Out of the Shadows refers to the contrast between light and shadow in Skye Carson-Wilson’s figurative work, inspired and painted from photographs by Wellington-based photographer and friend, Shawn Rolton. Her large paintings of nudes are created with decisive, yet loose strokes. The flowers are her signature and add layers and depth and a softening to the semi-erotic female nudes. Skye is a very physical painter, paints large scale, often with multiple paintings on the go.
Asked why she chooses to paint from Shawn’s photographs, her answer is simple. “I enjoyed looking at it, so I wanted to paint it. I like to keep it simple and fun. Not so serious.”
Skye always gravitated towards painting and, largely self-taught, has developed her style since the age of 7. In her twenties, she had a studio out the back of the Laundromat Gallery and enjoyed being part of the art community there. Balancing home/studio life, she took on a few landscape commissions, but soon realised a need to separate work and creativity. In 2010 she apprenticed as a tattoo artist. This allowed her the freedom to create and develop her style and to keep painting as her passion, without the pressure of needing to make a living from it.
Her friend and mentor, 2012 winner of the Adams Portrait Awards Stephen Martyn Welsh, provides feedback as she paints to the deadline for her Out of the Shadows solo exhibition. Skye plans to enter the Adams Awards herself in the future.
Her show opens at the Incubator Creative Hub on Friday the 18th of February, 5.30pm.
