Expanding the Possibles.

For more than two years there has been a dearth of artistic endeavours from the studio of textile artist, teacher and event organiser Glenys Mann.

To stimulate her creativity, Glenys embarked on a series of tiny works to see what comes from “expanding the possibles”. Beginning with small canvases, 10cm x 6cm, she started to collect objects, with seemingly no possibility of becoming art, and then assembled them onto the face of the canvases.

A leather-bound journal, containing information and reports about the properties of alloys and metal, among other data, and with exquisite pen and ink handwriting, came into her possession. Glenys started her works with sections cut from the journal pages, removing them from the context of its original page and placing them near one of her found objects.

“When these seemingly unconnected pieces are juxtaposed, the artwork they create becomes another whole narrative of its own,” she said. “The viewer is tempted to come closer to the work to read and see if there is any relevance to the words. Sometimes it is vague, sometimes a bit funny, other times it is up to the viewer to make up his/her own mind as to what it all means.”

The Expanding the Possibles exhibition may make you laugh, it may make you scratch your head but it certainly affirms that Glenys Mann has not lost her touch. She is back, and creating art that makes you look closer, think harder and that ensures you leave the gallery with a smile on your face.

Expanding the Possibleswill be opened from 6-8pm on Thursday 16 May and will run until 9 June 2013.