About the Artist
Gwendolin is a Newcastle based painter working from her studio in Mayfield NSW
Statement
I studied a degree in Fine Art majoring in painting at Newcastle University graduating in 2001. My techniques and subject matter can be quite diverse which reflects my early training in commercial design. I find the love of trees and natural shapes a place to begin a painting. Living in Newcastle NSW Maritime themes have also been a major subject.
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.
A love of mark making and gestural drawing as much as actual painting is what makes me sing , that’s why PASTEL features in my work as it’s a drawing medium. Soft Pastels have a brilliance and beauty that is unique to the medium and one stroke of colour inspires the next.
Time and place also play a part in the same form that a diary would, recording times of day and effects of light, and transitional moods I enjoy developing my art practice when painting and teaching in Newcastle in the cooler months, which is 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 Australi 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.
Prizes 2004 – 2018
- Newcastle Mattara Art…1st 2004
- Oyster Bay …1st 2nd & best of the show oils 2005
- Newport Festival of Marine Artists Australia… 2nd oil 2008
- Highly Commended Raymond Terrace Pastel 2008
- Stockton Maritime Art Show… 1st Pastel 2009
- 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
Exhibiting History
- Hazelhurst Regional Gallery – 3 artists
- Hazelhurst Regional Gallery – works on paper
- Mosman City Art prize
- Camden Art prize 30th year
- Hunters Hill Art prize
- Kiama Art prize
- Maitland Art prize
- Newcastle Mattara Art prize
- Oatley West Art prize
- Oyster Bay Art prize
- Singleton Art prize
- Scone Art prize
- Australian Soc.of Marine Artists Darling Harbour
- Balmain Watchhouse
- Newport Marine Festival
- Laguna Public School art show
- Newcastle Art prize 2012
- Norville Art Prize 2012
- Breeza public hall exhibition 2013
- Solo exhibitions 2014
- Gunnedah Community Art Gallery 2013
- John Hunter Hospital ,2014
- Haydon Hall Murrurundi 2014
- CStudios Gallery Newcastle.2015
- Gloucester Gallery 5 Artists 2018
- Residency in Cornwall 2016
- Residency in Italy 2019
Gwendolin Lewis