Written by Gabriela Bartolo
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Miranda Free’s approach to artmaking reflects her keen observational eye and inspiration from the varying environments in which she finds herself. With a background in science, she came to art with a wealth of worldly knowledge as well as studying and honing her skills at a Brisbane atelier-style school. From 2013 she has practiced full time, taking her work all over the country and internationally. From Kuala Lumpur to the remote town of Nannup, WA, where she is now based, Miranda is truly an artist in the world. She has received consistent recognition for her works, and was inspired to start the Blackwood River Arts Trail, operating across four Western Australian shires in the southwest, engaging local artists and providing an open studio format for exhibitions.
Miranda Free
Her artistic process is methodical and considered, while also exploratory. Firstly, her plein air landscape work is deeply inspired by her surrounding environment. She enjoys working from life initially, to then adapt these preliminary works into larger studio pieces.
Splashing About | 68 x 73cm, Oil on timber
“I have explored ideas of temporality or how a landscape changes over time, as of course, the landscape is not static, however most landscape paintings are static. While undertaking an artist residency at Tweed Regional Art Gallery, I explored these ideas using the view of the Tweed Valley across to Wollumbin, which is also known as Mount Warning. I painted that landscape over 20 days in sections and then put it all together in five big panels. You can see the changing shadows, skies and colours of the landscape as the weather and times of day change, giving an idea of the way the landscape changes over time.”
This idea of ephemerality also emerges in her figurative and still life works. While they have a more obvious personal significance than her landscapes, these senses of home, belonging, memory, and sentimentality infuse all Miranda’s work.
Athena & Theia’s Gifts | 44 x 54cm, Oil on linen
“I have memories of my mother, and collections of her objects, and these often feature in my artworks as well as local flora. I also have several works where I use dried flowers and these reflect the ideas associated with memento mori traditions, and demonstrate that beauty can last beyond life.”
Beyond this conceptual focus, Miranda has developed a distinct aesthetic style. Ranging from defined to painterly, from impressionistic to realist, her works reflect a great attention to detail. This is perceptible in her representation of highly patterned fabrics and organic texture.
Flavours of Provence | 61 x 46cm, Oil on canvas
Additionally, in her colour work, she uses broadly muted palettes which at times seem to highlight a surprising pop of colour.
“With my portrait work I like to at least start with some drawings from life and then use photographic references. On the other hand, my still life work is usually completed entirely from life. The challenge of working from life is different from working from a photo; going 3D to 2D rather than 2D to 2D. When I take a photo reference of something, I can never get it to look like what I’m seeing because of course, we’ve got two eyes and the camera has one. So for me, that is the challenge, to realistically depict three dimensionality on a two dimensional surface – I enjoy the challenge.”
Amphitrite’s Playground | 68 x 73cm, Oil on timber
Miranda is also actively expanding her practice by embarking on new media journeys beyond oil painting, such as stained glass and eco printing. This has manifested in landscape inspired lamps, and installation works which evoke a sense of place by incorporating local flora.
Additionally, she explores traditional media and techniques such as egg tempera on panels, prepared with traditional gesso. Consistently, across her various mediums and subjects, Miranda engages with the ephemeral qualities of both the natural and constructed world. These qualities are apparent whether it be in the impressionistic capturing of a landscape en plein air, or in the glimmers of light through her stained glass.
“I’m a contemporary realist. I say I’m a representational artist because you can tell what it is that I’m painting. I’m definitely not an abstractionist, though everything has an abstract element.”
Gimme a Gimlet | 34 x 39cm, Oil on linen
Though working from an observational position, Miranda chooses to push the boundaries of her mediums and subject matter.
“I find myself trying to exactly match colours for example, and then I say to myself, ‘but nobody will know, why do you bother?’ It’s just that personal challenge.”
Jumping In | 68 x 73cm, Oil on timber panel
Beyond medium and concept, however, Miranda’s work evokes an overall sense of familiarity. She has explored many projects which delve into domestic lifestyles, quotidian habits, and people engaging with nature.
“I want art to be beautiful, and I want to bring beauty into people’s lives. I’m not into what I call ‘shlock art’, I think we’ve got enough in the world to shock us, so I would prefer to have things that bring pleasure in the art I produce. I know people will walk into my open studio and they’re just overwhelmed by the colour and variety. I fortunately have a really beautiful studio that features stained glass, lovely repurposed jarrah mouldings etc and overlooking a recycled brick garden courtyard.”
Ultimately, Miranda’s art is inseparable from the environment in which it is created and observed. It is an atmospheric process and experience.
Miranda’s work is featured in the Art Lovers Australia gallery as part of the Emerging Voices exhibition, until 3 October.
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