Wayde Owen

WAYDE OWEN CV

Education
2005 Diploma of Fine Arts
Brisbane College of arts
Drawing and printmaking

Award
2005 Winner - Brett Whiteley Traveling Art Scholarship
2005 Commended - Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Prize

Solo Exhibitions
2005 Libby Edwards Galleries Sydney
2004 Artworks Gallery Qld
2003 Artworks Gallery Qld
2002 Artworks Gallery Qld
2001 Artworks Gallery Qld
2000 Artworks Gallery Qld

Selected group exhibitions
2003 Trinity Art Awards
2003 Marymount Art Awards
2002 Trinity Art Awards
2002 Marymount Art Awards
2001 Courier Mail Art Awards
2001 Trinity Art Awards
2000 Trinity Art Awards

Selected Media
2005 The Australian - Visual Arts Feature
2005 The Daily Telegraph - Sydney - Visual Arts Feature
2005 Sydney Morning Herald - Visual Arts Feature
2005 ABC Radio National - Interview
2005 Radio 2UE - Interview
2004 Gold Coast Bulletin -Visual Arts Feature
2003 Gold Coast Bulletin -Visual Arts Feature
2003 91.7fm - ABC Radio Interview and review.
2002 Gold Coast Bulletin -Visual Arts Feature
2002 Gold Coast Bulletin - Exhibition editorial
2001 Gold Coast Bulletin - visual Arts Feature
2000 Gold Coast Sun - Visual Arts Feature

Private Collections
Australia
Singapore
New York
New Zealand
London

Artists Statement
I was born and raised in the suburbs of Western Sydney in the heart of housing commission hell. The more I paint, the more personal it becomes, and though it isn’t my personality, my innards are laid bare for all (whom care to view the work) to see.

I can’t really paint pretty pictures or even things that make people feel good, what I want to do is squeeze myself into (or out of) the works. Recently I have been painting myself as a bird, or with birds. I have been studying a “Birds of Australia” book and relate to the breed attributes given to the birds ? I sometimes think there should be a people dictionary, with images, listing out tendencies, mating habits and temperaments of humans.

Painting to me has always been an argument between what it looks like and what it means (form vs. content). Although content is important, composition drives the resolve of the work. Form doesn’t always validate content, and I have found that my honesty isn’t always beautiful. Within my works I work hard to honour my individuality above all else - and through this, paradoxically, I realise that my artistic ’issues’ may never be fully resolved.