CAROLINE CALWAY STOCKROOM

Caroline Calway, a Fine Art graduate from the UK, rekindled her passion for painting after moving to Australia in 1999. After a 10-year hiatus, she joined a local art class in 2005, which provided a nurturing environment for her to rediscover her artistic voice. Through this group, she has participated in numerous exhibitions and found a space to explore techniques and develop her personal style.

Calway’s artistic journey was heavily influenced by the work of Hans Hofmann, particularly his “Push-Pull” theory, which explores the interaction of colours and shapes. Seeing his painting Pompeii at the Tate inspired her direction as an artist, particularly in her use of vibrant, dynamic colour.

Her love for the Australian landscape, especially after a 14-week journey through the Kimberley and Gibb River Road, has been a major source of inspiration. The colours, textures, and light of these vast natural spaces have captivated her, and she enjoys creating series of works based on specific locations, allowing her to delve deeply into the details of each scene.

For this exhibition, Calway focuses on Karijini National Park, located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The rugged beauty of this landscape, with its red rock chasms, gorges, and waterfalls, presents both a challenge and an opportunity for her to translate its tranquillity, colours, and textures onto canvas.

Colour is central to Calway’s work. She is passionate about creating unique colour combinations that convey the feelings she experienced in nature. Her process is about exploration and expression, where abstraction and figuration blend to create harmonious compositions. She aims to invite viewers into a world where they can discover their own narratives, interpreting the ambiguous spaces she creates.

In this exhibition, Calway has focused on negative spaces, using the intensity of bold colour and restraining detail to create powerful compositions. Each canvas represents a colourful conversation, with dynamic brushstrokes and gestural compositions that reflect her evolving artistic exploration. Through her work, she aims to communicate and share her conversations with nature and the boundless possibilities of colour and form.