Kylie was born and raised in Brisbane.
She taught Art as a Secondary teacher in 3 Queensland High schools for 8 years before having her children. For the past 18 years she has made Art her career by establishing her Art Studio Gallery in Virginia and conducting Art classes for students of all ages. She has been painting professionally since 2003 and exhibits regularly.
Kylie has been living on Brisbane’s North side since 2000. She has grown to love what Brisbane has to offer her as an artist, mother, and wife. She spends many hours on the weekends with her family and friends discovering parks, bikeways and the cultural hubs of the city.
“Brisbane has a sense of never ending energy and activity. Capturing this in a painting is what I love to do. The interaction with the image and the viewer is so unique as they recognise locations within the landscape.
The connection to each piece is different for each person who looks at the works. Connecting to an image is important and adds ownership to the painting; whether it is a link with work or residential place, a park or a reminder of a great trip on the river.”
Kylie works mainly in acrylic, with which she incorporates a variety of media to enhance the textural outcome of her work. Her paintings invite you to feel the energy of each piece. She uses a bold colourful palette to capture the energy she draws from this vibrant young city. Her use of tone in her compositions creates a sense of depth and perspective within her work. The images are not always meant to be realistic but are easily recognisable.
The paint is applied in layers of pure colour often using colours that have little resemblance to the real structure. Her paintings are sometimes referred to as possessing a Naïve quality with a mature approach to mark making. Kylie’s cityscape collection of works feature iconic places and views. Fun, quirky and yet strangely familiar, the paintings take you on a visual journey in, under and above Brisbane and surrounds. Many of her latest works focus on activities we encounter as we explore the city both in a working week and in our leisure time. She has also had the privilege of working with a talented aerial photographer to capture the city from above and this is where she draws inspiration for her Aerial perspectives. Kylie is well known for challenging the viewer’s point of reference, especially with her aerial cityscapes.
“It is about knowing from where and how to look at Brisbane’s gifts. From the heights of the Riparian, the marvel of the Story Bridge and to the obscure, it is the choice of the viewer to experience the pulsating energy or to find the peaceful, relaxing moments within the Brisbane culture”.
In the past few years Kylie has expanded her repertoire of styles and images and has created a few new art collections; Abstraction, Mini Masters, Pet Pawtraits and Tiny Planets; just to name a few. Her ability to adapt her style to create any image is why her work is in high demand. Versatility is the key.
The past couple of years has also seen Kylie as a guest on television shows such as” The Great South East”, “Connected TV”, and “Colour in your Life”. In 2015 she was contacted by Luciano Benetton to be part of the “Imago Mundi : Looking down under” Book and international exhibition. Other publications she has featured in are Amazing Australian Artists (2014) and Artist Palette Magazine (2014) and R&B Home Magazine (2005)
Kylie teaches Adult art classes every Tuesday, Kids art classes every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and private art lessons on a Saturday.
And finally, Kylie is a huge supporter of Charities such as Ronald McDonald House, Butterfly Babies, Queensland Eye Institute and Felicity’s Wish and helped to raise well over $30000 through donation of her artworks.
Kylie has a Studio Gallery at Home Studio, North Brisbane (By Appointment Only) and the teaching art studio at 28 Pritchard road Virginia.
“Painting keeps me busy, creating commissions for clients all over the world, murals for schools and local businesses and also trying to create works because I found an image or place that needs to be painted. I have many commissions in my studio at the moment and many exciting new projects in the making. All this and running a small business, spending quality time with our family, playing taxi to my children and teaching art classes 5 days a week.
I do have a great life, I feel blessed to have the opportunity to do what makes me smile. It is hard work behind the scenes and will continue to be as I strive to create and find my place in the world.”
A little bit more about Kylie:
Kylie graduated Queensland University of Technology in 1991 with a Diploma of Education, Secondary art. She went on to further studies part time while teaching to gain my Bachelor of Education. She taught for 8 years, but found her true passion after having children and then having the time to follow her dreams and create full time. She has been painting professionally now for 18 years and exhibiting regularly in that time. She continues to teach art to all ages from 5 to 85 and is always inspired by what her students create and the energy and enthusiasm they have to learn and find their own artistic path.