GROUP SHOW
Abstract artists never sleep
Exhibition dates. 29 July - 10 Aug 2025
Opening Reception : Wed 30 July 2025, 6:00 - 8:30 pm
Presented by Creative Space Hawthorn, an untutored abstract art group based at the Hawthorn Artist Society
In this latest group exhibition “Abstract Artists Never Sleep,” fourteen Melbourne-based artists come together to delve into the expressive power of abstraction.
This exhibition invites viewers into a world beyond representation—where emotion, gesture, form, and colour take centre stage. Through a wide range of styles and mediums, the works explore the essence of experience and perception, offering a visual language that is at once personal and open to interpretation.
From bold, dynamic compositions to quiet, contemplative marks, Abstract artists never sleep reflects the rich diversity of voices within our group, and the many ways abstraction can be used to convey feeling, memory, and mood. This show is a celebration of creative freedom and the evolving language of contemporary abstract art.
Artists
Alex Bridge, Amanda Lugg, Christine Sender, Devyani Sadalkar, Irene Henning, Kathy Best, Ken Wight, Lynne Kells, Nathan Moshinsky, Paula Reade, Penny Darling, Ria Tims, Susan Tait and Traecey Bremner
Alex Bridge
Light, energy, emotion - Alex Bridge is interested in the visual experience of looking at art. Brushstrokes, colour and texture are used to explore perception, light and materiality.
Gestural marks are made with paint applied directly by hand as well as brush. These sinuous lines reveal organic shapes drawn from nature and the human body. The progression of a work remains with brushstrokes raw and immediate. The texture of the media used, the energy of the marks and the juxtaposition of colours are all important parts of the whole.
Catalogue
Amanda Lugg
Putting colour onto a surface is one of the most satisfying experiences.How that colour gets there, whether by brush, knife, scraper, gluing or another way is how the work progresses and takes form.
Generally I do not have a predetermined idea of where I want the work to go, but as I keep working on the surface, so I find inspiration and frequently the influence of my travels and environment emerge.
With my abstract work I seek to avoid creating a readily identifiable subject. I hope to provide a work which encourages the viewer to look in, and to look out and so in the process find their own subject.
It frequently surprises me when a viewer sees things that I have not, and yet once seen cannot be unseen.
Catalogue
Christine Sender
Colour, light, sound, and a certain energy and vibrancy: it goes without saying that this is Morocco. Its landscape and people are the inspiration for these artworks.
I found an energy in the Atlas mountains, in apparently un-inhabited valleys that are sometimes lush oases, in ancient ksars and kasbars standing proudly and timelessly and in a desert camp looking at a mirage at dusk. The market place, ancient labyrinthic laneways and a soup kitchen evidence a palpable life force.
I hope through these abstract works using acrylic, oil and cold wax and collage bring you some of the magnetism of Morocco.
Catalogue
Devyani Sadalkar
I paint abstract because it feels free — just like nature. Nature throws colours and shapes together in the wildest ways, and somehow it always works. That boldness inspires me. There are no rules out there, and I love bringing that same energy into my art.
I don’t start with a plan. I follow a feeling. I let the process guide me — the movement, the textures, the contrast, even the surprises. That’s what makes it real for me. Painting is where I can just be myself — no filters, no pressure.
I paint to stay connected — to what I feel, to the moment, and to the raw.
Catalogue
Irene Henning
Irene is an artist based in Melbourne. She is a regular exhibitor in group exhibitions, galleries and shows and is a member of the Hawthorn Art Society and Melbourne and Victorian Artists’ Collective. Irene works with acrylic paints and mixed media. She loves working with colour, layers and textual marks to create light and movement, energy, and power, bringing a touch of joy to her painting. She hopes her paintings stir something in the viewer, inviting them in to share a private and special conversation with her work.
Catalogue
Kathy Best
"I see the world and I paint it" Kathy Best
Kathy creates bold, expressive acrylic abstracts and contemporary paintings based on observation of the world around her. She sometimes paints loosely from reference photos or memory. Other times she lets the paint and marks on the canvas guide her. Kathy’s works explore colour relationships, movement, shapes and layers.
Kathy has been painting consistently since 2008 under the guidance of many tutors and in 2023 completed a Diploma in Visual Arts.
“Take a look, take a 2nd look and take a longer look – I love putting my work out there.” Kathy Best
Catalogue
Ken Wight
I’m late into art but immediately found that the creative challenge Abstract Expression offered was highly stimulating and satisfying. I also love hunting around for different materials in op shops and hard rubbish!
Catalogue
Lynne Kells
Creating on Wurundjeri Country, Lynne’s artworks feature detailed explorations of media and themes. Over fifteen years exhibiting in group and solo shows at galleries and events, Lynne has an identity in the art world. Highlights are works bought for corporate collections and three made into cards (MS Plus & Classic Moves). Employment with children, as a Gallery Assistant, Toy Entertainer (Myer SA), aiding Art groups for disabled, and as a ceramic decorator at Robert Gordon have contributed to a unique outlook. Challenged as a disabled pensioner, Lynne’s art stands out with distinctive style and is not to be missed.
Catalogue
Nathan Moshinsky
Nathan Moshinsky has completed a Diploma of Visual Art majoring in oil painting and print making. He is a regular exhibitor in group exhibitions organised by the Victorian Artists Society and the Contemporary Art Society of Victoria. Also, he has had several solo exhibitions of his paintings and drawings, including an exhibition in October 2022, at Sol Gallery. Nathan is interested in the interpretation of visual images derived from the natural environment, and from his imagination, for the purpose of expressing his emotional response to them. He enjoys working with an image so as toexplore colour and tonal relationships, sometimes exaggerating these aspects of a painting or drawing, so as to express his emotional and imaginative response to the subject.
He works in many mediums- oils, watercolour, oil pastel, pencils, ink and uses the Ipad for sketching. The subject –matter of his work includes landscape, portraits and still life, as well as abstract paintings in acrylic and oils.
Catalogue
Paula Reade
My interest in art was apparent at a young age growing up in the South of France, and my passion for creativity continues today living and painting in Melbourne. I approach creativity with great enthusiasm; over the years my work has taken me to various avenues, having practised with different mediums with the aim of further developing my work . I typically paint with acrylic on canvas.
My inspiration stems from life experiences, nature, social interactions as well as history. Travelling to different parts of the world have inspired me and given me an opportunity to appreciate primitive and folk arts, which resonates with me. Personally, the creativity and expression in my art serves as a refuge, as well as a method of continuous self-discovery. I get great satisfaction when a piece of work is completed, and the journey of getting inspiration for my next work.
Catalogue
Penny Darling
My watercolour paintings explore the expressive potential of colour and texture. Watercolor inherently reminds me to embrace the unforeseen. The dynamic interaction of water and pigment often leads to happy accidents, recognizing the beauty in these unplanned outcomes fosters an instinctive approach, making them an integral part of this series.
Catalogue
Ria Tims
I am a self-taught European/Australian artist and started painting in 2012.
I have had both private and group tuition with Jenny Mitchell of Montsalvat Eltham and Walter Magilton from Warrandyte, both incredible artists and much admired.
I have an extensive creative family background including being a descendant of the famous Renaissance artist Jan Van Eyck, a very proud heritage.
I adore abstract and contemporary art and I am drawn to the vibrancy and energy of bright colours and love creating those types of artworks, it is the ultimate freedom of visual expression. “THERE ARE NO RULES” .
Catalogue
Susan Tait
Susan Tait is a Naarm/Melbourne born artist and painter whose work centres around gesture and materiality, creating expressive reflections on colour and form. Her early fascination with textile design is evident in her work through the exploration of highly visceral textural layering. Deeply inspired by the raw, harsh beauty of the Australian landscape, Susan uses acrylic paint, fabric, waxed cotton and pencil to create bold and tactile works. As much about what was covered, as what was left exposed, Susan’s canvases are often painted over many times until very few of the early strokes are visible. This lends an evocative depth to the works achieving a sense of mystery and of weathered, ancient timelessness as Susan continues to experiment, to layer, and interpret the landscape around her.
Catalogue
Traecey Bremner
Traecey is an explorer of art. Painting, drawing and sculpting in some capacity for much of her life; discovering new materials and ways of making art. Sharing art with others. Getting lost in art.
Initially studying visual language by completing a Bachelor of Design, and more recently participating in classes and travel with La Trobe College of Art and Design; she continues to participate in various classes to continue her exploration of art making.
More recently finding corrugated cardboard to be an excellent ground for paint, offering new possibilities for surface, shape and form.
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