Water at Merewether 2024

I was born in Newcastle Hospital just above Newcastle beach. 

One of the first sounds I heard was the ocean. Growing up here I spent so many memorable hours at the beach ,in and around the rocks and pools. Exploring the micro environments and the sea life that inhabited these magical spots.

Having lived away from Newcastle for many years, I became aware that I was always drawn to the junction of land and sea. It was a place I chose to paint and explore.

On my return to Newcastle, the beach held my heart and Merewether held my soul. Painting Merewether has become a process of immersing myself in the colour, light, movement, and mood on offer on that day. It takes me back to being a child, walking the rock pools and observing not only nature but those that inhabit it.

Review by artist, Peter Lankas

Dino Consalvo shows absolute mastery of en plein air painting as well as his unmatched command of the gouache medium handled on a large scale format. His sea-scapes at first glance, look so real but examination shows an almost Zen approach to mark making where only the most elemental and essential graphic gesture is used to show and document a deep understanding of his subject. 

The figurative work like this one (End of Summer) forges a direct link to the early Australian Impressionist painters, not because of a formulated approach but through total absorption in the Australian atmospheric light and the moment. You can smell and feel the morning as well as feel the breeze and early sun on your skin. In these works, the momentary gesture rules, where realism is created by the most abstract of strokes. The paintings are twinned with sunning ceramic pieces documenting shells and organisms found amongst the rocks. Mastery of colour glazes matching nature and complementing the paintings. Don’t miss this humble but totally stunning show.