Tropicali

artwork by Karen Rogers, Noosa July 2021

Acrylic and mixed media on linen canvas;  90cm x 1.29m  Contemporary Tasmanian Oak Frame

Named after the artistic and musical movement (Musica Tropicalia) and dedicated to my Mother Shirley Florence Petersen third daughter of Florence Martin nee Hammond ; fifth daughter of George Hammond nee Ah Ming of Barcaldine.

Available POA

Artist’s Statement:

This was a work with a long history and many layers of playful drips and happy accidents inrich red oxide black and white.   I’d started the year before Covid that had gone through three or four iterations without finding its direction.   The three little paintings I’d just finished for the Tin Can Bay show really energised me to dive back into this canvas and I made quick progress once I got went back to the same palette.

The central dynamic element is the giant hanging seed pod which is repeated in various colours and sizes throughout to provide a harmony and tangle of colour, shape and movement .

 

Karen Rogers is the great grand-daughter of composer, conductor and band-leader George Hammond (Ah Ming) who was one of the 20,000 Chinese diaspora who came to Queensland in 1865.  He and his English born wife  settled in Barcaldine at the time of its founding, running one of the hotels and a general outfitters.     George’s musical instruction resulted in all thirteen children playing musical instruments and forming the Rosie Waters Orchestra.    Karen’s grandmother Florence being one of the vioinists and in the string section.   Prominent musicians in Rockhampton Civic Bands entertaining in public venues and private homes and spearheading the cultural music scene in Rockhampton in the Dame Nelly Melba era.