Sue Pheloung

My obsession with watercolor began with a childhood ruse. After receiving a small tin of paints during a bout of the flu, I famously used talcum powder on my face to mimic illness, hoping to stay home from school just to paint. While my "acting career" was short-lived, it sparked a lifelong love affair with the fluidity and transparency of watercolor.
Though my early career included published cartoons and book illustrations, I have been deeply committed to my fine art practice since 1996. My style is a deliberate blend of illustrative precision and traditional mastery, heavily informed by my studies under the legendary Australian watercolorist Robert Wade—a contemporary and painting partner of the late Tony Bennett.
Today, living on the Gold Coast, I capture the world with the same playful curiosity that first took hold of me as a child. To me, painting is a love affair between brush and pigment. I am fascinated by the way traditional watercolor wends its way across the paper, creating new color harmonies as it flows. My process involves both encouraging this natural looseness and knowing exactly when to "stop it in its tracks" to guide its path.
I enjoy creating contrast in my work, from ethereal, velvet-like washes to bold textur...

"Largely self-directed with a foundation in formal technique, my education includes studies toward a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Curtin University, where I received a High Distinction for my work. I have also refined my practice through private watercolor lessons and a formative masterclass with the legendary Australian watercolorist, the late Robert Wade. My formal entry into the art world began in 1996, when I was awarded First Prize at the Noosa Art Awards for my work in watercolor."

2004 Bealey Art Gallery Christchurch NewZealand
2003 New Zealand On Art Christchurch New Zealand
2004 Jabiru Gallery Sanctuary Cove Gold Coast
2003 Watling Gallery Gold Coast
2001 Lotus Gallery, Surfers Paradise GoldCoast Australia 2
2001 Francis Reilly Gallery Sunshine Coast Australia
2002 Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery Stanthorpe Aust
2003 Currumbin Art Fest Currumbin Gold Coast
2001 BC Gallery of Fine Art Gold Coast Australia
2001 Medusa Gallery Marina Mirage Gold Coast
2001 Hyatt Hotel Sanctuary Cove Gold Coast
1999 Budevi Art Show Gold Coast Queensland



SELECTED PRESS AND MEDIA
2000 – "Sue Goes Solo on Inspiration," Gold Coast Bulletin Weekender, Arts Section. Featured article by Jo Hales regarding solo exhibition at Hyatt Regency Hotel, Gold Coast, Australia.
2000 – "High Rollers Brush Shoulders With Art," Gold Coast Bulletin. Feature on "Art on a Grand Canvas" at The Grand Golf Course, Gold Coast, Australia.
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