We are thrilled to welcome Colleen Guiney back to Boom for her sixth solo exhibition with us; her first at our new space in Geelong West. Colleen is well known for her work that explores both the coastline and distinct landscape of her regional Victorian hometown, Port Fairy.

She also ebbs and flows between making abstract pieces that incorporate collaged elements, rich with texture and pattern. This exhibition celebrates the multifaceted nature of Colleen's arts practice, bringing these diverse yet complimentary streams of consciousness together. 

ARTIST STATEMENT

"This series encompasses a 12 month period of painting in the studio. Working intuitively, I have moved between abstraction, landscape and photo collage. Each work reflects my relationship to place – the mighty southern ocean swell, Koroitj (Tower Hill) and the local Moonah trees.

With an air of calm I bypass the conscious mind and work spontaneously; tuning into transient thoughts and the feeling of a place. I explore ideas of beauty through the layering of texture, colour and movement."

Colleen’s paintings represent the physical act of painting and the inner calmness that occurs when she paints. In the making of her paintings, she expresses something that is felt rather than observed and has developed a methodology through layers of texture, colour and intuitive marks and shapes that reference the natural landscape around her. Colleen plays with aspects of abstraction and landscape and explores personal themes that reflect her world.  Colour is the most important element of her work and getting it right is key to knowing when a painting is working, or when it is finished.  A deliberate and respectful connection to nature is pivotal to the work, and the story follows; reflections of her relationship with the outside world as she searches for loveliness and connection at a deeper level.

BIO

Colleen Guiney is a practising artist living in the south-west coast of Victoria. In 2025 she is studying Master of Fine Art at RMIT.  Colleen has exhibited widely including recent solo shows at Boom Gallery, Geelong and Michael Reid Northern Beaches. Career highlights include solo exhibitions at Pigment Gallery in the Nicholas Building and First Site Gallery, RMIT. Colleen was a finalist in the Lethbridge Landscape Art Prize (2021), Cambridge St Gallery Life Abstracted art prize (2019) and has been featured in The Artist Issue of Country Style Magazine (2019). She has also been a finalist in the Williamstown and Waverley Art Prize.

Colleen divides her time between Melbourne and Port Fairy, and with her partner operates Drift House, an award-winning small hotel known for its design aesthetic. Her work is woven into the design, including two feature murals in the establishment.