In this her sixth solo exhibition Clancy offers theatrical scenes that force us to look beyond the surface image to discover its true meaning. Toys, puppets and allegorical figures are drawn with a fine brush and arranged in configurations to create enigmatic narratives that tweak our interest and invite investigation.

The artist admits to purposely cloaking her personal concerns in metaphor by saying, "This is my private world but one that can be annexed by others while viewing it, adding their own meanings and …narratives." And we do just that. While trying to decipher the artist's intent I revisited a few of my own concerns in a new light.

Clancy's acrylic paintings are well articulated with attention to fine detail and a respect for surface quality. She employs ideal composition, rich dark colours and solemn faces that stare past us, reminiscent of works by early 15th century Flemish painters. The artist takes her image around the edge of frameless canvases to allow the fantasy to flow beyond the surface of the painting.

There is a definite sense of timelessness and quietude to these images which allows the viewer to enter even the most puzzling 'tableaux' in search of it's message. The content often refers to contemporary concerns including global warming, political issues, human rights, social constructs, etc. In some the intent is obvious as in Man With a Monkey on His Back which depicts the little Aussie battler sitting on the fence while the bureaucrat must decide whether to follow Britain or the US along the road to utopia. Others like Twilight Game are more cryptic. In this image two girls pull a defeated man on a toy horse through a neo-classical garden. Is it a game? If so is it harmless or cruel? Or is it a comment on someone's reality? Is the fox the key? All I know for sure is high quality skills are evident in the drawing and painting of this exhibit, as they are in all the others.

Although most of Clancy's figures avoid returning the viewer's gaze, thus allowing us to search the image, one work has the figure staring back at us, which gives a potency to the work. The Trojan Horse's Mother is a full length portrait of a woman standing beside a metal horse holding taught the lead rein. The ageless woman looks tired yet she stands strong and straight but off the ground, detached from her own shadow. She is Everywoman. The metallic horse symbolizes the male component, as the title suggests, the warrior. What intrigues me most about this exhibit is not only the simplicity of the image but it's reference to women's strength. By tirelessly holding the machine in check and by arresting our gaze we feel the female influence as mother, partner or adviser must keep a tight rein on prancing vanity. I would suggest most male viewers will find this image confronting.

These exhibits may be viewed on line at the gallery's web site (see Links page) however it's worth the trip to see them in situ. Especially the Small Book of Oddities a superb collection of little collages that show the whimsical side of this highly talented artist. In all, a fine exhibition.