"Revealing Truth is about proclaiming realities that are often hidden, denied or ignored: truths that are both world-wide and, for the artist, deeply personal."
The exhibition is an installation of three complementary works. The Turmoil of my Mind is a collection of prepared pieces of commercial card containing a poem that reflects the turmoil that is often experienced when confronted with struggle. Presence is a cluster of prepared paper and card presenting the words of a poem celebrating that, in spite of life’s struggles, we are never alone. Natural Treasures is an arrangement of opened envelopes displaying detailed, but partial, drawings of small natural items, paired with the scripted writing of an original poem, “Little Things.”
Both the materiality and subject matter of these works seem humble and unassuming. Simple pieces of paper and card that would usually be discarded become the vehicles for revealing valuable, but too often ignored or suppressed, truths.
I hope this exhibition resonates with viewers experiences, both globally and personally, and offers a reminder that, no matter how great our struggles or how insignificant we feel, we are loved.
Beverly Matthews is originally from Canada and has been living and working in Sydney, Australia since January 2010. She is currently nearing completion of a M Art degree from UNSW.
Though her background is in education, Beverly works as an ordained minister with the Uniting Church and sees her art practice as both personal spiritual practice and an integral part of ministry. Through art-making, Beverly expresses connection with a loving Creator and invites reflection on spiritual themes through a variety of mediums.
Beverly is inspired by ordained minister and artist, the Rev. Dr. Doug Purnell, who speaks of art-making as a means of starting a conversation beyond church walls or congregational groupings. Purnell shares:
“I am still in my studio every day. I see this is a second call. Somewhere along the line, we [the church] got caught into worrying too much about belief, and not enough about mystery. My practice calls people to be open to the mystery.” (Matthews 2020, Interview with Doug Purnell, quoted in Professional Practice Task 3: Cultural Engagement)
Similarly, Beverly uses her work as a means of inspiring thought and conversation – in religious and secular settings – about spiritual/Biblical themes.
The exhibition is an installation of three complementary works. The Turmoil of my Mind is a collection of prepared pieces of commercial card containing a poem that reflects the turmoil that is often experienced when confronted with struggle. Presence is a cluster of prepared paper and card presenting the words of a poem celebrating that, in spite of life’s struggles, we are never alone. Natural Treasures is an arrangement of opened envelopes displaying detailed, but partial, drawings of small natural items, paired with the scripted writing of an original poem, “Little Things.”
Both the materiality and subject matter of these works seem humble and unassuming. Simple pieces of paper and card that would usually be discarded become the vehicles for revealing valuable, but too often ignored or suppressed, truths.
I hope this exhibition resonates with viewers experiences, both globally and personally, and offers a reminder that, no matter how great our struggles or how insignificant we feel, we are loved.
Beverly Matthews is originally from Canada and has been living and working in Sydney, Australia since January 2010. She is currently nearing completion of a M Art degree from UNSW.
Though her background is in education, Beverly works as an ordained minister with the Uniting Church and sees her art practice as both personal spiritual practice and an integral part of ministry. Through art-making, Beverly expresses connection with a loving Creator and invites reflection on spiritual themes through a variety of mediums.
Beverly is inspired by ordained minister and artist, the Rev. Dr. Doug Purnell, who speaks of art-making as a means of starting a conversation beyond church walls or congregational groupings. Purnell shares:
“I am still in my studio every day. I see this is a second call. Somewhere along the line, we [the church] got caught into worrying too much about belief, and not enough about mystery. My practice calls people to be open to the mystery.” (Matthews 2020, Interview with Doug Purnell, quoted in Professional Practice Task 3: Cultural Engagement)
Similarly, Beverly uses her work as a means of inspiring thought and conversation – in religious and secular settings – about spiritual/Biblical themes.
