2023 was my first year focusing SOLEY on making art.
Below ARE paintings I’ve made DURING THE YEAR. I HAD A LOT OF fun, experimenting and enjoying the process of making.
EURO TRIP INSPIRED
From July to September 2022, I solo travelled Scandinavia and parts of Europe.
This experience was my biggest inspiration for my pursuit of art making.
Below are some european solo summer inspired painting works, one still in progress and others completed.
Moss (2023). acrylic and ink on paper, 20 x 14.5 cm.
I met a great group of friends randomly in Oslo, Norway and they invited me to come to one of their uncle’s place just outside of Oslo in Moss. Oslo, was my first stop on my Euro trip.
This artwork is when we swam in the fjord a short walk away from the house.
I had a feeling of being connected to all future and past traces of life existing in this water body; all merging and coalescing as one within its glimmering surface.
Weißer See (2023). acrylic on plywood, 120 x 120 cm. - in progress
A lake in Berlin, still in progress. Trying to capture the moment in which I felt closest to my surroundings and closest to myself in my environment overseas –this water body was that for me.
Other euro trip inspired work: In Oslo (2023). acrylic on paper, 59.4 x 42 cm.
Moss (2023). acrylic and ink on paper, 20 x 14.5 cm.
Weißer See (2023). acrylic on plywood, 1200 x 1200 cm. - incomplete
In Oslo (2023). acrylic on paper, 42 x 59 cm.
EXPERIMENTATION : TRANSFERS
TRANSFERS
I have been experimenting with the technique of painting onto one surface and pressing it upon the final surface to make lifted and grooved texture in the paint once dried, with limited brush marks. As seen below, Sol (2023) and mullet head (2023) are a result of these experimentations.
PINK AND BLUE
I have been drawn to pink and blue pastel colours and the ideas of abstract expressionism combining with my own narratives to form spontaneous mark making and pieces. These artworks drew upon the techniques and motifs discussed in the following 'transfers' and 'anger series' sections.
ANGER SERIES
These artworks evolved from a pen to charcoal sketch of a mirrored human-like being that I completed in an art journal in 2021, using the transfer method mentioned above, the artworks were made in quick succession to form light prints of the painted sketch.
mullet head (2023). acrylic on paper, 18 x 14 cm.
Sol (2023). acrylic on paper, 18 x 14 cm.
![[phrase forgotten] (2023). acrylic on canvas board, 25 x 30 cm.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f6cdf5c5f321559ac52cca/c6e2398a-31d5-41f2-a09e-ad1a9ebeabda/Image+-+Copy.jpeg)
[phrase forgotten] (2023). acrylic on canvas board, 25 x 30 cm.
![[soft overtaken] (2023) acrylic on canvas, 30 x 45 cm.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f6cdf5c5f321559ac52cca/252d3815-0ca2-428f-b8d6-23d41d405979/soft+overtaken.jpg)
[soft overtaken] (2023) acrylic on canvas, 30 x 45 cm.
anger (1) (2023). acrylic on canvas, 46 x 61 cm.
anger (3) (2023). acrylic on canvas, 45 x 45 cm.
anger (2) (2023). acrylic on paper, 59 x 42 cm.
PORTRAITS
warm (2023). acrylic on paper, 105 x 75 cm (framed).
'I'm happy in this. In a cosy place. I painted this after I'd just cut my hair, in my new share house in Meanjin. It marks a point where I’d begun painting all the time. I felt comfortable in my own flesh and I had the feeling of starting anew.’
on the balcony (mum) (2023). acrylic on canvas board, 65 x 85 cm (framed).
'Mum came to visit me at my new share house, it was a sunny day, she hadn’t been here before. We were chatting about my art and she mentioned I hadn’t ever painted her. We sat on the balcony and I sketched. The painting came out dreamy, a little pastel realm. My mum is loving and warm; I think you can see that through this painting.'
warm (2023). acrylic on paper, 105 x 75 cm (framed).
on the balcony (mum) (2023). acrylic on canvas board, 65 x 85 cm (framed).
CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS?
Generating ideas from the reality of the world in crisis now (whether cost of living, environmental, political landscape, humanitarian crisis), came the draw towards purgatory.
forget the world, dance darlings (2023) was created through visualising the reality of crisis today and choosing to be oblivious to the mayhem. ‘Dance like no one is watching’, ignore crisis, ignore suffering. A chosen ignorance. The work shows an apocalyptic dance party in between worlds leading us to ask the question’ Is it morally wrong to dance away while chaos is rushing in towards you and those around you?’.
This artwork close your eyes, you are free (2023) follows on from forget the world, dance darlings (2023), suggesting a more individual perspective of blissful-not blissful ignorance. The chaos of reality eats away at the individual. But if you close your eyes and dance, you 'escape', you are 'free', but really you are only turning a blind eye to the dire truth.
close your eyes, you are free, acrylic on canvas, 61 x 46 cm, 2023
forget the world, dance darlings, acrylic on canvas, 66 x 66 cm, 2023
GRIDS
Simplicity of the grid
Repetition
Imperfect
Wavy lines
Bleeding edges
Clean
Messy
Agnes Martin
Structure
Form
not an A.M. (2023). acrylic on paper, 29.7 x 42 cm.
messy pink grid (2023). ink and acrylic on paper. 18 x 14 cm.
![[blood rock, clear river, tom’s cliff, goldie’s eyes] (2023). acrylic, oil and coloured pencil on canvas,
61 x 76 cm.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f6cdf5c5f321559ac52cca/9a9a66f1-e616-4da3-a383-2a1473ee223a/IMG_4502+%281%29.jpg)
[blood rock, clear river, tom’s cliff, goldie’s eyes] (2023). acrylic, oil and coloured pencil on canvas, 61 x 76 cm.
MISC.
just bec (closed eyes) (2023), acrylic on paper, 30 x 42 cm.
enoggera1 (2023). ink and coloured pencil on paper, 14 x 18 cm.
meandering water rush (2023). acrylic on canvas, 18 x 24 cm.
flow. 1 exp. (2023). acrylic and oil on paper, 42 x 60 cm.
ex. op. 1. (2023). oil on canvas, 10 x 10 cm.