George Kennedy was the most recent Artist in Residence in the King Island Art and Culture Centre artist in residence program.
From Hobart, he is a visual artist and has won local, state, and national prizes for emerging artists and was a finalist in the 2021 Peebles Print Prize in Victoria.
George has been down at the Wharf Studio creating some brilliant works of art inspired by our island home and conducting drawing workshops over the past five weeks.
His works are informed by exploring Tasmanian places through sketching. Drawings are later used as reference material, offering an extension of his memory of place. George’s final works aim to create a likeness beyond the visual, an essence of place, or a feeling.
Reflecting on his King Island experience, ‘nature’ quickly became the theme of George’s paintings as he subconsciously found his subjects shifting from his usual abstracts of “burned out cars and urbanscapes to the wind, rocks, flora, and ever-changing horizon”. The solitude he found here gave him more time to “explore ideas without expectations, as well as time to just sit, reflect, and listen to the chaotic weather in sheltered comfort in front of the fire.”
Creating art on King Island, George quickly had to embrace wild weather and was able to find the humour in what it added to his creative process. “The most difficult and hilarious thing was trying to draw or paint outside in either torrential rain or gale-force winds,” George said.
Over his residency, George was reminded of the importance of slowing down. “Not just taking a break from painting to go for a walk and find someone to chat with, but life in general. It’s been important to relax and read some books and not try to be productive 100% of the time,” he said.
It seems he stumbled upon a bit of a secret of the island life,” People seem to be happier here than anywhere else I’ve been and I’m sure the fact that everyone has time for a smile and a chat helps a lot.”
George also took the time to get involved with the community and share some of his own knowledge through weekly drawing workshops, where a number of us headed down to the studio to dip our toes in a bit of artistic expression.
Through the workshops, George was able to make drawing a little less intimidating, rendering complex landscapes more approachable for those who may not necessarily consider themselves “artists.”. People seemed to have left feeling surprised by what they were able to create. George added, “It’s great to see other creative minds at work and chat with locals about their connection to the island and some good spots to visit I wouldn’t have otherwise known about.”
George’s residency finished earlier this week, but it’s safe to say his experience of King Island has left a valuable impression on his creative journey and he commented, “I think a good way to explain it would be that my time here on the island has really expanded my visual “vocabulary” of place and colour. It feels like I’m able to see things and capture them with a lot more nuance than before I arrived, and I’m really excited to see how that translates to my work once I’m back home in Hobart.”
We want to thank George for his many contributions during his time here. He’s been a great addition to the community, and we’ll be sad to see him go.