Mandurah artist Hilly Coufreur to open first solo exhibition at CASM

The exhibition will put on display Ms Coufreur’s latest abstract works, including some of the paintings she created during her time as CASM’s artist in residence.

An art lover for more than 30 years, Ms Coufreur started painting in New Zealand five years ago, after leaving her job as a full-time library assistant.

“My husband [artist Jos Coufreur] said ‘you should try painting’,” she said.

”Jos has always painted throughout our married life, and I’ve always been surrounded by art. Being so immersed in it, I think it was unavoidable that I had a go.”

Ms Coufreur started exploring painting through traditional figurative art, painting lemons, vases and still nature.

However, her style took a u-turn after experimenting with abstract art.

“One day I had a little canvas left and a bit of paint on my palette that was leftover,” she said.

“So I started scraping it around on this canvas and I was like ‘wow, this is abstract, this is fun’, and it sort of continued from there.”

Ms Coufreur’s ever-evolving work is heavily influenced by her own personal experiences, vibrant colour combinations and Australia’s unique landscape.

It​ also features influences from her fellow Mandurah Plein Air artists, abstract landscape painter Gray Smith and German artist Gerhard Richter.

“It’s an emotional response to what I see, and intuitive as well,” she said.

“In my art there’s no hidden meaning, or a deeper meaning behind it.

“I want to play with colour and put something on canvas but there’s no deep meaning. There might be a meaning or it might have been because of something I’ve seen or experienced, but no hidden things.”

Colours of Life will be officially launched at CASM at 6pm on September 8. 

The event will include a presentation by Mandurah Plein Air Artists Plus Barb Thoms. 

An artist talk will also be held at the gallery at 2pm on September 17 before the exhibition closes on October 1.