Artist Demonstration: Christine Webb

Is there a Timeless Quality to Your Art?

By Margaret Vickers

Widely travelled Australian artist Christine Webb was the guest artist for the Lane Cove Art Society February meeting (2024). Her presentation walked us through various creative pathways she has pursued in her long career as a full time artist. Christine’s style reflects a melting pot of artistic influences. However, it was Christine’s love of colour and strong composition that rose to the surface throughout her presentation.

Christine was raised in a creative environment. Her mother was a potter and another close relative was an art teacher. As a youngster Christine was interested in photography. After high school Christine studied at the Sydney College of the Arts. Christine then stepped into the world of publishing running her own magazine ‘Stiletto’ throughout much of the 1980’s. It was when Christine moved to Italy with her young family in the year 2000 that she was able to pursue her art fulltime for well over a decade.

An intolerance to oil paints directed Christine to the use of acrylic paints, watercolours and acrylic pens. The subject of her artwork is interesting. In recent years, interiors have featured. They are juxtaposed to exteriors with both overseas scenes and local vistas featured. Christine was marrying the present with the past by choosing this as a subject. Bold colour and strong composition were on show with wafting influences of Matisse, Margaret Olley, Margaret Preston and Bonnard present. Christine spoke about the difference in the quality of light between Italy and Australia. “In Italy, light comes in shafts,” remarked Christine. It makes for stronger cast shadows which feature in many of her brightly coloured interior settings. On occasions, Christine is not averse to using an app called Da Vinci which facilitates the tracing of elements for an artwork.

In earlier bodies of work, the subject matter related to Christine’s fascination for reflection and transparency. Artworks depicting bottles arranged on shiny surfaces were created. Mirrored surfaces were not used “as they reveal too much.” Instead Christine places her selected objects on a shiny film surface that she bought from Bunnings. Although Christine may have shared a similar subject with Morandi by orchestrating the objects so closely, it shows this artist wants to depict her subject in a certain way. In so doing Christine is creating her own art style. When you become totally absorbed in the creative process, surprising outcomes can occur. Christine believes that “painting is a problem solving process where intense observation is required.”

Another art path Christine shared with the Lane Cove Art Society was her life study drawings and portraits. These artworks are done quickly and freely. Form is what Christine wants to capture which she does using broad strokes of pastel. A free black outline is then drawn over the top. Christine’s drawn marks were reminiscent of those of Egon Schiele – so free but full of expression.

Throughout the presentation Christine offered practical working tips. Be careful when using cheaper acrylic paints because sometimes they change colour. It can be very frustrating. To darken a colour do not use black as all it does is muddy a colour. Rather use Payne’s gray or add a touch of another colour. Christine never uses white but rather prefers the more flattering antique white colour. Before Christine starts painting she puts her brush in water then dries it off. It allows the brush to be cleaned more thoroughly rather than have acrylic paint caking the brush and ruining it. Christine buys a ten metre roll of canvas which she stretches herself. It is cheaper and will last a year.

The final part of Christine’s demonstration focused on drawing. “ Drawing is often about geometry,” she said. She drew a bandstand and a coffee pot. As she did so she explained the importance of observation. It is critical to the final outcome.

Thank you for a very informative evening of art Christine. So many themes have surfaced in your work , reflecting so many artistic influences and life adventures. It was generous of you to share your sources of inspiration with the Lane Cove Art Society.