Chloe Caday
Victoria-based artist, Chloe Caday creates textural oil paintings which are a visual representation of her experiences of the Australian and Philippines landscape
Words: Holly Terry | Photography: Harrison Oldaker
Morning Harvest by Chloe Caday. Photo: Harrison Oldaker
‘I have a particular eye for a composition that I typically look out for - interesting interactions, growth patterns or formations, and from there I let the environment direct the rest,’ says Chloe Caday. Photo: Harrison Oldaker
‘I mainly paint in oils, as I love the way colours and textures blend to one another on the canvas due to the slow drying process, and as I paint mostly en plein air, I tend to work on a single painting within a day to capture all the elements of a place at a particular time of day,’ says Chloe Caday. Photo: Harrison Oldaker
Saba Sunset by Chloe Caday. Photo: Harrison Oldaker
Ever since migrating to Australia from the Philippines at a young age, Chloe Caday questioned the world around her and the ways in which her ideas and perceptions were different to others.
As she got older, Chloe began to understand the power of art and the ability it holds to drive social and political conversation and changes, ‘This made me realise that I wanted to be a part of that change,’ she says.
‘The world that I live in now is a totally different world that my ancestors lived in, and I almost feel this heavy weight of responsibility to continue passing down their knowledge and traditions to keep their stories alive. Painting is a process of uncovering my heritage, whilst learning about the land in which I live on today.’
Inspired by her experiences of the Australian and Philippines landscapes, Chloe began painting as a tool to understand and explore her feelings about migrating from the Philippines and living within a Western country.
The creative spends most of her time outdoors amongst the bush and forest, finding tranquil inspiration amongst the local botany and interplay of light, sound and form within the area.
‘My Filipino heritage also has a strong influence in my work, and my paintings often reference back to my personal experiences, shared knowledge and traditions/stories passed down from family.’
Chloe paints mainly from oils on wooden board or linen canvases which she assembles herself. Typically, she tries to finish a painting within a day or two, allowing her works organically capture and mimic the natural progression of the day.
Utilising a delicately subdued palette, Chloe closely examines the details within the form and tones of the trees, fruits and people, bringing a sense of realism which she captures with characteristically small, layered brush work.
Alegria by Chloe Caday. Photo: Harrison Oldaker
“Painting directly from my surroundings allows me to become fully immersed within a place of a particular time – when all of the elements of light, form and sound organically influence the direction of a painting.”
Fruits of Memory, Star Apple by Chloe Caday. Photo: Harrison Oldaker
‘My significant connection to the land where I was born and where I live now, stems from my ancestors and family,’ says Chloe Caday. Photo: Harrison Oldaker
Based between inner Melbourne and her families 14 hectare bush block in She Oaks, Victoria, Chloe spends most of her days painting outdoors amongst nature, ‘It just became a ritual to pack a little trolley of my paints, and wander for a little while before settling into a spot for the day to paint.’
For Chloe, working in this way means she’s able to become fully immersed within her surroundings, observing the intricacies of the day passing by – the light, sound and form. ‘This process of creating artwork outdoors has become such a significant part of my practice and process, and I feel so grateful to be able to create in this way within my home.
A part-time artist and part-time gallery administrator at Brunswick Street Gallery, Chloe is also a new full-time mum to her one-year-old, Isagani.
‘My family and I are currently balancing our work/life week within the city for my work and our bush home in She Oaks when we’re on our days off. Our days out in the bush is such a special time that we spend as a family – cooking our meals, tending to/harvesting our fruit trees/veggie garden, walks through the forest, and of course, my solo time to paint out in the bush.’
Represented by some of the most influential contemporary galleries across Australia, it is no secret the artist is on the rise. You can find Chloe’s works at Curatorial+Co, Sydney; Gallery Rayé, Brisbane and Brunswick Street Gallery in Melbourne. To come, Chloe will be sharing her first solo debut at Cook Street Collective, in Flinders this October.
