Charmaine Lyons is a Portrait and Fine Art Photographer who has been documenting moments in time for over 30 years. Through the use of her camera, Charmaine captures and uses her portraits and minimalistic, abstract images as a way to portray a story and to share the humble beauty of the world and the people that surround us.
Discover the artistic, earthy, raw images of contemporary Portrait and Fine Art Photographer Charmaine Lyons.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Born in Queensland Australia, photographer Charmaine Lyons has been immersed in all forms of art throughout her life. Mainly a self taught photographer, Charmaine has been capturing moments in time of family and friends, events and occasions from a very early age. Later moving to Ipswich Charmaine would complete a short photography course through the Bundamba Tafe which led to a much deeper interest in the art form of photography. Leaving photography and her home town of Gatton behind, (for now) Charmaine located to the Gympie region where she was fortunate to have completed an apprenticeship in pottery/ceramics with a local potter. Charmaine went on to win first prize for ceramic pieces in the local Gympie show and also displayed and sold her ceramic works throughout local markets and also at the Famous Eumundi Markets.
Moving from Gympie to Theodore, Queensland in 2004 Charmaine tried her hand with acrylics. She completed workshops and short courses through the Flying Arts while in the remote area. During her time there she exhibited her acrylic works at the Brigalow Arts Festival and received the Acquisition prize for her piece titled 'Roundstone'. Charmaine's paintings and ceramic work were also displayed in the local Art shop in Theodore. While in the area, Charmaine was also an active member of the Theodore Pottery Group, learning while enjoying the company of the wise old potters of the region.
Coming full circle with her artist pursuits, it was in the Theodore region that Charmaine began to hone in on the gift that first sparked her creative mind. She returned to the camera to uncover the talent that lay dormant for all those years. Capturing magnificent landscapes from the north west and minimalistic abstracts of dew covered grass, to macro images of natures delicate objects. She brings her viewers to places of beauty that most would not see. Although she enjoys all forms of art it is the instant gratification through the art form of photography that captures her imagination.
Moving back to the Gympie region in 2008 has seen Charmaine focus her energy directly towards her photography. She has found her real passion through the use of the lens. The visual documentation of people and places compels her to keep pushing the shutter button capturing the beauty which surrounds her.
Charmaine's love of photography and her distinct portrait work has led her to become involved with a local Gympie girl and the cancer project www.scarstories.org. Through this work Charmaine captures portraits of young cancer survivors helping them to see their scars in a different light. Through this project Charmaine has had the opportunities to exhibit her photographic portrait work throughout Australia in galleries in Melbourne and Brisbane. In 2013 Charmaine's scarstories work was also exhibited at the www.lifeartworldwide.com art exhibition on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.
CV
Current Employment
2008 St Patricks Primary School Gympie, School Officer
Academic Courses
2014 Colin Beard Photographic workshop, Gympie Regional Gallery
2004 Acrylic workshops with acrylic artist, Sarah Larson, Biloela
1992 Apprenticeship with local ceramic artist, Byrne Moore, Gympie
1989 Completed a short course in Photography at Bundamba TAFE
Teaching Experience
2008/09 Childrens acrylic workshops, St Patricks Primary School Gympie
2004/07 Pottery classes for Theodore Special Education Unit, Theodore State School
2004/07 Pottery classes for local potters group Theodore
Exhibits and Awards
2014 Fine Art Portrait Photography Guild, Dreamers, Misfits and Rebels Conceptual Fine Art
Portrait Exhibition, Orlando, Florida
2014 Scar Stories book launch Brisbane
2014 Scar Stories photographic exhibition, Phee Broadway Theatre, Castlemaine, Victoria
2013 International Loupe Awards - People and Portrait 3 Bronze awards
2013 Scar Stories Exhibit - LifeArt Worldwide, Sunshine Coast TAFE
2012 Scar Stories photographic exhibition, Dark Horse Experiment, Melbourne
2005 Brigalow Arts Festival, Biloela, Powers Chartered Accountants acquisition prize
1995/98 Displaying and selling ceramic pieces at Eumundi and local markets
1993 First prize in the Gympie show for ceramic work