Artist’s Statement

“In 2003, whilst filling in some time at an exhibition, I did a drawing with my left hand, this resulted in my never doing a right handed drawing again. Drawing with my left hand frees my being to draw spontaeneously and instinctively and without attachment to the result. I felt a connection with the work that I had never experienced and a freedom to express that I never wanted to be without. Since then I have had a number of one man shows and have been hung in the Salon de Refuse with my portrait of Martin Sharp. I was a finalist in the Black Swan portraiture competition in Perth in 2008 with a painting of Warren Anderson and have completed many commissions and portraits ranging from lawyers to their cats.

My interest is in the soul and my subjects are always engaging the viewer with their eyes … the window to the soul. I call my work “drawn paintings” and my style is characterised by gessoed backgrounds and quirky positioning that allows for large areas of negative space. When I create my mind is filled with thoughts and realisations and I will always title the piece with one of these. I paint every day and I am literally drawn to the canvas always seeking that revelation as I begin the process of creating a new work. I hope you enjoy what I do as much as I enjoy creating them.” – Vayu

EXHIBITIONS

2004    Vayu started working exclusively with his left hand
2004    Solo drawing show Michael Commerford Gallery
2006    Solo drawing show Michael Commerford Gallery
2006    Finalist Robert Jacks Drawing Competition
2007    Solo painting and drawing show Michael Commerford Gallery
2008    Selected for the Salon de Refuse for his portrait of Martin Sharp
2008    Finalist Black Swan portraiture prize in Perth for his portrait of Warren Anderson
2008    Exhibition Michael Commerford Gallery
2009    Exhibition Milk Factory Gallery Bowral
2009    Exhibition Linton and Kay Gallery Perth WA
2010    Exhibition Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery Seaforth NSW
2011   Exhibition Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery Seaforth NSW

Reni Kung produces beautiful sculptures shaped as cubes with patterns encased in perspex by different flowers.

The way light refracts through perspex boxes also inspires Reni in relation to her wall art where eerie and beautiful shadows are projected from a light source through a patterned shade.

This aspect of her work has been a success for her in the commercial sphere adorning, among other things, restaurants, and an architectural award winning home.

BORN Ningi, Queensland, Australia

James has been sculpting his incredibly life like pieces since early 1999.

Background

James discovered his talent for creating his amazing pieces of art whilst running an auto recycling business in Brisbane. His first piece was an off road race buggy, inspired by a sport James had participated in for some ten years. The response from friends and customers was so positive that he was encouraged to create more pieces cars, bikes animals and birds, all of which sold readily. James likes to incorporate old and interesting car parts into his sculptures. Nothing is bent into shape; the original integrity of each car part is maintained. “The parts themselves are often interesting, some are as much as eighty years old”, says James.

After his first successful exhibition in Brisbane in June 1999, James was asked to be the feature artist at the Brisbane International Motor Show, an invitation that was to be extended for three consecutive years.

A story by “Unique Cars” magazine on James’ work resulted in him being commissioned by the magazine to provide the trophy for the “Unique Cars” “Car of the Century” Award, which was subsequently awarded to Ford, for their Model T. This trophy now resides at the head office of Ford Australia, Melbourne.
Commissions for Yamaha Australia, Toyota Australia (including a shark for presentation to Greg Norman) was secured during 2000. Also a Formula 1 car was displayed in the VIP “Paddock Club” lounge at the 2000 Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, Melbourne. It was in this year that the sculptures became James’ full time occupation.
A highlight of James’ career was in June 2001 when he and his work appeared on one of Australia ‘s most popular TV programmes, “Burke’s Backyard”. Successful exhibitions in Sydney & Melbourne followed.
In August 2001 James travelled to the U.S.A. where he displayed works at the “Concourso Italiano” at Pebble Beach, California.

A second Sydney exhibition with Michael Commerford Gallery in May 2002 confirmed the desirability of his works with one lucky enthusiast acquiring no less than six major pieces!
In November 2002 James was commissioned to provide a feature piece for the Essen Motor Show in Germany. His choice of a ¾ life-size Type A Auto Union race car was met with much admiration and acclaim. The finished piece was 11 ft long and had used over six hundred car parts.

James’ first exhibition in Perth, the capital of Western Australia held at Gadfly Gallery, Dalkeith, in December 2002 was greeted with excellent reviews and a near sell out response.
James’ first exhibition for 2003 was held during August, at the Tree Frog Gallery, Maleny Queensland. This was a very successful exhibition for James, which was followed up with a successful exhibition with Michael Commerford Gallery, Sydney in December 2003.

In early July 2004 several of James’s Aussie animal pieces were used in a series of advertisements for Toyota Parts and Service, featuring the famous ‘Crocodile Hunter’, Steve Irwin.
In 2011 James was introduced to the Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery audience as part of a group exhibition. The TVH collectors responded positively with the majority of his work selling.

Whether the purpose of the sculpture is for a private collection, public art, or simply a “must have”, James Corbett’s sculptures are undoubtedly some of the finest examples of assemblage art that you would be likely to encounter anywhere in the world.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2011 John Davies Gallery, Gloucestershire, Great Britan
2010 Linton & Kay Contemporary Gallery, Perth, Australia
2010 Coda Gallery, Palm Desert, California U.S.A.
2009 John Davies Gallery, Gloucestershsire, Great Britan
2009 Michael Commerford Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2008 John Davies Gallery, Gloucestershire, Great Britan
2008 Michael Commerford Gallery, Sydney Australia
2007 Michael Commerford Gallery, Sydney Australia
2006 Michael Commerford Gallery, Sydney Australia
2005 Michael Commerford Gallery, Sydney Australia
2004 Michael Commerford Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2004 Tree Frog Gallery, Maleny, Queensland, Australia
2003 Michael Commerford Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2003 Tree Frog Gallery, Maleny, Queensland, Australia
2003 Del Shan Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
2002 Michael Commerford Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2001 Riverside Centre, Brisbane, Australia
1999 Vroom Café, Brisbane, Australia

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2011 Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2007 Gadfly Gallery, Perth, Australia
2005 Gadfly Gallery, Perth, Australia
2003 Gadfly Gallery, Perth, Australia