Taking time to find the beauty in ordinary surroundings, in the unexpected, the overlooked and mundane.
That's the focus of the oils on canvas and charcoal drawings on display in the new exhibition by Lauriana Glenny which starts today at the Stepping Stones Studios in Assagay. There is a walkabout starting at noon and viewing is by appointment.
Speaking to the Independent on Saturday this week, Glenny said she had done a lot of work since the lockdown started, completing a collection of landscapes.
"They are ordinary, everyday sites, but if you look more carefully, you will find beauty. Finding something extraordinary from the ordinary by the simple act of paying attention. Pause long enough to consider finding beauty where you perhaps thought there was none," she said.
The paintings and drawings are diverse in their subject matter – from a scorched hill in the Midlands to a wet street in downtown Durban and s deserted train stops in Italy, Glenny said every artwork had an element of light, be it a misty ray or an orange dawn.
"The element of light in each piece represents hope," said Glenny, adding that people needed to find some beauty and hope in what had been a difficult year for many.
Glenny had worked as a commercial artist, but became a full time professional artist two years ago.
She sees her role as an artist as being a contemporary architect of hope to a broken and troubled world, with her creativity being inspired by the spirit of God to breathe life into seemingly hopeless situations.
Her style is loose and expressive. Glenny said she enjoyed capturing an intuitive and emotional response to her subject matter and tried to express that through mark-making and layering of paint and other media.
She sees the concept of a landscape as the metaphor for man's unification of his soul with nature and this motivated her to look more closely at urban- and nature-inspired landscapes.
The exhibition is at the Stepping Stones Studios in Assagay from today until the end of next month. It is also the working studio of Greg Hayes, master framer and dealer in fine art and bespoke mirrors.
The walkabout starts at noon and numbers will be limited, in line with Covid protocols. Refreshments will be served.
To book to view the exhibition or to join the walkabout, contact Lauriana at 084 206 1345 or Greg at 083 946 9094.
The Independent on Saturday