With a thoughtful, planned process, Georgie Wilson creates artworks that are both delicately detailed and expressive. Working from her treetop studio in the Mornington Peninsula, Georgie paints large scale works that are contemporary, captivating, and with real impact.
How would you explain your artistic style and approach to someone unfamiliar with your work?
All my artworks start as digital collages. I started off my career as a graphic designer and I love being able to layer areas of texture, colour, pattern and foliage or landscape elements super quickly. I love tech for that as I’m really impatient and once I have an idea I want to explore it super fast! But when I say fast I do actually revise and revise and revise some more. I end up with about 50 versions of every finished piece so I guess that’s also part of the thinking process.
Once I settle on a composition I sketch that concept onto my canvas and begin the painting. This part is super slow and meticulous. It challenges me to work this way because I want everything finished yesterday. For this reason the start and end of each painting are my favourites bits. I always start with the ‘hardest’ most detailed part of the painting as that’s when my energy is highest and I feel an intense sense of accomplishment when that’s done. I leave the ‘fun’ parts to later when I’m exhausted. It keeps the good times rolling otherwise I’d completely fizzle out.
Are there recurring themes or subjects that continually draw you in?
My artwork keeps evolving but the repeat elements are foliage, pattern and layering abstract elements both natural and unnatural together in surprising ways. I’m not trying to make something that looks like a photograph although I do love to incorporate realistic moments in my paintings.
One other thing that is unique to my work is that I paint slightly out of focus lending my work a soft velvety unfocused quality like a memory. I feather the edges of these layered colours, patterns and shapes so they merge gently into each other. From a distance compositions may appear sharp, however when viewing them closely they look very soft allowing areas of both realism and abstraction to blend seamlessly. This deliberate softening allows interesting juxtapositions that challenge reality and layer light, and texture, capturing small moments in time.
How has your work evolved over time?
Making art is for me a means of being expressive although my work perhaps isn’t necessarily perceived as being an ‘expressive’ style. It’s not loose and wild the way I tend to think of expressive artists but controlled and thought through which has always been the way I tend to exist in my happiest way. I’m a little OCD and I think it’s getting worse!!! So I guess this is me getting my happiness down on canvas.
I've included a teeny bit of rattan in all my paintings since nearly the beginning of my painting career - a little Where’s Wally moment that’s Where’s Wally no more in my new collection! It’s right there!!
The rattan symbol represents a period in my childhood where I lived with my grandparents and it was very different and special. I’ve made it front and centre of these pieces juxtaposed over other things that have resonated with me since that time - symbols of summer and scenes from nature and elsewhere that feel almost pattern-like and have wonderful calming symmetry.
What advice would you give to emerging artists?
Firstly, don’t underestimate what you can achieve just by doing something every day. Lots of people think I’m super prolific - I’m not - I’m just determined and painfully, boringly consistent. This is my super power - not any kind of artistic talent.
Secondly, don’t neglect the business side of being an artist. I spend about 60% of my time actually working on the business which is just as unromantic as it sounds. Learn the tech - set up a website, post on instagram and nurture your audience - without them your art career isn’t going anywhere!!! Network with other artists and learn from them, and industry leaders in affiliated industries.
And don’t be scared to change over time - have some fun!! You aren’t locked into a style forever even if you become known for it - thank goodness!
