The vibrancy of the paintings reflect that perfect combination of an artist who has perfected his medium, in touch with the spirituality of his subject and is painting not what he sees but what he feels.
The inspiration for Hume was the Coorong, the shallow wildlife-abundant salt water lagoon at the mouth of the Murray River in South Australia, and the parched, shimmering distances of the Great Sandy Desert, the Kimberleys and the Bungle Bungle Mountains of northern Western Australia. His choice of acrylic paint and vinyl realise the intensity of the colours of the regions and his innovative use of galvanised steel as his support give the works a translucence that highlights colour and adds a subtle, brooding shine.
The exhibition is the third of Australian landscapes by Hume at A.R.T. Gallery Eden. In 1996 his passion and affinity for Ayers Rock were featured, and then last year the Adelaide artist exhibited works depicting man and the environment at the opal mining centre of Andamooka, and the nearby Woomera rocket range.
After using watercolours early in his career, Hume's conversion to Acrylics and vinyls demonstrates his development, depth, and complexity as an artist. He studied mathematical physics and pure mathematics at Adelaide University, and later taught physics, chemistry and computing. But his passion for art, which he studied simultaneously, was insatiable and he turned his back on pursuing formal science 1989 to devote his energy to paint full time. While this may seem incongruous to many, his understanding of science has allowed him to explore the relationship between his paints and the surfaces on which he applies them, resulting in his unique development of artworks which have an inner glow.
From Coorong to Kimberley: Australian Landsapes, beginning July 4th demonstrates an intelligent new way to look at the stark beauty of Australia's landscapes. Hume's application of colour to galvanised steel gives them a luminosity that shimmers similar to the effect of mirage haze softening the harsh reality of outback Australia.