“I am now stationed in my childhood lookout from which I watch the outlines of memory moving by at a distance” Gillian Warden 2007
First and foremost Gillian Warden is a painter. Her works document her use of the medium and her painterly approach. The paints boundaries are pushed and the viewer witnesses depth created with subtle applications and a masterly understanding of the medium. In doing so, Warden successfully creates a dreamlike atmosphere that ebbs from her work. Subtle tones and movements, welcome you to fall into depictions on the edge of memory, enveloping you sumptuously.
The imagery of childlike characters leaves you engaging their emotions informed by a mystery set of circumstances. There are emotional sighs and joyful private moments that you allow to drift along and experience the feelings imbued. The sense of the fantastical is created, the character’s idiosyncrasies depicted, unique to their world.
Judith McGrath, a reviewer of Gillian’s work, states in reference to the characters portrayed, “Timid or bold, they invite us to come up close, to look past the picture and examine the painting's surface. That's when we discover the true wonder of Warden's art as we fall into the luscious paint. Layers of hue are rubbed, splashed, flicked or scraped onto canvas or board. During this process, the medium is respected and allowed to do what it does best ~ glow.” Speaking with Gillian, it is interesting to hear how she refers to her relationship with the work. Gillian alludes to the continual development of each piece over a number of months. The tussle experienced throughout the process of uncovering the final composition is only completed when through a single moment when the desired sense of feeling is exposed and simultaneously acknowledged.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2008 'Party Animals' Jackman Gallery, Melbourne
2008 'Cat On The Island' Book Launch/Exhibition, Delshan Gallery, Melbourne
2007 'Paintings For Robin' Jackman Gallery, Melbourne
2006 'Show + Tell' Jackman Gallery, Melbourne
2005 'Mystery Tour' Gallery East WA
2003 'Parade' Gallery East WA
1998 'Wish' Moores Building, Fremantle
1993 Artshouse Gallery, Perth
1992 The Drillhall Arts Centre, London
1991 Mildred's, London
1990 Artshouse Gallery, Perth

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2008 'The Affordable Art Fair' Melbourne Exhibition Centre
2006 Landscape, Delshan Gallery, Melbourne
2005 New Artists, Melbourne Fine Art Gallery
2003 The Affordable Art Fair, Melbourne Exhibition Centre
2002 'Exhibition of Form' Delshan Gallery, Melbourne
2002 'The Art of Refuge' The Moores Building, Fremantle
2001 'Uglieland' Fremantle Arts Centre
2000 'Ho Ho Ho' AFWA members exhibition, Moores Building, Fremantle
1999 'Quotes; Appropriation as subtext' Perth College
1998 Preselected for the Moet & Chandon
1998 '#10' Old Customs House tenth anniversary exhibition
1998 'Being' Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth
1998 Albany Art Award, Vancouver Arts Cenre, Albany
1997 'Stiletto' Hellenic Gallery, Museum of W.A.
1997 '#9' Old Customs House Artists, Moores Building, Fremantle
1996 'One World' Vast Gallery, Perth
1996 '#8' Old Customs House Artists, Moores Building, Fremantle
1996 'Queer In the West' Perth Institute of Contemporary Art
1996 Mandorla Art Award, Moores Building, Fremantle
1995 'Paradise in a scrapyard' Fremantle Arts Centre
1995 Albany Art Award, Vancouver Arts Centre, Albany
1995 '#7' Old Customs House Artists, Moores Building, Fremantle
1994 'Cat lovers' Pakenhams, Fremantle
1994 Albany Art Award, Vancouver Arts Centre, Albany
1994 'Masquerade' Park Gallery, Perth
1994 '#6' Old Customs House Artists, Moores Building, Fremantle
1992 'Sea containers international' Amsterdam
1991 Zeppelin Gallery, Amsterdam
1989 'Picture This' Art Gallery of Western Australia
1989 Paint for Peace, Artemis collective, Fremantle
1988 'No second thoughts' Artemis collective, Fremantle
1987 'Praxis triptych show' Praxis Gallery, Fremantle
1986 'Paint for Peace' Film and TV Institute, Fremantle
1986 'Inner City Living' Brixton Gallery, London

MAJOR COLLECTIONS
Art Gallery of Western Australia; Australian Capital Equity Collection; City of Wanneroo;
Royal Perth Hospital; Bankwest; St John of God Hospital