Scott Hartshorne
How do you describe your art practice today? My artwork is a meditation on naturally adapted life in all its haphazard glory. It is the study of intricate forms, often hidden in plain sight, and of the way light falling across them in isolation produces both realism and abstraction.
What fascinates you about your choice of medium? I presently create the images of my chosen subjects in oil paint, a very flexible and forgiving medium. I love the way I can get strong saturation of colour in my work as well as subtle nuances in the shadows. Within the parameters I have imposed, I enjoy the discipline of painting in oils.
What inspires you most and why? My inspiration is the natural world, specifically Australia’s wild environment. I am fascinated with recurring themes of pattern and structured form found in nature, in an exploration of chaos versus order. I also have a deep interest in art, particularly drawing and painting through the centuries.
Shadow dancer 2, Oil & Alkyd on primed canvas, 2019, currently on display in Thunderbird Restaurant
Eucalyptus platypus, Round-leaved Moort, from Remembrance Park, American River, Kangaroo Island
“In all things of nature there is something of the marvellous. ”Aristotle
Although originally from Western Australia, this introduced species seem to thrive on KI. I find the sprigs with their clustered gum nuts are always a fascinating subject to paint. To me this particular little sprig brings to mind an exotic ballet dancer en pointe, in a flourish of colour and gesture.
I have lived and worked as an artist for over 6 years on a bush block on Kangaroo Island, adjacent to the Southern Ocean. I regularly walk and ride the bush tracks leading to the coast near my home, in particular the Black Point track. This sprig is from a Eucalyptus rugosa growing just off the track. I searched for a sprig like this to paint because of this species’ convolute leaf forms and sculptural twigs, and because the leaves are often hardy, chewed survivors.
My art consists of painting striking portraits of unheralded sprigs as heroes, and this tree, endemic to the island although sparsely scattered, is a worthy subject to explore in depth. To me this painting represents my home on the edge of the Southern Ocean, with its meandering tracks leading down to the ocean, the abundant flora and fauna perfectly adapted to the harsh conditions.
‘Life on the Edge’
Oil & Alkyd on primed linen
*Artwork images are examples of the artists work and may not currently be available. Please contact us the gallery for more information.
‘Kingscote Mallee Eucalyptus rugosa’
Oil & Alkyd on Stretched Canvas Panel
*Artwork images are examples of the artists work and may not currently be available. Please contact us the gallery for more information.
‘Singularity’
Oil & Alkyd on Primed Linen Panel
*Artwork images are examples of the artists work and may not currently be available. Please contact us the gallery for more information.