David Giles’ atmospheric paintings are an exploration of the mystical and spiritual journey that moves through him whilst in the creative process of making art.
“I approach painting with a sense of letting go and allowing my mind to go deeper, feeling my way through to that point when the painting becomes separate from me and can speak for itself”.
The resulting paintings radiate a sense of light, hope, serenity and spirituality.
David Giles is a multi-award winning artist with 20 art awards and more than 50 solo exhibitions to his name. He has exhibited in New York, Paris, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and throughout WA. He has featured in numerous art and interior design magazines and books including Australian Art Collector, Custom Build and International Contemporary Masters. David Giles has published four books of his poetry and numerous books about his art. He has worked as an arts worker in the fields of mental health, disability and justice and tutored for many years in psychology, sociology and philosophy at Murdoch University.
David Giles has been facilitating art workshops for more than twenty years through his Freedom School of Painting. More than five hundred people have participated over the years with many going on to become multi-award winning artists. David Giles has also been curator of numerous exhibitions including many Art Awards and worked as an arts consultant for the City of Fremantle and the City of Albany. He has served as an Art WA grants panellist for the WA Government and as Director and Board Member of Victoria Park Centre for the Arts.
Artist Statement
“My paintings are an exploration and expression of the mystical and spiritual.
This is an age old preoccupation of artists and one that has not lost its potency in the contempoary age. I hope that when people look upon my work they are drawn into a space of profound and moving contemplation, a space that leads them into a sense of a deeper reality beneath the everyday appearance of things. A reality which provides solace, refuge and a place of tranquil meditation away from the banal and ordinary.
For me the process of painting is itself a mystical process. I approach painting with a sense of letting go and allowing, watching the process unfold as though I am merely a channel for creative forces. The journey to resolution is for me like an inner, spiritual journey as my mind goes deeper into letting go, feeling my way intuitively through to that point when the painting becomes separate from me. Then I say the painting speaks for itself.
Through this process of letting go and allowing I am immersed in a spiritual reality of pure essence, innocence and infinite possibilities. Allowing creativity, the act of art making, to happen through me, I lose myself completely, letting go, in order to find my true, transpersonal, deep ecological self”.
Art Awards, Grants, Residencies
- 2009 ArtsWA Arts Development Grant $27,000
- 2008 Artist in Residence, Cannery Arts Centre, Esperance WA
- 2008 Country Arts WA Grant, Cannery Residency, $2,000
- 2007 Artist in Residence, Freight Gallery, Fremantle
- 2005 1st Prize Acrylic Painting, Melville Art Awards
- 2005 High Commendation Award, Cossack Art Awards
- 2004 John Collis Prize for Abstract Painting, Cossack Art Awards
- 2004 Artist in Residence, Packenham St Studios, Fremantle
- 2003 Artist in Residence, Naragebup Environment Centre
- 2003 ArtsWA Residency Grant, Naragebup Residency, $2,500
- 2003 West Australian Local Government Association Innovation Award,
- 2003 High Commendation Cossack Art Awards
- 2001 John Collis Prize for Abstract Painting, Cossack Art Awards
- 2001 High Commendation Award, Leonora Art Awards
- 2000 Regional Award, WA Fringe Festival
- 2000 1st Prize 2D Award, Leonora Art Awards
- 2000 1st Prize Mixed Media, Gascoyne Art Awards
- 2000 Overall Runner Up, Gascoyne Art Awards
- 2000 High Commendation, Gascoyne Art Awards
- 2000 2nd Prize Oils/ Acrylic, Newdegate,
- 2000 High Commendation Award, City of Gosnells
- 1998 High Commendation Award, Cossack Art Awards
- 1998 1st Prize, Pilbara Photographic Awards
Solo Exhibitions
- 2009 Windows Heathcote Art Studios, Applecross
- 2009 Harbour Heathcote Art Studios, Applecross
- 2009 Mystic Waters Heathcote Art Studios, Applecross
- 2009 Tranquil Waters Mia Cafe, Perth
- 2009 Perspectives Exomod, Barrack St, Perth
- 2008 Drinking the Sweetness Elements Gallery, Subiaco
- 2008 Hestia Heathcote Art Studios, Applecross
- 2008 The Angel Paintings Heathcote Art Studios, Applecross
- 2007 Deep Waters Freight Gallery, East Fremantle
- 2006 Moments The WA Club, Perth
- 2006 Self Revelation Sheraton Hotel, Perth
- 2006 Primordial Gallery 307, Mosman, Sydney
- 2006 Beneath the Surface Gallery 101, The WA Club, Perth
- 2006 Self Expression Royal George Gallery, East Fremantle
- 2006 Colour Meditations Monart Gallery, Dalkeith
- 2005 Spiritual Reflections Monet Gallery, South Guildford
- 2005 Suspend Old Bakery on 8th, Maylands
- 2004 Histories and Mysteries Code Red, Claremont
- 2003 The Fifth Dimension Kings Art Café, Perth
- 2003 Art and Community Art Dorothy Liley Gallery, Rockingham
- 2002 Journeys Hawthorn Gallery, Mt Hawthorn
- 2002 Full Circle Moores Building, Fremantle
- 2001 Cosmos Ecologie Gadfly Gallery, Dalkeith
- 2001 Middleton Beach The Esplanade Hotel, Albany
- 2000 Albany Sea Changes Albany Town Hall, Albany
- 2000 The Artists Dreaming Chameleon Gallery, Albany
- 1999 Landscape and Identity Venice Restaurant, Albany
- 1999 Shades of Green Albany Town Hall, Albany
- 1994 Shamanic Journeys HEartspace, Fremantle
Selected Group Exhibitions
- 2009 Destinazione Oz Land Momentous Arts, Singapore
- 2009 Catching the Sun Intercontinetal Hotel, Burswood
- 2008 Colours of Life Moores Buiilding, Fremantle
- 2007 David Giles and Jim Duddles Elements Gallery, Subiaco
- 2006 McKay Milunovic and Giles Elements Gallery, Subiaco
- 2006 Ebb and Flow Gallery 360, Applecross
- 2006 Navigating Wellbeing Perth Convention Centre
- 2005 New Offerings Hues Gallery, Sydney
- 2005 Art Sydney05 Royal Hall of Industries,Sydney
- 2005 Melbourne Art Show Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
- 2004 Elemental Abstraction Agora Gallery, New York
- 2004 Vast Span Gallery, Melbourne
- 2003 Artsay Artspeak Gallery 274, Perth
- 2002 Recycled Sculpture Exhibition Dorothy Liley Gallery, Rockingham
- 2001 Self Vancouver Arts Centre, Albany
- 2001 Windows on Albany Albany CBD
- 2000 The Feast Vancouver Arts Centre, Albany
- 2000 Albany Art Works Albany Town Hall, Albany
- 1999 To be an Artist Vancouver Arts Centre, Albany
- 1996 Beyond the Edge Albany Town Hall, Albany
- 1995 The Edge Albany Town Hall, Albany
