Sydney-based artist showcases work at Gloucester Gallery Gloucester District by News Of The Area - Modern Media - November 13, 2024 Artist Andrew Ürge ANDREW Ürge has been painting since he was a young boy. During an art excursion at school in Hungary, he created a landscape painting of his town. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au “It ended up being a colourful piece of art that the teacher liked and hung on her wall,” Andrew told News Of The Area. “That was the moment I thought, ‘gee, I’m good at this’, and I kept going.” Andrew emigrated to Australia in 1957, and upon moving to Sydney, he studied art at East Sydney Technical College, now known as the National Art School. Having held several solo exhibitions in Sydney, Andrew decided to exhibit his work in regional NSW. He selected Gloucester as the destination because “the town has a community interested in art.” Two years ago, he contacted Gloucester Gallery, but 2024 was the first available exhibition slot. “It gave me two years to work on the collection,” he said. The result is “Australia Through My Paint Brush” which is an eclectic assortment of artwork, featuring a range of mediums from oils to watercolours, with subjects including landscapes and still life, presented in sizes from miniatures to large-scale. “I love to mix it up. I don’t stick to one subject like some artists.” He describes how he lets the brush move on the canvas as an extension of his hand. “I don’t think there are rules on how to apply the paint to the canvas; it produces some unexpected and exciting results.” The collection includes several paintings inspired by the Gloucester region. “I came to Gloucester a month ago and drove around the area to get a feel for it.” One of the works titled “No. 1 Gloucester Panorama”, is based on a photo taken during a drive to Barringtom Tops National Park. “It captures the vastness of the empty land and the rugged evergreen mountains in this region. It encapsulates the theme of the exhibition.” “Australia Through My Paint Brush” can be viewed at Gloucester Art Gallery until 1 December. By Wendy BUSWELL