Maylands and Hovea artists at Clancy’s Bar City Beach exhibition

MAYLANDS sculptor Britt Mikkelsen has a long running association with Clancy’s Fish Bar City Beach.

Not only did she create all the venue’s light fixtures but the business sponsored her 2015 Sculpture by the Sea Cottesloe entry, Ocean lace.

This relationship made Curtin University-trained Mikkelsen the ideal artist to feature in Clancy’s inaugural pop up exhibition.

After owner Joe Fisher approached her with the idea, Mikkelsen asked long-time collaborator and Hovea painter Vania Lawson to join her.

“We’ve worked together for more than 20 years, starting out in theatre and residential and commercial building projects,” Lawson said.

“My company Sabi Art and Design (with partner Andy Cross) works on interior designs for display homes and on production sets for companies like WA Ballet.

“When you’re an artist you just have to find different ways to pay your mortgage; you’ve got to look at other ways to get your work out there.

“Thankfully Joe started this with his passion and we’ve gone from there.”

Lawson said Clancy’s had created a gallery for the exhibition, unlike many restaurants where the art work is “just thrown on the wall”.

“To have this dedicated gallery space is wonderful,” she said.

“So many galleries are closing down in Perth that the opportunities to show work are decreasing and artist-run initiatives are popping up like galleries in Subiaco or situations like this, which will now be an ongoing support for artists.”

The Mikkelsen and Lawson exhibition runs from September 17 to October 4 and will feature more than 30 artworks.

Lawson, a Perth Technical College and WAAPA graduate, said all pieces explored the light, texture and emotion of being on the coast.

“We’ve brought together a shared passion for our art practices,” she said.

“They are quite similar even though one is three dimensional and one is two dimensional; they complement each other and investigate the natural world.

“Both of us are asking everyone to slow down and appreciate the things we are often too busy to see in our daily existence.”

THE ESSENTIALS

What: Britt Mikkelsen and Vania Lawson exhibition

Where: Clancy’s Fish Bar City Beach

When: September 17 to October 4