Gwenda Maree McDougall
"I was visually jolted when I saw a very old and worn red tricycle in a shop window dressing of a child’s clothing store."
This began the signature Red Trike series of paintings that have defined Gwenda’s art. "It appears the Red Trike itself brings back memories for both men and women of the baby boomer generation, and it is my hope that each viewer will find their own narrative within my paintings."
McDougall is also renowned for her delightful, thought provoking Alice in Wonderland series, as seen through the eyes of Sir John Tenniel; who produced the original black and white illustrations of Alice in the late 1800’s. The original Alice was equally as enchanting and peculiar as the other characters. There have been so many depictions of Alice over the last 100 years that the original Alice in Wonderland is all but forgotten to children and adults alike.
Noddy is back in Vogue and it’s about time, perhaps there is an underground Noddy following, whatever it is, Noddy is the new Black and children and adults alike are embracing his new found popularity.
’No Guts..no Glory.....
I am a firm believer in the art of self promotion, I owe some international success from fabric design for Pierre Frey fabrics in Pairs, to Artist in Residence at the Hotel sofitel in Beverley Hill, L.A. to fashion designer Christian Lacroix personally giving me carte blanche to reproduce my tribute painting. All this comes down to a heaftty dose of self-belief and determination or some might say, Bravade and Naivety at the time.
Travel as inspiration.....Object obsession
The wide range of themes within my work is partly due to my extensive travels over the past 30 years, most evidently Asia and Europe. Then again, I can be equally inspired, even obsessed, simply by seeing something as unassuming as an old red tricycle, or finding my childhood doll in her original dress, or a pair of Mary-Jane shoes, or antique Chinese tea-caddies...see what I mean!’
Exhibitions include-
1997 The Stephanie Hoppen Gallery, Knightsbridge, London, U.K.
1999 Rouge Gallery, Summer Season, Portsea, Victoria, Australia
2000 Jakarta Art, Exhibition Preview, Indonesia
2001 The Rose Street Gallery Armadale, Melbourne, Australia
2001 Summer Images, Malibu, Los Angeles, U.S.A.
2004 The Red Dot Art Gallery, Red Trike Memoirs, Toorak, Melbourne, Australia
2005 Viewing Art, Singapore.
Collections- Collected locally and internationally.
Gwenda McDougall divides her time between her home in Australia, and as an ’Artist in Residence’ in France, London and Los Angeles; her paintings are highly collectible and are also being produced as limited edition prints.
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