jock young — sunlight serenade

As the world grapples with a dark new future, the beautiful landscapes of Jock Young are adding a much needed dose of ‘sunlight’.

Jock’s latest exhibition ‘Sunlight’ which ‘opens’ in Hobart this Friday, is a homage to the interplay and power of light and shade in art.

“Because I work outside all the time my work is dictated by sunlight, which often reduces shapes down to childlike blocks. And, as the light constantly changes, this combines to bring an abstract quality to my paintings,” Jock explains.

“The unifying theme of this exhibition is the overwhelming sense of sunlight.”

Water is another theme running through Jock’s work, and in fact his life. He grew up surfing on Sydney’s northern beaches before heading to sea for a career in marine science.

Now, as a full-time artist, his paintings are dominated by familiar Tasmanian scenes, painted at the water’s edge. They often include structural elements, such as the old boat sheds dotted across our state.

“Water is like a magnet to me,” Jock says. “And, whenever I go to a river, a lake, or the ocean, I always make sure I have my paints with me.”