Gale Suspended Studies
- Rachel Wolfe
- Apr 30
- 2 min read
Updated: May 5
Reflective Statement
In these oil studies, I explored how combining manipulated source images and flattening pictorial space could create psychologically charged landscapes that invite viewers to project their own meanings onto the ambiguous layered surface.
In Linger, the background of bold, unmodulated colours and symmetrical repetition, appears more like decorative wallpaper than a receding landscape. Dorothy Gale is suspended in the shallow foreground gazing past the viewer, with overlapping birds held in her arms adding layering. Although tonal modelling and cast shadows give her form, the figures appear detached from the background, reinforcing the spatial ambiguity.
In Dwell, the mirrored background adopts a softer, atmospheric tone. While the path hints at depth through linear perspective, the symmetrical repetition flattens the space, creating the sense of a theatrical backdrop rather than an illusionistic landscape. The birds in the foreground introduce layering, however, the addition of a sharp white 'collaged' outline around Dorothy emphasises her detachment from the landscape, intensifying the ambiguity.
Conceptually, both studies explore Dorothy as an archetype on a journey of self-discovery, using kaleidoscopic symmetry to destabilise the familiar, and mirrored Rorschach ‘inkblot’ forms to invite psychological projection. The birds symbolise emotional burdens and the incomplete basket, a symbol of home, reinforces her dislocation with the landscape.
Source images (L to R): Bird Wallpaper, David Keeling's Up Early Along an Old Road 2022, movie still from TheWizard of Oz
Contextual artists such as Jemima Wyman and Richard Wastell informed my use of pattern, layering, and spatial ambiguity to express internal states. Recognising the relevance of Del Kathryn Barton’s work after completing these studies has opened new directions for further developing figurative compositions with symbolic layering and emotionally charged surfaces.
Early technical issues with sealing in Linger made the surface less responsive than intended, but this improved in Dwell through a revised process. Moving forward, I would test floating lozenge-like forms, inspired by Wastell, to create kaleidoscopic fragments, test additional mediums and prioritise resolving the background earlier in the painting process. These studies have opened new possibilities for using image construction and pictorial space to create meaningful works.
Rachel Wolfe
29 April 2025
Acknowledgements:
Birdlife wallpaper Image source: https://www.decowallpaper.com.au/products/birdlife-wallpaper/?v=3a1ed7090bfa
The Wizard of Oz Movie Still Image source: https://www.britannicauctions.com/blog/vintage-movie-stills/
David Keeling, Up Early Along an Old Road, 2022, oil on linen, framed 25.5 x 31.5 cm: Image source: https://www.bettgallery.com.au/artists/42-david-keeling/works/16585-david-keeling-up-early-along-an-old-road-2022/
Gale Suspended Studies, a Reflective Statement was originally submitted as part of my Bachelor of Fine Arts studies at the University of Tasmania. Shared here to document my creative development and artistic practice.
Rachel Wolfe is an emerging artist based in Hobart, Tasmania, currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Tasmania. With a diverse and evolving practice, Rachel explores various mediums and techniques to create captivating and thought-provoking works of art. To explore Rachel's latest projects and artistic journey, visit her website www.rachelwolfe.com.au or follow her on social media.
