YVETTE SWAN

Born in 1970, Australian Yvette Swan is a painter who creates in the form of abstraction. The thematic concerns of her work are of the metaphysics of life and how these affect outcomes on the physical world. Why are we here on this planet? What are we meant to work towards in our lives? These are some of the questions Swan’s work addresses.

Noted group exhibitions include hanging as a finalist in the 2002 Wynne Landscape Exhibition at the AGNSW Sydney, and at Paddington galleries Astro Gallery, Glenmore Galleries, and Maree Mizon Gallery. Yvette has staged several solo exhibitions including Michael Carr Gallery, Woollahra, and Art Galleries Schubert, Queensland. She has shown at Metro 5 Gallery in Melbourne five times including as a finalist in the 2003 Art Prize Exhibition supporting emerging artists under the age of 35 years.

As well as exhibiting, Yvette is experienced in creating unique commissions both direct with personal clients and working with art dealers, developers and interior designers. Over the past 9 years she has created 20 commissions housed in private residences, hotels and restaurants and corporate collections including the Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Queensland and Lowensteins Arts Management, Sydney.

Yvette was selected alongside distinguished artists John Olsen & Tim Storrier to appear in Ken McGregor’s book “Unfinished Journey’s”, portraying artists’ travels around the world. Due for release in 2006, Yvette’s accompanying paintings will show in a solo exhibition at Metro 5 Gallery Melbourne in mid-2005. This series are paintings created from the stimulus she found in New York during her first of many trips.

“I’ve chosen to explore life’s illusion through the texture of the street; the bars; the creativity of the art world and music worlds; the life of fashion; and the influence of film. Even within the illusion, there is much creative beauty. Individuals and groups have their own texture; difference in looks, language and energy. If negativity is not in control, then this difference is very beautiful. Diversity in its positive state allows for creativity to flourish.”
Yvette Swan
 

EXHIBITIONS (* Solo shows)

2005 *UNFINISHED JOURNEY’S, Metro 5 Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
2004 FLEURIEU PENINSULA BIENNALE, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia
2004 Group Exhibition, Metro 5 Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
2004 * A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE, Metro 5 Gallery, Armadale, Melbourne, Australia
2004 * THE ODYSSEY, Art Galleries Schubert, Main Beach, Queensland, Australia
2003 LIQUID GOLD, Metro 5 Gallery, Armadale, Melbourne
2003 TREASURES, Metro 5 Gallery, Armadale, Melbourne
2003 THE 2003 METRO 5 ART PRIZE EXHIBITION, Armadale, Melbourne
2002 Art Galleries Schubert, Main Beach, Queensland
2002 * A DAY IN THE LIFE, Michael Carr Gallery, Woollahra, Sydney, Australia
2002 WYNNE LANDSCAPE EXHIBITION, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
2002 Maree Mizon Gallery, Paddington, Sydney
2002 PUSHING ABSTRACTION, Stella Downer Fine Art, Waterloo, Sydney
2000 Glenmore Galleries, Paddington, Sydney
2000 * DESIGN INTUITION MEANING, Astro Gallery, Paddington, Sydney, Australia
1999 OUT ART, Tin Sheds, Chippendale, Sydney
1998 AQUISITIVE AWARD, Finalist Exhibition, Raw Nerve Gallery, Erskineville, Sydney
1997/ 1996 Photographic Exhibition, Cauldron, Darlinghurst, Sydney
1992 Graduating Film Exhibition, Chauvel Cinema, Paddington, Sydney

COMMISSIONS

2004 Private Collections, Hong Kong
2004 Private Collections, Australia
2003 Private Collections, Australia
2003 Miele, Interior Designex 2003, Melbourne
2002 Lincorp Automotives, Camellia, Sydney
2002 Kado Restaurant, Kirribilli, Sydney
2002 Australian Art Link, Holiday Inn Hotel, foyer & reception, Darling Harbour, Sydney
2002 Ruth Levine Designs, Platinum display apartment, Gold Coast, Queensland
2002 Cargo Bar, 17 paintings, Kings Street Wharf, Sydney
2001 Lend Lease, Regatta Wharf apartments, main foyer, Pyrmont, Sydney
2000 Mirvac Developers, Elizabeth Street, Sydney
2000 Private, Rushcutters Bay; Paddington; Pyrmont
2000 Ruth Levine Designs (RLD), Watermark apartment, Pyrmont, Sydney
2000 Michael Love Interior Designer, Bennelong apartment, Circular Quay, Sydney
2000 RLD, Forum apartment, St Leonards; Five Dock apartment, Sydney
1999 Lend Lease Developers, Terrace 20 apartment, Pyrmont, Sydney
1999 Graphis, art dealers, corporate development, Fleetview apartment, Pyrmont, Sydney
1999 RLD, display apartments, Sydney
1998 Lend Lease, Regatta Wharf apartment, Pyrmont, Sydney
1998-1997 RLD apartments2.

COLLECTIONS

Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Queensland, Australia
Lowensteins Arts Management, Sydney, Australia

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ken McGregor, “Unfinished Journey’s”, book of artists’ travels around the world, including John Olsen & Tim Storrier, due for release 2006, Australia
Lino Magazine, 1st Anniversary, Issue No. 5, 2004, Sydney, Australia
Chris Baynes, “Spiritual Sisters, Louise and Yvette Swan”, Sydney Leading Homes, Feb 28, 2004 Australia
Heidi Mayer, “Homage to Creativity”, The Courier-Mail, February 6, 2004, Queensland, Australia
Brian Mossop, “Swan Stretching Boundaries”, The Gold Coast Bulletin, January 31, 2004, Australia
Jacqueline Houghton, THE ODYSSEY exhibition catalogue, 2004, Queensland, Australia
Terry Ingram, “Artistic Value...” The Australian Financial Review, August 28, 2003, Australia

HONOURS

2004 Fleurieu Peninsula Biennale, Fleurieu Peninsula Art Prize, finalist, Australia
2003 Metro 5 Gallery Art Prize, finalist, Melbourne, Australia
2002 Wynne Landscape Prize, finalist, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

WORK EXPERIENCE

1997 - Current Artist, painter
1994 - Current Photographer
1994 - 1992 Assistant, Working Title Films, London

EDUCATION

1991 Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, UNSW, COFA, Sydney, Australia
1988 Higher School Certificate, Sydney, Australia