Painted portraits demand more from the artist then just replicating the subject, after all the camera can do that. The good portraitist is able to reflect something of the subject's personality, that's were the talent comes in, with brush or lens. But the best portraits of all are first and foremost good works of art, images that permit the viewer to appreciate the work on a level that has nothing to do with gauging its likeness to the subject. After all, if you don't know the sitter you can't judge the portrait but you should still be able to rate the art. Thankfully, most of the portraits here rate highly as fine works of art.

Angela Stewart uses charcoal for her self-portrait and her portrait of Jonathon Ackerman. These images seem sombre as the subject appears from a web of cross-hatched lines but the 'grey' mood may only be a result of their proximity to Jonathon Ackerman's more colourful rendition of the same two artists. Ackerman's lively images are a result of his choice of the conte medium and a freer use of line. Both artists present strong works that celebrate drawing and as such make interesting exhibits.

Marion Watson's portrait of Jennie shows the subject sitting in a casual pose. This is a warm and inviting image, not just for the colours employed but for the feeling it inspires. Watson portrays the subject as someone we'd like to meet and get to know better. This feeling is encouraged when you realize the subject is the same Jennie Newman who offers her own self-portrait Under Construction on the table beneath Watson's work. Newman presents herself as a partially completed jigsaw puzzle of large colourful pieces. We all try to solve the puzzle of 'the self' and I'm delighted to see this artist has almost got it all together!

There are a few self-indulgent self-portraits, which is to be expected but most of the exhibits are appreciated for their artistic merit more then for their likeness to the sitter. For example, Adrienne Marshall presents the 'the self' on a cellular level with a polychrome resin and perspex collection of chromosomes, while Drew Armstrong's non-figurative work intrigues and invites tactile inspection, with a surprising result. And Matthew Jackson's up-close and colourful self-portrait is a lively abstraction which is balanced nicely by the same subject seen in a more reflective mood, in the realistically drawn acrylic, pencil and charcoal image by Joanne Emmons.

All in all, this is an interesting exhibition of diverse works. Have a look and if you know only one or two of the subjects, you'll still enjoy the art.