Wishful Thinking

If you want to live a happy life, get a dog.
Research has shown that pet ownership – and dog ownership in particular – leads to increased happiness, health and well-being. Inspired by this finding, which only proves what dog-lovers have known for years, Gillie and Marc began work on the wishful thinking series.

Gillie and Marc are fascinated by the things that give us pleasure, the things that make us happy, the things that make life worth living.

Their subjects are dogs and cats, friendly smiling faces, the bright colours and comforting shapes of furniture and consumer goods. Their art celebrates the things that make us feel happy, loved and comfortable.

But the title of the show also hints at darker meanings: do these handsome dogs, beautiful people and colourful objects belong to a world we can only dream of possessing?

Do they represent all the things we wish for – perfect happiness, unconditional love, a stress-free lifestyle, a house that doesn’t need renovating – but can never have?

Gillie and Marc Schattner’s work uses a colourful and exuberant meshing of figurative expressionism and Pop Art to explore ideas of contentment and happiness.

The bold, simple shapes and rich colours and textures they use in their paintings and sculptures are a source of simple, positive pleasure, while also suggesting metaphors for our search for happiness.

Husband and wife Marc and Gillie Schattner are international award winning artists and Archibald Prize Finalists. They have painted together for the last 15 years, working collaboratively on the same art piece and combining their talent to arrive at a single vision. Every aspect of the art piece has both artists’ minds and hands on it, reflecting their individual passions and influences in life. Gillie and Marc Schattner’s art draws on their work in the fields of graphic design and advertising, as well as Gillie’s experiences working as a registered nurse.
They have worked with the Smile Foundation, The Black Dog Institute and Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are also successful portrait artists, and were recent finalists in the Archibald Prize. Specialising in children, pets and celebrities, their portraits are in international demand. Their subjects include Rhonda Birchmore, Scarlett Johannson, John Konrad, Archbishop Pell, Dr Harry Cooper, Jimmy Little, and the late Peter Brock. Marc and Gillie have had over 30 solo exhibitions, and are hung in prominent corporate and gallery collections.