13 August – 1 September 2015
about the exhibition
Madeleine Winch’s paintings and works on paper beautifully render the cyclical, and often subtle, nature of our lives. Drawn from her personal observations of human behaviour and her own deeply felt experiences, Madeleine captures everyday moments in time with her most recent work focusing on ‘home’. Of the work in this exhibition Madeleine says; “Home may be a sanctuary, a place of personal identity providing a sense of belonging; a shelter for both body and soul. It may simply be one’s native land. Its significance to humankind is profound. My new body of work has developed from contemplating this fundamental subject while employing the recurrent symbol of the house as leitmotif… There is a subliminal human presence whilst the inside stories remain behind closed doors.”Working simultaneously on several canvases at once, Madeleine develops her work slowly, using a somewhat predetermined palette which subtly changes as each work grows and evolves. The thoughtful composition of each work results in a contemplative quality and a quiet beauty.
Madeleine Winch has been successfully exhibiting, both nationally and internationally, for over 30 years. Her work has been displayed in a number of major award exhibitions, including the Dobell and Sulman Prizes at the Art Gallery of NSW, and the Portia Geach Memorial Award, Sydney. Madeleine’s mid-career survey ‘State of being’ was curated by Dr Leigh Summers, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery and travelled to six regional galleries in NSW and Queensland from 2013 – 2015. She has illustrated children’s books, including “Edward Wilkins & his Friend Gwendoline” and “Come by Chance”, which she also authored. Madeleine’s work is represented in the National Gallery of Victoria as well the collections of regional galleries throughout NSW including Wagga Wagga, Orange, New England, Maitland and Dubbo, as well as Macquarie University and the Kedumba Collection of Australian Drawings.