NANCY Sever was, for many years, the director of the Drill Hall Gallery.

Ostensibly she retired, but the smell of the paint and love of the show was still in her soul and, with encouragement from many of her former staff and friends, before she could say, “art gallery in Kingston” she’d signed the lease and had artist Tim Johnson stepping up his output to be her first exhibitor.

The invitations went out to a formidable list of Nancy fans happy to join her, upstairs at 6 Kennedy Street, for another opening; this time of her own kind.

Opening night was a happy mix of Nancy’s supporters with our chief scientist, a judge, a poet, several significant artists and the cognoscenti of Canberra’s art scene there to enjoy Johnson’s “Eye to Eye”.

I am enchanted by this man’s work and love the ancient chinoiserie effect

mixed with religious icons and modern-day idols on many and varied sizes of paintings and panels to create an impact and encourage discussion.

His dot painting technique is luminous and delicate, a tribute to his Papunya teachers, and the works in this exhibition exemplify his spiritual, magical and mystical pursuit of the metaphysical.