Chris Ellis: Moments on the Murray

Albury-based artist Chris Ellis presented a collection of recent paintings that paid homage to the beauty, tranquillity and fragility of the Murray River.

Created in the studio from photos, sketches and watercolour studies, Ellis delighted in the optical distortions found in nature. Ambiguities and tensions between surface and depth, solid object and reflections, were translated into both painterly, playful abstractions and lovingly rendered landscapes.

Ellis’s motivation for the series was to continue the growing awareness of the environmental concerns surrounding the Murray River - our reliance on the river’s health, and the need for careful management to ensure a sustained future.

The artist’s treatment embodied respect for the Murray River as a significant life source throughout our region and beyond