Georgia Mansur grew up in California and moved to Australia in 1984, settling with husband Pete on a cotton property one hour west of Moree, NSW. This isolated new environment gave Georgia the opportunity to look inward for her source of creativity and self-expression. Painting and communicating her world became an inner wellspring of discovery and joy for the artist.
Now living on their vineyard in Mudgee, Georgia has continued to explore watercolour, pastels, acrylics, mixed media and oils to find the best way to express her fascination with nature. Being able to share through art that original emotion of being moved by nature; watching the shadows grow long against the setting sun is a wonderful expression of the human experience.
A particular interest in helping others to see the way light and colour on form produces artistic ‘magic’ drives Georgia to share this passion with others.
Teaching and communicating about creativity and self expression through art has been a fulfilling experience for the artist. As Artist in Residence at Hamilton Island, Great Barrier Reef, as well as teaching workshops around the country and overseas, Georgia enjoys that interaction from helping others to tap into the natural creativity within us.
Having completed a Bachelor of Communication at CSUS (California), Georgia feels painting is another level to communicate with others in a way that goes beyond words. Making a connection with the viewer of one’s artworks and truly touching and inspiring them with what you have created is this artist’s ultimate goal.
Georgia has studied with many well known Australian and International painting masters, including Joseph Zbukvic, Herman Pekel, Patrick Carroll, Alvaro Castagnet, David Taylor, Colley Whisson, Chris Brown, Colina Grant, Les McDonough, Mignon Parker, Jeff Rigby, Jerry Fresia (Italy) and Gil Dellinger, Terry Miura and Ignat Ignatov (California) to name a few.
Georgia was a finalist in the 2008 Country Energy $35,000 Landscape Prize, and has won many awards, including First Prizes in art shows with judges Edmund Capon (Director Art Gallery of NSW), Justin Miller (Director Sotheby’s Australia), Georgina Pemberton (Australian Paintings-Sotheby’s), as well as being selected for the Calleen Art Prize, Cowra (twice), The Rocks Market Art Prize (3 times) and winner of the People’s Choice Award ‘Driven to Abstraction’, Mudgee.
Georgia participated in the San Clemente Plein Air event and Quick Draw in June 2010 and also was the recipient of the Cyndee Van de Walker Scholarship sponsored by LPAPA (Laguna Plein Air Painters Assoc) in July 2010.
Georgia's work is now showing in the Wells Fargo Bank Collection in Laguna Beach, California and at Randy Higbee Gallery in Los Angeles.
Georgia teaches at the Mudgee TAFE (Technical and Further Education) and is currently delivering Creativity/Mixed Media, Exploring Colour/Watercolours and an Arts Marketing course to help others get their career off the ground.
The artist has recently returned from the Northern Territory in outback Australia teaching art workshops and touring Kakadu National Park.
Upcoming workshops and events:
Cortona, Italy 17-24 Sept 2011~ Plein Air Workshop
Santorini Greece 28 Sept-5 Oct 2011~ Plein Air Workshop
Grafton Artsfest 13-16 April 2011~ Mixed Media Workshop
Australian International Plein Air Event 10-22 March 2012
Artist in Residence at Hamilton Island Great Barrier Reef, 2011 dates to be confirmed
*Georgia is a Certified International Golden Paints Artist Educator *
Georgia Mansur’s work is in collections in Australia, USA, UK, Germany, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Painting is a form of communication that acts as a bridge directly from me
to you, no words necessary. My intense passion to explore creates a process in which I am exposed and made vulnerable—my personal perceptions weave their way into pieces, imprinting like an individual stamp.
It is this honesty that I am looking for and it is all there, if we take the time to look for it.
My work is shaped by a deep connection to the land---growing up in a farming community in California, my years in the Australian Bush, as well as time spent on our Mudgee vineyard. The natural environment, in all its ugliness and all its glory, fascinates me--- echoing human nature in an intriguingly similar way.
Colour and light motivate me, fueling my passion to paint. Painting is like music, creating a reaction, evoking a mood---sometimes bold and vibrant, sometimes soft and reflective---expressing and enriching our lives.
I am most inspired by the changing light and how it affects forms so dramatically. Early morning/late afternoon are my favourite times of day to watch the sun moving, casting long shadows and creating wonderful drama, throwing everything into a balance of light and dark, soft and hard edges.
Communicating in the language of visual art is very satisfying for me to express what I think and feel; even more powerful when the message is received by the viewer, linking us in a way not possible before.
Sometimes words are inadequate and painting helps
me put a finger on my emotions and express them,
creating an awareness within.
In some ways it is like a key to a secret passageway~
a beautiful place of possibilities and connection to all humanity.
