Yvonne Mills-Stanley | FireWorks Gallery

Artist Tabs

Selected works

FW17214 Books I Haven't Written Yet IV	FW17215 Books I Haven't Written Yet V	FW17216 Books I Haven't Written Yet I
FW17218 Books I Haven't Written Yet III	FW20354 Still walking round midnight...	FW20355 Still walking round midnight... II
FW20356 Still walking round midnight... III	FW20357 Still walking round midnight... IV	FW20439 The road markers warned us...
FW21373 Early summer	FW21732 And the frog came back	FW22417 A stroll around Wivenhoe Dam I
FW22418 A stroll around Wivenhoe Dam II	FW22419 A stroll around Wivenhoe Dam III	FW22420 Bob's Paddock - Mt. Glorious I

Pages

Bio & CV

Born: Brisbane QLD

Yvonne is a Queensland artist who lives and paints at Mt. Glorious, near Brisbane. She began exhibiting in 1981 and since then has maintained a consistently strong painting practice and exhibition schedule. Her most distinctive paintings are the grass series oil works, begun in 2004. This series is concerned with the colour, structure and movement of grass, and the relationship between areas of where grass has once been and where grass is now travelling to. Her works are currently held in private and public collections both nationally and internationally, including in Parliament House, Canberra, and University of the Sunshine Coast.

View Yvonne Mills-Stanley's 2021 Days Like This exhibition list and video here

Story/Statement

DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE SNAKES (view exhibition here)

For many years now all of my paintings have had one subject matter and so began the Grass series and it continues on. With this exhibition of works I am taking a walk through the green grass of Mt. Glorious, down the other side of the mountain and through the Somerset and Wivenhoe areas and beyond.

A number of these paintings relate in an ethereal way to dreams and some to memory and some are just simply there as a reminder of what we are always surrounded by and that is - – Grass.

Don’t worry about the snakes I Is from memory of place. The memory of being in The Centre with the magic of a clear sky

Don’t worry about the snakes II, III and IV Down on the Wivenhoe/Somerset Road heading through lush green grass then out to open pastures

Bob’s Paddock – Mt. Glorious I and II A close neighbour’s paddock at Mt. Glorious. A paddock of grasses that stand over 2 metres. Wonderful to walk through

A Stroll around Wivenhoe Dam I, II and III The softly undulating land where there is always an interesting sky

Near the bridge over the Stanley River I and II Close encounter with late Winter Grass

Late Summer Afternoon (diptych) On the Wivenhoe Road to Somerset

Dreaming of This Grass Dreaming of grass that floats in ethereal memory

I remember this Grass Thoughts and memories of grass on a special day

Spring Grass I, II (diptych), III, IV and V Greenness and Freshness that reminds one of Spring

Near Somerset I and II Close encounter with late Winter Grass (The artist)

Enjoy the walk and don’t worry about the snakes.

The artist, 2024

DAYS LIKE THIS 2021 (view exhibition here)
In 1995 Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison wrote the classic “Days Like this” about better days. Days Like This then became the official anthem of the peace movement in Northern Ireland.

There are days when we can appreciate and enjoy the good times. Days when all the parts of the puzzle start to look like they fit.

A drive down the mountain and along the Wivenhoe Road becomes one of those rare wonderful days when everything seems to go your way.

Many of the paintings is this exhibition come from taking trips down from my mountain home and along the road that stretches from Wivenhoe to Somerset. The road down the back of the mountain only opened in 1991 giving easy access to the Wivenhoe Dam and the beautiful pastures leading through to Somerset. Throughout the year this landscape says ‘Hey, look at me” and so I say “ok”.

FROM THE HILL 2019 (view exhibition here)
Most of my week is spent in close proximity to rural grasses which, in most cases is allowed to roam free. In areas where the sky appears close to the earth. I find the sky and grass together become a focus of many of the works. These intimate landscapes become all enveloping of the canvas.

From the viewer’s perspective these images are a reminder of memories that are evoked of similar places and hills and grasses walked through, perhaps years ago.

MOONDANCE 2019 & STILL MOONDANCING WITH VAN MORRISON 2021
On a moonlight night with the long grass swaying in the breeze one is reminded of Van Morrison’s great song from the ‘70s. I began the Moondance Series many moons ago using Morrison’s blues/rock music as a lead into memories of magic mountain nights.

ROUND MIDNIGHT 2019 & STILL WALKING ROUND MIDNIGHT WITH MILES DAVIS 2021
One night, Miles Davis’s Round Midnight became stuck in my brain when I was walking home along the Brisbane River- around midnight. The series has continued on with the lights of Bowen Hills in the distance.

FROM THE HILL I – II 2019
From the hill and through the trees the city dreams of the grass that it had forgotten.
There are many vantage points on the mountain from where the distant city of Brisbane can be viewed.

FROG HOLLOW 2019 & 2021
‘A wonderful place to live ’ – said the frog, from beneath the reeds – ‘so cool, and so green’.

WANDERING II 2019
Drifting through the long grass on the slope there is no need for a definite purpose. In the late afternoon the breeze is there to be enjoyed.

TREKKER’S VIEW I & II 2019
The landscape in the distance takes the eye out to the horizon and the land shimmers with the intent of drawing you on to that further place.

THE HILL 2019
If you climb through the Summer grass to the top of the hill the grass will envelop you and you will become invisible to the World.

THE EMBANKMENT 2019
Travelling on the low side of the hill the grass hold on to the embankment as it leads down to the flat plain.

RIDGE LINE 2019
The ridge travels many kilometres leading you to another place that goes on forever.

GRASSWAVE 2019
The grass rolls in on itself as it flows down the hill – with thoughts of that far away ocean.

COOL DELL 2019
In this secluded forest area a tiny valley of grass hides many a small creature hidden away in the coolness.

EDGE OF THE POND I 2019
‘This pond is like me - just lazy hazy’. Said the frog – ‘and that’s why I live here.’

GRASS SERIES 2004-
Yvonne's most distinctive paintings are her Grass series begun in 2004. These are superbly crafted oil paintings, loaded with a strong metaphor for the spirit and movement of grass. The austerity and boldness of this subject matter is balanced by a delicate depth and finish-enhanced surface, seemingly imbued with the very fragrance of the Australian landscape. The ensuing result is works that vibrate and shimmer with their rhythmic and deliberate strokes of paint.

I am concerned with the colour, structure and movement of grass, and the relationship between areas of where grass has once been and where grass is now travelling to...these grass paintings are not the literal portrayal of grass but the spirit of grass - the rhythm and movement - as it is touched by wind and sun causing a shimmer on the surface of the earth...I endeavour to convey this vibration on to the surface of the canvas...
Excerpt from Survey exhibition – The art of Yvonne Mills-Stanley Redcliffe City Art Gallery catalogue essay, Michael Eather 2010 and the Artist 2009

YVONNE MILLS-STANLEY

Born: Brisbane QLD

EDUCATION

2010 - Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts) OUA Curtin University of Technology

2004 Painting Studies with Mandy Martin

1998 Painting Studies with John Davidson

1995-96 Painting Studies with Michael Winters

1995 Drawing Studies with Chris Gentle

1994 Painting Studies with Stewart Mcfarlane

1992 Painting Studies with Margaret Woodward

1991 Sculpture Studies with Frank Lambert

1989-90 Etching Studies with Wim De Vos

1988-93/96 University of Southern Queensland Painting studies with Rod Milgate

1958 Formal Studies Queensland Institute of Technology George Street Brisbane

1958 Life classes with Contemporary Art Society Brisbane Institute of Art and private tutors including Leonard Brown and David Paulson

EXHIBITIONS—SOLO (SELECTED)

2024 Don't worry about the snakes. FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2021 Days like this FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2019 From the hill FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2015 Flight FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2014 Grass Rebecca Hossack Gallery London

2013 Taking the Temperature FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2011 Poems of Latitude FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2010 Survey Exhibition: The Artwork of Yvonne Mills-Stanley Redcliffe Council Gallery

2009 Fragile Fields FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2008 Grassfields Kimberley Art Melbourne in conjunction with FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2008 Grassland University of the Sunshine Coast Queensland

2007 country in mind: yvonne mills-stanley - stories from the long paddock FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2005 The Dark and the Light II FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

EXHIBITIONS—GROUP (SELECTED)

2024 Strange new ways FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2023 Morbid Curiosities FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2023 Recollections II Country in Mind FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2021 Small Mercies FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2020 Twelve Ways FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2020 Twelve Artists FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2020 Spring FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2020 Stockroom Strays FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2018 Small Mercies FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2018 Welcome TWO (Thompson Street) FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2018 Anniversary Group Show I: Country Lines FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2016 She Walks the Line Part 1 FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2016 USC Unpacked 20/20 University of Sunshine Coast

2014 INTERMISSION FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2014 QLD Gals FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2014 Arthamptons International Art Fair Rebecca Hossack Gallery London New York

2014 Asia Contemporary Art Show Conrad Hong Kong

2014 Cross Over Merricks House Art Gallery Victoria

2012 Melbourne Art Fair (FireWorks Gallery) Royal Exhibition Building Carlton Melbourne

2012 Tattersall’s Art Prize Brisbane

2011 Eclectica III: Red July FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2011 Hampton Art Fair New York Rebecca Hossack Gallery London New York

2011 The Genuine Article The Channon Gallery NSW

2011 Beginning again The Channon Gallery NSW

2011 Crossing Over Redcliffe Council Gallery

2010 Still life…still thinking FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2010 Melbourne Art Fair (FireWorks Gallery) Royal Exhibition Building Carlton Melbourne

2009/07/06/04/03 Tattersall’s Club Art Prize Brisbane

2008 Blue: a group exhibition FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2008 Anzac Artists 2008 FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2008 Art Award Winners Retrospective 1993 – 2007 Pine Rivers Council gallery

2007 Yvonne Mills Stanley Stories from the Long Paddock FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2007 Forces of Nature Matthew Flinders Gallery

2006 Homage to the Square FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2006 Tattersall’s Art Prize Brisbane

2006 Melbourne Art Fair (featured artist with) FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2006 Three Large Rooms FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2005 Selected Finalist Conrad Jupiters Art Prize 2005 Gold Coast City Gallery

2005 The Dark and the Light IV FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2004 Tattersall’s Art Prize Brisbane

2003 Tattersall’s Art Prize Brisbane

2003 15 Artists Redcliffe City Council

1999 Time & Tide Contemporary Art and Design Gallery

1998 Not The Raw Prawn Contemporary Art And Design Gallery Brisbane

1998 15 Artists Redcliffe City Council

1998 Fishes Feathers and Bowls Hangups Gallery

1996 This Time Our Place Warwick Regional Gallery

1996 A Mark University of Southern Queensland

1995 Combust QCA Gallery Griffith University

1995 Our Colourful Landscape Pine Rives Shire Council

1995 Eye & Image Contemporary Art and Design Gallery

1994 Completely Off the Wall QLD Arts Council

1994 Visions Visions Art Gallery

1994 Colour in Chambers Pine Rivers Shire Council

1994 Favourite Things Vision Arts Gallery

1993 Pine Rivers Council

1993 An Eclectic Exhibition Vision Arts Gallery Milton

1993 Winds of Change Yvonne Mills Fine Art Gallery Mt Glorious

1993 Group Shows with Contemporary Art Society

1993 CAS Group Shows The Schonell Theatre University Of Queensland

1993 and SGIO (Now Suncorp) Brisbane

1993 Travelling Exhibition Mt Nebo and Dayboro

1992 Contemporary Art Society QLD Branch Touring Exhibition

1992 State of the Portrait Arts Council Gallery Brisbane August

1990-95 Downlands Art Exhibition Toowoomba

1990-94 Logan Art Awards

1990/93 Pine Rivers Council Chambers

1990 Latrobe Etchers Group Exhibition Mcwhirters Artspace Brisbane

1989/90/91 Beyond The Ordinary Exhibition Mt Nebo

1989 Remm Art Awards Brisbane

1988/89/90/91 Aberdare Art Prize Exhibition Ipswich City Council Gallery

1988 MBA Main Exhibition Holdsworth Gallery Sydney

1988 National Women’s Art Awards Centre Gallery

1981/87/9 Suncorp Art Awards

AWARDS & GRANTS

2004 Warwick Art Prize - 1st Prize - Acquired

2004 Stockwell Award Noosa Regional Gallery

2003 Redcliffe City Council Art Prize "15 Artists" 1st Prize Acquired

1998 Pine Rivers Art Awards Pine Rivers Art Prize 1st Prize Acquired

1998 Redcliffe City Council Art Prize "15 Artists" 1st Prize Acquired

1997 Pine Rivers Art Awards 1st Prize – Painting – Landscape

1996 Pine Rivers Art Awards 1st Prize – Works on Paper

1995 Redcliffe Art Awards High Commendation

1994 Pine Rivers Art Awards 1st Prize Painting + High Commendation Works On Paper

1994 Redcliffe Art Awards 1st Prize Painting – Landscape

1994 Redcliffe Art Awards 1st Prize Painting – Non Traditional

1994 Redlands Yuara Art Awards 1st Prize – Works on Paper

1994 Eskhibition Art Awards Esk – 1st Prize – Non-Traditional

1993 Pine Rivers Art Prize 1st Prize + High Commendation

1993 Caloundra Art Prize High Commendation

1993 Rockhampton Art Prize Pastel – 1st Prize + High Commendation

1993 Eskhibition Art Awards Esk – 1st Prize – Non-Traditional

1992 Crama Award For Abstract Art Redcliffe - 1st Prize

1991 Redcliffe Art Prize Very High Commendation

1989 Doug Moran National Portrait Commended

1988 Aberdare Purchase Prize Acquired

1988 Caltex Castlemaine Perkins

1987 Suncorp High Commendation

INSTALLATIONS

1989 Beyond The Ordinary Exhibition Mt Nebo

1989 Remm Art Awards

1990 Room with a View Rivers Council Chambers

PUBLISHED MATERIAL

2007 Country in Mind: Yvonne Mills-Stanley – stories from the long paddock & Dorothy Napangardi – stories from Mina Mina

2007 FireWorks Gallery Brisbane (Catalogue)

2007 Encounter: Taking the Temperature ABC National Radio February

2007 Yvonne Mills-Stanley Making It: Episodes on the Road to Success Flying Arts Gazette No 90

2007 Yvonne Mills-Stanley stories from the long paddock FireWorks gallery Brisbane (Catalogue)

2006 Three Large Rooms FireWorks gallery Brisbane (Catalogue)

2005 Phil Brown Isle of Inspiration Brisbane News March 2-8

2005 Dark and the Light II FireWorks gallery Brisbane (Catalogue)

2005 Dark and the Light IV FireWorks gallery Brisbane (Catalogue)

1998 Jeff Shaw Sermons from The Mount The Courier Mail November 11(Article)

1998 Who’s Who of Australian Visual Artists Second Edition Thorpe in Association with National Association for the Visual Arts

1989 John Millington Gold Coast Bulletin October 14

1989 Helen Fridemanis Artists and Aspects of the Contemporary Art Society – Queensland Branch

1988 Helen Fridemanis The Contemporary Art Society Queensland Branch 1961-1973 (Unpublished Manuscript) University Of Queensland

1986 Phyllis Woolcock Landscape – From Two Different Views The Courier Mail September (Article)

1984 Dr Gertrude Langer Accuracy Second Nature The Courier Mail July (Article)

1984 Marion Smith Brisbane River – Work Of Art The Sunday Mail Colour Magazine July (Article)

1984 The Sunday Mail Colour Magazine July 29 (Cover Page)

1984 Monica Williamson River Immortalised The Herald July (Article)

1984 Max Germaine Artists & Galleries of Australia 1984

1982 Tess Livingstone Cribbie on Canvas The Courier Mail July (Article)

1982 Rush for Cribbie Art Nundah Observer August 15 (Article)

1982 Cribbie Suburban Express August

1982 National Times August (Review)

1982 Sunday Mail Colour Magazine August 15

1982 Phyllis Woolcock Island Memories New Idea August 28 (Article)

COLLECTIONS

Parliament House Canberra

State Parliament House - Brisbane

Tattersall's Club - Brisbane

Pine Rivers Shire Council

Redcliffe City Council

Caboolture Shire Council

Ipswich City Council

Warwick Shire Council

CSR Ltd Queensland

Remm

Energex

Mallesons Stephen Jacques (Lawyers)

NSW Housing Industry Association

Allied Queensland Coalfields Collection

Suter Architects

BDO Kendalls

State & Federal Government Buildings In Australia

Business Houses and Private Collections – Australia & Overseas

Hotels and Restaurants Across Australia And NZ

Essay

About arriving in a very nice place… The paintings of Yvonne Mills-Stanley

I remember when I first saw Yvonne’s work from her now infamous Grass Series in 2004, I immediately thought of it’s resonance with Indigenous art. I guess I’m tuned into that being somewhat of a dealer in this material, but we must not take these thoughts lightly. It’s not very often that you get this resonance. From that point on, there began an intriguing conversation, indeed often a dialogue with her art and others. This found Yvonne’s paintings being paired and compared with other Australian artists, often amidst cautious questions about the artists’ background, ethnicity, locale etc. So what is it that makes Yvonne’s paintings unique in this context? I think it’s the combination of several important elements.

Her passion and discipline, her commitment, her craftsmanship, her belief in the basic mystery of the painting process - sometimes you get lucky! It’s also about responding to this country. Not any country, it is definitely Australian country that Yvonne paints.

I guess that’s also a strong and immediate resonance we have when looking at so much Indigenous art. More-often it will evoke a sense of place. It remains a mystery how this is achieved. Yvonne’s works accordingly, look very comfortable sitting nearby indigenous art. They don’t fight each other, they compliment and they inform one another. These are pretty rare commodities, far more easily to speak about than to physically achieve. Indeed for many these attributes remain political prizes or romantic notions. And there’s nothing wrong with romantic notions they are just so very hard to realize. Hence, meditating on Yvonne’s work therefore has a similar effect as one being transported into country, more so romantically, into a very nice, serene place.

In earlier paintings the landscape has been dominant over any figurative themes, particularly images of water, coast and jetty scenes, but always a sense of wonderment about a place. The grass was sometimes but one detail, that later became a dominant and focused theme within itself.

In 2005 I wrote Yvonne Mills-Stanley has for over 25 years been on the periphery of the Brisbane contemporary art scene, whilst cobbling together an impressive CV of local and regional Art Prizes. Is the wind about to change? …

Her paintings are loaded with strong, simple metaphor, exquisite in depth and finish, enhanced almost with the smell of the Australian landscape.

So here in 2010 in this impressive survey exhibition we can now look back at a selection of Yvonne’s paintings before, during and after this moment when the wind did indeed change, and the artist delved so deeply and passionately back into her own imagery - appropriating herself- culminating in so many variations of the Grass series: Encounters, Travels, Kikuyu, Dreams of Grass and other poetic meditations that remain her most prominent phase in a long and illustrious career.

Yvonne has spoken about her inner dialogues with paint and country, the movement of grass … the journey of life … However; it is really her paintings that speak for themselves. This remains the real business of painting. And so, many of Yvonne’s paintings simply but quietly announce themselves. They maintain a beautiful conversation not only between art and the artist, but with the viewer and the entrancing ‘country’ we all have in mind.

Courtesy of Michael Eather 2010

Past exhibitions

SOLO

Don't worry about the snakes. 2024

Days Like This 2021

From the Hill 2019

Flight 2015

User login

Artist Tabs

Pages