A lagoon-like beach surrounded by vigorous greenery, blue waves rolling toward the shore, a tribe of people preparing for a surf at their own private paradise, nature and humans working in harmony as though we lived in some sort of utopia. 

These are some of the images and stories that South Coast artist Stan Squire conveys through his incredibly detailed artworks - and yet he doesn’t say a single word.

Even when The Bugle contacted the SEVENMARKS art gallery, who are presenting Squire’s work, about a possible interview with Squire, gallery director Cobi Cockburn replied, “Stan is quite a reclusive artist and not really the one to talk about his own works. I have spoken with him and he is willing for me to discuss the works on his behalf.”

Maybe it is not so surprising to learn that Squire is a solitary individual when you look at his work. Most of the pieces are filled with this sense of observation. That Squire is watching moments, but isn’t quite present in them - as though he is removed from the work completely.

“I look at them and you do see people interacting, but for me they lack a perspective or a judgement. I don’t see Stan putting himself in there, it's more of a reflection of things. And Stan is an incredible observer, I think anyone who goes to that level of detail within their work has got to have a very attuned eye,” says Cobi.

Squire’s work is nostalgic and almost unreal in some ways. The way he pauses moments, you almost think he wishes he could pause reality in the same way. You definitely get the sense that he perhaps wishes he could turn back the clock to a more simpler way of life.

“I think he longs to live in a time that was slightly quieter and less hectic and definitely less people out in the surf, I think he'd like that. Like any intriguing mind, I think he'd like to have a view back to that place and be able to go back to that place. Whether or not he generally wants to be there or not, I’m not sure. There is always that intrigue of what was this like before we came and were so invasive? What are these raw elements about and how do we navigate that?” says Cobi.



Squire was a finalist for the landscape prize at the Wollongong Regional Gallery in 1995. He’s held exhibitions all around Australia and won the Basil Sellers art prize in Moruya in 2010. Most recently, in 2019, he was a finalist for the Megalo international print prize in Canberra. 

He’s been doing it for a long time and Cobi believes Squire is the type of artist who doesn’t do it for any other reason than that he has to. That was why she felt he would be good for the SEVENMARKS gallery.

“The main objective of the gallery is to continue to show artists who we believe are really important and should be seen. Stan is someone who I’ve always admired for his ability to continually work on a body of work and reflect and stay true to who he is and not get caught up in the commercial art scene. He’s done it for the right reasons I believe. I find it intriguing and I find that there’s a depth there,” says Cobi.

Squire’s work will be showing at the stunning SEVENMARKS gallery from August 3 to September 1. Tickets and more information are on the website.