It's a rainbow of mixed emotions

Kylie Stevens is showing her emotion experience-based art at The Swich Contemporary Art Space from tonight.

Claudia Baxter

EMERGING Ipswich artist Kylie Stevens has produced an engaging solo exhibition based on emotions.

Stevens' Mixed Emotions show at The Swich Contemporary Art Space will be officially opened tonight by Member for Ipswich Rachel Nolan.

The impressive body of art draws heavily on science - specifically, Robert Plutchik's psycho-evolutionary theory of eight emotions.

Ms Stevens said the theory inspired her to reflect on and artistically express past emotional experiences.

"Plutchik's theory identifies eight basic emotions and categories of sub-emotions, and I focused on the basic emotions to produce encaustic pieces on linen, and then chose a few of the sub-emotions and used pastels on watercolour paper to express them," Ms Stevens said.

Encaustic painting is an ancient technique that involves layering a mixture of wax, resin and pigment onto a surface.

"Encaustic painting is my favourite medium at the moment," Ms Stevens said.

"It's very old, older than acrylic.

"With these eight works, I built up the wax mixture on the linen over the drawings, and then I carved a symbol into each of the eight works.

"The drawing, the colour and the symbol all represent how each particular emotion feels to me."

Mixed Emotions is the second show in the six-part Ipswich Emerging Artist Solo Series hosted by The Swich.

The Swich gallery director LeAnne Vincent said the series, partly funded by the Ipswich Regional Arts Development Fund, allowed local artists the opportunity to have their own solo exhibition and opening night, as well as to receive mentoring.

Mixed Emotions will be shown at the Brisbane St gallery until Friday, March 2.

RAW EMOTIONS

Anger

Joy

Trust

Fear

Anticipation

Surprise

Sadness

Disgust