Hyphen Exhibition Celebrates Everyday Beauty

Experience the beauty and simplicity of day-to-day life in this exhibition by Therese Shanley, located in the Artspace Gallery at Hyphen - Wodonga Library Gallery.

The exhibit titled "World on the Inside", provides a window into Therese's world, which focuses on home, family, comfort and beauty.

In this collection of oil painting and dry point etchings, Therese explores the people, places and things which surround her and inspire her.

"The works tell their own stories, about me, my feelings, emotions, what I see around me and the people, places and objects that are important to me," Therese said.

These works have been produced over the past two years inspired by events in Therese's life, such as COVID-19, the death of a loved one and new and old friendships.

"My works are highly symbolic and have always been a form of self-portraiture in the way that the image is about me as opposed to looking like me," she said.

"Family have been a common subject in my work, sometimes represented by flower in a vase, cups on a table, trees in a line or a red Holden."

Therese uses paintings and drawings as her visual diary and a form of meditation.

"They are how I interpret what's going on inside and around me and allow me to understand and see things better."

"I will often spend hours if not days or weeks painting details like stiches in a crochet blanket or petals on flowers."

Through the exhibit World on the Inside, Therese hopes viewers can relate to her stories in their own life or create their own from what they see in the paintings.

"I try to create a place of calmness, contentment, peacefulness and joy. A safe place where the viewer can reflect on what they see."

In 2023, Therese Shanley's work "Under the Milky Way tonight" was selected as a finalist for the Sulman Prize out of 673 entrants.

Established in 1936, The Sir John Sulman Prize is one of Australia's longest-running art prizes and is awarded each year.

Finalists are displayed in an exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW in conjunction with the Archibald and Wynne Prize exhibitions.

The World on the Inside will be on display at Hyphen - Wodonga Library Gallery until Sunday, February 2 in the Artspace Gallery.