Adele Gibson
Photo by Sarah Weal
Artist Statement:
I am a Sussex based artist and find inspiration for my painting from my walks on the South Downs and visits to local parks and gardens. I studied for my MA in Fine Art in 2017 at Brighton University and since then I have painted professionally. I have travelled widely for my work; I have made several visits to the Artic including Svalbard, Greenland and Iceland.
My recent paintings, however, brings me closer to home: in January of this year, I finally succumbed to the dreaded Coronavirus and became quite poorly. It took 3 months to recover and in this time of low energy, I started to make small paintings of the flowers sent by family and friends. I had so much joy in making these paintings that I continued using inspiration from my own garden and parks further afield.
I take photographs which are a substitute for drawing when the weather is inclement, however when the weather allows, I makes plein air studies using water-based media. Back in my studio, I develop my paintings so that they go beyond a pictorial representation. I strive to make work which is imbued with my thoughts, reflections, and love for both the subject and the painting process. I aim to convey not just what is seen, but what is felt and reflected upon, the interconnectedness of all living things and the joy that the natural world can bring.
I paint in oils, on wood panels, which allows me to use several layers of thick paint applied with energetic gestural strokes using a variety of tools. Along with brushes, I use painting wedges, palette knives and feathers collected on m daily walks. I maximise the lusciousness and tactile quality of oil paint by using glazes to deepen and saturate the colour. I balance the building up of paint layers and keeping the work fresh, which the subject demands. Through bold colours, fluid forms, and dynamic compositions, I aim to communicate a sense of harmony and balance that resonates with the viewer.
My artistic journey is driven by a deep-seated desire to celebrate beauty in its myriad forms and to share that sense of wonder with others. As I evolve as an artist, my aspirations remain rooted in authenticity and creativity. I seek to push the boundaries of my practice, exploring new techniques and ideas that challenge me. My goal is to create art that not only delights the eye but also stirs the heart and stimulates the mind.
Biography
Adele Gibson has painted professionally since completing her MA in Fine Art at the University of Brighton in 2017. She represents herself alongside showing work in galleries across the South of England.
The Arctic is a special place for Gibson, in July 2018, she participated in the Arctic Circle residency, a 3-week art and science expedition to Svalbard in the high Arctic. In 2022 she participated in a photography expedition to Greenland to see the icebergs and Icefjord at Ilulissaat.
Gibson's paintings aim to convey a sense of the sublime beauty of the natural world. She uses the medium of oil to create layered, expressive work, and employs a diverse range of tools including an electric sander, painting wedges and feathers.
Alongside her painting practice, Adele has worked as a freelance curator and arts organiser and successfully gained Arts Council funding for a project, ‘Let’s talk about the Anthropocene’. In July 2019 this resulted in an exhibition and residency for 8 artists at the University of Brighton Grand Parade campus. She selected and curated 50 works of art received from open submissions across the UK and as far afield as India, Canada and the US. For more information about this project see www.anthrotalk.com.
Awards and exhibitions
Summer 2023 - Summer show, Control Tower gallery, Kingshill, Kent curated by June Frickleton
Sep 2023 - 'Visions of Elsewhere'. Solo show, Watercourt gallery, Lewes, East Sussex
Jan 2022 - 'Freeze, melt' Solo show: Meiklejohn gallery, Lewes, East Sussex
June 2021 - 'Elementa' solo exhibition at the Star Brewery gallery, Lewes, East Sussex.
2020 - Maze gallery, Barnes
March 2020 - Root and Branch, exhibition at Kevis House gallery, Petworth, West Sussex.
July 2019: Arts Council Award: Let’s talk about the Anthropocene: project organiser and curator, University of Brighton
May 2019: 6 at the Regency Town House, MA alumni exhibition during Brighton Open House event
June 2018: Selected artist for summer International Arctic Circle Expedition to the High Arctic
2018 - Grain Gallery, Sherborne, Dorset – oil paintings
Feb 2018: Ashdown gallery, Forest Row, East Sussex
Sept 2017: Shortlisted for National Open Art competition
July 2018: MA Fine Art show, Main gallery, University of Brighton
Feb 2017: Selected for MA and other Post-Graduates, Atkinson Gallery, Millfield School, Somerset
Oct 2015: Selected artist at PURE arts agency autumn show, Powdermills hotel, Battle, East Sussex
Sept 2015: Brighton Art Fair