Olivia Alexander is a multi-awarded experimental artist, born in London in 1961. She uses specialized mixed media techniques to create abstract naturalist paintings. Olivia is inspired by the beauty of the colours, textures and shapes in the landscapes and oceans, not just of Australia but of other countries she has travelled to. Her bold and expressive paintings being an outward expression of the inner self. Her work has been described as ‘having an outstanding character concerning the way in which she expresses the movements of life in the natural world surroundings as well as in emotionally arising abstract universes’. Moving to Australia with her parents as a child, Olivia discovered her love of art at a young age with a natural gift for drawing. After leaving school jobs were scarce in the small seaside town so Olivia moved to Alice Springs in outback Northern Territory to break and train horses. Not exactly a ‘real’ job but exciting none the less! She married in 1984 and focused on raising her four children. In 2001 Olivia made the decision to pursue her art career and undertook many years of classes such as Fine Art, Advanced & Creative Drawing, and Advanced Mixed Media, as well as Interior Design. In 2007 Olivia moved with her husband to Shellharbour, just south of Sydney where she works full time in her art studio. Her work has gained global recognition with many awards including both pewter and bronze medal diplomas from the Paris society of Arts, Sciences and Letters, a silver medal diploma from the French International Academy of Merit and most recently in 2015, the Art Critics Award and the Rome Imperial International award from Italy. She is a finalist in the international Brisbane Art Prize, Sep 2015. Olivia has been in numerous group and solo exhibitions, not just in Australia but also Italy, France, USA, Singapore and Dubai. October 2011 saw her artworks successfully exhibited at the juried, Salon d’Automne in Paris. Olivia’s artworks are owned by private collectors in many countries and she is represented by galleries in Australia and France. She will be having a major collaborative exhibition in Paris at the end of 2015.
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Eva Chant is Sydney based sculptor and painter. She pursued her creative artistic instincts since she was a child. At the age of 12 she enrolled in a commercial art training program by correspondence at the Melbourne Hotham Street Art College with the view to becoming a commercial artist.
After completing High School, Eva gained a scholarship for High School Art Teacher Training at the Alexander Mackie College in Paddington, which included training at the National Art School. This early experience involved drawing, printmaking, sculpture, oil painting, colour and design, basic architecture and history of art. Upon leaving Teacher’s College Eva joined a portrait painting class with Jerold Nathan for one year. In 1973 Eva joined the Hornsby Art Society and has been honoured with a Life Membership. Over the years Eva has worked in most capacities on the Society’s committee, including President, Secretary, Exhibition Manager, Treasurer and Publicity Officer. When Eva’s two children were in Primary School she enrolled in an Art Certificate course at Hornsby TAFE and commenced 6 years of full and part time participation. Figurative art has always been Eva’s passion and to maintain her development she attended weekly life drawing classes. Eva ran the Hornsby Art Society’s life classes for many years and taught students at the Evening Colleges in Hornsby, Wahroonga and Castle Hill. Eva developed her sculpture at various classes taught by Alan Somerville, Ingrid Morley, Meadowbank TAFE and Christine Simpson. Currently Eva is the Secretary of The Sculptors Society. Eva is also a member of several art groups, which meet to paint from the model on a regular basis, namely The Shed, run by Christine Simpson and Susan Cesarini’s Portrait group at Epping. Eva has been involved in many group exhibitions over the years, with the Sculptors Society and Portrait Artists Australia. Angelika Erbsland is the winner of 27 first prizes and 54 second and other prizes in various competitions in Australia. Angelika won the Packer's Prize in the Archibald portrait exhibition in 1993. Angelika's work covers a broad range of subject matter and media in a modern contemporary style mainly in watercolour, acrylic and mixed media. Best known for use of colour and figurative work, she is also inspired by landscape textures on her travels. Some of her paintings are available to purchase online here She is a member of Portrait Artists Australia and take portrait commissions. Contacts us here to enquire Mariana Ariza is a Sydney artist. She focuses on portraiture and takes inspiration from many sources and styles, but has great admiration for the great portrait masters of the late 19th and 20th century such as Sargent, Zorn, Sorolla and the early impressionists.
She is intrigued by the possibilities of painting the human face and the beauty of capturing the character and soul of her subject somewhere between the canvas and the brush. She also loves landscapes and is inspired by the perfect design and harmony of nature, striving to depict the atmospheric quality of light. Having won several prizes at different art shows, she continues to pursue studies in fine arts. Mariana is available for portrait commissions. Contacts us to enquire about portrait commissions Kasey Sealy began painting at the age of 17 in 1978, and has painted professionally since 1980. He is a member of a noted family of artists. Kasey is renowned for his mastery of Light & Atmosphere.
His articles are regularly published in Australian Artist Magazine and International Artist. Kasey has studied and painted in many countries including the UK, France, New Zealand, USA & Italy – particuarly Venice.. He still takes regular painting trips around Australia, as his love of the Australian bush is very much the source of his inspiration. He was previously a regular lecturer at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst, but now holds tutorials for Art Society members throughout Australia, and holds his own home tutorials for individuals in his studio. He also teaches art at the Fine Arts League of Asheville in the USA. He also judges art shows. Kasey maintains his drawing skills by attending Life Drawing sessions on a regular basis. Hobbies include, playing tennis, occasional fly fishing, collecting and “tasting” wine – (especially Shiraz) and viewing and collecting Fine art. He also likes to take advantage of the beautiful bush trails around his home in Berowra for the occasional stroll. Kasey states: “My work is a direct influence of the impressionist style of painting with a direct hand-eye co-ordination in front of the subject trying to capture the subtleties of mood, light and atmosphere while always trying to avoid any formulation, sentimentality and cliche’, giving the individual viewer a unique visual experience every time.” Kasey is a true artist, and does not betray his love of creativity. He is always drawn to particular subjects for the fleeting magic they hold at the time, and never only for a commercial benefit. But it is always a source of excitement when astute art lovers appreciate and value his work.
Creativity has been an integral part of Roselle's life , be it painting , drawing, sewing , interior designs or photography. Basically she has woven her passion for art into her daily life while working as a nurse and growing a family. Studying "art" at school gave a grounding to Roselle's interest, developing into a hobby and later studying at TAFE, completing a certificate 3 in fine arts. Encouraged by Peter , her husband Roselle opened a market stall at Berry on the South Coast NSW to sell art and photography, later joining a cooperative gallery, all with encouraging success and gaining some commissions. Roselle has exhibited at the biannual Sea Change Exhibition at Jervis Bay on 3 occasions ,and has had a joint exhibition in an art space at the same event. Also exhibited at Merrogal Woman's Art Exhibition, Nowra. Artworks by Roselle express her love of nature and scenery , expressed in a variety of media and styles. Abstract figurative forms, an interest in the distribution of mass in space, and a concern for conveying human emotions are the hallmarks of Patricia Lawrence’s artistic practice.
Working in the lost wax casting technique, Patricia creates reductive, modernist influenced sculptures that capture states of repose and muse on human relationships. Sand piece moulding is a second technique used by Patricia with interlocking moulds made from a sand-based mixture to produce a bronze impression with a fine texture. Artist’s Statement "Sculpting the human figure seemed to be appropriate before moving off into other areas. However, it has remained as my endless, fascinating, main challenge. My response over the years has varied using both representational and abstract forms ranging from miniature to large-scale outdoor work. The challenge is to suggest feelings, activity or relationships in a sculptural way. This involves ideas of line, volume, space, rhythm and stillness. My natural environment, studies and life itself have all influenced the way I conceive and carry out these ideas. A few of my sculptures are carved in stone. Most of them are made first in clay or plaster, depending on the size. A mould, then a positive are made, either by me or at Crawford’s foundry. Finally, the sculpture is cast in bronze at the foundry, using the lost wax method and/or sandcasting. " Stephanie Powell is a multi-award winning visual artist and fashion designer. After completing an associate diploma in fashion design she went on to do a variety of courses including sculpture, pottery on the wheel, life drawing and cartooning. Stephanie is passionate about the environment and often uses recycled materials in her work. She often creates artworks that have a sense of character and whimsy.
I grew up in NYC on Roosevelt Island and currently reside in Woodside, Queens. I studied the visual arts throughout my childhood and formally trained in theatrical scenic and lighting design. Shortly before dropping out of graduate school I had returned to my roots in photography and painting something serious and abruptly altered my path. I hocked my trade for several years by lighting plays and painting scenery deep in the trenches of Off-Broadway, some TV and Summer Stock and toured nationally many times over with actors and jazz musicians all the while taking advantage of those opportunities to refine my visual acuity.
The past decade I have worked primarily as a teaching artist in schools and for charitable organizations throughout the city. In 2007 I founded the photography program at the Harlem Children’s Zone triggering my further immersion into candid portraiture whereas for nearly six years after I ran an art and photography program for adults with moderate to severe developmental disabilities during the course of which I realized there were many shared visual commonalities as well as restrictions. That discovery forced me to radically transform my own work and spend the subsequent years producing a new series of mixed media paintings. To date there are eleven pieces. Determination is an essential characteristic of the artist whose work evolves from experimentation. By using unorthodox methods and unconventional materials chance plays a major, exciting role, but you have to know how to use the chance, how to recognise it. Chance, when understood properly, still involves discipline. Sharon Lam is a Melbourne artist who has a Bachelor of Design Studies (Graphic Design) from the Queensland College of Art, as well as degrees in Information Science and Building Design.
The media she usually works in are watercolours, colour pencils and oils. Sharon likes to capture human emotion and portray complex feelings as simplified art. "Born in Sydney Australia I studied Graphic Art & Design and Computer Graphics. Attended various workshops with Master Artists including Joseph Zbukvic, Herman Pekel and John Wilson.
Art began for me as a young girl taking an interest in drawing and oil painting. Self taught back then, I continued art right through school going on to pursue Graphic Art, Design and Photography. I am constantly hounded by the beautiful world around me and the potential paintings to be created. Having travelled to many parts of the world and around Australia it is where I find my inspirations. I work in different media including watercolour, acrylics, oils, pencil and gouache airbrushing. The medium I use usually depends on how I see the finished product. I am passionate about creating things, from paintings to designs or any project that includes a bit of creativity." "Painting has always been my passion. I received my Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from Pakistan in 1993. Following my education, I found myself spending some extraordinary years in Paris. Paris left its impact on my soul. I breathed art and took every opportunity to enhance my artistic abilities by enrolling in different art courses such as water colours, porcelain painting, silk painting and visiting galleries, museums, cultural and fashion shows.
My journey through France and the rest of Europe, combined with my South Asian heritage has produced within me a myriad of thoughts ready to burst forth in colour on canvas. Although I love all mediums, oils and acrylics are my favourite, especially using the palette knife to create interesting textures. I approach each piece intuitively and manipulate the colour into a spontaneous visual form which brings up unspoken feelings in the viewer's mind..." - Ayesha Gillani Kerrie Wilson is a Sydney based artist.
Kerrie takes inspiration from the sea, marine life, rainforests and the coast. Her background in marine biology informs her artworks. She works mainly with acrylics, inks and pen, and using spray and drip techniques. She enjoys experimenting with texture and colour, using multi-layering techniques in various mediums, styles and subjects. Her paintings showcase vibrancy of colour and abstract style in a delightful manner. Christopher Vidal was born in Malta, studied arts at the School of Arts in Valletta. For twenty year he worked as a medical scientist and researcher in Malta and Australia, but his innate love for art was always there. In 2009, Chris moved together with his family to Australia. Chris has been painting from childhood and for the last ten years most of his works were landscapes in oils. After moving to Australia he was motivated to paint more regularly and experimenting with various media and techniques. Since 2012, he regularly exhibited his work in various group exhibitions in Sydney organised by various societies and organisations. Since then his work was bought by clients in Australia and Internationally.
His work mostly consists of landscape paintings in oils and acrylics painted in an impressionistic / realistic style. Although sometimes science and arts are seen so distinct, being controlled by the opposite sides of the brain, Chris discovered that painting landscapes links together his love for science, nature and painting. Chris also sees that creativity is important in both arts and science. Travelling around the country and being closer to nature inspires him and hence increased his creative productivity. Painting helped him to start observing and appreciating more what is all around us, even the simplest things that we take fore-granted in everyday life. His landscape paintings usually represent places that he visited and to which he had a special connection that inspired him. With his paintings he wants to share his personal experience with the viewer. His favourite style varies from impressionism to realism, with his favourite colours being blue, purple and orange. “Finding Peace in Art” is what he wishes to the viewer of his artwork. Unfortunately we hear a lot of negativity from the media in everyday life however; Chris sees that in reality much more good things happen in everyday life. So through his artwork, Chris wants to deliver this message and show that life is beautiful and that we must enjoy and appreciate every moment of it since we cannot get back not even one second that just passed. "I’m a creative person and love everything creative: painting, crafting, pottery, interior decorating, and vegetable curving. Among all forms of creative things; painting attracts me the most – it gives me a wide open space to explore, freedom to create and fills me with sense of satisfaction.
My inspirations are the beauty of nature I come across: whether it is a painting, a photograph, scene of a movie or TV show, or a place I been to. Interesting subject leads to the next work and inspires me to create something different, try new technique, and use different materials. My intention behind every painting is to capture the moment, bring it to life, and take it one step forward from the previous work! I’ve explored through different media in my life: pencil, pen, water colour, pastel, oil and acrylic paints. In the beginning I used basic colours and gradually learnt about different shades. I started with flat drawing and over the years have mastered the technique of creating texture. Colour brush, spatula and hand are the tools I’ve used so far. I love to learn about different techniques and use of materials artists practice now days and try to use every possible thing I can think about in my works. Till now I’ve used Texture Paste, tissue paper, brown paper, and few natural elements. Art completes me. Every work of mine is a symbol of complete dedication of time, devotion of self and involvement of emotion." - Fariba Hassan Maxine Collins lives in the Hills area of Sydney, Australia. She has won many awards for her beautiful depiction of Australian and international landscape. "For many years I have been exploring the creative possibilities of watercolours and acrylics. I love the freedom of expression that acrylics bring, and the often unexpected effects of watercolours. I have exhibited in mainly local shows during that time, and have won several awards. I am inspired by the beauty of flowers, of native flora and fauna, and of the landscape, whether it's Australian or of other countries."
Marco Britti was born in Rome (Italy) and, after having lived in London for almost ten years, migrated to Australia.
Marco has been drawing and painting, mainly with oil pastels, oil and acrylic paints, pencils, ink and charcoal from a very young age. He has exhibited in a dozen group shows around Sydney and 3 solo shows. He has been a finalist in the North Sydney Art Prize (1995) and the Warringah Art Prize (2013). His work has also featured in the Oxford Art Prize, the Pyrmont Art Prize and the Sydney Art show. “I mostly portray images of people in their moments of simplicity, such as the ‘Piano Bar’ which was painted from the perspective of an onlooker watching from the balcony, but I also draw and paint still-lifes and abstracts. Through colours, light, or simply a few black lines, I long for harmony and balance.” Marco Britti describes his “Round Bar” series as “four strangers at a bar, hoping for a chance meeting. The exact storyline is for the viewer’s imagination, but I aim for a mysterious mood, using strong contrasting colours, light and thick black outlines.” "Coming from a background in photography and design, it is perhaps not surprising that my dalliance with the medium of printmaking should have turned into such a passion that I have devoted many years to it.
I love the controlled chaos of the metal+acid+intent equation, and am hugely attracted to the seemingly limitless ways traditional techniques, processes and materials can be manipulated and coerced into making unique works of contemporary art." Jennifer Hardwick
"Having worked as a Graphic Designer for decades overseas and in Australia, Illustrations and Paintings have always been part of my life.
Originally from Germany, I moved to Australia with my husband over 12 years ago. I painted as a creative outlet to cope with the changes of a new lifestyle in this amazing new country. The Australian light and colours are completely different to the ones in Europe. The challenging medium of Watercolours really grew on me. I enjoy the spontaneous fresh and unpredictable outcome of this medium. I use transparent watercolour paints on paper in a traditional way and constantly explore new ways to express myself. I also work on commissioned paintings. Sydney based, I have attended several Group Exhibitions and sold paintings in Australia and overseas. " - Ricarda Engelhardt Lesleyanne Kilkeary is Sydney based artist. She shares her artistic experience with AAD Gallery… “I have been interested in painting & drawing & the visual arts from a very early age, however, the factors of living hampered exploring too much. Then about 10 years ago I had a strong urge to recommence painting. I started with botanical art (studying at the Botanical Gardens & scientific illustration at Macquarie University) I got to a point where I wanted to “loosen” up and explore acrylics and other media. I have attended numerous workshops & art weekends, and commenced art classes. With a few “recommendations” and sales under my belt I want to explore more about texture & colour, leaning at the moment, towards abstract and semi-abstract compositions. The juxtaposition of colours excite me and influence my bright palette.” |
AuthorAAD Gallery - art space dedicated to providing opportunities for artists of all ages and backgrounds to express their talent, technique and their unique expression.
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