Departures – new paintings

Sisters Judy Denby (who lives and works on Gundungurra Country in the Blue Mountains) and Suzie Rix (a Sydney-based artist working on Guringai Land on the northern beaches) join forces for their fourth exhibition, Departures, at The Shop Gallery in Glebe. Shared memories, experiences and impressions of new and familiar places and objects is the inspiration for the show.

Judy is interested in what lies beneath the surface — a landscape that appears picturesque may conceal difficult histories; a simple vase of flowers may hold deeper meaning. In Departures, her still life paintings draw on her garden and collections for inspiration. Shifts in scale invite closer inspection and the history and symbolism of objects and flowers are explored.

Suzie’s practice focusses on memories, particularly those connected to family, friendship and travel. She explores how sensory experiences — an aroma, the feel of fabric, the shape of a bowl, the ambience of a landscape — can preserve small, significant moments. Through these associations, her works evoke connection, sense of place, nostalgia and the enduring resonance of shared experiences.