Somerville Community Art Space - Deidre McCormack

Next date: Friday, 27 March 2026 | 04:00 PM to Wednesday, 06 May 2026 | 11:00 AM

 

Feature Image: After Van Gogh - Happy Sunflowers, Acrylic on Canvas, 50cm x 40cm, 2023

 

Exhibition Statement: The Grand Reveal

A reflection written by Deidre McCormack

I have titled this exhibition The Grand Reveal, marking the first time since my early years that I have presented my artwork publicly. After many decades, this exhibition represents both a personal return to painting and an opportunity to share a body of work shaped by time, experience, and reflection. It is, in many ways, the quiet unveiling of a creative thread that has remained present throughout my life, even during the years when it was not outwardly expressed.

My paintings are primarily guided by mood and atmosphere. I aim to bring vitality to each work through the use of texture and, where appropriate, broader, more expressive brushstrokes. At other times, the demands of detail and perspective become central to the composition, presenting a different and rewarding challenge within my painting practice. These contrasting approaches allow each subject to develop naturally and help convey the feeling I experienced when first inspired by the scene. The subjects within these works often emerge from unexpected moments of inspiration- scenes encountered while travelling, exploring new places, or spending meaningful time with friends and family. These experiences become the starting point for paintings that seek to capture not only a place, but also the atmosphere, memory, and emotion connected to that moment.

Exhibited paintings for sale:

Where Lilies Dream 570mm x 470mm $380.00

Forest Whispers I 280mm x 228mm $275.00

Forest Whispers II 280mm x 228mm $275.00

A Quiet Bloom 320mm x 445mm $190.00

The Rooftops of Lecco 835mm x 1035mm $1200.00

Alone With The Tides 1035mm x 835mm $1200.00

The Morning Mist of Poplars 518mm x 770mm $790.00

Contact Name: Deidre McCormack

Email: dudley164maxwell@icloud.com

Instagram: @artbydee2026

Artist Bio: 

Creativity has been a constant thread throughout Deidre's life. As a child, she spent time learning woodcraft alongside her father, discovering the quiet satisfaction that comes from creating something by hand. This early experience sparked a lifelong curiosity for making and exploring, with each craft offering a new way to engage with colour, texture and form. In the 1980s, Deidre began her professional career in the offset printing industry, working as an artist preparing artwork for print. The role placed her within a creative environment where design and technical precision intersected.

However, as life evolved, her artistic pursuits were gradually set aside while other responsibilities took priority. Much of the following years were devoted to family - raising children, including caring for one with medical needs, and supporting her elderly parents. This period of life, grounded in dedication and compassion, was shaped by resilience, strength and deep family connection.

As life began to settle once again, an unexpected opportunity for reflection arrived during the COVID-19 pandemic. In that period of stillness, Deidre returned to painting, reconnecting with the creative instinct she had always carried. Picking up a paintbrush once more, she rediscovered the freedom and expression that art had always provided.

Now a self-taught artist working in retirement on the Mornington Peninsula, Deidre embraces experimentation across a variety of surfaces and mediums, including acrylics, watercolours and oils. Her work ranges from intimate small canvases to large-scale pieces, including two-metre garden feature walls. Through bold colour, layered textures and expressive movement, her paintings reflect a life shaped by resilience and creativity - bringing warmth, energy and personality to the spaces they inhabit.

When

Location

Somerville Central Shopping Centre, 49 Somerville, Somerville, 3912, View Map