Art

Spencer Harrison · Intimate Encounters

Today we take a look at the latest body of work by Melbourne artist Spencer Harrison, whose exhibition Intimate Encounters opens next week at No Vacancy.

Having recently transitioned from graphic design into art, in this series Spencer explores the human form, creating distinctive abstracted figure drawings layered with buzzing pattern and colour.

Written
by
Lisa Marie Corso

Artist Spencer Harrison with works from his upcoming exhibition Intimate Encounters. Photo – Tatanja Ross.

Spencer in his studio. Photo – Tatanja Ross.

‘Tableau 8’, acrylic paint on canvas, 1219 x 813mm. Photo of artworks – Mark Lobo.

‘Formation 3’, acrylic paint on wood, 411 x 476 x 150mm. ‘Formation 2’, acrylic paint on wood, 506 x 410 x 150 mm. ‘Formation 5’, acrylic paint on wood, 500 x 446 x 150mm. ‘Formation 1’, automotive paint on steel, 594 x 894. Photo of artworks – Mark Lobo.

Left: ‘Tableau 6’, acrylic paint on canvas, 762 x 1016 mm. Right: ‘Tableau 9’, acrylic paint on canvas, 813 x 1219 mm. Photo of artworks – Mark Lobo.

Abstract painting in process. Photo – Tatanja Ross.

Studio details featuring works from Spencer Harrison’s upcoming exhibition Intimate Encounters. Photo – Tatanja Ross.

‘Tableau 11’, acrylic paint on canvas, 1219 x 1219mm. Photo of artworks – Mark Lobo.

Writer
Lisa Marie Corso
24th of January 2017

Spencer Harrison has a simple dream – he wants to paint every day until he is 70. ‘I’ve reached a point now where I can’t see myself doing anything else, and my hope is to be like Mirka Mora or Ken Done, painting every day into my 70s and beyond,’ admits Spencer. ‘I’m working hard to build my art practice into a sustainable career!’

At the start of this year, Spencer made a personal pledge to carve out more time for his art practice, and resolved to turn it into a daily ritual. Previously coming from a graphic design and visual communication background, these days Spencer is ditching screen time in favour of a paintbrush, making vibrant paintings, print and abstract sculptures.

The culmination of Spencer’s transition from graphic designer to artist has resulted in a body of work called Intimate Encounters, opening next week at No Vacancy in Melbourne. The works have stemmed from an interest in figure drawing that Spencer has been developing over the past year. ‘While practicing at my regular life drawing class, I began to become interested in how you could depict the human form with just a few simple lines on the page,’ mentions Spencer.

The show connects fleeting memories of past lovers and intimate moments, using abstracted figure drawings layered with pattern and colour. ‘It’s my hope that the viewer of the works is able to project their own memories onto the pieces and perhaps be reminded of these encounters in their own lives,’ says the artist.

Intimate Encounters by Spencer Harrison
31st January until 12th February
No Vacancy Gallery
34 -4 0 Bell Ln, Melbourne

To see more of Spencer Harrison’s work visit his website here.

‘Formation 4’, acrylic paint on wood, 326 x 489 x 150 mm. Photo of artworks – Mark Lobo.

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