Mary-Lynne Stratton

Mary-Lynne is an award-winning artist and has lived in the Yallingup Hills for 36 years with her husband. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Edith Cowan University which she took on at the age of 50. Mary-Lynne’s paintings are interpretations of the northern landscapes of WA, and the South West where she lives.

She spends time painting in remote areas of our north, observing the magnificence of our ancient country, which she has been absorbing and connecting deeply with over many years of painting trips with fellow artists. Her observations of Australia’s ancient landscape made up of molten rock formations evolved over millions of years and their jewel like qualities glistening in the morning and evening light feeds into her imagination. Along with the vast landscapes, bushland, ranges and aqua oceans and the huge tides of the Kimberley , provide fertile material for her to respond to. Using colour, form and lyrical brush work in gouache when travelling in the landscape, these field study’s become a playful framework to re interpret in oils once back in the studio.

“I’m always open to the possibilities of what the work can become, never quite knowing what the outcome will be, I allow the painting to evolve slowly drawing on the memory and emotional experience felt in a particular place. I challenge myself to continually play with colour, layering and lyricism and embrace the uncertainty of how the work will develop. I like to surprise myself with what the paint can do.”

Mary-Lynne says she likes to search for a way to reinterpret her field study’s and try to look at the landscape in a new way with her bigger oil paintings. The excitement of the unknown is what drives her to keep experimenting with line colour and form to allow for surprise juxtapositions in her work.