George Hall Exhibition: His Unmistakable Colourful World
Multi-media artist George Hall has long been one of Bluethumb’s bestselling artists. Based in Sydney, his work can be found in collections both within the city and far further afield, with a long line of collectors around the globe. A background in textile and fashion design has allowed George to learn the rules within design – and know when to stylishly break them!
In celebration of George’s colourful and successful career as an artist, we’re currently hosting a new exhibition, The Unmistakable Colourful World of George Hall, at North Sydney’s 1 Denison, where new and exclusive pieces can be seen in the stunning venue we hold our Bluethumb Art Prize Winners exhibitions. The artworks showcased were created with a “let it flow” mindset and were inspired by dance, movement and depth. We caught up with George soon after the exhibition opened its doors to discuss the event alongside his growth as an artist.
Bluethumb veteran George Hall with new works forming part of the Eternal Optimist series.
About the Artist: Meet George Hall
From an early age, George Hall has felt the presence of creativity in his life. “My dad was an architect and an illustrator artist, so from way before I can remember I was drawing and painting,” he recalls. “I did one year of fine arts and then transferred to a textile design course. I worked as a textile designer in the fashion industry for 30 years.
“As a designer back in the early days we hand painted our designs which I loved. Then computer design really took over, so I became proficient in all the design programs. I probably like painting the best, but I love doing mixed media, where I combine the two. I started showing my artwork on Facebook and Instagram, people kept buying them, so I resigned from my full-time job and have been a self-supporting artist now for 6 years.”
George Hall’s pieces in the bustling exhibition space at 1 Denison, North Sydney’s tallest commercial tower and the home of Nine and Microsoft.
Feeling the Flow: About the Exhibition
George Hall hasn’t always approached his creative output in the abstracted style we see in his current exhibition. In fact, the beginning of his career started with figurative drawing and painting. “I even taught drawing and design for a while. But I do really love being able to explore colour, depth and movement without the constraints of figurative expectations. Though often my work has feelings and expressions of reality.” Similarly, inspiration for George is everywhere and everything. “The weather and its effect on my surroundings; the seasonal colour changes; shadows creating depth. Everything is inspiration to me. Rain and water really inspire me also.”
Preparing for the 1 Denison exhibition was, in George’s words, “relatively painless”. “I like having a goal and something to work towards. A bit of preparation helps; if I was younger or in my 20s, I would have totally freaked out. I would have left everything until the last minute, have stayed up all night in a rush to get everything done. These days, we plan it all out and many of the artworks you can see there were created especially for the show. I produced three large paintings to go behind the desk, which took most of the time. I’m also lucky to have Ellie, my curator, to help the process!”
The Neon Garden series hanging pride of place behind 1 Denison’s concierge area.
The common thread within George’s body of work and more specifically his current exhibition is the sensation of movement each piece captures. “I like each piece to be calming and to have a sense of flow, as if it were the current of a river. I also enjoy how the colours work with each other, things that might seem incongruous, and playing with colour theory. I have years of experience in the textile industry and that now allows me to play with colour.”
The solo exhibition hosted at 1 Denison is now part of a number of highlights George looks back on throughout his artistic journey. Along with sales around the world, he has enjoyed a surge in popularity and recognition in major cities internationally – such as LA, New York, London and Paris.
More artworks that show the diversity within George’s style of abstraction.
Are you a Sydney local? Check out the exhibition at 1 Denison in North Sydney until May 21st. For those elsewhere, you can find all available artworks on George’s Bluethumb profile and in this curation. All photos featured are credited to Shayben.
