Geraldine Stevens - Artist’s Bio
Geraldine Stevens grew up by the sea in the North Island of Aotearoa. From 1987, her early study and work focus was in fashion, working in various industry roles as a designer, maker and producer ; also working in costume design and production for the New Zealand film and television industry. In 1997, Geraldine moved to Geneva, Switzerland with her diplomat spouse, followed by a second posting to Samoa in 2004, where she began to develop her ceramic work. In 2011 Geraldine returned to Geneva, continuing to work in theatre costume as well as co-managing a private art gallery. From 2012, she focussed upon her painting practice, participating in group and solo shows at private and public galleries in Geneva. Now resident back home in Aotearoa, Geraldine continues to exhibit in group and solo exhibitions. Her work is held in private collections in Australia, Colombia, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Latvia, Montenegro, Samoa, Switzerland, USA and New Zealand.
Geraldine Stevens - Artist Statement.
I come from a background of making. The art of garment construction, especially for film or theatre requires skills and nuance, understanding of light, shadow, function, as well as form. While not formally trained as an artist, these back ground skills in making have taught me to look at the world with a broad view, thus I endeavour to use my hands to make an art work that has an 'energy', or 'life force'. I enjoy experimenting with materials, taking a sculptural approach to painting without overworking the design. I understand how lighting can effect a work and I try to make images that might change from the morning to dusk. This makes photographing work difficult as images are not ever really static.
My work has consistent themes but always start from an observation of the natural world. Rejecting stasis, I might work by layering paint upon the canvas, weaving an image that maybe delicate and vague, or clear and precise. I like to mix matt and metallic paints, unusual media or inverting the gesso to the final layer of paint. I'm always questioning how I might make an image capture a tiny abstract moment in time that responds to the eternal movement around us.
While not a graduate of Art School, I have had many teachers and take much that is valuable from each of them. I am naturally curious and experimental and this form of "education" has suited me well. I strongly believe an artists' life is not a linear career, but a vocation one can't just retire from. But why paint? Why strive to reach some imperceivable point of satisfaction with an art work? I was thinking about what gets left behind when we leave a place, a person, or a life. Art can be a visual reference that captures the complexity of one's thoughts, and emotions, some concentrated drop of our very essence. When a viewer finds a connection with my art work, it is like we have a joint understanding, a kind of crossing of thoughts, questions and answers. We might both see our reflection in my work, just for a moment.
Geraldine Stevens grew up by the sea in the North Island of Aotearoa. From 1987, her early study and work focus was in fashion, working in various industry roles as a designer, maker and producer ; also working in costume design and production for the New Zealand film and television industry. In 1997, Geraldine moved to Geneva, Switzerland with her diplomat spouse, followed by a second posting to Samoa in 2004, where she began to develop her ceramic work. In 2011 Geraldine returned to Geneva, continuing to work in theatre costume as well as co-managing a private art gallery. From 2012, she focussed upon her painting practice, participating in group and solo shows at private and public galleries in Geneva. Now resident back home in Aotearoa, Geraldine continues to exhibit in group and solo exhibitions. Her work is held in private collections in Australia, Colombia, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Latvia, Montenegro, Samoa, Switzerland, USA and New Zealand.
Geraldine Stevens - Artist Statement.
I come from a background of making. The art of garment construction, especially for film or theatre requires skills and nuance, understanding of light, shadow, function, as well as form. While not formally trained as an artist, these back ground skills in making have taught me to look at the world with a broad view, thus I endeavour to use my hands to make an art work that has an 'energy', or 'life force'. I enjoy experimenting with materials, taking a sculptural approach to painting without overworking the design. I understand how lighting can effect a work and I try to make images that might change from the morning to dusk. This makes photographing work difficult as images are not ever really static.
My work has consistent themes but always start from an observation of the natural world. Rejecting stasis, I might work by layering paint upon the canvas, weaving an image that maybe delicate and vague, or clear and precise. I like to mix matt and metallic paints, unusual media or inverting the gesso to the final layer of paint. I'm always questioning how I might make an image capture a tiny abstract moment in time that responds to the eternal movement around us.
While not a graduate of Art School, I have had many teachers and take much that is valuable from each of them. I am naturally curious and experimental and this form of "education" has suited me well. I strongly believe an artists' life is not a linear career, but a vocation one can't just retire from. But why paint? Why strive to reach some imperceivable point of satisfaction with an art work? I was thinking about what gets left behind when we leave a place, a person, or a life. Art can be a visual reference that captures the complexity of one's thoughts, and emotions, some concentrated drop of our very essence. When a viewer finds a connection with my art work, it is like we have a joint understanding, a kind of crossing of thoughts, questions and answers. We might both see our reflection in my work, just for a moment.
EXHIBITIONS
COLLABORATION
- Group Exhibition, Geneva Buzz Art, Galerie Humanit'art, Switzerland, May 2022
- Ateliers Portes Ouvertes des artistes de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland, November 2021
- Solo Exhibition, Immanence, Transcendence, #Herstreet gallery space, Geneva, Switzerland, July 2021
- Joint exhibition, "Paper", works on, and with paper, Empi Mörn and Geraldine Stevens, Viverra, Geneva, Switzerland, November 2019.
- Solo Exhibition, A look within an Unseen Space, #Herstreet gallery space, Geneva, Switzerland, September 2019
- Group Exhibition, LGB Annual Exhibition, Les Centres des Arts, Grange Canal, Switzerland, May 2019
- Group Exhibition, LGB Annual Exhibition, Les Centres des Arts, Grange Canal, Switzerland, May 2018
- Group Exhibition, Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom, D10 Gallery, Geneva Switzerland, 2017
- Group exhibition, Rowing for Gold, Premier House Gallery, Wellington New Zealand, 2016
- Group Exhibition, 3 Hundy, Toi Poneke Arts Center, Wellington, New Zealand, 2016
- Group Exhibition, South Wellington Art Show, Wellington, New Zealand, 2016
- Solo Exhibition, Compression - Decompression, Residence of the New Zealand Ambassador, Geneva, Switzerland, 2015
- Group Exhibition, Ecolint Annuelle, Espace Nouveau Vallon, Chêne Bougeries, Switzerland, 2013
- Group Exhibition, Tiapapata Art Center, Samoa, 2007, 2006, 2005.
COLLABORATION
- Collaboration with George Nuku, Artist in residence at the Museum of Natural History, Geneva, Switzerland. http://institutions.ville-geneve.ch/fr/mhn/votre-visite/museum-dhistoire-naturelle/expositions-temporaires/bouteille-a-la-mer-2120-te-ao-maori/ September, 2020.
- Independent art curation Geneva, 2012 - 2015; D10 Artspace, Contrast Art gallery, WTO exhibition space, Art Zurich. 2013 - 2019.
- Toi Poneke Artists Group Studios, New Zealand 2015 - 2017 participating in group promotion, exhibitions and development. https://toiponeke.nz
- Tiapapata Art Center Samoa, 2004 - 2007 as a practicing artist and potter. Participated in artist community and teaching studio, specialising in kiln fired pottery, painting and elei wood block fabric printing. http://www.creativesamoa.com/
Copyright of Geraldinestevensart - images, text and concept belong to Geraldine Stevens and may not be reproduced in any form without her permission. 2023