This June, Artereal Gallery proudly unveils a captivating collection of paintings by Sydney-based emerging talent Kerrie Satava. Fresh from her graduation at the National Art School in late 2022, this exhibition showcases the evolution of an artist whose painting practice continues to grow from strength to strength. Satava’s artistic prowess lies in her adeptness at delving into the depths of her subconscious and spilling it onto the canvas. She navigates the creative process through a blend of spontaneous mark-making, deliberate and careful consideration of negative space, and a knack for working with colour and light. Each stroke on her canvas acts like a single note in a larger lyrical composition and adds to the evolving narrative of her work. In the artist’s own words: “I find there is an interesting conversation that occurs between the whisper-thin transparent paint and the raw, thickly woven canvas—something that is barely there and something that is very much there. Through translucent layers, you can see the creative journey of each piece and the decisions and movements that shaped it. Each painting tells the story of its own creation.” Predicated on an interest in capturing the slippery and ephemeral nature of time, Satava embraces chance and surprise, transience and improvisation, all of which play a big part in the artist’s process. Satava elaborates: “My work is about time and space. I am always seeking to convey the feeling of transience and imperfection we experience as things change over time and as we travel through time. My work captures the constant need to surrender control and embrace the unexpected. It is about the outer self, but more importantly it is about the inner self and making the invisible visible.” With an ethereal touch, her muted hues delicately emerge onto the canvas, as if by enchantment, gradually shimmering into existence. Guided by assured yet nuanced brushwork, the interplay between what is painted and what is left untouched lends Satava’s creations an elusive quality, evoking a sensation of constant evolution suspended between transience and fruition.