ALISON COULTHURST CONTEMPORARY PAINTINGS
Exhibiting Level One Open Gallery August/September
The
paintings of mixed media artist Alison Coulthurst have become highly sought
after by art collectors around the world. Following her huge success in Sydney,
Australia where she resides, Alison has a growing list of gallery
representation around the world.
Born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Alison studied fine arts and graphic design in
Capetown and Durban in South Africa, before moving to England in the 1980s. By
1987, Alison was at the peak of her graphic design career whilst ensconced in a
London advertising agency. She recalls, “It was an up-market agency with only a
few accounts that each had lots of money, so I could do what I wanted.” It was
this freedom to incorporate stylised illustrations in design briefs that became
the precursor to her later paintings. In the early 1990s, Alison relocated to
Sydney and established her own creative agency “Design Ali”, which specialised
in creative corporate identity.
It was in 2001, however, that Alison began her career as a professional artist
in the medium of painting. After completing a large number of commissions Alison
has secured gallery representation in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, NZ, the UK,
Italy and recently, the USA. All of her solo exhibitions have been highly
successful. Well recognised art collectors have purchased Alison’s art leading
to a number of exciting initiatives such as a solo exhibition held at
Australian Fashion Week and selection as one of 39 artists around the world for
a collaborative art initiative with Nobel Peace Prize Winner Nelson Mandela
Alison’s
creative exploration of many techniques, including sgraffito and application by
hand, results in the rich layers displayed in each artwork. Alison says “When I
am painting, I am often not thinking, I block out the busy thoughts of life by
listening to music. Through music I draw artistic rhythm and mood and feel
inspired. The text in some of my paintings is derived from music. I love making
something work not knowing what is going to happen. Painting is like long
distance running which I used to do . . . I just can’t stop once I start. It’s
a thrill when something really works.” Alison endows her painted forms with
sculptural qualities, creating an ethereal feeling to each piece.
Alison presents a powerful array of figurative abstract art. She says her art
is an extension of her non-conformist outlook on life. The theme of her work
has potent African and Australian influences and one rather bold image that
seems to run through most pieces, Alison’s trademark - sanguine coloured lips,
as though each painting has been sealed with a final “Red Kiss”.
