Kay Gibson’s strong affinity with the natural world is a legacy of her childhood spent exploring bushlands on the outskirts of Perth Western Australia with her parents. In 1971 at the young age of 15 Kay studied Graphic Design at Perth Technical College. The lure of nature beckoned and she moved to Margaret River in 1975 and she and her partner built a house and raised a family. Kay returned to study in 2001 and graduated with BA (Hons) at Edith Cowan University. She went on to lecture for the South West Institute of TAFE and set up an art and printmaking studio where she produces work for galleries and exhibitions.
Applying a combination of drawing, painting and printmaking, Kay marries her materials with her subjects. Some of her current work is on paper embossed with endemic plants and she applies a fumagé technique with the use of smoke from a candle to create images, mostly of birds. The imprint of the plant and the smoking of the paper relates to fire and regeneration, which is a constant process in the natural environment. She has found that some subjects are better represented in 3D. Her love of paper and printing continues in her paper mâché sculptures constructed with cardboard, wire and paper with the final images collaged from rice paper that she has printed through her etching press. In some work she has produced soft ground etchings on zinc plates and printed them as backgrounds for her animal subjects that are rendered in many layers of thin acrylic paint.
Having previously won the Acquisitive Award at The South West Survey in Bunbury (2009) Kay has since gone on to be awarded; Winner Signature South-West Award in Busselton (2010), 2nd prize painting and finalist in the Waterhouse Natural History Prize at the South Australian Museum (2010 and 2012), Finalist 41st Alice Prize in Alice Springs (2020), Finalist Royal Perth Art Prize (2018, 2019). In 2011 Kay was awarded a public art commission for the Shire of Augusta Margaret River. Developed in conjunction with the local Wardandi people, Margaret River and Augusta Historical Societies as well as the wider community Kay produced a 7 x 5metre etched zinc mural depicting the indigenous and group settlement eras of the region. Kay continues to be active in her local arts community.
Having recently retired from teaching Kay is devoting her time to her art, exploring new ideas and investigating landscapes close to home and further afield where she gathers her inspiration and information. Kay