General News
5 December, 2025
Artist plays with shadows and shape
RESIDENTS will likely be looking twice at the artworks for this month’s exhibition, which explores the way shadows can transform everyday objects.
Noorat artist Helen Durant’s exhibition features a variety of table and chair sets painted as if cast in a heavy shadow and decorated with colourful pots, vases and leaves.
She said the focus is on how shadows can cause many forms to merge into one due to being a single colour.
“The work that is going to be on display at the Courthouse is all about kitchen tables and chairs in a shadow form – it’s very difficult to work out where the table and the chairs actually become single forms,” Ms Durant said.
“There’re still life elements that are on the table that are in colour – flowers, leaves and more that I’ve done in hand-painted tissue paper.
“I’ve played around with proportion, colour, shape and perspective to create these slightly off-kilter still lifes.
“Each painting is very different even though they come from the same inspiration.
“I’ve made some very careful colour choices in each painting that support the shadowed furniture and the tissue papers I painted.”
Each acrylic artwork is painted on a panel board, which is coloured to contrast against the shadows, as well as self-painted tissue paper to form the flowers and leaves on the tables.
Ms Durant began painting ten years ago after attending an art course through the University of the Third Age Corangamite, and has enjoyed exploring perspective, colour, shape and form.
She said she hoped she can encourage the community to gain an appreciation of how shape, colour and form can change through shadows.
“I’d like them to see everyday objects in a different perspective,” Ms Durant said.
“When you look at them, it’s hard to tell whether it’s a table or a chair you’re looking at because it’s all one form.
“It’s a trick of the eye as to what you’re looking at.”
The exhibition will be on display throughout December at the Camperdown Courthouse at 179 Manifold Street.
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