Once in a Blue Moon: Christine Druitt Preston 2022

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'Once in a Blue Moon' is Christine Druitt Preston's first solo exhibition at Artsite Contemporary and a rare opportunity to witness her exploration of drawing with print.

One of the exhibited works, 'The Chinese screen', was Highly Commended at the 2021 KAAF Art Prize and received strong praise from Sydney Morning Herald Art Critic John McDonald.

'The lino medium encourages artists to do straight lines and blocks but [Preston's work] is totally different.' McDonald said. 'She's added all this grain and has done a free hand drawing. It's a tremendously expressive work. It goes against anything I think of as lino cuts.'

'The intensity of the way the lines are operating is like ink painting and sketch,' said Oliver Smith, Senior Lecturer at the Sydney College of the Arts and KAAF judge. 'But for that to be translated to lino is remarkable.'

In addition to her lino works, 'Once in a Blue Moon' includes mixed media pieces and solar prints. Even with such a variety of mediums, Preston's signature approach remains.

'Whether making marks with a fine tip pen, manipulating a lino cutting blade or sewing a line by hand or machine, in my mind I am always drawing,' Preston says.

All exhibited works are available for purchase in gallery and online from 5 February 2022.