Featured Artist Gaye White

Australian artist  Gaye White creates lovely mixed media still life paintings. Enjoy her portfolio, and be sure to visit her website for more information.

 

 

Originally from Queensland, and now living in Sydney, I began my career as an artist when I retired from a long career in teaching. Because I took up painting late in life, I have set myself a goal to attend as many exhibitions and workshops as I can and to read as widely as possible about other artists.

 

 

My goal is to produce paintings to remind people of the wonders of the natural world, and by so doing hopefully there will be less inclination to destroy it.

What inspires me? More than words. Through my art I like to highlight the power of the image over the printed word. I like to emphasis this with a juxtaposition of old words and new images. I also like the folds in material, be it in clothing or a tablecloth. My white linen tablecloth is an old favourite for my backdrops. Paul Cezanne’s still life of fruit on a white tablecloth have definitely been an inspiration.

 

 

I collect old books and magazines to be a collage base for my still-life paintings. I love their sepia colour and absorbent texture. It is fun rummaging through old bookstores and reflecting on how our society has changed in a couple of generation. I have used numerous old cookbooks for my collage and I like also that it gives these old pieces of paper a second life.

 

 

Because I started working with oil paints, I have not been through the more normal route of graduating to oils after using acrylics and watercolours. I love the smell, the texture, and yes, even the mess that comes with oils. I use Old Holland brand oils which have a beautiful intensity of pigment colour and texture.

 

 

I am very mindful of interesting brushwork when I paint to heighten the impact of the image and to avoid a flat rendered look. As I only allow myself one stoke and then leave it I have to work slowly and not squander the “one stroke” approach. It is harder to do that it sounds.

By layering components in my work it adds another dimension that is not possible without the collage base, and hopefully will engage people longer when they look at the painting.

 

 

My next project is to drive through the centre of Australia and paint the landscape en plain air. The colours of the arid centre of Australia have inspired may artists and I am looking forward to embarking on this exciting adventure. The challenge is what to do with wet oil paintings as I move around.

 

Gaye White invites you to follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.