Jameela Stenheden Gordon-King (She/Her)

My work is a conversation between Self and the natural world. An exploration of the ways in which we interact with, connect with the nature that surrounds us. Deeply intertwined with this is childlike acts of play that is unlocked when in these places. My practice discusses these ancient notions. Experiences that bond us to civilisations, ancestors that came before us.

Through a culmination of the mediums of poetry and oil; I am able to immerse myself in the rituals that inform every aspect of our being. Through the collection of natural pigments, I  respond to the earth’s tones, coupled with the movements of figures and fire. Ever changing and evolving as the natural light reflected on its surface changes. The colours in perfect harmony with the curvature of the brush strokes and tonal accents of the figures, often mimicking landscapes. This way of viewing colour is also translated into the way I view and portray skin, nature and water through words.

The materiality of painting has become integral to the way in which I perform and view the act. Utilising a range of surfaces, including Lubugo Bark Cloth, Hessian and Traditional Cotton Canvas I allow the form of the material to inform both the composition and forms. The irregularity of surface dictating the outcome rather than the reverse. The quality and density of paint too must be altered and manipulated to suit the canvas- evident in the pieces on Hessian. Here the porous fabric soaks up the paint, leaving the allusion of the paint sinking below the surface. Creating the feeling that one is peering into the world of the cave rather than simply overserving from a distance.

Words, the way in which we are able manipulate, shape and arrange them to our will- are also a central motif of my practice. By virtue of words, I enter the subconscious, a dreamlike state of clarity. In unison with the medium of oil, the two offer the viewer a translation of the visuality of the natural world into highly consumable lyrical form.

Please email for enquiries.