Local artist explores the quintessential rural Australian streetscape

The first solo exhibition from artist Tracey Jones, 60 Miles as the Crow Flies, is currently on display at Wagga Wagga Art Gallery.

Featuring oil paintings, leadlight panels and cyanotypes, the exhibition explores the beauty of the small towns surrounding Wagga Wagga.

60 Miles as the Crow Flies presents the critical and painterly outcomes of Tracey Jones’ recent artist residency with Wagga Wagga Art Gallery through the Regional Artist Development (RAD) program.

two women standing in front of some artworks
CURRENT EXHIBITION: Artist Tracey Jones and Gallery Officer Mary Egan (RAD Coordinator) with Jones’s exhibition ’60 Miles as the Crow Flies’

Wagga Wagga Art Gallery Director Dr Lee-Anne Hall said the RAD is truly beneficial for artists practicing in the region.

“The program provides opportunities for local artists to present their work and engage with Gallery audiences.” Dr Hall said.

“It helps to grow connections with other creative practitioners and raise their profile within the community.”

The result of Jones’ residency is a major body of new work that locates the friction point, or moment of affect between beauty and decay as seen in the quintessential rural Australian streetscape as it passes from sight and memory.

a close up of a cyanotype of an old shop front
TIMES PAST: Tracey Jones, ‘Home Sweet Home’ (detail), 2023. Cyanotype print on wood panel, 28cm x 28cm, is one of the artworks you will see in ’60 Miles as the Crow Flies’.

Tracey Jones is hosting an artist talk on Saturday 27 May at 11am at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery. The community is encouraged to attend and hear about Tracey’s use of traditional oil painting techniques to create work with a contemporary perspective.

Tracey Jones 60 Miles as the Crow Flies is open at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery E3 art space until Sunday 29 May. Open Tuesday – Saturday: 10am – 4pm, Sunday: 10am – 2pm. Closed Mondays.

/Public Release. View in full here.