Jane Swanston Solo Opens

DOLL, an exhibition of new works by JANE SWANSTON opens in Belfast's Tom Caldwell Gallery on Tuesday 29th May. Although a new artist to the gallery, Swanston arrives with a history of very successful exhibitions over the past five years. She also comes with a huge amount of respect from her peers and is highly regarded by many Irish artists. for the exhibition catalogue. She has also made her mark outside Ireland by becoming a finalist in The Hunting Art Prizes annual competition at the Royal College of Art, London in 2004. The exhibition runs till Saturday 16th June. An umissable show by a new Caldwell artist. "A smoke stained doll is found after a fire and placed in a container for cleaning. It could be a child in the womb or a figure relaxed, floating, or again perhaps drowning. These figures are suffused in dark, fluid, transparent colour produced by a succession of glazes letting the viewer see changing emphases. Another image then emerges. This is a mature female figure. It is in a contained space, the canvas itself. It partly determines the space but it also implies a stress, a pressure to break the container. The harmonies resulting from the repeated applications develop the surface and play with qualities of light whether it is high or low key. These paintings parallel a personal story... painted from life and metaphors for a life experience subtly shared with the viewer. In this group of paintings what is emphatic in my response is the skilful exploration of paint in such a varied, sensitive and ultimately appropriate way" (David Crone).