Laura Jones is a very special artist. From the moment we first came across her intensely beautiful work, we had an inkling she was destined for big things… and I have no doubt that in many years to come, we’ll look at Laura’s distinctive paintings with the same pride and affection as we do the work of Margaret Olley, Cressida Campbell and other much respected Australian artists. Such is Laura’s unique ability to capture the essence and fleeting beauty of her subject matter.
Though also a talented portraitist, it’s Laura’s floral works which have brought her most notoriety in recent years. Best known for her richly layered oil paintings depicting loose, luscious floral arrangements, Laura has gathered a loyal following over the past few years. Her upcoming show at Olsen Irwin Gallery in Sydney is a dedication to the Australian wildflower.
‘We are so lucky to have such beautiful and interesting flowers, with strong shapes and amazing colours’ Laura says. She’s also interested in why it is Australian flowers seem so exotic. ‘What is it that makes us think of European flowers like roses as soft and Australian flowers as ‘unusual’?’ she asks. ‘When you look at the Australian attitude toward still life painting since early white settlement, it is quite an interesting journey, one that I believe says a lot about who we are as a culture.’
Wildflower has been about 5 months in the making. Laura paints her flowers from life, which means her studio is always filled with amazing blooms! ‘I treat my studio like a flower shop’ she says. ‘I arrange real objects and flowers, move furniture around, sweep and tidy and walk around this set up until I see a composition in it that I like.’ She then starts painting, directly onto canvas, responding to the arrangement before her, painting urgently whilst the flowers are fresh and full of life.
Beyond this show, Laura is looking forward to an upcoming residency in rural Victoria, and is excited to be immersed in a whole new environment. ‘It’s always great to get a bit of space, and I’m really looking forward to the new perspective it will bring’ she says.
Laura is represented by Olsen Irwin Gallery and Gallery Ecosse.
WILDFLOWER by Laura Jones
2nd – 22nd March 2016
Olsen Irwin Gallery
63 Jersey Rd
Woollahra, NSW
