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Gemma Rasdall

Exhibition Dates:
Thursday 20 August – Monday 24 August
Open 10:00am – 5:00pm daily

Opening Night:
Friday 21 August
5:30pm – 7:30pm

“The Tasmanian landscape leaves my fingers itching for paint like no other. Luminescent in its natural beauty, the force of it pulled me 650 nautical miles across the ocean to drop my anchor here permanently. This landscape, framed by my rigging, the sails, the studio windows or the trees that line the shore, still wears the scars of colonisation and industry: cleared hills, neat orchards. Yet uniquely Tasmanian subtleties shine through – thirsty soil, bleached trunks of long‑dead trees and a soft, muted light. Lemon Yellow and Raw Umber join my palette. My brushes move fast, deliberate, considered, making marks on sailcloth that carries its own history on this river. Its stitches and wrinkles tell stories of a former life afloat. Painstakingly prepared for paint, the dacron cloth used in this exhibition was repurposed from a Duncanson 29 headsail.”
– Gemma Rasdall

Gemma Rasdall has maintained a studio practice for the past ten years. She has been selected for a number of notable Australian art awards, including the Ravenswood, Northern Beaches Environmental and Wynne Prize, and has completed artist residencies on Flinders Island and in Orquevaux, France. In 2024, Gemma relocated permanently to Tasmania via sailboat. She currently lives afloat, painting and teaching in Hobart.