Chris Sutton’s Art
Chris Sutton’s Art
Welcome
Thank you for taking the time to visit my site. I’ve lived in the beautiful Southern Highlands of NSW for many years. The stunning landscapes; from rolling hills to the spectacular Illawarra Escarpment, the majestic waterfalls, the many small towns and villages, and the stunning beaches of the South Coast; have all inspired me to find a way to express how I see landscapes and seascapes and how they make me feel.
My experimentation has lead me down many paths, from the impressionist stylings of my “Ebb and Flow” & “Coastal Impressions” collections, the striking abstracts of the 42 South collection, and the quieter pleasures of floral studies and my Black and White work.
Coastal Impressions Collection
Following my previous exhibition where I used intentional camera movement to create works in impressionist and semi abstract styles, I’m proud to announce a new Solo Exhibition at the beautiful Tyger Gallery in Yass.
In the words of gallery owner Martyn Pearce: “Coastal Impressions is the debut solo show at Tyger by the incredibly talented Chris Sutton — whose evocative coastal works have stopped visitors in their tracks ever since he joined the gallery. In this new series, Chris uses intentional camera movement and selective detail to create dreamlike, semi-abstract images that shimmer with memory and mood. These are works that feel like the sea: alive, expansive, and just a little bit wild.”
Weereewa (Lake George) Collection
New work is often a result of a specific idea and subsequent planning, but sometimes, inspiration strikes when it’s least expected. A few days in an AirBnB on the shores of Weereewa (Lake George) and I was entranced by the beautiful and ever changing light. I’ve now visited several times over the last 12 months and the collection of images continues to grow. While most of the images are created using my favourite intentional camera movement technique, I’m also including conventional photographic techniques where that best shows the light and mood of the lake.
The lake has a presence that echos the untold millenia that have passed since its formation. It is a special place,
Ebb & Flow Collection
Each of the images in this collection was created using older generation iPhones. With an app that provides manual shutter control, I’m able to create long exposure images that gather both light and time as I pan across the subject. The results are planned but there are often happily unexpected results in the final images.
My goal is to use this technique to bring to the viewer the beauty and emotion inherent in the landscape by obscuring the detail, even for an instant, while ensuring that the image is still recognisably grounded in reality.
42 South Collection
Reflections on water are unique and endlessly fascinating, not least because they’re a product of time, light, wind and the photographer’s point of view.
This collection was captured in Hobart harbour, where the pontoons and walkways of the marina provide a wonderful variety of shooting angles, from almost parallel to the water surface to looking down from a height. The resulting abstract images vary from simple reflections of clouds and sky, to richly coloured fragments of the Hobart waterfront.
Urban Abstracts Collection
For photographers there is sometimes an underlying sense that we have to travel to exotic locations to produce the best photos, and social media has amplified that compulsion. However, if we look beyond the obvious and truly see the world around us, there is great beauty to found all around.
My process with potential subjects is to first find the visual elements that appeal to me. Then I vary the composition to remove elements and isolate a fragment of the subject. By removing functional context I’m left with the core elements of form, colour and texture, and can use those to evoke an emotional response.
Floral Collection
Flowers have been a constant subject in art for hundreds of years. With a vast array of colours and geometric shapes, flowers have become significant emblems of personal, cultural and religious significance.
Flowers have long been one of my favourite subjects and my floral collection ranges from domestic arrangements, to wildflowers. I find particular joy in exploring the details of the intricate patterns found in most blooms.
Archive Collections
While abstracts tend to be my primary photography interest, I still shoot a wide variety of other genres such as architectural, street photography, urban landscapes etc. That work challenges me to think differently and to always be looking for any opportunity to create new images.
In these sample collections you’ll find a small selection of my work in Street Photography, Landscape, Urban and Architectural.
