Bjorn Dolva captures the urban environment as it really is, a peoplescape. His people stroll through the places we all recognize, city streets and shady parks, they congregate on university lawns and buy fruit or flowers at a market stall. They go about their business or sit and wait for their problems to disolve in the sunlight.

His scenarios may have been inspired by places in and around Perth, but their ilk can be found in any city you choose to visit. And the people themselves are of the variety you'll find there too, all sizes, shapes and colours. There are back-packers in shorts, mums with children in tow, oggle-eyed men and high stepping young ladies. The only surprise is Dolva's people are puppet-like in their exaggerated imagery. But then aren't puppets used to show us ourselves in an easily accessible form?

Just as his people are uncanny, so too is Dolva's ability to paint light, from stone bleaching sunlight through dappled shade to darkened interiors with pockets of illumination. Light may be employed in a subtle way as a means of unifying a busy composition like Birds at Forrest Chase, or it may provide a dramatic focal point as in Mosque.

In the former, red-beaked white birds hang precariously from leafy vines suspended over young people seated on a stone bench. So many shapes and colours on a small square canvas creates an atmosphere of urgency, one can almost hear the staccato chirping of the birds and chattering of the children. What holds the confusion into a comprehensive image is the use of light. The much larger exhibit Mosque, shows us a cool dark interior complete with filigree stone arches. A shaft of bright light enters through an unseen opening in the ceiling to flood the floor, and the hem of a garment, with soul cleansing illumination.

Relax your eyes with the cool green of University Students or in the dark interior of Cafe, then enjoy the warmth of colour and content in Outside the Cathedral. Here the window of the building is dark while the people outside seem to glow, with the spirit?

Dolva's delightful imagery recognizes one universal aspect of all humanity; he reveals simple everyday folk getting through the complexity of everyday life. His paintings also reveal the artist's sure talent to communicate with his audience.

Visiting this exhibition is an experience you will enjoy.