System III

Certificate of Authenticity Included

Framing Options

A$170

Artwork Details

Medium Other Media, Paper (Requires Framing)
Dimensions 29cm (W) x 42cm (H) x 0.1cm (D)
Review Stars 21,260 Customer Reviews
Original Artwork
This artwork is one of a kind!
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Estimated Delivery Time from VIC

Sunday, Jun 21 - Tuesday, Jun 23

Artwork Description

'System III' is part of my exploration of unseen systems that underpin our lives. It is a visual representation of the transfer of energy and feeling through the mind and body when a person is recovering from an unsettling encounter or a busy environment such as a party.
It is influenced by Matisse's cut outs and use of shape to express feeling, and by the colours used in German expressionist works of the early 20th Century.
It was drawn directly onto the paper using watercolour crayon, then water was added to smooth and blend, and further layers of crayon added to bring forth more texture. In some places colour was lifted by using a dampened paper towel and then a complementary hue was added on top for dimension. Sections were also covered in white crayon which was then scraped back to reveal the luminosity of the smooth water-blended crayon underneath.

Artist Bio

My work is diverse and includes gouache, acrylic, watercolour, oil pastel, soft pastel, lino and wood print, pencil, ink and graphic marker. I have been a mark-maker since I was 18 months old, and completed my first portrait commission at 3 years old, although I am not sure that my nanna was very flattered by my rendition of her. She still gave me the piece of cake as payment though. Nowadays my subject matter is more likely to be flowers, Australian birds, bathing places and crumbly buildings rather than portraiture. My abstract and expressionist work tries to capture a sense and feeling of place. I am engaged by the interplay of light and architectural form, as well as the rhythm of movement through a space.
Occasionally I will dip into the realm of fantastical imagery, using poetry as a starting point for depictions of mythical and supernatural creatures. Poetic influences include William Blake, Lord Byron, Emily Dickinson, John Keats, Mary Shelley and Edgar Allen Poe. I am also exploring using poetry as the basis for depicting place and space, using the poetry of Judith Wright, Barbara Blackman, Kathleen McArthur, Mary Oliver and my great aunt Dora Wakefield as sources of inspiration.
I will be loading artworks for viewing/ purchase into this space in August 2025.

Commissions

Benita's studio is in Ballarat