Susan Dryden and Claudje Lecompte met while art students in the late 1970’s at the Qld College of Art at Seven Hills, Brisbane. They have been friends ever since and have had parallel careers as art teachers, specialist educators, Guidance Counsellors and most recently Claudje as an Art Psychotherapist and Susan as Head of Student Services. Both women are very involved on their respective properties and value their time between studio and paddock. Throughout the past 40 years, both Susan and Claudje have maintained independent arts practices and have exhibited regularly – but never together until now.
The current exhibition continues for Susan a theme of quiet contemplative spaces – mostly interiors. “My painting of interiors is done with the intension of creating quiet spaces which are restful: places that might evoke memory of places known or places the viewer can mentally slip away to. I use rooms of my own, of friends or images that speak to me. I combine images with Photoshop to create the composition and environment that suits me. The work is done in acrylic and oil with paint pigment that allows me to mix a greater range of colours.”
Claudje’s work in this exhibition returns to figurative work in clay. The pieces capture the native wildlife returning to her property in the Scenic Rim which she has rehabilitated from a bare cattle property over the last 25 years. Claudje describes her work as “naïve realism” where she attempts to create a likeness while also capturing an inner charm and captivating essence that will appeal to the viewer. “With these pieces I hope to create something charming and appealing, which these wild creatures are to me. Many native creatures have returned to the property over the years and now visit on a regular basis, share our mutual space, while largely keeping their distance”.