Cheryl McGannon MCA.,BA.,B.Ed.
Cheryl McGannon is a full time mixed media painter/printmaker, working predominately in cold wax, and encaustic wax mediums.
After a long career in tertiary education Cheryl moved to the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, and currently works full-time from her studio. Cheryl facilitates many workshops nationwide, focusing on helping people to find a personal approach to art-making. Beginning her art practice as a printmaker in the late eighties, Cheryl gradually transitioned into using cold wax and encaustic wax as her mediums of choice.
She is the author of Ex Libris Bookplates from North Queensland which is currently held in the James Hardy Collection of the Queensland State Library. She has been published by Lyre Bird Press, in the artist book, The Palmetum and recently, published in Cold Wax Medium, Techniques, Concepts & Conversations, by Rebecca Crowell & Jerry McLaughlin, Squeegee Press.
Cheryl is the recipient of numerous awards for her art and exhibits in curated exhibitions whenever possible. Her work is held in Regional Galleries throughout Queensland. She has exhibited nationally and internationally with her printmaking, acrylic painting, and cold wax and oil paintings.
Artist’s Statement Cheryl McGannon - March 2020
My process involves a balance between intuitive mark making, and careful deliberation. I try to stay present to this dialog with each work, and discover possibilities, rather than force the painting to a preconceived conclusion. Each one is a surprise. The rich, intriguing surface effects in my paintings work on the boundaries of primitivism yet are highly sophisticated, they please because they defy definition, and they are paintings on the edge, a satisfying and intriguing blend of technical skill and creative vision.
The final pieces are surprisingly smooth. All of the surface manipulation ends up creating a worn down, flat surface that reveals a lot of visual depth (which isn’t always apparent in many of their photographs). As I work the surface, I’m continually exploring themes about the ebb and flow of my life.