Medicine meets art

Patonga Bakehouse Gallery will be holding a 'Scrub Series' exhibition by Dr Julian Meagher on Saturday, January 26.

The directors of the Bakehouse Gallery Ms Jocelyn Maughan and Mr Robin Norling first encountered Dr Meagher more than 15 years ago when he was "an impressive young talent with loads of motivation".

Dr Meagher studied medicine and managed to paint in his spare time.

Half way through his medical studies he took a year off to further develop his art skills at the Charles Cecil studio in Florence.

"Since then he has completed his medical studies as well as holding five independent shows and participated in numerous group exhibitions," Ms Maughan said.

"Given his background, it is no wonder that his paintings are a marvelous mix of his two worlds, medicine and art.

"The exhibition features his Scrub Series; an ambiguous operating theatre narrative, told through the colours, instruments, drama, people, sterility and spills that are part of the 'theatre' of an operating theatre.

"Julian describes it as a kind of dirty romantic realism."

Julian Meagher's exhibition is displayed in the gallery's shopfront window, where the work can be viewed 24 hours a day, until the end of February.

"Julian has a family attachment in Pearl Beach," Ms Maughan said.

"This has been like a second studio for him when he escapes from his city studio in Chinatown."

The Patonga Bakehouse Gallery has on display current work by Robin Norling and Jocelyn Maughan.

However their most recent work is a mural decoration for the new Patonga Beach Hotel and restaurant.

According to Ms Maughan and Mr Norling, the mural celebrates the fishermen and landscape of Patonga.

The "Scrub Series" exhibition will have an opening 5 to 7pm on Saturday, January 26.

Press release, 1 Jan 2007 Robin Norling and Jocelyn Maughan, Patonga Bakehouse Gallery