Sylvie Kettle
Northern Rivers based Sylvie Kettle’s works are an ode to the feminine form and natural landscape, bathed in soothing, yet vivid palettes which bring a sense of warmth, depth and calm.
Words: Holly Terry I Photography: Jessie Prince
‘When the muse calls, you don't say no to painting – you have to run with it when the energy strikes.’ says Sylvie Kettle. Photo: Jessie Prince
Desert by Sylvie Kettle from her recent solo exhibition, Soft Continuum at Fenton & Fenton. Photo: Jessie Prince
Emerging Northern Rivers artist, Sylvie Kettle’s abstract works are known for their inimitable feminine energy, encapsulated within soft shapes and dreamy palettes. Fusing free-form, organic brush strokes with intentional mark making, her works are clearly birthed by her gentle creative process.
Refreshingly, Sylvie has a unique attitude; more is not more and overcoming the ‘must-be-busy’ mentality with a mid-day nap is an integral part of her creative process. In her world, ‘A normal day involves yoga, a long black, the paint vortex, sitting in trees, conversations that open my eyes wider.’
Spending most of her life on coastal farmland, it is the natural Australian landscape that acts as the grassroots energy and inspiration for Sylvie. Moving far beyond the visual, the artist considers a less physical inspiration too; the female form and feminine undertones are characteristic of her work.
Inspiration, of course, lies at the epicentre of her work, however Sylvie is a true abstract artist; painting and seeing what arises at the time, never really intending on anything when beginning. ‘Its less obvious, and more subtle what inspires me... I love exploring light forms and soft feelings, spiritual encounters.’
For Sylvie, these inspirations act as a level for greater understanding. ‘The female form and landscape always bring me to search for what's beyond density, beyond physicality. What's behind the veil that we don't usually perceive immediately and how do we reach it, touch it, understand it. I’m always attempting to crash through form into a wider reality, whilst bringing attention to the portals that they are,’ says Sylvie.
Morning Seeps by Sylvie Kettle from her recent solo exhibition, Soft Continuum at Fenton & Fenton. Photo: Jessie Prince
“Colour and light play have the power to heal because it’s often unlike anything we have ever seen before. It can be so precise... when we find resonance with a painting, something inside us feels seen and heard.”
Overfloweth Part 1 by Sylvie Kettle from her recent solo exhibition, Soft Continuum at Fenton & Fenton. Photo: Jessie Prince
‘[I love] the gift [creating] has given me to do life on my terms. It's a whole new way of living. I don't answer to anyone, except the muse. She is kind of like my boss,’ says Sylvie Kettle. Photo: Jessie Prince
‘My flow is never flowier than when I overcome my conditioned mental chatter on ‘productivity’ and indulge in a siesta,’ says Sylvie Kettle. Photo: Jessie Prince
Overfloweth Part Two by Sylvie Kettle from her recent solo exhibition, Soft Continuum at Fenton & Fenton. Photo: Jessie Prince
Equally soft in shape and tone, Kettle is a natural-born colourist. The artist’s works’ heed beautiful dreamlike palettes, often landing blissfully somewhere between soft and soothing, warm and nurturing. Colour is an endless source of excitement for Sylvie.
‘It is a means of transmission and a whole world within itself. Here, you have an unlimited amount of potentials within a set boundary- the exploration of colour is like the essence of everything.’
Sylvie’s works have a deeper undercurrent that considers the connection between art and healing, for both artists and audience, ‘There's something special about creating being the catalyst for so much healing, that can then sit as a tangible symbology of that journey. It's invaluable…When we find resonance with a painting, something inside us feels seen and heard,’ she says.
Following a recent solo exhibition with Fenton & Fenton, Soft Continuum, Sylvie paints an enviable and dreamy picture of what is to come; manifesting a studio somewhere in the Mediterranean to play, live and paint. According to Sylvie (and us!), ‘this would be nice – I’m envisioning Spain, France, or regional Italy; learning a new language, painting to my heart’s content and creating for international exhibitions.’
