Review from Art Critic, J. Millington ,Virginia McGowan, an Australian artist, has been creating captivating artwork for over 40 years. She works with various mediums, including oil, acrylic, pastels, inks, watercolors, and fabric paint. Her portfolio spans a wide range of subjects, showcasing her versatility and creativity. Virginia McGowan is an Australian artist with over 40 years of experience in creating captivating artwork. She works with various mediums, including oil, acrylic, pastels, inks, watercolors, and fabric paint. Her portfolio showcases a wide range of subjects, reflecting her versatility and creativity. Virginia is passionate about capturing the beauty of Australian landscapes, often painting en plein air and finishing her works in her home studio. She has won numerous art awards and has sold her paintings to both international and local buyers. Virginia resides on the Gold Coast Hinterland, near the rainforests and beaches, which provide her with endless inspiration.
Here are some highlights from her collection:
Bribie Island Beach Sunny Sun (Oil, 61 x 50.8 cm, A$750): A vibrant coastal scene capturing the essence of sunny days by the beach.
Brooms Head Beach, NSW (Watercolor, 56 x 40 cm, A$320): A serene coastal watercolor that transports you to the New South Wales coastline.
Storm over Outback Country (Watercolor, 29 x 21 cm, A$110): Moody and evocative, this piece captures the rugged beauty of the Australian outback.
Currumbin Rock Pool Slide (Oil, 22 x 32 cm, A$280): A playful depiction of a popular Gold Coast spot.
Tamborine Mountain View (Pastel, 55 x 75 cm, A$1,790): A scenic vista of Tamborine Mountain.
You can explore more of Virginia McGowan’s original art on Bluethumb, where you’ll find a total of 172 artworks available for sale. Enjoy free shipping and returns! 🎨🌟
I paint with Oil, Acrylic, Pastels, inks, Watercolours, [Also Fabric Paint] in various subjects, professionally for over 40 years ,mainly painting out in the open always looking for beautiful Australian landscapes and finishing in my home studio ,I love using bright cheerful happy colours. Passionate about life drawing and dance. I also paint portraits and life studies. I have won many art awards, a lot of firsts and seconds , highly commended , in most mediums. sold my paintings to many international and local buyers . I also spent 20 -25 years sewing clothing and painting them, all by cutting with scissors one off garments for ladies and children ,also supplied boutiques around Australia
Living in the Beautiful Gold Coast Hinterland near the rain-forests and quite close to the beaches and ocean give me fantastic locations and inspiration to paint -- I was fortunate to be professionally trained by Artist/ Art Critic/ Author John Millington, in life drawing and painting also all art practices , canvas stretching , framing , Art Exhibitions practice ,etc. attending workshops with him over 30 years . I have been lucky to do workshops with Mervyn Moriarty [Flying art School Qld] and Jeff Makin super fabulous Australian teachers/ artists .
The last few years I unfortunately have been debilitated by CFS/fibromyalgia M.E. with leaves me almost disabled to function , physically and mentally .I do the best I can to make art .
C.V .Virginia McGowan
Artist; Virginia McGowan
Born; Melbourne Australia
Studies;
East Camberwell Girls School 1952-1956
Arts Unlimited Banora Point Informal workshops/ classes 1980-83
Flying Art School Mervyn Moriarty Gold Coast Queensland/
John Millington Gold Coast Art teacher, Media Critic and writer .1983 -2008 Life Drawing once a week , for 25 years apart from holiday breaks .
Career; 1980 -2009; Textile and fine arts worker, Gold Coast Studio
REPRESENTED;
Pan Macmillan Publishers Sydney Australia –Painting Pastel of Peter Watt's ,Author the Cry of the Curlew Novel .
Somerset College Gold Coast –Painting, Photography
Private collections Painting France ,Germany, Australia, Great Britain.
The Old Church Tamborine Mountain ,Photography
St Bernard’s Hotel ,Inaugural Shared first prize Photography /mixed media.
Awards;
Winner ,first Prize ,2011 .Gold Coast Show Open oil 1st 2011;
Second prizes 2009, 2011, 1990 ,1989 Gold Coast show
Second prize 2009 Gold Coast show -pastels second 2009
2011 Pastels /mixed media/2nd
2011 oils 2nd
each year 3rd each year
Springfest Curumbin Gold Coast 2nd, Pastel
Winner,1st oil 2001 Emmanuel College Gold Coast 1st Oils
Winner,1st prize 2002 1st prize Southern Gold Coast Banner Competition..
Winner,1st prize 2007 Gold Coast Seniors 1st. Oils
2007 H. C. ; Warwick; Photography; Mathew Flinders Bribie Island Pastels.
2008 3rd Oils; Annual open art prize RQAS.
2009 3rd Pastels Royal Exhibition Brisbane
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Broadbeach Gallery
Gold Coast Art prize 1985
Paradise Art Awards 1999
Somerset College 1999-2002-1-2
Nifsan signature art Award 1999-2002-4
Tropicarnival Open Art prize 1999
Soul Surfer; Tugun SLSC.2000
Tamborine Mountain Artists Group. yearly .
Influences
Australian artists, varied . Jeff Makin, John Millington, John Rigby, Mal Leckie. Tom Roberts /Heidelberg artists , Including especially the female artists .Fred Williams . All the French Impressionists plus Artists in that era