Gaye Jurisich
ABOUT GAYE JURISICH
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When I first met Gaye, she greeted me in her country garden and showed me to her small garden studio. She has two - one wee one that she paints in, and a large one in which she teaches and inspires others to paint and create. Both are fabulous spaces – there is art books piled high, paper, canvas, paint and paint splatters and mess. There is Gaye’s wonderful works and the artful creations of others. It’s an inspiring place to be, and that is largely because Gaye herself is an inspiring artist and person.
From a young age Gaye was encouraged toward her art. Mum always ensured art materials were available to the family – rolls of paper, water, flour, colour! Her family acknowledged Gaye’s artistic ability early on and the impression was that Gaye ‘was an artist’ as opposed to ‘going to one day be one’. “I don’t know that I had a choice about doing anything else”, Gaye says of becoming an artist. It was and is her calling and her works are reflective of someone who thinks, breathes and feels her art – every day of her life. |
Gaye states that her works have much information in them. "They are indicative of what I am seeing or feeling at the time. They have to speak for themselves. I cannot be expected to explain what they are. Existential ‘landscapes’, or just to conjure up the idea of a ‘landscape’ that you may or may not have seen, without being obvious. The works must find their way, it cannot be forced. They will tell me when they are done.”
Gaye’s work is strangely provocative, even ‘seductive’. It makes you think, it is unexpected. You are looking ‘at’ a painting but feel you are looking ‘down’. Think aerial view of our gorgeous New Zealand countryside – water, fields, native bush, mountains – the colors blurred, blended but the scene defined. Contrast between land and sea is beautifully represented without being obvious or cliché. It evokes the feeling that you want to look beyond, around, through the scene. That is what Gaye is doing as she paints. She has always had the desire to see beyond the obvious, see through what is readily in front of her. Look past that object or obstacle and see ‘more’. This is a very important aspect of her work.
Gaye spent some time as an early childhood teacher and believes this has greatly added to her style of painting. Working with kids where the process is ‘less-inhibited’. “Kids just do things that adults don’t get, this has affected my way of thinking and my way of painting - using random materials, focusing on ‘fun’ as opposed to ‘structure’.”
Gaye’s work is strangely provocative, even ‘seductive’. It makes you think, it is unexpected. You are looking ‘at’ a painting but feel you are looking ‘down’. Think aerial view of our gorgeous New Zealand countryside – water, fields, native bush, mountains – the colors blurred, blended but the scene defined. Contrast between land and sea is beautifully represented without being obvious or cliché. It evokes the feeling that you want to look beyond, around, through the scene. That is what Gaye is doing as she paints. She has always had the desire to see beyond the obvious, see through what is readily in front of her. Look past that object or obstacle and see ‘more’. This is a very important aspect of her work.
Gaye spent some time as an early childhood teacher and believes this has greatly added to her style of painting. Working with kids where the process is ‘less-inhibited’. “Kids just do things that adults don’t get, this has affected my way of thinking and my way of painting - using random materials, focusing on ‘fun’ as opposed to ‘structure’.”
This influence on her style is also reflected in Gaye’s sculptural works. Outdoor temporary sculpture has been a very positive focus for Gaye in recent years and one which she enjoys sharing with the public. Gaye’s sculptures often use recycled materials and are designed to interact with their surroundings – they move, flutter, sway, rustle. “Nothing that is permanent or attributed directly to me. I don’t want the ‘glory stuff’. Just for people to see and enjoy.”
When I left Gaye gave me a bunch of freesias to send me on my way, a memorable gesture from an exceptional lady.
When I left Gaye gave me a bunch of freesias to send me on my way, a memorable gesture from an exceptional lady.
