Art2Muse

Artworks available to view in Sydney

James Boissett is one of the few true traditional watercolourists in Sydney. He loves the medium of watercolour for its beautiful transparency and luminosity which allows light to be pulled in and reflected out. Apart from the fact that he works in large format, what differentiates Boissett from other watercolourists is his dramatic use of contrast between light and dark particularly apparent in his Nocturnes series which seem to have a luminous quality. He has the ability to gradually build up the tone to give volume, clarity, depth and softness.

Boissett is available for commissions and is often asked to paint people’s favourite views from their house or neighbourhood. He begins the painting on site and gets to know the area intimately from studies, photos and drawings. He uses artist quality materials which are rated for permanency - 100% acid neutral paper of archival quality which is made in France. Boissett is a highly awarded painter whose works are held in Private and Corporate collections in Australia and overseas.

James is a representational Watercolour Painter of Australian landscapes, City-scapes, Nocturnes and Sydney Harbour foreshores in a traditional style. The natural landscape and man-made (city/urban) scenes permeate most of his work.

Completing a Graphic Design Course at Randwick College of TAFE in 1980, James illustrated for various magazines and Children's Book Publishers with a passion for cartooning and character design. This is where he developed his interest in the medium of watercolour.

Emphasising clarity, strength, and subtlety he uses light, tone and distance to achieve this. Drawing on the rich tapestry of life's visual experiences, James likes the transparency of Watercolour and the interplay of paint and paper. For this reason, he rarely uses opaque mediums such as gouache.

Inspirations have been Harold Herbert (Australian 1891-1945), John Singer Sargent (1856-1925), and Arthur Streeton (Australian 1867-1943).

Mr Boissett has appeared as a Feature Artist at various Art Shows and exhibited in many competitions and exhibitions. His works have won numerous awards including First Prizes in Open and Watercolour sections. His paintings can be found in Private and Corporate collections in Australia and overseas.

Artist Statement

My work has long been inspired by old masters of the chiaroscuro tradition. Just take a look at the rich, high relief of the brush sculpted oil painting creations of Caravaggio's (Italy) Supper at Emmaus(1600-01), Rembrandt van Rijn's (Dutch ) The Night Watch (1642) or even Ugo Da Carpi's (Italy) Chasing Avarice from the Temple of the Muses (c. 1518). You will immediately see the breathtaking challenge of their bold contrast of light and shade to draw out volume and depth of their subjects.

The difference that I have attempted to make is by adapting the transparency of strong watercolours, rather than the opacity of oils, to the more modern, pragmatic settings of metropolitan and country Australia. My work represents the rich tapestry that I found in the explosion of life from childhood and adulthood scenes of city buildings to Sydney's magnificent harbour with its tugboats, lazy fishing dinghies left reclining on the sandy foreshores through to the majestic dynamics of sterling thoroughbreds racing at Randwick Racecourse. I particularly enjoyed the challenge of applying the chiaroscuro technique to my nocturnes, using the striking contrasts of street lights and floodlights against backgrounds of night skies and Victorian and modern architecture to impact the viewers' sense of being drawn into a fresh, three dimensional living experience of art.

From this busyness and drive of the urban life I work to draw an appreciative response to the peace and rest of country serenity. Here we find the winding rivers and streams, cloud draped mountains, brown rugged hills and dusty roads, the blue skies with scudding clouds and the luxuriant green of pastures. It is hoped that my appreciation and rendition in the bold, sculpted presentation of light and shade that draws the viewer in to share the artist's unambiguously holistic appreciation of all things Australian.

My hope is the same as that of any artist. That is to view their first and last works, and gain some satisfaction from an indication that they have at least begun to master their chosen medium.

1977 . 1980 . Graphic Design Certificate, Randwick College of TAFE
1978 . 1992 . Freelance Illustration (Watercolour and ink), Cartooning & Graphic Design
including editorial, publishing and art studio clients
1992 . Illustrated .Missing Minikin.a children.s book for Harper Collins, which became
popular in school book clubs and featured for that publisher at the Bolognia Book Fair. The book featured many black & white illustrations, character designs and colour cover. A very loose illustration style I developed with ink was used. The characters I designed were executed in a cartoon style.
1992 . Began painting exclusively in the Watercolour Medium. Attracted to a more
representational but painterly style, I was influenced by John Singer Sargent, Australian
watercolourists including J J Hilder, Harold B Herbert and others. Inspirational have been the early Dutch and Italian masters of the chiaroscuro tradition such as Caravaggio and Rembrandt.
1999 . First Group Exhibition at the Balmain Watch-house called Six Senses.
1999 . 2006 Exhibited at competitions and selling exhibitions such as the Herald Sun Camberwell Rotary Art Prize, Hunters Hill Art Prize, Camden Art Prize, Sydney Royal Arts & Crafts Show, The Canberra Art Prize, North Sydney Art Prize, Drummoyne Art Award, Ryde Art Award, The Heysen Prize for Landscape and many others.

2008 Art2Muse at the Tom Dunne Gallery, Darlinghurst, Sydney

At present I prefer the transparency of Watercolour and the interplay of paint and paper, without the use of opaque mediums. The natural landscape / City and Urban / Nocturnes / Maritime, Sydney Harbour, Beaches / and Equine Art, permeate most of the work I do at the moment. I use watercolour with free flowing compositions and soft clean colours.

Various works are held in private and corporate collections in Australia and overseas. They can also be seen at a number of highly respected commercial galleries in the Sydney area. I have appeared as Feature Artist at various Art Exhibitions.
- James Boissett

Awards

2000 - First Prize at the Camden Art Prize for Whispering Moments in the Watercolour section
2001 - Highly Commended at the 41st Ryde Art Award for The Painter in the Watercolour section
2002 - Third Prize at the Sydney Royal Arts & Crafts Show for Ethereal Light in the Marine/Seascape section
- Highly Commended at the 38th Drummoyne Municipal Art Society Annual Art Award for Restoration The John Oxley in the Watercolour section.
- Very Highly Commended at the 38th Drummoyne Municipal Art Society Annual Art Award for Sydney Sketch-break in the Drawing (Pen & Wash) section
- Commended at the 40th Festival of Fishers Ghost Art Award for The Sea Awaits, The John Oxley in the Traditional section
2003 - Highly Commended at the Sydney Royal Arts & Crafts Show for Looking On The Outside in the Watercolour Painting section
- Highly Commended at the Camden Art Prize for Sydney Westside.in the Traditional section
- Commended at the Camden Art Prize for Rural Tones in the Open section
- Commended at the Camden Art Prize for Morning at Clontarf in the Watercolour section
- Commended at the 39th Drummoyne Municipal Art Society Annual Art Award for Elegant Form in the Traditional section
- Very Highly Commended at the Singleton Art Prize 2003 for Bridge Street Shuffle in the Traditional Section
- First Prize at the 2003 Wattle Time Art Exhibition Cootamundra for Fractured Earth. Bathurst, in the Open section
- First Prize at the 36TH Annual Raymond Terrace Art Show for Soft Light in the Open Acquisitive Section
- Highly Commended (2nd prize) in the Wagga Wagga Quota Rotary Art Competition and Exhibition for High and Dry in the Open section.
2004 - First Prize at the Australasian Turf Monthly Equine Art Award for On The Mark In the Watercolour section.
- Commended at the Camden Art Prize for Bridge Street Shuffle in the Traditional Section.
- Commended at the Camden Art Prize for Maleney in the Watercolour Section.
- Commended at the Camden Art Prize for High and Dry in the Open Section.
- First Prize at the 40TH Drummoyne Municipal Art Society Annual Art Award for Landscape Unfolding in the Watercolour Section.
- Commended at the 44th Ryde Art Exhibition in the Watercolour Section
- First Prize the Blackheath Rhododendron Festival Art Awards in the Watercolour Section
- Highly Commended at the Parramatta Art Society Art Awards in Watercolour Section
2005 - Commended at the Central Coast Festival of Arts . Wyong in the Watercolour Section
- Very Highly Commended at the 41st Drummoyne Municipal Art Society Annual Art Award for Ambience and Luminescence in the Watercolour Section
- People’s Choice Award at the Hunter's Hill Art Prize for Morning Light Over Lower Fort Street
- First Prize at the Australasian Turf Monthly Equine Art Prize for Duel in the Watercolour Section.
2006 - First Prize for at the Tumut Art Exhibition for Highlights Over Gloucester in the Watercolour Section
- Highly Commended at the 31st Annual Easter Art Exhibition - Port Macquarie in the Open Section
- Highly Commended at the 31st Annual Easter Art Exhibition Port Macquarie in the Watercolour Section
- Highly Commended at the Winmalee Autumn Artfest Exhibition
- Highly Commended in the Watercolour Section at the Singleton Art Prize

Commissions available

Contact Katrina Hampton 0424809849 / +61-2-9326 6728