VICKI STAVROUCOASTAL MUSE

LIST OF WORKS

1. View to Wategos 2019, acrylic on canvas, 90 x 90cm $1,250One of my favourite places is Wategos in Byron Bay, located two kilometres east of the town centre. Just beyond the beach at Wategos is a surprisingly secluded area, with beautiful rock formations in lovely ochres, greys and pinks. They evoke such a beautiful colourscape, inspiring me to use a hot and rich colour palette. Tumbled rocks from the cliffs with their lava-like shapes draw me in to capture curvy shapes, contrasting sharply with the cliffs and sparse trees clinging there. The quality of light at Wategos is fascinating; the sunlight bouncing off the water and the white sand adds its intensity to the warm colours of the rocks. Painting here reminds me of how close I am to nature and how, by just turning away from the popular spots, there are beautiful treasures untouched and waiting to be discovered. I have introduced an element of fantasy into some of the landscapes, with imagined waterfalls coming down the cliffs, splashing into the ocean.

2. Soldier’s Cap Islet, Lord Howe Island 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 53 x 53cm $750I was drawn to the abundance of natural elements at Lord Howe Island, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed island off the coast of NSW. The island is characterised by its varied landscape of mountains, valleys, hills, lowlands and sea-cliffs; a pristine and magical spot, a true painter’s paradise. From the water, I photographed beautiful steep cliffs with an amazing variety of textures and colours, indented with deep blue-black caves. Back in my studio, I painted from my photos a jumble of colours and patterns to show the beautiful diversity that is Lord Howe Island.

3. House and Bangalow Palm 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 53 x 53cm $750

4. Two Caves, Lord Howe Island 2019, acrylic on canvas, 90 x 90cm $1,250

5. Wategos at High Tide 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 43 x 43cm $600

6. Looking North at Wategos 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 43 x 43cm $600

7. Lennox Head 2019, acrylic on canvas, 90 x 90cm $1,250

8. Passing Ship at Norah Head 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 53 x 53cm $750Norah Head is a headland on the Central Coast of NSW. Tankers pass by Norah Head from the vantage point of these flat sandy rocks that surround a cool green waterhole. The boulders are rounded and warm, giving the painting a softness and gentleness from which to view the ocean.

9. Norah Head 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 43 x 43cm $600

10. Winter Sun at Chinaman’s Beach 2019, acrylic on canvas, 90 x 90cm $1,250

11. Scramble 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 33 x 33cm $450

12. Brunswick Rock Pier 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 33 x 33cm $450

13. Swell III 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 33 x 33cm $450

14. Lord Howe Island 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 33 x 33cm $450

15. Evans Head 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 33 x 33cm $450

16. The Cove 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 33 x 33cm $450

17. Bronzing Man 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 33 x 33cm $450

18. Outcrop at Lord Howe Island 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 33 x 33cm $450

19. Hill Town 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 33 x 33cm $450

20. Let’s Play, Torakina 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 43 x 55cm $660A place I love to swim at and paint is Torakina Beach at Brunswick Heads – it’s like stepping back in time. At high tide the Brunswick Bridge is filled with young people leaping into the water. Incredibly relaxing and a typical Aussie beach, it is filled with lovely rock piers that reach out to the breakers where the surfers go. It’s a very playful place; the swimmers here always look so happy and thrilled to be in the bright sparkling water. In my Torakina paintings I’ve created swirling water images to convey its vitality and used lively quinacridone blues and greens to contrast with the brown/purple rocks. The old character-filled Brunswick Bridge with its lovely piers provides wonderful shapes and textures to contrast with the opulent blues of the water and the background of soft greens and grey/blue buildings.

21. Brunswick Bridge 2019, acrylic on canvas, 90 x 90cm $1,250

22. High Tide at Brunswick Bridge 2019, acrylic on canvas, 90 x 90cm $1,250

23. Effervescent Brunswick 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 43 x 53cm $660

24. Brunswick Oyster Farms 2019, acrylic on canvas, 66 x 90cm $1,100

25. Eggy Pier, Brunswick 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 43 x 43cm $600

26. Beach Carnival 2019, acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100cm $1,350I like to paint beach carnivals as they are always so colourful. These paintings are not based on places visited, rather they are purely fantasy to convey the fun and joy of being at the carnival. I wanted to inspire excitement and evoke fun and carefree days. Pink skies and pink Ferris wheels filled with cherry coloured chairs diverge with the warm greens of the landscape and the hot-coloured buildings. In one painting, a small carnival scene is adorned with an almost luminous pink setting sun landing onto an orange beach. Carnivals always inspire me to use a naïve painting style to capture the simplicity and fun of the carnival.

27. Beach Carnival II 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 33 x 33cm $450

28. Carnival Sunset 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 33 x 33cm $450

29. Passing Ship at Norah Head II 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 53 x 53cm $750

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Image front: Vicki Stavrou, House and Bangalow Palm (detail) 2019, acrylic on wood panel, 50 x 50cm © The artist

The Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre is a Tweed Shire Council Community Facility and is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.

PO Box 816 (2 Mistral Road) Murwillumbah South NSW 2484 02 6670 2790 | tweedart@tweed.nsw.gov.au | artgallery.tweed.nsw.gov.auopen 10am - 5pm DST | Wednesday to Sunday | free admission