Escarpment

Escarpment is part of my Blue by Consensus series exploring horizons and the consensus we have on colours of the natural world. Other works have focused on sea and sky: this one evokes sunset on Tjoritja/Mac Donnell Ranges around Mparntwe/Alice Springs when the rock glows red rust.

This series was prompted by looking out to sea after my morning swim ,reinforcing my thoughts about the rigidity of human thinking and the need to categorise and force consensus. I married someone who sees the world differently because they’re “colour blind” forcing me to really think about the orthodoxies of colour and the arbitrary assignation of names to what is agreed as “blue” or “red”.

Nothing is really that fixed – so much of the norms of our daily life are just norms by convention. That the sky and the sea are blue are just by consensus: really look at the sea and it can be green, ochre, turquoise, silver, grey.

People have reacted in odd ways to my abstract scapes – some love the unorthodox colours, others say the colours are wrong or that I have a strange way of looking at the world (this is true but for reasons other than colour!).

For me, painting what I see does not mean trying to catch and fix the colours and shapes that people expect. Using colours that sing to my heart frees up my creative mind and let’s something else step forward.

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I am a Naarm/Melbourne-based artist, living on unceded Bunurong country, working in paint and mixed media.

Together with my husband, William Paul, I ran the Counterweave Arts Gallery & Workshop in Rome from 2017 until 2022. I curated 5 international exhibitions, taught textile workshops and mentored emerging artists.

You can see more of my work and read about my process at www.felicitygriffinclark.com.au

I have exhibited my work in Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. I am a Member of Windmill Art Power Plant, The Society for Embroidered Work, the European Textile Network and the Fiber Art Network.

In 2008 I won the inaugural Buda Textile Award in 2008. My three dimensional work siliqua lucti appeared in Seth Apter’s 2013 book The Mixed Media Artist: Art Tips, Tricks, Secrets and Dreams from Over 40 Amazing Artists.