In Light of Innocence, A Conversation with Nature

Mandy Francis Solo Exhibition


It is with great pleasure that Studio Gallery presents Mandy Francis' Solo Exhibition 'In Light of Innocence, A Conversation with Nature'. 

We invite you to join us on opening night for celebratory drinks and an intimate artist talk with Mandy.

Opening Night | 6:00pm - 8:00pm, Thursday 24th November
Location | Studio Gallery, 3-7 Danks Street, Waterloo
Exhibition | 24th November - 9th December
Artist talk will commence at 7pm






In light of Innocence, a Conversation with Nature is an accumulation of the works produced in Mandy Francis's studio on the Central Coast of NSW over the last year. Each painting explores scenarios where birds are in their element, on their primordial journeys from mudflats to the other side of the world, in their places of solitude, surrounded by water, or interacting with each other and the natural world around them. There is also a moment in each painting where Mandy gives way to her intentions and lets the paint, colour, texture, composition dictate the narrative. Sometimes a sheer gestural line can sum up the character of the bird or mountain or tapestry like patterns describe an ocean. 


Mandy isn’t concerned with creating a style or a scheme, for her it's about a conversation between the art process and the natural world.

 


Mandy is fascinated with the aspects of nature that hold innocence. The untainted quality of birds, animals and plants for her is quite irresistible. 

Birds are entirely unbridled, with individual characters and personalities. Plants pop up out of the ground with grand purpose in vibrant colours and patterns, moving, leaning and posturing in a way that says and does so many things. Mandy sees it as pure magic and sets out to capture that feeling in her work. 

In a way, by trying to embody this unique symphony Mandy is making a statement about embracing oneself, and accepting your own unique strangeness, trying your best to shut out lifes expectations and to simply flow as you. 



Each painting or sculpture that Mandy initiates draws deeply from a moment where magic resides, something unadulterated, unpolluted and utterly free.  Whether it be tiny birds mucking about on the path or Cockatoos squawking in search of the right tree to sleep in for the night, crazy rain in the distance or stretched out shadows, the artist is deeply invested in the feelings such theatre evokes. 

Through trial and error, experimenting with paint, colour, exaggerating movement, oscillating between figurative, abstraction, fantasy and naive mark making, Mandy composes a work that captures the play of art making and the play of nature.




Mandy Francis ( b 1975 , Ngunbay/Cairns QLD) lives and works on Darkinjung land/ Ettalong Beach NSW.  Beyond her Fine Art degree (majoring in sculpture), from the National Art School, Sydney. Mandy has also undertaken research at the University of Newcastle, completing a Masters and a Doctor of Philosophy, where she specialised in public sculpture and installation art. Over 20 years, Mandys career as a painter sculptor and installation artist, has led her to art residencies in Japan and Australia, including remote communities in the central desert, NT, and Artspace, Sydney. Mandy has exhibited in major group exhibitions including The Dobell Drawing Prize, Blacktown Art Prize, Sculpture By The Sea, Underbelly Arts, Sydney Fringe Festival, Gosford Art Prize, The Harbour Sculpture Prize, Japan Australia Art Musings, The Art Of Sound, National Sound and Film Archive. 

Mandys work is held in the collections of Janet Holmes à court AO, Anne Lewis AO, Sculpture by The Sea, and numerous private collections in Australia, US, Europe, NZ.  Mandy is represented by Studio Gallery Group, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.




Sweethearts at the Waters Edge

$2,900.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis available via Studio Gallery. Australian galleries across four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Australia’s largest commercially available collection of contemporary art.

Cooling Down At Girrakool Pools III

$2,500.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis available via Studio Gallery. Australian galleries across four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Australia’s largest commercially available collection of contemporary art​.​

Bluesy Woosy

$2,900.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis available via Studio Gallery. Australian galleries across four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Australia’s largest commercially available collection of contemporary art​.​

Cooling Down at Girrakool Pools II

$4,900.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis available via Studio Gallery. Australian galleries across four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Australia’s largest commercially available collection of contemporary art​.​

Whizzing About

$5,500.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis ​​​available via Studio Gallery. Australian galleries across four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Australia’s largest commercially available collection of contemporary art​.​

Sweethearts At The Waters Edge II

$2,900.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis available via Studio Gallery. Australian galleries across four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Australia’s largest commercially available collection of contemporary art.

Adventures Along the Sandstone Path

$1,500.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis available via Studio Gallery. Australian galleries across four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Australia’s largest commercially available collection of contemporary art​.​

Sun Showers Over the Ocean

$2,900.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis available via Studio Gallery. Australian galleries across four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Australia’s largest commercially available collection of contemporary art.

A Glorious Day

$1,500.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis available via Studio Gallery. Australian galleries across four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Australia’s largest commercially available collection of contemporary art​.​

A Vivid Dream

$1,950.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis available via Studio Gallery. Australian galleries across four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Australia’s largest commercially available collection of contemporary art​.​

Following The Stars

$1,500.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis available via Studio Gallery. Australian galleries across four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Australia’s largest commercially available collection of contemporary art​.​

Rockpool Shenanigans

$5,500.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis available via Studio Gallery. Australian galleries across four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Australia’s largest commercially available collection of contemporary art.

Soulful Sessions

$2,900.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis available via Studio Gallery. Australian galleries across four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Australia’s largest commercially available collection of contemporary art.

Evenings by the Ocean, Rock-pools and Waterfalls.

$2,900.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis available via Studio Gallery. Australia’s largest commercially available collections of contemporary art held across four expansive locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane

Wooshka

$9,500.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis ​​​available via Studio Gallery. Australian galleries across four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Australia’s largest commercially available collection of contemporary art​.​

It was A Magic Evening At The Waterfront

$9,500.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis available via Studio Gallery. Australian galleries across four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Australia’s largest commercially available collection of contemporary art.

Copy of Tidal Pool Capers

$5,500.00
Sold Out

Artwork by Mandy Francis available via Studio Gallery. Australia’s largest commercially available collections of contemporary art held across four expansive locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane

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