Raemon's artwords: 2010 Railway Souvenirs: Painting and Photography

2010 Railway Souvenirs: New paintings and photographic works by Raemon Rolfe

July 23 – August 17, 2010 Solo show at Taylor Jensen Fine Arts Palmerston North

Railway Souvenirs, a series of paintings and unique photographic works, combine fragments of current and historical landscape features, images of steam locomotives that were associated particularly with the lower North Island, and other elements that evoke personal memories connected to the places depicted.

My father Bren Campbell http://www.steamenginesarealive.blogspot.co.nz/

fired on steam locomotives in New Zealand before WWII, in North Africa during the war, then back in New Zealand for a short time after, before re-training to be a precision engineer. During my childhood he devoted much of his spare time to designing and building model steam locomotives. His extensive knowledge and expertise, his archive of photographs, books, magazines and drawings, and his memoirs both spoken and written were invaluable for my project.

I gathered images and ideas for the series on research trips by road and rail.

Some works from Railway Souvenirs series

Tangarakau Souvenir (Version 2) 2010
Oil on sand on gesso, canvas 600x700mm

Artist's collection

Paekakariki Souvenir 2010
Oil on sand on gesso, canvas 400x600mm

Private collection

'J' 1211, 2010
Oil on sand on gesso, canvas 500x500mm

Private collection

Woodville Souvenir 2009-10
Oil on sand, gesso, canvas 600x700mm

Private collection

Raurimu Souvenir 2009-10
Oil on sand on gesso on canvas 600x700mm
Available

Main Trunk Souvenir 2009-10
Oil on sand, gesso, canvas 600x700mm

Private collection

Manawatu Souvenir 2010
Oil on sand and gesso on canvas

Private collection

NZR 'V' Class/Manawatu 2010
Oil on sand and gesso on canvas, 500x450mm

Private collection

Signal box, Paekakariki 2010
Oil on sand on gesso on canvas 300x300mm
Available

Water Tank, Paekakariki 2010
Oil on sand on gesso on canvas 300x300mm
Available

'WAB' 794 2009

700 x 600 mm Oil on sand and gesso on canvas
Available

'A Most Beautiful Locomotive' 2010
Oil on sand on gesso, canvas 300x400mm

Private collection

'Josephine' at Aramaho 2010
Oil on sand on gesso, canvas 300x400mm

Private collection

Tunnel & Fowler, Tangarakau 2010
Oil on sand on gesso, canvas 600x700mm

Available

Tangarakau Mainstreet,1930, 2010
Oil on sand on gesso, canvas 400x300mm

Available

Tangarakau Railway Bridge & 'Ww' 2010
Oil on sand on gesso, canvas 250x300mm

Artist's collection

Castle Cliff Line with 'Moana' 2009-10
Oil on sand, gesso, canvas 600x300mm

Private collection

'X' and 'WAB' with Feilding Steam 2009-10
Oil on sand, gesso, canvas 400x300mm

Private collection

Family Ticket 2010
600 x 700 mm, Oil and acrylic on gesso on canvas

Private collection

You Can Depend on the Train 2010
600x700mm Oil on acrylic on gesso on canvas
Available

Class 'AB' Souvenir 2010
600 x 300 mm, Oil on acrylic on gesso on canvas

Private collection

Tangarakau Station 2010
600x700mm Oil on acrylic emulsion with sand and ash on gesso on canvas
Private collection

For the 'Railway Souvenir' Series (2009-10) I made a series of silver gelatin photographic prints which I toned in sunlight through sand before fixing (see below). This gave the images a rusted look that suited the theme of old steam engines and abandoned railway lines.