2012 FINALISTS
After much deliberation we’re excited to announce the finalists for the 2012 Toni&Guy Yen Young Australian Art Award.
TONI&GUY YOUNG ART AWARD FINALISTS (in alphabetical order) Elia Basser – The Worshipper’s Pose Terri Rose Baynton – The Golden Finch Jasmin Dwyer – Dream Sally Conwell – Memory of Ashen and Hue Ruma Hort – Bhangra Tango II Kirra Jamison – Love Me Two Times Three Leahlani Johnson – Selection Criteria Elena Larkin – Innate Kirbee Lawler – Delicate Little Tree Cup Nicole Malishev – Brown Sugar Amber Mealing – Abeyance Gabriella Player – Dogs Are People Too Nana Sakata – Where The Night Begins Alex Seret – Ruby Patricia Stepien – Perforated Meg Stoios – Acid Face Sharnee Taylor – Forest Children Lauren Webster – Neapolitan Icecream Cathryn Zhang – Coco Marchesa Kareena Zerefos – The Siren Girl www.yenmag.net
The Worshiper’s Pose 2011 By Elia Basser Oil on Canvas "Winter kept us warm, covering Earth in forgetful snow..." from T.S. Eliot’s The Wasteland. About the Artist I have been painting for about six years. I have just completely a BFA at University of Tasmania, and am now teaching art at Nolan Art Gallery and School.
the golden finch 2011 By Terri Rose Baynton I am endlessy fascinated by the secret lives of animals. This is mainly what I like to try and capture in my illustrations, their characters and personalities, from a goat to a finch, they know things we don't. About the Artist My mum is Australian, my dad is English and I grew up New Zealand. I have been a writer, a doco student and most recently a shepherd in the southern alps of New Zealand. I have had a children’s book accepted by an Australian publisher, it is out in March. I am new to illustrating and am entirely self-taught. The nights on the station could be pretty quiet, so I took to painting.
Dream 2011 By Jasmin Dwyer Drawing inspiration from contemporary Aboriginal designs, this is a delicate exploration of watercolour, pencil, pen and ink: a representation of the brilliant and dynamic imagination of a child. About the Artist With a background in Fine Arts and Education, I seek inspiration in small things which often go unnoticed. I utilise various mediums, creating bittersweet imagery where the tangible and make believe meet. I'm an emerging artist who was awarded people's choice in the Glebe Art Show 2011, and had work featured in the most recent edition of Curvy. My favourite colour is magenta.
Memory of Ashen and Hue 2011 By Sally Conwell Life colours people in the strangest way, the past pushes and pulls, in and out of the present. A dichotomy of ashen and hue. This is my dearest big brother Geoff. We have been through a lot together, and I am so proud of the person he has become. I crushed up charcoal and pastels and painted them on cardboard with a dry paint brush. About the Artist Life is beautiful, and tea warms my belly, it is people and (their pretty faces )and moments of total joy that I really enjoy trying to capture. I currently get to go to uni and paint and draw all day at COFA/UNSW. I have been given the opportunity to exhibit a few times in regional spaces, and regularly draw portraits (or pets) as an income.
Bhangra Tango I 2011 By Ruma Hort This digital print with embroidered horse hair is part of a series where I have explored the links between my job and my Bangladeshi background. The strands of hair create patterns and textures, with lines that intertwine and interact with each other. The dancing nature of the line left in its purest form combined with the horse hair, draws the viewer in, watching the lines tango with each other. About the Artist Art has been my passion for many years and Printmaking is my medium of choice. I have exhibited in a few shows over the years, including most recently the Blacktown City Art Prize. Working in the hair industry for several years, I have enjoyed manipulating hair into different shapes and colours, continuing this love of hair into my artwork.
Love me two times 3 2011 By Kirra Jamison Love me two times 3 is part of a recent collection of gouache, ink, pen and vinyl works on paper that contemplate the realms of repetition, surface pattern and the decorative. About the Artist Since completing her Bachelor of Fine Art with First Class Honours at Queensland College of Art, Griffith University (2006) Kirra Jamison has exhibited regularly in commercial and artist run spaces throughout Australia. She has been awarded the Anne and Gordon Samstag International traveling Scholarship (2007) and a New Work Grant from the Australia Council (2010).
Selection Criteria 2010 By Leahlani Johnson This piece is an investigation into creating dialogues between different media and forms. Allowing force to shape the other I hope to create an unpredictable dialogue that is concerned with dismantling presuppositions of the medium and restoring a sense of wonder. Materials: Mixed media About the Artist I am an emerging artist and educator based in Sydney. I completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) from UNSW in 2006 and have have been actively exhibiting since then. My solo practice examines the possibilities of forging new relationships between contradictory mediums and forms. While since 2009 I have also been working in collaboration with artist David Capra as Prophetic Initiatives (P.I.).
Innate (part of a body of work) 2010 By Elena Larkin My art work is from a six piece body of work titled “Innate”. In this body of work, I combine characteristics of my family with characteristics of animals which I believe represent their innate attributes. This particular piece depicts my Nanna the Owl. Owls typically represent wisdom, which is why I chose this special creature’s features to combine with my Grandma’s. About the Artist I am nineteen years old, finished school just last year. I have always loved creating... my favourite medium is drawing, usually with lead pencils but I also like drawing with chalk pastels and painting.
Delicate Little Tree Cup 2011 By Kirbee Lawler Delicate Little Tree Cup is a story of secrets. Tiny Little animals you can hold in your hands are waiting to wisper in your ear the secrets of our amazing world...The world of animal folk and their stories... Created with pencil on paper, this is one of a series of pieces based on animal folk tales. About the Artist I am a Sydney based artist and graphic designer. My work has been featured in publications such as Curvy & The Semi Permanent Book and I have been commissioned to create illustrations for Mambo and Mentally Friendly as well as exhibiting in group shows. I love to work with a super sharp pencil and smooth paper...Art to me is creating a Never Never land, where you can always be in your daydreams.
Brown Sugar 2010 By Nicole Malishev I’d immersed myself in 70s culture, fascinated by its literature, film, music, photography and the icons Bianca Jagger and Anita Pallenberg, also the freedom and ambiance of the time depicted in Hunter S. Thompson’s novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I detailed the flamboyancy of the clothes and fabrics so I built multiple layers using pencil and different techniques to focus on each texture. About the Artist Ever since I could hold a pencil or paintbrush, I’ve been creative. My favourite medium in graphite pencils, I love the depth that can be portrayed and realistic detail. I exhibited at Top Designs at Melbourne Museum in 2010 and at Top Arts at the NGV in 2011. My inspirations comes from everywhere - literature, music, photography, travelling, designers, different cultures and periods of time.
Abeyance 2010 By Amber Mealing Despite its purpose as one of the works submitted for my HSC, it still remains my favourite piece of artwork I have ever completed. To me it epitomises all that I attempted to convey in the works. This sense of silence, despite the overwhelming urge to explode. Explode about what? That doesn’t matter. It is more about the experience of the emotions themselves. About the Artist I am an uni student studying art history. I would love to be an art consultant and travel the world constantly dealing with art (wouldn’t we all!). I have always loved drawing, particularly in charcoal. I love its delicacy, but how it ironically can be so harsh at the same time. Everything inspires me. Europe, Radiohead, Black and White... everything.
Dogs are people, too 2011 By Gabriella Player A client asked me to draw a dog that looked like a girl. I chose a breed of dog with big eyes and long beautiful ears that resembled pigtails. I was going for a geek vibe so I put the dog in a buttoned up shirt and glasses. I used a HB pencil and digitally layered brown paper to achieve a ‘recycled’ feel. It reflects my detailed style because the fine rendering of the fur and the eyes. About the Artist I recently finished studying graphic design, majoring in illustration. I use traditional media like pencil and watercolour then layer the elements digitally. I have exhibited with the university in the graduate shows, but I would love to hold my own exhibition. I am inspired by fashion photography, watercolours, birds, feathers, and Disney films.
Where the night begins 2011 By Nana Sakata Surrounding environment, childhood memories, nature and animals have been the major inspirations and recurrent themes in my art practice for the recent years. Exploring such subject matters on paper with mediums like ink, water colour, pen and pencil, I have been creating imaginary creatures and landscapes to tell stories and create visual anecdotes that are open for variety of interpretation About the Artist I’m a Sydney based artist. Since graduating from Sydney College of the Arts. I have been creating series of ink drawings that are inspired by childhood memories, day to day reality, ordinary objects, nature and animals.
Ruby 2011 By Alex Seret Ruby is an illustration of my friend’s gorgeous baby girl. I was inspired to illustrate her for inclusion in an annual report for a maternity hospital. The portrait is painted in acrylics and reflects my style as it is based on realism but still has distinct brush marks and texture . About the Artist Hello… I’m Alex Seret. I am an illustrator and graphic designer. I am most passionate about acrylic, ink, pen, watercolour and collage. I have exhibited in several group exhibitions in Australia and overseas. I find inspiration in patterns and textures, the outdoors, insects, animals, my friends and their children and the smell and sight of paint.
Perforated 2011 By Patricia Stepien This series of three handmade graphics looks at how shapes interrelate and form different contours and patterns. The raised surface, created by perforating the surface of the card with a needle adds an interesting dimension and tactility to each card. About the Artist As a designer, I am personally interested in design that is tactile, invokes a sensory engagement, is communicative and prompts responses. I’m also interested in the relationship of design and art disciplines and how these generate interesting outcomes.
Acid Face 2011 By Meg Stoios This work is part of a series I created based on the presence of ecstasy in destruction. Nothing is more compelling than a vision of horror. I used a regular set of 12 coloured pencils to create the work. About the Artist I try to make things that are intensely beautiful; the type of beauty that burns through your eyes and laughs down your insides causing your limbs to jiggle. I want someone to see my pictures and fall in love with me.
Forest Children 2011 By Sharnee Taylor This piece I created for a band called Cordial Factory to promote their show. I was inspired when listening to their music and started imaging old fashioned children playing music in the forest with a bear :) I usually draw and paint for editorials but love working on any projects that involve dreaming up a picture. About the Artist I have just graduated from the Diploma of Illustration at NMIT. I love painting mainly in oil paint or ink. My artwork comes from images that come into my head just before I go to sleep
Neapolitan icecream 2011 By Lauren Webster This piece comes from the body of work I am currently creating for my next exhibition in early 2012. It’s linework and manner are typically reflective of my work however the subject matter, scale and element of pattern are something entirely new. Each individual skull is subtly different in its rendering, they flaunt an imperfection which is inherent to my work. It is pen on paper. About the Artist I studied fine arts at COFA graduating in 2008. I have been practicing ever since and had my first solo show in October 2010 at Somedays Gallery. My next show is scheduled for February 2012 at Kaleidoscope Gallery. I cant wait. I also work in fashion/lifestyle styling, as well as the homewares label I founded in 2010 Lauren & The Lost Boys. Im inspired by sophistication and immaturity combined.
Coco Marchesa 2011 By Cathryn Zhang This piece is the first of a new project I started. My inspiration was the great Marchesa Casati and her lavish way of living. Her extravagance in life created her style icon image; something that has continuously been influencing the trends set by major fashion labels to this day. The echoing of the Chanel logo reflects Marchesa’s timeless existence in the fashion industry. Media: Pencil About the Artist I am sparked by objects, places and people with an unusual background story. I love fashion and travelling-things that allow my work to explore texture. I find magazine covers captivating, as I love the idea of allure. I am 22, graduated from Auckland University of Technology in 2009, currently living in Sydney. A black Prismacolor pencil is my favourite thing to use in the whole wide world!
The Siren Girl 2011 By Kareena Zerefos Subtly referencing the seductive yet dangerous ‘bird-women’ of Greek mythology. Drawing in graphite, markers and ink on paper. About the Artist My name is Kareena, I’m an artist and illustrator originally from Sydney. Having studied design at the College of Fine Arts (UNSW), my work often combines traditional drawing with contemporary graphic techniques. I’m inspired by a yearning to escape to the whimsical world of make believe.