by Courtney Symes

September is one of my favourite months in Canberra. The show-stopper event of the month is Floriade (think one million flowers in Canberra’s Commonwealth Park attracting more than 400,000 visitors), which starts on 14 September, then there’s the Canberra Times Fun Run on 8 September, and need I even mention the fact that by September, Canberra’s inclement winter days are numbered. Plus there’s a stack of awesome exhibitions, but hey, nothing new here, just a taste of what’s in store …

There’s only three days left to catch two sensational exhibitions at Beaver Galleries. Jamie Boyd’s Brief Encounters consists of a varied selection of works on paper. An established painter and printmaker (Jamie is the son of Arthur Boyd, so there’s no shortage of talent and good genetics here!), Boyd’s latest body of work uses “both vibrant and subdued colours and expressive gestural lines, the works reflect a strong European tradition”. Boyd “is highly regarded as a painter of the landscape and the figure, constantly challenging and redefining his knowledge of art through experimentation and play”. Splitting his time between his homes in London and the Shoalhaven area, Boyd’s work is the richer for his frequent travel. Collections such as the National Gallery of Victoria, Artbank, the University of South Australia, University of Western Australia, Parliament House Art Collection and the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery currently represent Boyd’s work. He has also exhibited regularly in Australia and extensively in Europe.

Yogis and Yoginis is Clara Hali’s latest sculpture exhibition, a tribute to her mother who sadly passed away last year, as well as a reflection on “our deep desire to find balance and spirituality within our busy lives”. Hali has drawn inspiration from images in her mother’s favourite book, Light on Yoga by B.K.S Iyengar. Hali’s mother was a yoga teacher for many years, so this is familiar (and perhaps comforting) territory for Hali. The bronze works featured have an elegant simplicity to them as they celebrate the beauty of the human form. Hali is an established artist who has lectured at the National Art School since 1988 and exhibited extensively. She is represented in collections such as Macquarie University, University of Sydney and Cottesloe City Council. Both exhibitions run until 3 September – beavergalleries.com.au

It was the name of Juliette Dudley’s latest exhibition, Pastel Galaxy Dream that caught my attention, and after spying a sample of Juliette’s gorgeous illustrations I was completely hooked. Dudley has a background in graphic design and illustration (after completing an Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design in 2008 at Canberra Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Graphic Design in 2012 at the University of Canberra) and currently works as both an in-house and freelance professional (Dudley’s work has been featured in local Canberra publications such as Wobble magazine, The Canberra Times’ Relax magazine, and Us Folk magazine). I love the spirited, dreamlike quality of Dudley’s work – it’s the visual equivalent of reading Alice in Wonderland or another favourite fairytale. Pastel Galaxy Dream consists of drawings and paintings on paper, which are complemented by ceramic, hand-decorated plates. Inspiration for this exhibition has been drawn from Japanese pop culture, especially fashion styles such as fairy kei and decora. Elements of Dudley’s work have also been influenced by “Australian flora and fauna, urban culture, street fashion, vintage style, food, advertising, history and film”. Pastel Galaxy Dream gives your imagination permission to ‘checkout’ from reality and your mind freedom to wander, whilst absorbing the colours and the delights Dudley presents in each of her works. Pastel Galaxy Dream is on at This Studio until 5 September. A visit to This Studio in Gungahlin is also highly recommended. This Studio was founded by creative duo Rob and Tasia, who both love photography and the arts and is available for hire for shoots and exhibitions. – juliettedudley.com – thisstudiocanberra.com

It’s not uncommon for artists to be influenced by past experiences in their lives. In Marisa Martin’s case, it was the experience of growing up as a vegetarian that inspired her short animated film, Tegan the Vegan. Martin is a local artist who hails from Queanbeyan, and was excited by the recognition Tegan the Vegan received when it was selected to screen at Flickerfest 2011; won the Best Australian Animation Award at the WOW (World through the Eyes of Women) Film Festival; and was screened at the New York City International Film Festival. Now the National Film and Sound Archive has two new showcases that present some of Martin’s most interesting hand-made items from the film, including miniature sets, polymer clay puppets, hand-drawn shot lists, as well as film extracts. “I love building the sets. It’s like creating the world from scratch, in miniature. I am truly stoked to have the exhibition on display at the NFSA,” says Martin. Runs until June 2014.

Tegan the Vegan Poster

Also at NFSA in the Liversidge Street Foyer, exhibition On Location presents a collection of coloured photographs and posters of stills and production shots made in Canberra, including Finding Eric (2011), Resistance (2008) and Theatre of the Dead (2013). Runs until 15 September. Both of these exhibitions demonstrate that Canberra is an exciting hub for filmmaking. – nfsa.gov.au

Speaking of films, the Canberra Short Film Festival is on from 13-15 September at Dendy Cinemas in Canberra City. Film categories include: International, National, Local, Documentary, and Schools. Each film is no more than 20 minutes long. The first Canberra Short Film Festival was in 1996 and the Festival has grown exponentially since then. The Festival has seen several changes in Directorship over the years, and this year the event will be directed by 2012 Festival winner, Simon Weaving (creator of winning film Waiting for Robbo). Don’t miss some great screenings throughout the Festival – csff.com.au

Present history: a selection of photographs of New Zealand 1960s to the present at the National Gallery of Australia is a striking photographic exhibition exploring New Zealand’s fascinating history, which has been formed through layers of culture, tradition and conflict. Each of the photographers featured in this exhibition bring their own perspective to these layers. “Noble and Peryer look back to earlier artists for inspiration. Semu, Barrar and Adams re-stage or re-interpret this earlier imagery in exciting and unexpected ways. The world that Reihana looks back to is a mythical one, but one she seeks to make real in the here and now. Through a meticulous documentation of their own times, Aberhart and Westra have made work that we now see as valuable witnesses to peoples changed or places long gone.” The end result is a body of work that not only documents, but also celebrates the ‘coming of age’ of a unique nation and culture. Runs until 4 November.

A combination of “remixes of romance and war comics, brushstrokes and nude girls” best summaries Lichtenstein’s most popular Pop prints featured in NGA exhibition, Roy Lichtenstein: Pop remix. “Lichtenstein developed a central creative principle that became a potent formula: an ability to identify over-used cultural clichés and to repackage them as monumental remixes.” Featuring work from Lichtenstein’s print projects from the 1950s to the 1990s, Roy Lichtenstein: Pop remix examines the way he reinterpreted work from renowned masters such as Claude Monet, Max Ernst, and Willem de Kooning. Ironically, Lichtenstein’s work became as identifiable in its own right as the work of the masters he was inspired by.

Runs until 27 January 2014. nga.gov.au