Caitlin Reilly

Streets of this town

This series documents one aspect of contemporary life on the streets of Byron Bay, a place that I have called home for nearly 25 years. The subject matter of homelessness is one that has an inherent sadness to it. Painting these works has amplified my own fears of housing security and awareness of the hardships leading to homelessness.

My intention when painting this series was to capture the visceral reaction to homelessness and at the same time offer a perspective rendered with care and in doing so capture and focus your gaze to look closer at another side of the streets of this town.

In the embrace of Liawenee, Tasmania, I found a sanctuary that beckoned me across the seasons. Under the generous patronage of collectors , I embarked on two transformative journeys—first, in the heart of winter amidst the ethereal landscapes of July, and later, on the cusp of Spring. Initially driven by a desire for repose and fresh inspiration, I discovered that this place held far more than I could have imagined.

These paintings were created in situ from this residency

In residence at La Courtaudie I painted these small vignettes. This beautiful place gave me rest and endless hours of watching light change, these are my attempts at trying to catch it.

Light at the end of the road There exists a certain intangible possibility in every road. A new direction, an invitation to somewhere yet undiscovered. An unknown purpose, a suggestion that it is not over yet. In a playful way the title of these paintings - ‘light at the end of the road’ - suggests a hope for the future.

The local area where I work and live; Byron Shire and its Hinterland in Bundjalung country inspired these paintings. I paint from memories formed by my constant journeying along these roads over the last 20 years. While these works are a study in painting and surface structure and capturing where light falls. In many ways these are an expression of my gratitude for living in this truly beautiful place.

I sometimes paint miniatures as original studies of a place. A distillation of the feeling of a place. A reminder to pause and take notice of the little details. The interplay between the micro and macro is an important relationship to me; like a Mother and child, like mankind and the environment. The hole in each small tag is a reminder to tread lightly in the world. A request to myself and maybe to you too. The use of sample laminex cards as material speaks to this wish as does my use of reclaimed timber in the larger works. Included in this series is a drawer it is that too, what was for a long time a pencil box for my children is now a painting of Old Bangalow Road. This road on which I have taken many journeys, and continue to take. It is a most beautiful passage. Those twists and turns are part of me and like many locals I know them so well I could drive them blindfolded.

This series is an exploration of the familiar yet evolving nature of our surroundings. An examination of the cycle of renewal and our part in the delicate balance of the universe. An opportunity to seek out better days no matter how worn the road behind us seems.

Ritual, symbolism, memory and loss underpin these works on paper titled: Absence

The furcula ("little fork" in Latin) or wishbone is a forked bone found in birds and some other animals, and is formed by the fusion of the two clavicles In birds, its primary function is in the strengthening of the thoracic skeleton to withstand the rigors of flight.

In my childhood the wishing bone from the Sunday roast dinner would be left on the kitchen window sill to dry for breaking and making a wish. In drawing these bones these memories are reignited. A wish can be a hopeful intention, breaking a wishing bone releases the wish. In my family it was the one who broke off the largest part of the bone would have their wish granted. There was an element of play and competition in seeing who could pull it to end up with the largest part of the bone and win their wish.

Absence began as a daily drawing dialogue whilst living in China away from family in 2009. I continue to draw the furcula as part of my practice today.

In drawing these bones I emphasise my own hopes and wishes, now more than ever in the time of Covid these drawings are a way for me to make tangible my hopes and at the same time reflect on the past. Ritualising my practice whilst in isolation. Drawn on handmade paper Absence wishing bones bring attention to the impermanent nature of all living things and emphasise the fragility of our current circumstances during a global pandemic.

In looking I notice where light falls, shadow is made and form is defined. The action of drawing becomes a moving meditation, a process of seeing what is directly in front of me. I find this incredibly comforting and peaceful.

Hui Gui - The Return

Foshan Luohang, China- artist in residence September 2024

These paintings are a response to the everyday, the things I notice and the feeling of this place and people. I have made small gestural oil paintings the clumsy loaded application of paint speaking to my awkwardness in returning to China the comings and goings from rest to working in the studio each day. I consider these paintings as a small diary, a visceral visual account of this experience, this very special and extraordinary time that is anchored in the insistence of daily practice.