Lauren Findlay & Karen Payne
Mythic Figures, the Divine Among Us. /
Her Story.
26 February - 09 March 2025
G3
Opening Night
Friday 28 February | 6 - 8 pm
◼︎
Lauren Findlay
Lauren’s artistic practice is rooted in interplay between the human form, gesture and magic. Drawing inspiration from ancient Mediterranean art, myth, and the energy of my models, Lauren seeks to capture fleeting moments of divinity and magic with the human body. The figures in Lauren’s work emerge from a process of collaboration with both the model and the materials, creating compositions that evolve over time through the layering and erasure of oil paint, or charcoal and pastel. Through instinctive colour choice, bold mark making and rubbing the works back, Lauren’s techniques often create images that are distressed and textured, which mirrors the movement and breath of her subjects, evoking immediacy, history and emotion. In 'Mythic Figures: The Divine Among Us,' Lauren invites the viewer to engage with figures that are both grounded in reality and transcendent, exploring the timeless connection between the body, spirit, and myth.
Artist Bio
Melbourne-based artist Lauren Findlay graduated with a BFA from Monash University in 2009, followed by a BA in Gender, Sex, and Diversity from La Trobe University in 2018. After a break from creating, Lauren’s artistic journey was reignited in 2021 during pregnancy, leading to a renewed exploration of life drawing and figurative art. Her figurative work is heavily informed by gesture, the energy of her models, and themes of time, space, and mythology. Drawing from the art of ancient Mediterranean cultures and the influence of artists like Degas, Gauguin, and Kollwitz, Lauren’s practice embraces the interplay of charcoal, oil paint, and pastels, using techniques of erasure and layering to evoke texture, movement, and emotional depth. Lauren regularly attends events in Melbourne's life drawing community, her work has been featured in group exhibitions throughout 2024 and 2025, as well as in The Rezzadent’s Oct/Nov 2023 edition. 'Mythic Figures: The Divine Among Us' at RED marks her largest public display to date.
Karen Payne
Originally from Melbourne, Karen spends her time between the Sunshine Coast and her city of birth, as the fabulous Melbourne Art Scene continues to entice her back to her roots.
Like many artists, Karen has had no formal training in art; her work being guided by intuitive exploration and observation, driven by passion.
She initially fell in love with clay, creating figurative sculpture using photographic references. Drawing from the live model seemed a natural progression and she soon became obsessed with portraying the female form using soft pastel.
Karen believes her drawing is informed and enriched by her years of modelling in clay, finding soft pastel has similar sensual, malleable qualities thus prefering to use her fingers for blending and enhancing the tactile nature of her work.
It is often noted that her work has sculptural elements - a fitting reflection of her true love; sculpture.
She would describe her work as figurative abstract since part of the form is often obscured, deformed or undefined, often morphing and intersecting body parts, using line and transparencies.
The portrayal of faceless figures provides anonymity, allowing the viewer to interpret and construct meaning without imposition.
Karen invites the viewer to explore and interpret personal meaning as she believes art must make us interrogate, ponder and reflect upon one's own experiences.
Karen's ladies tell stories of experiences and relationships, of the conscious and the subconscious, women interacting, sharing deep bonds of understanding, supporting and nurturing each other.
Some of her work makes comment on the social standing of women in certain cultures. She admires the way women support each other in an effort to overcome the challenges many face.
Karen's work portrays the average woman as she is, imperfect, yet perfect, the female form as beautiful in every shape and size.
Self acceptance brings a confidence that exudes the beauty within.
There is nothing more beautiful than the woman who is confident in her own skin.
Artist Bio
Exhibitions
2024 Camberwell Art Show, Melbourne
2024 Camberwell Art Show
2024 Selected Bluethumb Gallery for Art Prize 2024
2023 Group Exhibition, The Butter Factory, Cooroy, Queensland
2023 Group Exhibition, Hawthorn Artists Society, Melbourne.
2023 Solo Exhibition, Ladder Art Space, Melbourne.
2022 Solo Exhibition, Red Gallery, Melbourne
2022 Group Exhibition , SOL Gallery Melbourne
2021 Three Ravens Gallery, Washington, USA
2021 Spotlight Art Magazine, Published finalist Spotlight Art Magazine,
USA & Europe
2021 Excellence Award, Circle Quarterly Art Review Magazine,
USA & Europe
2021 'Eclectica Art Awards', The Butter Factory, Coroy, Queensland
2021 'Chromatica', The Zone Gallery, Maleny, Queensland
2020 'Reconnect', The Zone Gallery, Maleny, Queensland
2019 Downlands Art Exhibition, Downlands, Toowoomba, Queensland
2019 Art Exhibition, The Old Ambulance Station, Nambour, Queensland
2017 Kenilworth Art Exhibition, Kenilworth, Queensland
2017 Kingaroy Sculpture Prize, Kingaroy Regional Art Gallery,
Queensland
2014 Botanic Gardens Exhibition, Maroochy Botanic Gardens Art Centre, Tanawha, Queensland.
Education
2011 Bachelor of Education Studies, University of Southern Queensland.
1981 Bachelor of Arts, (Education) Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria
Contact
Phone : (03) 9482 3550
mail@redgallery.com.au
Address
157 St Georges Rd
Fitzroy North, Victoria, 3068
Map
How to get here
Tram: Route 11
Stop 21 just north of Edinburgh Gardens
Melway Ref: 30B12
Parking in nearby streets
Bus: 504 (Reid Street)
