JENNIFER GABBAY

Jennifer has participated in exhibitions comprising solo and group shows both overseas and in Australia. Her paintings are held in private collections in the USA, Europe + Australia.

In 2008 Jennifer was the winning recipient of the inaugural Painting Acquisition Award sponsored by TAFE Fine Arts at the Western Sydney Institute.
In 2006 she was awarded First Prize in the Blackheath Art Society’s Easter Art Exhibition, judged by Tony Bond, Head Curator of the AGNSW Sydney, and has received numerous commendations for her work.

After early studies in the studios of John Ogburn, Joe Rose and studies with Professor Maximillian Feuerring, she continued studies at the New York Art Students’ League and has attended workshops and summer schools on a regular basis, culminating in her current undertaking in studies towards a Diploma in Fine Arts.

From 1994-1997Jennifer had several solo exhibitions in New York, and was a member of the Lenox Hill Artists Forum, NY. Whilst living in the USA, she attended a studio residency at Cummington, Massachusetts.

Since returning to Australia she has participated in selected group exhibitions including Blacktown City Art Exhibitions, Gallery 26 in Sydney and is an exhibiting member of COCO’s (Contemporary Colourists) in the Blue Mountains.

As a painter and contemporary colourist the concepts for my work stem from life experiences and the sources of inspiration found through a broad variety of subjects that include the figurative, landscape and manmade worlds.

About two years ago I painted a series of Carousel paintings. The inspiration for this series came from childhood memories of riding carousels and the exotic and garish horses, animals, blaring music and flashing lights that captivated me so long ago. In this body of work I experimented with trying to express that feeling of movement, colour and excitement in a completely original and unique way.

By disintegrating shapes and colours into dissolving forms – a diffusion and distortion produced lyrical forms expressing movement – rhythm and illusions.

Reflecting on these more recent painting methods I wanted to engage longer and deeper with the painting process in a more deliberate and meditative mark making way. Perhaps this stemmed out of a period of illness where if I can use the analogy of “gardening” when I spent weeks upon weeks pulling up weeds across an entirely wild bush garden and this imbued me with a kind of therapeutic contentment which has carried over into my painting.

Formerly bolder more expressive splashy painting was my painting process.

Whether I am looking at the majesty of nature or the magnificence and complexities of life and its cultural activities, I am able to fragment and dissolve everyday life by drawing out its absurdities and reconfiguring those elements.

The Event Horizon Gallery currently shows Jennifer’s work at
168 Bathurst Street Katoomba, NSW 2780
Tel: 612 4782 2907
www.event-horizon-gallery.com

Paintings are for Sale and Photo Greeting Cards can be supplied.