Rosie Lloyd Giblet
Rosie Lloyd-Giblett is a multi disciplinary artist who explores landscapes locally and regionally ~ her artworks express a subtropical natural environment. Nature is Rosie’s open studio and as she paints plein air in an expressive and abstract style she connects to the seasons and to the beauty and fragility of the environment. Her energetic works will bring a natural energy right into the heart of your home, absolutely bringing the outdoors in. “I want the viewer to smell the foliage, view the colour pathway and hear the tune of the natural world."
Rosie collaborates as part of Eco Trio ~ an environmental performance group who ignite spaces with art and collaborative sculpture. Their “Mother Tree” performance and installation works were a favourite of 2023 for A4D. We spoke with Rosie just landed back from a month long residency with Eco Trio at The Big Ci and ready to start the second year of her Master’s Degree.
What does Mother mean to you?
Mother is earth, my own ancestors experiences and my role as a woman to share my knowledge with daughters & women.
You’ve been moving into larger scale paintings recently. How did that come about?
Creating large works is liberating you can use your whole body and create a “painterly energy”. The works are not dictated from a realistic response, all your senses come into play - sounds, touch, smell, memory and vision.
You’ve been living and painting on the Sunshine Coast now for twenty years.. so we have to ask the question: What is your favourite spot for a dip in the ocean?
My favourite place for a swim or a surf would be little cove. My kids used to call it “Heaven Cove”, when the conditions are intune you could be anywhere in the world. On the edge of the rainforest looking forwards North Shore Double Island.
How is colour significant for you in your work?
Currently my works are connecting to mother earth seasons - the foliage, the sky and earth follows it’s own rhythms and I allow my work to absorb the colour pallete. In Autumn I use more earthy tones and in Summer my paintings are often filled with blue sky.
Your painting studio has no four walls.. instead you paint “plein air’ totally immersed within your inspiration. When did your outdoor painting practice start?
My Plein air practice started at Bimblebox, the Nature reserve I visited their in 2015 and 2016. Each time I camped and explored the landscape with artists and scientists for a week. It was like a “returning”. I connected back to landscape and my childhood experiences and memories of growing up in Western Queensland.
Are there certain rites/rituals you perform in your plein air process?
Weekly I escape to the Noosa National Park or coastline near Coolum. I look forward to my painting visits. I pack the car with rolled up canvas, large pieces of paper, paintings, ink, charcoal and a notebook. The weather and temperate dictates the locations – it is like a calling… I anticipate the feeling of sand underfoot and the smells of earth and foliage and the meditative experience of native. When I have chosen my plein air spot, I will layout paper, hang up canvas in a tree, wander-look and listen while pausing to absorb the connection. I feel and start drawing, scribbling and lastly painting. This will last a few hours and I will often return the next day to complete the work.
How has your art practice changed since moving to the Sunshine Coast / Kabi Kabi Country?
Moving to the Sunshine Coast has coincided with my children getting older and allowed me more time and pace to go deeper into my art practice. I have had the opportunity to reflect on travels through Africa and time spent in remote Australia. All these experiences vibrate through my work. I hear the worlds of indigenous women saying “tread lightly” look and listen.
What could you not live without?
I could not live with out the blue sky and being able to walk on the earth with bare feet. I find simple joys in hearing the birds fly over my studio towards the river.
How do you find flow in your multimensional life and Art practice?
Creating art is part of my life - I have just fitted it into my family and teaching art (2 days a week). They all support each other like a web - my children and partner respect my practice and my studio is in my backyard.
You’re working on some exciting collaborative projects locally. Can you tell us a little more about Eco Trio?
I am collaborating with artists Helena Jackson-Lloyd , Yanni Van Zijl and nature as Eco Trio. We are an environmental performance group igniting spaces and landscapes with art and collaborative sculptures. A big part of our collaborative and independent art practices is about listening to each others voices and engaging with the community. We’ve just recently returned from a month long residency at The Big Ci in the Woolemi National Park - we learnt so much from each experience of exhibiting and performing.