Saturday 14 July 2012

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.

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   300x300m
m
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.



Baker Valve Gear   2010 Sun-toned



 Silver gelatin print  20x20cm

 Series of 36 



Woodville Yards   2010  Sun-toned


Silver gelatin print  20x20cm




Series of 36 

Some works still available 

2001 - 2008 Painting and Photography

2008    A Sense of Place: Paintings and Photogenic Works by Raemon Rolfe
             13 June – 5 July, 2008   Solo show at Taylor Jensen Fine Arts  Palmerston North

A Sense of Place was an exhibition of 25 oil paintings, and 20 small photographic works - Summer Grasses series 1 and 2, using traditional darkroom and printing out techniques (see below).                 

The landscape paintings record the shifting moods evoked by light as it is absorbed and reflected from the vast skies, rolling plains and bordering mountain ranges of the lower North Island. It is a horizontal landscape of sweeping horizons, fences, straight roads, railway lines, power lines, windbreaks and background mountain ranges with long cloud formations above.
For Information regarding the availability of works in this series contact Raemon Rolfe at raemonrolfe@inspire.net.nz

Swing Bridge, Opiki                 
2008  oil on acrylic on board   800 x 1000 mm
Private Collection   
'Over the Wine-Dark Sea', Foxton Beach
2007  800 x 1000 mm,  Oil on emulsion with sand on canvas
Hedge, Manawatu
900 x 1200mm 2007  Oil on board
P.O.A
Foxton Beach House
 2007,  600 x 600 mm Oil on emulsion with sand on canvas
Manawatu Gorge
2007,  600 x 600 mm Oil on emulsion with sand on canvas
Private collection
Tararuas with Morning LightOil on Canvas.   Private colleciton
Frontal Rain, Manawatu
Oil on canvas.   Private collection
Morning Rain, Manawatu   P.O.A.
Summer Grasses  Series 2
Photogenic works (Unique silver gelatin prints contact printed in sunlight
each 200 x 250 mm

2005 New Paintings by Raemon Rolfe 10 May – 2 June 2005 
Solo show at Thermostat Gallery Palmerston North 
Man entering a Cave
1000 x 800 mm,  2005  Oil on emulsion with sand on board
Private collection