Celia Gullett (born 1959) began her art studies at East Sydney Technical College in 1979, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1984. At that stage she didn’t feel sufficiently “worldly” to become an exhibiting artist. In the years to follow she experienced many things, including marriage and children, with painting remaining a constant in her life. From 1996-1999, she attended Charlie Sheard’s Studio School and in this seminal period developed the technical depths to achieve a sensitive and resonant atmospheric in her work. Her interests in colour field paintings, abstraction and surface interact with the legacy of minimalism, particularly its origins in ancient Asian philosophies and associated ideas about the process creating the artwork as an experience for the viewer.
Her work is influenced by the melodic tenor and colour of Rajasthan (in India), music, the nature of existence and poetry. She uses paint to capture the ephemeral nature of other art media (particularly music) in a more permanent form. She said, “Everything I do is centred around colour and surface. Visible depths in the paint are created by layering and reduction, to evoke a sense of diffused light, and the crystallisation of experience into paint.” The tension in this process, between the repetitive brushstroke and layering to create optical complexity, is the touchstone of Gullett’s studio practice.
She has had solo exhibitions since 2002 and participated in group exhibitions since 1996. Gullett has been a repeat finalist in Sydney’s Mosman and Paddington Art Prizes (2002-16) and exhibited in Singapore (2013), London (2017, 2018) and Sweden (2017). Her paintings are in the Macquarie University Art Collection and national and international private collections.Solo Exhibitions
Celia is represented by Jan Murphy Gallery
biography
solo exhibitions
2021
New paintings, Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne
2020
Changing Places, Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane
2015
Art Equity, Sydney
2013
Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
2011
Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
2010
Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2007
Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2005
Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2003 Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2002
Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
selected group exhibitions
2021
Jan Murphy Gallery at Hugo Michell Gallery Adelaide, Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
2020
Summer hang, Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane
Jan Murphy Gallery, Sydney contemporary Art Fair online, Sydney
2018
Group Exhibition, Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane
Otomys, Melbourne
735 Gallery, Sydney
Collab Gallery, Sydney
Affordable Art Fair, London
2017
735 Gallery, Sydney
Collab Gallery, Sydney
Otomys, Melbourne
2017
Affordable Art Fair, Stockholm
Affordable Art Fair, London
2016
Small Spaces, Sydney
Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
2013
Affordable Art Fair, Singapore
Vibratory Field and Surfaces, Margaret Whitlam Gallery, University of Western Sydney, Sydney
2012
Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
2011
Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
Fleurieu Water Prize, South Australia
Autumn, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2010
Miscellanea, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
A Summer Survey, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
Paddington Art Prize, Sydney
2008
2x2 Group Exhibition, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2006
The Colour of Music, Adelaide Central Gallery, Adelaide Festival, Adelaide
2002
Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
2001
Abstraction Exhibition, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
1997
Walking the Street, Newtown Arts Festival, Sydney
1996
Amnesty International Fundraiser, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
awards & residencies
2016
Finalist, Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
2012
Finalist, Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
2011
Finalist, Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
Finalist, Fleurieu Water Prize, South Australia
2010
Finalist, Paddington Art Prize, Sydney
2002
Finalist, Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
1997
People’s Choice Award Winner, Newtown Arts Festival, Sydney
collections
Macquarie University Art Collection
Private Collections, nationally and internationally
education
1999
Charlie Sheard Studio School, Sydney
1984
Bachelor of Fine Arts, College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales, Sydney
1979
East Sydney Technical College
represented
Jan Murphy Gallery
488 Brunswick Street
Fortitude Valley Queensland 4006
07 3254 1855
selected solo exhibitions
2020
changing places, jan murphy gallery, brisbane
2015
art equity, sydney
2013
hill smith gallery, adelaide
2011
hill smith gallery, adelaide
2010
tim olsen gallery, sydney
2007
tim olsen gallery, sydney
2005
tim olsen gallery, sydney
2003
tim olsen gallery, sydney
2002
tim olsen gallery, sydney
selected group exhibitions
2018
group exhibition, jan murphy gallery, brisbane
otomys, melbourne
735 gallery, sydney
collab gallery, sydney
2017
735 gallery, sydney
collab gallery, sydney
otomys, melbourne
affordable art fair, london
affordable art fair, stockholm
2016
small spaces, sydney
mosman art prize, mosman art gallery, sydney
2013
affordable art fair, singapore
vibratory fields and surfaces, margaret whitlam gallery, university of western sydney, sydney
2012
mosman art prize, mosman art gallery, sydney
2011
mosman art prize, mosman art gallery, sydney
fleurieu water prize, south australia
autumn, tim olsen gallery, sydney
2010
miscellanea, tim olsen gallery, sydney
a summer survey, tim olsen gallery, sydney
paddington art prize, sydney
2008
2x2 group exhibition, tim olsen gallery, sydney
2006
the colour of music, adelaide central gallery, adelaide festival
2002
mosman art prize, mosman art gallery, sydney
2001
abstraction exhibition, tim olsen gallery, sydney
1997
walking the street, newtown art festival, sydney
1996
amnesty international fundraiser, art gallery of new south wales, sydney
awards and residences
2016
finalist, mosman art prize, mosman art gallery, sydney
2012
finalist, mosman art prize, mosman art gallery, sydney
2011
finalist, mosman art prize, mosman art gallery, sydney
finalist, fleurieu water prize, south australia
2010
finalist, paddington art prize, paddington, sydney
2002
finalist, mosman art prize, mosman art gallery, sydney
1997
people’s choice award winner, newtown art festival, sydney
collections
macquarie university art collection
private collections, nationally and internationally
education
charlie sheard studio school, sydney 1999
bachelor of fine arts, college of fine arts, university of new south wales, sydney 1984
east sydney technical college, sydney 1979
