New painting by emerging artist CLAUDIA JOWITT - her much anticipated first solo exhibition with Melanie Roger Gallery.  

Speaking of her sell out 2016 solo exhibition, arts writer / collector Warwick Brown described Jowitt's work as "Delicate but demanding, cool but hot.  Some of the best painting you are likely to see in 2016."

Repeated, meandering shapes, forms, lines and voids slowly grow upon and across the surfaces of these paintings. Drifting in clusters, each unit manifests its own unique pallor and tones that are sometimes refracted, sometimes layered. There are whites that become roseate, lemon yellow, mauve, pistachio green… recalling spun-sugar, marshmallows or sorbets. There are pockets and patches of colour, wiry squiggles, a swish… paint dashes and dabs as it travels across a surface.

A variety of techniques is used by the artist to create such works. Aside from an achingly icy, delicate and subtle palette, an expert and eccentric application is employed. Acrylic and oils are not only applied with a brush, they are pumped through icing bags, manipulated with spatulas, tile-grouting combs, kitchen implements and cake-icing sets.

Also featured will be a new series of watercolours made while Jowitt was recently in Fiji and drew on her surroundings for inspiration - the tropical reefs and local jungle flora and fauna.  The exhibition title itself - Namotu - is a Fijian word meaning small detached reef.  

Namotu - Fjian word for small detached reef
Masi - Fijian white tapa
Magimagi - braided cocunut sinet
Vualiku - Fijian for North / North wind
Medrea - Fijian word meaning entangled / interwoven
Cakau - Fijian for reef
Tali - Fijian meaning to plait or interweave