Celebrating 40 years as an exhibiting artist, Cairns-based painter and sculptor Roland Nancarrow presents his latest solo exhibition, Colour, Leaves, Light and Feathers, at Woolloongabba Art Gallery. Since his first show at Brisbane’s Metro Arts in 1985, Nancarrow has held over 40 solo exhibitions, developing a practice that blends painting with curious 3D forms.
This vibrant exhibition draws together works created over recent years for solo and group shows, art prize entries, and one-off paintings that respond personally to events. Rich with recurring motifs—birds, flowers, light, and organic forms—Nancarrow’s works merge the still life tradition with bold, expressive interpretations of the natural world.
The title, borrowed from George Braque, re-emerged in a 2012 show in Penang and now frames a selection that includes PVC-based works, acrylic paintings, and smaller canvas explorations. Featured works include:
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Local Birds Not Giving a Fig (2025)
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Red Tailed Black Cockatoo and Poinciana (2024)
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Still Life Suite (2025)
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Flowers for Michael (2024)
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Good Friday’s Outfit at Rusty’s (2023)
Nancarrow’s background includes public art commissions across Queensland and international exhibitions in the UK, USA, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Notably, his watercolour works were projected onto Cairns City Library for the Cairns Festival in 2023.
This show captures Nancarrow’s love of colour, observational detail, and layered symbolism in a practice that continues to evolve with quiet confidence.
