Llewellyn Skye's bold floral abstractions convey young love in a primal language of colour and gesture. What emerges is a paradox of profound opposites. Foolish, youthful passion is freeing but all-consuming. It furnishes hope yet brings despair. Such love is perfectly flawed in its overwhelming intensity but also beautiful and magical in its imperfections and surprises. Skye’s effervescent, expressive bouquets are rendered with confident brush strokes in vibrant colours against dark and muted backgrounds. The work, which marries abstraction and expressionism, mirrors the sweetness and inevitable pain of the ardor of young romance, which, like the springtime, blooms with vigour but soon betrays its fragility. Skye's work recognises that with change and loss comes a darkness. But it also affirms the need to struggle to live in the moments, however fleeting, of beauty and light.
"Florals represent abstract beauty and impermanence, all the qualities I enjoy in life and love." - Skye
Education
2011
Artegiro Residency, Montefiascone, Italy
2006
Advanced Painting Course, Sydney Gallery School, Meadowbank, Sydney
2005
Bachelor of Fine Arts, National Art School, Darlinghurst, Sydney
Solo Exhibitions
2022
Calm Down Baby, Fenton & Fenton, Melbourne
They Once Felt Like Water, Wagner Contemporary, Sydney
2021
This Is A Love Story, Revival Art & Design, Brisbane
Hue To Hold, Metro Gallery, Melbourne
2020
Daylight Breaks, Revival Art & Design, QLD, Australia
Bleeding Daylight, M-Arts, QLD, Australia
2019
LatestWorks, Revival Art & Design, QLD, Australia
2012
Sugar, Conzano, Italy
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023
Abstraction, Collectors' Focus Series V, Metro Gallery
Summer Exhibition, Wagner Contemporary, Sydney
2022
December Group Show, Lethbridge Gallery, Brisbane
Landscape: Collectors' Focus Series IV & V, Metro Gallery, Melbourne
40/40 Project, Wagner Contemporary, Sydney
Large Scale New Works, Wagner Contemporary, Sydney
Metro Summer, Metro Gallery, Melbourne
Summer Salon, Lorraine Pilgrim Gallery
2021
Christmas Group Show, Wagner Contemporary, Sydney
Gallery Group Show, Wagner Contemporary, Sydney
Spring ’21, Fenton & Fenton, Melbourne
The Romantics, ALA, Southport
Rising Talent, Fenton & Fenton, Melbourne
Kaleidoscope, Revival Art & Design, Brisbane
All Eyes On The Arts, Lorraine Pilgrim Gallery
2020
Art Knows No Borders, Lorraine Pilgrim Gallery & M-Arts
Albion Gallery Opening, Brisbane
Border Art Prize, Tweed Regional Gallery
Modern Love, A K Bellinger Gallery, NSW, Australia
Summer Show, Metro Gallery, VIC, Australia
2019
Share the Dignity, Amber Creswell Bell, NSW, Australia
Summer Show, Lorraine Pilgrim Studio, QLD, Australia
Selected Bibliography
2023
Art Collector Magazine, January
Home Beautiful Magazine, January
2022
AGNSW Magazine, May
Art Collector, April
New Visionary Magazine, Brooklyn,NY
Elle Foundation, California
2021
Visionary Art Collective
The Block
The Block Shop
ALA Feature
Fenton & Fenton, Melbourne
Southern Wild Co, New South Wales
2020
Vanity Fair, UK, Dcember
House Rules, Australia
The Block Shop, Melbourne
We Are Gold Coast, Gold Coast
Rising Woman Creative, France
Tweed Valley TV, Tweed
What’s On Tweed, Dec, Tweed
2019
The Echo, Dec, Byron
The Weekend Edition Feb, Brisbane
2017
The Drift, July, QLD
Robina Town Centre, Aug, QLD
Fashion Journal, May
Nikel + Sole, Nov, Melbourne
2016
Daily Imprint, Feb, Sydney
2011
Herbert River Express, June, QLD
2010
Sydney Morning Herald, May, Sydney
2008
Southern Courier, Nov, Sydney
Coast Confidential, GC Bulletin, July, QLD
Weekend Bulletin, June, Gold Coast
Art Almanac, Profiles, June Edition
Southern Courier, Feb, Sydney
2007
The Sun-Herald, March, Sydney
2006
Northern District Times, October, Sydney
2005
Daily Telegraph, November, Sydney
2001/02
NSW Stop Domestic Violence Week
2001
Front cover Speaking Out magazine, Sydney
Art Prizes
2023
Finalist, 20 Best and BrightestArtists, Home Beautiful
2021
Winner, Rising Talent, Fenton& Fenton, Melbourne
Winner, Abstract Art, Art Lovers, Australia
2020
Finalist, Art Lovers Art Prize, QLD
2019
People’s Choice Award, Dean Cogle Portrait Prize, Dust Temple, QLD
2018
Artist in Residence, Burleigh Brewing, QLD
Winner, Brewing Local Artists, Burleigh Brewing, QLD
2011
Selected for Artegiro Artist Residency, Italy
2008
Trees for Children, Sydney
2007
Xavier Art Space Prize, Sydney
2006
Finalist Arts North Permanent Collection, NSW
Showcase Prize Tafe, NSW
Highly Commended, Tafe Alumni Art Prize - Janice McCulloch - Art Almanac
2005
Highly Commended, John OlsenDrawing Prize
Collections
Randwick Children’s Hospital, Sydney
St Vincents Hospital, Sydney
Work is held in private collections throughout Australia and internationally
Commissions
2021
Southern Wild Co, Sunshine State Collection, NSW
2019
Main Beach Flower Festival,Mural, QLD
RSL Art Union, QLD
2018
Robina Town Centre, TotemArtwork, QLD
Nikel and Sole, SummerCollection, VIC
2017
Nikel and Sole, Winter Collection, VIC