Campbell has been visiting the Pilbara for several decades now, in both a personal and professional capacity. The thing that strikes him most about this area is not so much the mountains and gorges, but the salt lakes and the sand dunes.

His exhibition of new paintings is inspired by the colours and life of these desolate landscapes. Campbell captures and simplifies the shimmering heat, the delicate colour contrasts of the light and the dwarfing of trees by their surrounds. Burnt orange earth tones are richly contrasted with crusty white salt lakes beneath brilliant blue skies. Islands of vegetation stand out in stark relief within their shallow lakes of subtle hued whiteness. These are landscapes that speak of the vastness and dryness of Australia’s interior, and also of its great beauty. They also remind us of the fragility of this land.

Campbell recently stated,
“to stand on the edge of a salt lake that is 30kms across, or on a high sand dune and see sand ridges in echelon disappearing into the haze, I find awe inspiring.”

“The Pilbara’s Great Sandy Desert with its typical flora of Blue Bush, Poverty Bush, Salt Bush, Spinifex and Mulga are ingrained into my mind. Not desolation but life. Those stunted forests hold together their elusive landscape as do the Jarrah, Tinglewood and Karri of the South West. These paintings depict the landscape as it has been instilled on my mind and how the colour and form has been indelibly imprinted on the retina.”

Campbell studied painting and sculpture at the Claremont School of Art from 1968 to 1972, and was awarded the Churchill Fellowship in 1979. He has been included in numerous group shows and this is his fifth solo exhibition. His work can be found in several collections, including the Art Gallery of WA, the Holmes a Court Collection, City of Fremantle, Alexander Library Building Perth, University of Bordeaux in France, and various regional and private collections.

*prices valid 2003