Domenica and Andrew Wallace’s Fish Creek gallery, Wallace & Wallace Sculpture & Photography, is part of the inaugural Art Connect South Gippsland Open Studio Art Trail, an event that showcases creative talent throughout the shire until this Sunday October 15.
The gallery was established during the pandemic in mid 2021, with the couple originally from Melbourne.
Photographer Andrew and sculptor Domenica are both self-taught artists.
“The components of my work are usually natural objects as well as man-made ones” Domenica said.
She often uses wood bases for her sculptures.
Yarn is a common element across her artworks, sometimes used subtly and in other instances more pronounced.
Her tools include tweezers, a variety of crochet hooks, and scissors.
A paper nautilus shell features atop one of her works, combined with a purchased piece of terrazzo, while another sculpture replicates the birds’ nests that are in abundance during Spring.
“I started with this little brass sphere, and I did the weaving; there are three types of materials that make the nesting,” Domenica said of that work, ‘Avian Springtime’.
Dried poppies work brilliantly in another piece, resembling wood.
Andrew outlined why he is captivated by photography.
“It’s my way of exploring the world,” he said, adding that finding photographic subjects leads him to places he wouldn’t otherwise go.
“Taking photos makes me concentrate on the different shapes, forms and colours that are out there,” he said.
Auroras have proved alluring recently, with some particularly impressive examples occurring.
One which Andrew’s camera captured in detail is seen at Cape Liptrap lighthouse.
He described how he achieves such images, saying his camera is on a tripod allowing a long exposure of about 20 seconds duration, with a wide-angle lens, letting in a lot of light.
Andrew added that patience and technique both play important roles, with challenges including achieving correct focus in the dark and choosing appropriate settings.
“Then it’s up to nature to come up with the goods,” he said.
