Some artists paint the familiar- those things they hold closest- finding beauty in their surrounds and the everyday. Some artists paint the familiar in a way that is totally unfamiliar, as if they had commandeered secrets, hidden inside themselves or in what they perceive. Some artists ‘find’ the painting as they go, rather than having an idea or benchmark of completion in mind.
Painting is secretive and illusive, to the painter and the viewer. Each image presents a new and different horizon to the artist and the audience. One’s perception will never align exactly with another’s; and no amount of conversation or rationale can ever completely alter these differing impressions.
In Common Sense & Secrets Lucy Culliton, Alan Daniel Jones and Ross Laurie emphasise the private nature of the act of painting. While each is a keen observer of the environment and intuitively influenced by their surroundings, each approach is discrete and secretive. The plan often defeats the purpose and is discarded along the way, so that common sense gives way to secrets and the end is often far removed from its origins.
Common Sense & Secrets presents a selection of new work by three notable Australian painters: Lucy Culliton, Alan Daniel Jones and Ross Laurie. On display from February 17 to March 14, 2026. For enquiries, please email us via art@kingstreetgallery.com.
Lucy Culliton paints from life, whether working en plein air within a created environment, or through direct observation. Her exceptional sense of perspective and colour suggests a common-sense approach to her subjects. Yet, upon closer observation of the canvas, we see a subtle, abstract application of brushwork, minute shifts in colour, and a rich light emanating from the composition.
Alan Daniel Jones’ work explores ideas that surround notions of identity. Jones works across a broad spectrum of mediums and takes a personal approach to the subject matter. Through this process, Jones aims to communicate the intricacies of human connections and how his roots subsequently influence his work. His vision often juxtaposes figure, form, text and the environment – taking himself and the viewer somewhere secret and yet somehow familiar.
Ross Laurie titles his work, with names of places he has lived, worked or visited. The works deconstruct, layering and juxtaposing horizontal and vertical movements, weaving around thick applications of paint, looking for a final resting place. These paintings eventuate slowly moving in and out of remembered and forgotten places, a commonsense approach to a secret journey.
