‘The pictures in his new show are meditations on the process of painting. Snape refers to this more pragmatically as “managing the process.” But this downplays the role of intuition and the sheer force of feeling and emotion driving the emergence of these paintings.
I say “emergence” quite deliberately because these paintings are not prescribed in any way: they emerge from initially intuitive gestures informed by a response (in most cases) to the landscape. The landscape in question is Snape’s property at Wamboin, north of Canberra in rural New South Wales. This is his second home, where he has a studio and where he is developing a sculpture park to also provide his sculptures with a second home.
Here the word epistemology is again useful. The term refers to how we know and understand the world. In this case it is Snape’s world at Wamboin. Suffice it to say that we know the world through our five senses, and vision is said to account for seventy percent of our perception of the world around us. As far as the landscape is concerned, we see it either by looking out across it or by looking down on it. But our actual perception is a combination of both (think Fred Williams), further shaped by visual habit, emotion, past experience, and prevailing biases.
The challenge Michael Snape has set for himself with these paintings is to represent how we inhabit the landscape’. – excerpt from the essay ‘Inhabiting the Landscape’ by Paul McGillick, 2022
Image above: Orest Keywan That Line 2023 steel 168 x 271 x 190cm Congratulations to Orest Keywan, Michael Snape and …
Celebrated sculptor Michael Snape was recently invited to present his work as part of the Stonevilla Wearable Art Prize (SWAP) …
Image above: The Voice Sculptures, image courtesy of Michael Snape In the following text, prominent Sydney Sculptor, Michael Snape, reflects …
Image above: Andrew Antoniou Weird & Wonderful 2024 charcoal on paper 82 x 88 cm Congratulations to Andrew Antoniou who …
Image above: Christine Wrest-Smith Portrait of Susan Johnson oil on linen 122 x 92cm Congratulations to Christine Wrest-Smith who has been …
Image above: Deborah Williams The air smells different 2023 aquatint intalgio 53×39.5cm Congratulations to Deborah Williams, Martin King and Phillip …
Above image details: Jenny Rodgerson Mum’s orange cardigan 2024 oil on linen 60 x 40 cm Congratulations to Jenny Rodgerson and …
Image above: Sarah Tomasetti From Balpatta X 2024 145 x 150 cm pigment oil and marble dust on fresco Congratulations to Holly …
Image above (left to right): Graeme Drendel Portrait of Rick 2024 oil on canvas 41 x 31 cm | Michelle Hiscock …
Image above: Janet Luxton Giant Australian Cuttlefish 2021 oil on canvas 120x160cm Congratulations to Janet Luxton who has had two …
Above image: Wayne Eager, Allegory I 2023 oil on linen 95 x 133 cm Wayne Eager was interviewed by Janet …
Image above: Marina Strocchi The vineyards of Madden’s Lane 2023 acrylic on linen 122 x 152 cm Congratulations to Kate …
Congratulations to Jennifer Keeler – Milne for being selected as a finalist in the Ravenswood Art Prize 2024 for her …