May 19, 2023

Casey Irvine - Local Hunter Valley Artist

Get up close and personal with local artist Casey Irvine. Casey's work has been a regular addition to the store for over six years now. Her dreamy signature colour palette is instantly recognisable. I just adore the sense of calm her artwork conveys and I am so happy to be able to sell her artwork here at Fetch.

"After studying Fine art at Newcastle Art School, then Newcastle and Monash Universities the way I create my work, though fed by all those years of surrounding myself with art, art education and most importantly fellow artists/creatives, my work is now intuition based. It may sound cheesy, but my art is my home. It is the only place my mind is quiet, my doubt is gone, and I am truly most connected to myself.

Funnily enough I went to art school and was not interested in painting at all, I felt I was terrible at it and at first, I absolutely was. But over the years I felt more freedom in painting than any other medium, the potential for spontaneity, for letting go, for loose expression and for trusting in myself as a creative and the painting process kept me coming back. As usual the universe always has other plans for you and sure enough, I ended up majoring in painting.

For a time, I did put painting to the back of my mind, studying glass art, travelling, and living and working in Melbourne. It wasn’t until after I found myself back home in Newcastle and with a young baby that I found my way back to painting and with each year it has become more and more a constant in my life and something that I find I simply would not know what to do without.

I would call myself an expressionist painter, I want to see all the brush marks, the expressive movements, the rich textures, and built-up layers of a piece. This is what excites me and to my mind this is art, without it I find it hard to feel the work, the artists hand and personal energy is what makes original art separate from all other imagery. Therefore, oil paints are my chosen medium, they have a weight and presence to them when applied in such a way, even if they can take months to dry.

I rarely sit down at my easel with a plan. I start with colour, always colour first, filling the blank canvas with loose sections of colour and free mark making that speaks to my sense of harmony. From there it is a matter of call and response. A puzzle to be solved so to speak. The piece starts to tell me what it needs, a certain colour to create balance, a mark to bring interest. I work on multiple pieces at a time and go from work to work evolving them in stages until they feel fully resolved. Though abstraction is my personal favourite style of art, often my work has other ideas and decides to become an abstracted landscape or floral work - I think this is the influence of living in the Hunter Valley. When a work decides what it needs to be there is no avoiding it, though sometimes I admit I do try, it will be what it will be. So, I listen, unlike in any other area of my life, my instincts are given trust in my art process. Though my subject matter can vary, my expressive style is always evident be it a work with vessels, landscape, flowers or a pure abstract.

I have been blessed to be given a forum for my work to be displayed and purchased by both locals and travellers alike at the beautiful Fetch store located in the Hunter Valley Wine Region. I believe art is for absolutely everyone and I love housing my work in places where it can feel accessible and be enjoyed by all. Art is to enrich your life every single day, it’s for everyone’s home and everyday spaces. Though I love a good gallery and love to be part of talent filled exhibitions, I do not want my art to feel in any way inaccessible, or to only be viewed on occasion in gallery spaces - it is made to express life for all people to experience. My hope is that my work brings joy and evokes beauty into the lives of those that decide to take it home with them. That my creativity and safe place gives another a point of peace, contemplation, inspiration, calm and happiness to enjoy every day."

You can find a range of Casey's artwork both in store and online. She is also having a mini exhibition over the month of July at the Good Brother café in Newcastle’s CBD.

Love Brooke xo