Georgie Maddox

I am a local Byron Bay artist who paints abstract oil landscapes, often ripped and stitched together or preserved in resin. I AM INTERESTED IN THE DESTRUCTION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF OUR NATURAL LANDSCAPE. WHERE I LIVE THERE IS A CONSTANT BATTLE BETWEEN PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT VERSES CONSERVATION OF THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE. HOUSE AND LAND PACKAGES DOMINATE THE FIRST HOME OWNERS MARKET, WITH A PRICE PUT ON OUR LAND THAT IS ALMOST UNATTAINABLE FOR YOUNG FAMILIES SUCH AS MINE, YET AT THE SAME TIME LAND THAT’S NATURAL BEAUTY IS PRICELESS. AGREEING WITH BOTH PROGRESS AND CONSERVATION MY STITCHED ARTWORKS CREATE AN AESTETIC HARMONY BY COMBINING RECONSTRUCTED LANDSCAPE SECTIONS THAT I RIP AND STITCH BACK TOGETHER. OTHER ARTWORKS REMAIN UNTOUCHED BUT ARE OFTEN PERSEVED IN A GLASS COATING OF RESIN OR VARNISH. MY COLOUR PALATE IS AN AMALGAMATION INSPIRED BY THE PEOPLE WHO MAY RESIDE ON THE LAND, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED ON THE LAND IN THE PAST, AS WELL AS THE SEASONAL COLOURS THAT AFFECT THE LANDSCAPES FORM AND TEXTURE. FOR STITCHED ARTWORKS I BEGIN WITH LONG LANDSCAPES PAINTED IN OILS OF MY PERIPHERAL VISION, COMBINED WITH AN ARIAL VIEW OF THE LAND INSPIRED BY REAL ESTATE SECTIONS OF OUR LOCAL NEWSPAPERS, WHERE ARIAL VIEWS ARE COMBINED WITH COMPUTERISED ARCHITECTURAL SKETCHES OF BORDERS, BOUNDARIES AND POSSIBILITIES OF APPROVED ALLOTMENTS. ONCE MY LONG ARTWORK IS COMPLETED AND DRIED I RECONSIDER THE SUBJECT BY RIPPING AND STITCHING BACK TOGETHER THE ARTWORK WITH THE INTENTION OF NOT ONLY CREATING HARMONY AND BEAUTY BUT ALSO AN ARTWORK THAT CAN FIT INSIDE A CONVENTIONAL HOME, FRAME AND WALL SPACE. THERE IS AN IRONY IN RECREATING ARTWORKS TO FIT INSIDE PEOPLES HOMES WHILE THE LAND IS RECREATED TO EXTERNALLY “HOUSE” THESE SAME BUILDINGS. PRINTS ARE MADE AVAILABLE OF MY FIRST STAGE ARTWORKS HIGHLIGHTING THE REALITY THAT ONCE SOMETHING IS DESTROYED YOU CAN NEVER GET BACK THE ORIGINAL, ONLY A REPLICA, IF ANYTHING AT ALL.