Collection: Sarah Dolby - Lullabies In The Garden Of Calamity

Lullabies in the Garden of Calamity is an exhibition of new paintings by Sarah Dolby.

Opening reception: Saturday, November 25th, 6 - 9pm. Drinks will be provided by our friends at Better Beer and Malocchio.

This exhibition will run from November 26th - December 17th and will coincide with Chris Leib's Night Vision, Julian Clavijo's Back To Being and Zoë Rayne's Of Blood And Honey.

Lullabies come in many forms and bring with them feelings of nostalgia, contentment and curiosity. They are used to both calm and comfort. With this body of work, Dolby has explored these ideas and has drawn from an alternative world where both animals and humans have their own inner narratives—their own lullabies within the chaos of the world that surrounds them.

For Dolby, this world exists as a place that provides safety, silence and stillness. Dolby draws parallels between large-scale world events and smaller, more immediate ones that affect her directly and then the inner conflicts that arise daily within herself. She sees people seeking out moments of gentleness, beauty and safety amongst the unknown, trying to stop the relentless carousel for just a moment to watch and sit in the stillness of a beautiful and meaningful moment. She also seeks out that which gives her serenity and belonging. These moments are ever present, as are the challenges bought on by uncontrollable events, thoughts and emotions.

Sarah Dolby was born and raised in New Zealand but has travelled extensively as an adult. In her early twenties she spent winters in Indonesia, surfing, camping, visiting various islands and drawing in her journal. She then moved to London, where she worked as a waitress and mural painter, including having a hand in part of the ceiling of “Polar Bear Pub” in Leister Square. She also spent time in Morocco, Italy and France.

She returned to Dunedin, New Zealand, and at 27 earned a degree in fine arts. She worked at Animation Research Ltd for 12 years, where she gained experience in concept art, creative direction, 3D animation, production management, web design and even working on Formula One race courses.

Dolby had her first solo exhibition in 2012 as a full-time artist at Orexart in Auckland. Since making the decision to become a full-time artist, she has been exhibiting both nationally and internationally: at Orexart in Auckland and The Artist’s Room in Dunedin and at Beinart Gallery in Melbourne, Roq La Rue in Seattle (Washington, USA) and Corey Helford Gallery in Los Angeles (California, USA).