at Mosman and Mona Vale, NSW have a fabulous range of paintings by well established Australian artists.

James Boisett

 

" Summer Highlights at Balmoral Beach " 73cm high x 130cm wide

"All Aboard, Sydney Harbour Ferries" 74cm high x 90cm wide

"Summer Promenade, Balmoral" 75cm high x 150cm wide

"A Sandy Cove Middle Harbour"

"Jostling for position - Sydney Harbour"

James Boissett was born in 1958 and raised in both suburban and harbour side Sydney, Australia. He enjoyed the rich tapestry of that busy hub of commerce with its commanding views of mountains and ocean.  He has worked for nearly thirty years in that central city environment, watching the ever-changing development, the crowding of buildings outwards and upwards, that have variously impeded and yet expanded views of the harbour and its natural surrounds. Before moving to Gosford in New South Wales he lived around the Cremorne Point and Neutral Bay areas. By contrast he also enjoyed many holidays in country New South Wales with his mother’s relatives, exploring the rugged bush lands with their deeply contrasting colours and shapes.

He began his pursuit of serious artwork by completing a course in graphic design in 1980 when he developed his passion for watercolor as a medium.  His early works included character design and cartooning for children’s books that emerged into a focused development of his skills as a representational watercolour painter of Australian city and landscapes, Nocturnes and Sydney Harbour Foreshores.  His pictures abound with the clarity, the contrasts and strength of colour that is typical of his representation of the rich tapestry of the uniquely Australian visual experience.
Emphasizing clarity, strength and subtlety he uses light, tone and distance to achieve this.
 Drawing on the variety of contemporary life, James likes the transparency and luminosity of Watercolour and the interplay of paint and paper. For this reason he very rarely uses opaque mediums such as gouache whilst never adding mediums such as acrylic, as these hinder the effectiveness of pure watercolour.

My work has long been inspired by old masters of the chiaroscuro tradition.  Just take a look at the rich, high relief of the brush sculpted oil painting creations of Caravaggio’s (Italy) Supper at Emmaus(1600-01), Rembrandt van Rijn’s (Dutch ) The Night Watch (1642) or even Ugo Da Carpi’s (Italy) Chasing Avarice from the Temple of the Muses (c. 1518). You will immediately see the breathtaking challenge of their bold contrast of light and shade to draw out volume and depth of their subjects. 

The difference that I have attempted to make is adapting the transparency of strong watercolours, rather than the opacity of oils, to the more modern, pragmatic settings of metropolitan and country Australia. My work represents the rich tapestry that I found in the explosion of life from childhood and adulthood scenes of city buildings to Sydney’s magnificent harbour with its tugboats, lazy fishing dinghies left reclining on the sandy foreshores through to the majestic dynamics of sterling thoroughbreds racing at Randwick Racecourse. I particularly enjoy the challenge of applying the chiaroscuro technique to my nocturnes, using the striking contrasts of street lights and floodlights against backgrounds of night skies and Victorian and modern architecture to stir the viewers’ sense of being drawn into a fresh, three dimensional living experience of art.

From this busyness and drive of urban life I work to draw an appreciative response to the peace and rest of country serenity.  Here we find the winding rivers and streams, cloud draped mountains, brown rugged hills and dusty roads, the blue skies with scudding clouds and the luxuriant green of pastures. It is hoped that my appreciation and rendition in the bold, sculpted presentation of light and shade draws the viewer in to share the artist’s unambiguously holistic appreciation of all things Australian.

My hope is the same as of any artist - to view their first and last works, and gain some satisfaction from an indication that they have at least begun to master their chosen medium.

 AWARDS

2000  -   First Prize at the Camden Art Prize for “Whispering Moments“in the Watercolour section

2001  -   Highly Commended at the 41st Ryde Art Award for “The Painter“in the Watercolour section

2002  -   Third Prize at the Sydney Royal Arts & Crafts Show for “Ethereal Light“in the Marine/Seascape section
 
      Highly Commended at the 38th Drummoyne Municipal Art Society Annual Art Award for “Restoration The John Oxley“in the Watercolour section.

     Very Highly Commended at the 38th Drummoyne Municipal Art Society Annual Art Award for “Sydney Sketch-break“in the Drawing ( Pen & Wash ) section
 
     Commended at the 40th Festival of Fishers Ghost Art Award for “The Sea Awaits – The John Oxley“in the Traditional section

2003  -   Highly Commended at the Sydney Royal Arts & Crafts Show for “Looking On The Outside“in the Watercolour Painting section

     Highly Commended at the Camden Art Prize for “Sydney Westside“in the Traditional section

     Commended at the Camden Art Prize for “Rural Tones“in the Open section

     Commended at the Camden Art Prize for “Morning at Clontarf “in the Watercolour section

     Commended at the 39th Drummoyne Municipal Art Society Annual Art Award for “Elegant Form“in the Traditional section

     Very Highly Commended at the Singleton Art Prize 2003 for “Bridge Street Shuffle“in the Traditional Section

     First Prize / Acquisitive, at the 2003 Wattle Time Art Exhibition Cootamundra for “Fractured Earth“– Bathurst, in the Open section

     First Prize / Acquisitive at the 36TH Annual Raymond Terrace Art Show for “Soft Light“in the Open Acquisitive Section

     Highly Commended (2nd prize) in the Wagga Wagga Quota Rotary Art Competition and Exhibition for “High and Dry“in the Open section.

 

 

2004  -  First Prize / Acquisitive at the Australasian Turf Monthly Equine Art Award for “On The Mark” in the Watercolour section.

         Commended at the Camden Art Prize for “Bridge Street Shuffle” in the Traditional Section.

Commended at the Camden Art Prize for “Maleney” in the Watercolour Section.

Commended at the Camden Art Prize for “High and Dry” in the Open Section.

First Prize at the 40TH Drummoyne Municipal Art Society Annual Art Award for “Landscape Unfolding” in the Watercolour Section.

Commended at the 44th Ryde Art Exhibition in the Watercolour Section

First Prize the Blackheath Rhododendron Festival Art Awards in the Watercolour Section

Highly Commended at the Parramatta Art Society Art Awards in Watercolour Section

2005  -  Commended at the Central Coast Festival of Arts – Wyong in the Watercolour Section
Very Highly Commended at the 41st Drummoyne Municipal Art Society Annual Art      Award for “Ambience and Luminescence” in the Watercolour Section

People’s Choice Award at the Hunter’s Hill Art Prize for “Morning Light Over Lower Fort Street”

First Prize / Acquisitive at the Australasian Turf Monthly Equine Art Prize for “Duel” in the Watercolour Section.

2006  -  First Prize for at the Tumut Art Exhibition for Highlights Over Gloucester in the Watercolour Section
            
Highly Commended at the 31st Annual Easter Art Exhibition - Port Macquarie in the Open Section

Highly Commended at the 31st Annual Easter Art Exhibition – Port Macquarie  in the Watercolour Section

Highly Commended at the Winmalee Autumn Artfest Exhibition
      

• Mosman Gallery - 777 Military Rd, Mosman Ph: +612 9960 5519
• Monday to Friday 9:30am - 6pm, Saturday 9:30am - 5pm and Sunday 10am - 5pm.
• Gallery Six - 18 Bungan St. Mona Vale Phone:+612 9999 1039
• Monday to Friday 9:30am - 6pm, Saturday 9:30am - 5pm.

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