Tag Archives: Papua New Guinea artist

Writing Stories

Tribal Contemporary Art Portraits – Papua New Guinea

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#Contemporary Art

Pic: Luke Stringer.

While I have been away from this blog I have been painting and creating other projects. I am sharing these short post and images especially for my blogger friends and followers. Thank you for your continued support. It is good to see some of you here already.

One of the the themes that has become part of my contemporary painting style and signature are the tribal Papua New Guinea (PNG) portraits. While these artwork take me a long time to paint and require research and specific layering to stay true to the authentic ‘bilas’ (traditional decoration and representation of the tribes), I really enjoy the process of painting these.

I have been through the cultural process myself while growing up in Wagang Village, Lae, Morobe Province. I grew up with feathers, magic leaves, bones, shells and all the beautiful natural materials you use to create special costumes. I made my own bilas and danced with my people for many years prior to moving to university to study away from home.

My love for intangible and tangible cultures of my people and the aesthetic beauty for each area in province in PNG continues through these contemporary creative exercises. I hope you like these and please share them if you want to. If you want such portrait done, comment here or email me on jkleahyart@gmail.com for sizes and prices. All work posted here are copyrighted.

Oro Beauty (Fiona Stringer). JKLeahy©

“Simbu Princess” Cleo Kambolz – J.K. Leahy©

Art, My Art, Writing Stories

Gum Ladies – Making Art From Natural Pigments

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This is one of 50 artworks I have made. It is a collection of “gum ladies” (as I referred to this art, painted from gum pigments I’ve made from my backyard). They are all females, but I will paint some males later. It is easier for me to experiment with the female ‘mood’.

A friend curator visited and suggested that I have a solo exhibition, because “they are strong”. Another curator said, “he loved the quietly vibrant feelings embedded”.  I had really planned to show the gum ladies in a community exhibition next month, in Brisbane, but the work is taking its own course. I am very happy.

The work is painted like watercolour and sealed to hold the pigments. Once exhibited, originals and limited edition prints will be available for sale here.

Let me know your thoughts about my experiment that has now grown into something else.

 

 

Art, Culture and Heritage, Indigenous, Painting, Women, Writing Stories

Island Woman – Watercolour and Gesso

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Island Woman – Watercolour and Gesso

Experimenting with a watercolour – gesso combination, I painted “Island woman”. She reminds me of someone from my past in PNG New Guinea islands – maybe from New Britain or New Ireland.

Like other mediums, watercolour paints have names and pigment intensity. This Aussie Red-Gold (Daniel Smith) paint has to be my favorite, but I use Payne’s Grey in almost everything, so I had to prove to my students, I could easily divorce Payne’s Grey for another colour. I think it is a brilliant colour. I hope you like it too.

Art, My Art, Writing Stories

Hot Day – A Watercolour Study

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Hot Day – Watercolour JK.Leahy

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JK.Leahy© watercolour. January, 2016.

“Hot Day”. A study of a Papua New Guinean child on a hot day. I enjoy painting the most when it is unplanned and I use watercolour loosely until the image shows up.