Engineering Street Beauties I

Engineering Street Beauties I

By artist: Kelly Southee

Acrylic on linen canvas. 34 x 44 x 5.5 cm 

Description

This work is part of my "Salisbury History" series and depicts the 'film set' like quality of this former WW2 munitions precinct in Salisbury, where not a lot has changed since the 1940s.

I am fascinated by the stories of lesser-known historic places. This building in Engineering Street was constructed along with 79 others as Australia's northern most ammunitions production facility, the Rocklea Munition Works. I discovered this precinct when I moved to the area in 2019 and it has continued to hold my interest. The buildings are like giant canvases, capturing strong sunlight and moody shadows.

About the artist.

Kelly Southee is a Queensland-based artist. She was born in New Zealand and has lived in Australia since the 1980s. The built environment has been an enduring theme in Kelly’s painting practice for over 25 years. Having studied and worked as an interior architect, she is fascinated by the way we live within our cities, and what we appreciate and value.

Kelly’s scenes often feature dramatic dark colours in the foreground areas. This is a result of a very real thing: she is an artist who needs to stand in the shade a lot, having had too many skin cancers cut out over the years. It’s amazing how a life can inform an art practice!

Follow Kelly on Instagram and Facebook @kellysoutheeartist or at kellysouthee.com.au.

Collection or delivery.

Artworks from this exhibition will be available for collection or delivery in the week following the exhibition. To collect your item in person, please select the 'in-store pickup' option at checkout; to have it delivered, please select either the Australia Post or courier option (Brisbane only) at checkout and your delivery fee will be calculated automatically.