Little Wings

Erica Wagner’s newest exhibition ‘Little Wings’ arrives at Fed Square this February.

“To create the paintings and collages in this exhibition I continued my practice of drawing and painting from life and from nature, and then repurposing old artworks – ripping and cutting them up – to create new imagery with collage techniques, watercolour and ink”, Wagner said.

The oil and acrylic works have all emerged from layers of underpainting and various incarnations below the images now form the surface.

A residency in Lightning Ridge and travels to the Northern Territory and the Kimberley in 2017 inspired many of these works.

In September, while camping at Tilmouth Wells on the Tanami Road, Wagner witnessed a remarkable sight: huge flocks of budgies chattering and perching on trees then taking off in with precision and purpose, swooping and soaring together. The strength and vulnerability of those small birds inspired Wagner to find a way to connect the disparate themes in this exhibition.