Wendy Sharpe
Self Portrait with St Marks 2009
One of my high school art teachers did a great job at introducing powerful female artists, one of which was Wendy Sharpe. I don't think I appreciated this education until later... ie. today... when I saw Sharpe's exhibition at the S.H. Ervin Gallery at Observatory Hill, Sydney.
The above image isn't in the exhibition, but it expresses so many aspects of her art that I now love. The riotous glowing electric colours glinting off jewellery, buildings, faces. The fantastic wardrobe (stockings, tu-tu's teemed with trainers, floral vintage dresses). And the feeling of wanting to be more deliciously voluptuous rather than less (a rather novel feeling in this culture where willowy and lithe bodies are revered).
The body of works that most excited me were titled "Model Red and Green Light Series" 2010. They are on small linen canvases portraying beautifully rotund women reclining and relaxing in the most technicolour hues. Sadly I couldn't find any images online to share with you, but hopefully this might encourage a trip to the gallery to see them for yourselves...
I hope this portrait shines some light to those friends in Japan during this scary time. Thinking of you muchly.
