Smith & Brooks on Show in Collingwood, Melbourne

Smith & Brooks have been invited to share some of our latest work at the Art Lovers Australia Gallery in Melbourne as stockroom artists and we couldn’t be more excited! The Art Lovers Australia gallery is nestled in the heart of Collingwood, Melbourne and includes four gallery spaces, spanning over two floors. Considered the arts hub of Melbourne, Collingwood provides the perfect location for the gallery to share its diverse range of art with gallery enthusiasts and those looking to buy their next piece of art. With an exceptional schedule of exhibitions, visitors to the Melbourne gallery can expect to be captivated by the incredible work by artists from around Australia no matter when they visit.

While Smith & Brooks have exhibited at the gallery before this is the first time we have been invited to be stockroom artists for Art Lovers Australia so it was important for us to select the perfect pieces to send. As you may know we have been working on our new collection, ‘Southern Melody’ through which we explore native plant species from coastal and woodland areas in south eastern Australia and once we were offered the space it was clear to us that artworks inspired by the Melbourne and Bass Strait area would be ideal for the gallery.

We sent 4 artworks down to Melbourne to join 4 works that were already on site from the ‘Smalls’ exhibition which wrapped up in February. ‘Radiata Moment I’ was one of these works and features eucalyptus radiata foliage on a large landscape canvas beautifully framed in Australian oak. Eucalyptus radiata, also known as narrow-leaf peppermint gum is native to the greater Melbourne and Bass Strait region and can be found on beautiful Phillip Island and down into the forests of Tasmania too. This wonderful native tree is also an integral koala habitat and food source species making it an incredibly important part of the landscape.

‘Coastal Banksia Moment I’ is also currently on show in the Art Lovers Australia Gallery. This original artwork is sort of  a cross-over piece that bridges our two most recent collections, ‘Southern Melody’ and ‘Coastal Path’. Having worked with the iconic Coastal Banksia tree in various works from ‘Coastal Path’ it was wonderful to explore the species again after discovering that it appears in coastal areas all the way down to Geelong in Victoria. We cannot get enough of this amazing Australian native and worked with it on a larger scale for ‘Coastal Banksia Moment I’, bringing in some cooler climate tones to complete the palette.

We also included two smaller works, ‘Ovata Still I’ and ‘Ovata Still II’ to be shown at the Melbourne gallery. These two square artworks feature another species that we have previously explored, Eucalyptus ovata or Swamp Gum. This time we created still life artworks of the foliage and worked with colours from our ‘Southern Melody’ collection that have been drawn from the local landscape. Eucalyptus ovata is another vital species of gum to the Melbourne and Bass Strait region and is a vital koala food source habitat tree. While these two artworks are available individually, we think their real charm is revealed when hung together! It is as if they speak to one another through their colour and form, bringing a serene energy to their space.

These original artworks are all exclusive to Art Lovers Australia and are on show now in Melbourne. You can visit the Collingwood gallery from Tuesday to Saturday and see these gorgeous Smith & Brooks pieces in person. Alternatively you can find them online on the Art Lovers Australia website. But to be honest, if you are anywhere near the Melbourne area we suggest you go and view these pieces in the flesh at the gallery itself. Not only will you be able to immerse yourself in our artworks, you will be able to experience the ‘Breaking Boundaries’ abstract exhibition. The Artist’s Palette exhibition opens on May 17th and who knows, you may just find the perfect piece of Australian art to buy for your home!