Gwendolin Lewis My Artistic Journey

Gwendolin is a Newcastle based painter working from her studio in Mayfield NSW

I love mark making and gestural drawing as much as actual painting. That’s why I use PASTEL in my work, as it’s a drawing medium. Soft pastels have a brilliance and beauty unique to the medium, and one stroke of color inspires the next.

Time and place also play a part, much like a diary, recording times of day, effects of light, and transitional moods. I enjoy developing my art practice when painting and teaching in Newcastle during the cooler months. That’s when I mainly focus on the landscape, using traditional materials such as oil, acrylic, and soft pastels.
I am an exhibiting Member of the Pastel Society of Australia the Pastel Society of Victoria and the Australian Society of Maritime Artists.
Exhibiting regularly, teaching classes and giving workshops to groups fills my desire to connect with other artists and extend myself on a weekly basis. It may seem like second nature but it has been a long road of discovery and learning to find my voice.
My philosophy is to keep an open mind and devote my life to always learning something new.

Statement

I completed a degree in Fine Art with a major in painting at Newcastle University in 2001. My artistic techniques and subject matter are quite diverse, reflecting my early training in commercial design. I draw inspiration from my love of trees and natural shapes when beginning a painting. Living in Newcastle, NSW, maritime themes have also been a major focus in my work. My art ranges from soft, impressionistic pastels to larger works featuring spontaneous mark-making. Having lived near the sea for the past 40 years, both natural environments have greatly influenced the subjects of my paintings. My Oil paintings are much bolder and often have abstract qualities.
My work ranges from soft impressionistic pastels to larger works of spontaneous mark-making and as I have lived near the sea for the past 40 years both of these environments have had a strong influence on my painting subjects.

Prizes 2010 – 2024

• Finalist Norville Art Prize Oil 2010
• Highly Commended Newcastle Art Prize Oil 2011
• Newcastle Agricultural Show …1st works on paper. Pastel 2011
• Newcastle  Art Prize… 1st Pastel overall winner 2011
• Newcastle  Art Prize… 1st Pastel section 2012
• 1st Port Stephens Maritime Prize… Oil 2012
• Highly commended Pt Stephens Art Show Oil 2013
• Highly commended Pastel …    Singleton art show 2013
• Highly commended Pastel …    Newcastle Art Prize 2013
• Highly commended Pastel …    Newcastle Art prize 2014
• 2nd PASTEL country members…. Pastel Society of Australia 2014
• 1st …MARITIME / INDUSTRIAL PRIZE …2015
• Newcastle Art Prize / Society of Artists Newcastle 2015 .
• 2nd …Singleton Rotary Art Show 2015
• 1st works on Paper ..Hunter Valley Grammer School 2018
• 1st Pastel Society of Australia members exhibition 2023
• 1st Pastel Society of Victoria Members exhibition 2024

Exhibiting History

• Residency in Italy 2019
• Gloucester Gallery 5 Artists 2018
• Residency in Cornwall 2016
• CStudios Gallery Newcastle.2015
• Haydon Hall Murrurundi 2014
• John Hunter Hospital ,2014
• Solo exhibitions 2014
• Gunnedah Community Art Gallery 2013
• Breeza public hall exhibition 2013
• Norville Art Prize 2012
• Newcastle Art prize 2012
• Laguna Public School art show
• Newport Marine Festival
• Balmain Watchhouse
• Australian Soc.of Marine Artists Darling Harbour
• Scone Art prize
• Singleton Art prize
• Oyster Bay Art prize
• Oatley West Art prize
• Newcastle Mattara Art prize