Vyvian Wilson has always been passionate about the world around her, politically, socially and environmentally, particularly about the implications of climate change. Oil painting has enabled her to show the viewer the power of the changes affecting our world.
Vyvian studied at Alexander Mackie College and Sydney University, but not until her move to Wombarra in 2009 was she able to focus full-time on her first love of image-making. “My husband, Peter, has been amazingly supportive, encouraging me to concentrate on my art practice.”
Vyvian’s first solo show was at Clifton School of Arts (CSA) in 2011.
“The exhibition was called Finding Place and that’s what I was doing. Finding my place in the beautiful Illawarra with its stunning land and sea scapes. I was excited to discover a strong arts community here. I became an active member of Illawarra Association for the Visual Arts and took on several committee roles at CSA.”
In 2013 and 2018-19, Vyvian spent time living and immersing herself in Greece. “The paintings and drawings I made were about my Greek heritage, ancient olive groves, endless dry stone walls of ancient ruins and the Mediterranean.”
The result was a solo exhibition, Periphery. Recently Vyvian has been selected as a finalist in the John Leslie Art Prize for landscape painting at Gippsland Regional Gallery; the Watercolour Prize at Wollongong Art Gallery; the Lake Macquarie Art Prize; and the 2022 Maritime Art Prize for her painting The Sea is Red (after the deluge).
This work, she says, “depicts my reaction to our sea shore turning red and filthy through soil run-off from a significant local housing development above the rock platform. The density of the mud turned the sea abnormally red and though the ocean still had its power and beauty, it had been damaged by careless human development. I was honouring the sea by making this painting while acknowledging what was happening in our area.”
Vyvian says this painting was created slowly, with time-consuming layering of line, tone and colour. “You cannot rush an oil painting, which means I need to slow down. I have to be sure where my marks go. I never use a photo but rely on my memory and emotional and intellectual reaction to the subjects. I feel the image then takes on a life of its own. This is very important to me.”
Another subject is the 2019-20 catastrophic ‘black summer’, in particular, the Mallacoota and Lake Conjola fires. “Fire, Fire Burning Bright (after Mallacoota) is a response to the tension I feel between what I see as exquisite colour, movement and transformative light and my knowledge that fire can wreak absolute devastation.”
Seeing environmental change during camping trips in outback Australia inspired her desert dust series. “The spectacular dust storms causing intense sunsets are the result of soil erosion. Again, I am struck by the drama of the scene, while recognising the damage that’s happening.”
Vyvian’s next exhibition, Resonance, opens at the CSA on 4 November. Email vyvwilson@gmail.com
Janice Creenaune is a volunteer for PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) Foundation Australia. Email janicecreenaune@gmail.com
