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Mark Ewenson
Mixed Media Artist

Born 1964


Fabric Layerism


Since the late 1990’s I have been developing a method of mixed media painting I call ‘Fabric Layerism’ where the collage elements dominate the composition,structure and surface area of the picture.It involves combining paint with many types of colored,patterned and textured fabrics and sometimes papers,photography and found objects.Sometimes paint is omitted from a picture.It is an extension of some of the collage ideas and techniques from 20th century art,particularly Matisse who with his paper cutout works began using scissors as expressively as drawing and painting.

In the ‘90’s I began by cutting out small fragments of found paper or cloth and adding them to paintings.Over time I came to realize that cutting out larger areas of fabric in fluid shapes which follow the form of the object represented; i.e vase,tree,figure,etc was a great starting point for a painting.This then progressed to focus on the female form as main subject,often building several layers of fabrics to get unique painterly effects,then adding paint later and even more collage. The fabric bases also act as unique ‘canvases’ in their own right,supplying a variety of textures and patterns to then ‘paint’ on.This is a similar process to traditional painting where one can paint several layers until one arrives at the desired image,but with the added unique reflective and textural effects of the fabrics etc.The paints and brushes are largely replaced by scissors and glue.To a degree this was done in Cubism,Pop art,and Absrtact Expressionism;the difference being that Fabric Layerism is more in line with a post modern re­entry into figuration. 

Though my images are representational,the Fabric Layerism makes for plenty of abstraction ‘within’ the picture,with the layerism being horizontal as well as vertical; there are many interesting tensions where the edges of fabric meet up with areas of paint....
Mark Ewenson 2012 Alongside Fabric layerism,since 2012 my figure life drawing has followed a similar line of development,with works on paper and Fabric layerism pictures made in life drawing I call ‘Fabric drawing’.

In works on paper,I layer many figure poses in a single picture,and use many drawing mediums,often on colored paper,to create plenty of movement and nuance with the figure and face.This I call ‘Drawing layerism’. With Fabric drawing,I take my canvas to life drawing,often to several sessions and gradually build up an image based on several different models,using colored and translucent fabrics,often then incorporating drawing media through and on the fabrics,resulting in a richly textured work with depth.

To offset this,the minimal figure line sketch is also important to me because it balances the fullness of the other work.

Mark Ewenson,2016. 


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Curriculum vitae



Education: 

1981/2               Art & Design, Huntingdale Technical College.

1983                   Studied painting and Fine Art – Prahran Technical College under Robert Jacks, Leslie Dumbrell & Victor Majzner.



Solo Exhibitions

1991                   Bakers Café Gallery, Fitzroy, Melbourne.

1994                   Joan Gough Studio Gallery – Contemporary Art Australia, South Yarra, Melbourne.

1996                   Darebin Arts & Entertainment Centre, Preston, Melbourne.

1997                   Darebin Arts & Entertainment Centre, Preston, Melbourne.

1998                   Hotel Sofitel – Café La, Collins Street, Melbourne.

1999                   The Fitzroy Gallery, Fitzroy, Melbourne.

1999                   Rippleside Restaurant Gallery, Inverloch, Victoria.

2000                   Silkstone Gallery, Korumburra, Victoria.

2001/2                Café Tsunami, Inverloch, Victoria.

2003                   Muse Bar Gallery, E.St Kilda, Melbourne.

2004                   Studio Gallery, Elwood, Melbourne.

2006                   Gallery 112, St Kilda, Melbourne.

2009                   Mark Ewenson Online Gallery – retrospective & current works.

2011                   Works spanning 2003 – 2011, Fitzroy Gallery, Melbourne

2015                   The Breslin gallery,Melbourne:  Exhibition & art/music retrospective;art ebook launch-works spanning 1981-2014
​                           music CD '14   Soundscapes',1986-1999



Group Exhibitions

1991-99              Exhibited in 15 group shows throughout  Melbourne and Gippsland, Victoria.

1993                   Group Exhibition with artists John Quinn and Neil Douglas, Venus Bay Art Gallery, Sth Gippsland, Victoria.


                           * First Prize, Best Landscape - Sth Gippsland.

1995                   Finalist - Herald-Sun Art Prize, Melbourne. (Judges - Leo Schofield, Juliana Engberg, Sally Smart, Alex Holt & Simon Plant)

1995-96              Gretz Gallery, Albert Park, Melbourne.

1995-97              Contemporary Art Australia Exhibition, Paris, France and - Puge Rostang, South of France.

1998-99              Represented at Dempsters Gallery, Canterbury, Melbourne.

1999                   Venus Bay Artists showcase, Gippsland, Victoria.

1998-2001          'Artists on Line' - Jackman Gallery, St Kilda, Melbourne.

2000                   'New Energies' - Artist Showcase, Gippsland, Victoria.

2001                   'New Energies' Gippsland Showcase.  Chapel-off-Chapel, Prahran, Victoria.

2000-/01             Dunes Gallery, Inverloch, Victoria.

2005                   'Spirit of Place' - Gallery 112, St Kilda, Melbourne.

2005                   Affordable Art Fair, Exhibition Building, Melbourne.

2006                   Gallery 112, stockroom,  St Kilda, Melbourne.

2007/8                Gallery 112 (as above).

2009 /11             Louey and Lane Gallery, Glen huntly, Melbourne

2009                   20th anniversary Life Models Society, Dante’s Gallery, Fitzroy, Melb

2009                   Lord Ivy Lounge, Flinders Lane, Melbourne

2011                   ‘Beauty’ Collingwood Gallery, Melbourne

2011                   Carbon Black gallery,Prahran, Melbourne

2012                   Princess Hill community centre, Melbourne

2013                   ‘Freedom’ Collingwood Gallery,Melbourne

2013                   'Eclectica',Breslin gallery,Melbourne.


Bibliography

1993                    Sentinel Times - Sth Gippsland, Victoria.

1994                    The Star - Sth Gippsland, Victoria.

1994                    National Gallery Society Magazine, Victoria.

1994                    Art and Australia.

1996                    Sentinel Times - Sth Gippsland, Victoria.

1997                    Sentinel times - (as above).

1997                    Preston Post Times, Melbourne.

1998                    'At the Sofitel' - Melbourne.

1999                    The Herald-Sun, Melbourne.

2000                    The Village Crier, Korumburra, Victoria.

2000                    New Energies Artist showcase Catalogue.

2000                    The Star, South Gippsland, Victoria.

2001                    Sentinel Times, Sth Gippsland, Victoria.

2003                    Port Phillip Leader, Melbourne.

2006                    Port Phillip Leader, Melbourne.

2011                    Port Phillip Leader,Melbourne

2013                    Port Phillip Leader, Melbourne

2013-16               'The Art and the curious',online art review and blog with Celeste Hawkins


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Media

1994                    Interview on 'Art Attack' - Radio 3CR by Bill Hartley.


Collections

Private                  London,New York, Melbourne, Gippsland (Vic), Adelaide, Sydney,  

                            Fremantle (WA), Brisbane, Gold Caost and Queensland.

Corporate             Hotel Sofitel Art Collection, Melbourne.