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A lot has changed for artist Elizabeth Barnett since we last caught up. She had her second baby, Beatrice, in October last year, and moved to the country just a month later! (Having recently been joined by a tiny, highly dependent human myself, this seems INSANE). In the months that have passed since then, Lizzie has been incredibly disciplined, carving out time each day whilst her youngest is sleeping to paint for her current solo exhibition, ‘Interiors‘, at Modern Times.
The exhibition is BIG, with 24 paintings, and a few framed watercolours too. The work is also quite large in scale, ‘bigger than anything I have made in a long time’ says Lizzie.
This body of work has been shaped by Lizzie’s new home in rural Victoria. ‘We moved to this gorgeous big old farmhouse in Macedon, which is set on 12 acres which is made up of garden, paddocks and bush’ she says. ‘So naturally, the work got bigger and the foliage and flora from the bush surrounding the house crept into the work too’.
Lizzie called the show ‘Interiors’ because these paintings depict the spaces she inhabits a lot of the time right now whilst at home with her little kids. Still, having more space, and a studio at home, has been hugely energising for her practice. ‘I’ve now got the space to curate little scenes at home to paint. I have been really enjoying focusing on still-life arrangements made up of furniture (borrowed or my own), floral arrangements in vases made by friends or found at the op-shop, my houseplants, records that I have been listening to and books I have been reading’ she says.
After her show opens next week, Lizzie will already be diving into the next project. She has works in a couple of group shows later in the year, she’s teaching embroidery workshops in September (knitting and needlework is her other love!) and there are a few fun collaborations in the pipeline too! And of course, there are the kids, and home, and the ever expanding menagerie of pets, chooks, alpacas… ‘and we just welcomed our dog Poppy into our lives too!’ says Lizzie!
Interiors by Elizabeth Barnett
August 25th until September 8th 2016
Modern Times
311 Smith Street
Fitzroy
Join Lizzie for opening drinks next Thursday 25th August from 6.00pm – 8.00pm.
