Warren gets New York Magazine kudos
News flash, well not quite ,as it was from last month, but great news none the less! New York Magazine Gallery and Studio published this article on Kerrie Warren’s Exhibition and works… Well Kerry you must be very pleased to get these great comments, especially in the lead up to more exhibitions like Regionalis. Well done!
New York magazine Gallery and Studio and Kerrie Warren's NY Exhibition in June 09
Bacon not Bakin’?
http://petersnydernet.blogspot.com/2009/05/sacred-monster.html
An interesting post on one of the worlds most influential Visual Artists. Was he not what we thought he was?
More kudos for us!
The guys over at Art Education Victoria have added this site as a link in their resource section, got to be happy with that! perhaps that means we are doing something right… 
Amanda gets a mention
http://www.art-interview.com/Issue_006/interview_VanGils_Amanda.html
http://life-draw.blogspot.com/2009/04/book-amanda-van-gils-views-from.html
I interviewed Amanda earlier and got the goss on what she’s up to, now others are starting to notice… “Aint the web a grand thing..”
News Flash
I interviewed Ghostpatrol earlier on and now he is the subject of a TV interview… here are the details!
ABC DOCUMENTARY
GHOSTPATROL & MISO
24TH FEBRUARY 10PM ABC
As you may already know, Miso and I spent a portion of last year with the ABC on
our tail. The end result will be shown this month on ABC TV Australia. The Documentary is called ‘Paper Cuts’ and runs for about 30mins. It will be replayed on ABC2 on Sunday the 1st of March at 7pm.
I believe the ABC will have it available for streaming/download on their website
after it airs. I’ll put the link on my website when it becomes available.The footage shows both Miso and Ghostpatrol working in their studio in preparation
for their Metro 5 gallery show “nesting and dying”.thanks and take care
david ghostpatrol
Guy Porter
Guy Porter lives in Sydney and has exhibited most recently at Breathing Colours Gallery in Balmain. His website is www.guyporter.org he has a newer work right here.
Teachers and Students; you can download a worksheet on Guy Porter’s interview here.
How long have you been making art?
Since early childhood – as long as I can remember!
Interests you have other than art you feel are important to mention?
Music.
What are the main medium/s you work in…
Acrylic on canvas.
Artist’s statement…
I would describe my paintings as post-modern in that they shamelessly synthesize various eclectic influences. These include abstract expressionism, comic art, and Asian art – particularly Tibetan and Japanese painting.
My paintings feature narratives, most of which arise from the subconscious. That is, I do not set out to try to consciously put forth a ‘message’ to the viewer. Instead I paint what comes to heart and very often the experience of the viewer grants me insight into the meanings of the paintings. I have always believed that the viewer’s interpretation of an artwork is valid and useful, even if it is not what the artist intended.
The contemporary art scene, both in Australia and abroad, is filled to the brim with conceptual ‘high’ art which has the tendency to alienate large portions of the population. In many ways, my work is a reaction against this trend. I hope that it can appeal to individuals of all ages and of all backgrounds.
Does your work have social, political, cultural and or personal messages?
I am interested in the relationship between humans and animals. While humans are also animals, we dominate the planet to the detriment of the environment and other creatures. My paintings allude to the futile efforts of humans to subjugate other creatures, sometimes with comical results.
What are you currently working on?
A painting called “Rock N Roll Dragon-Slaying”. It has 3 serpent-like Chinese dragons intertwining beneath a giant hibiscus tree. Around the edges are hundreds of little men playing drums, electric guitars.
What fascinates you?
The moon, stars, and that cosmic sense of being.
One word or statement to describe your current works?
Quirky.
Why are you an artist?
I can’t help it. It is like an itch. I just keep painting every day.
How did you get into art?
I have always loved art. In high school I first decided that I wanted to be an artist and began drawing and painting to the exclusion of all my other subjects.
What is it about Visual Art you find compelling?
It is limitless.
Your art education was…?
Chelsea School of Art, London 1995-1996
Lasalle-SIA College of the Arts, Singapore 1996-1999
RMIT 1999 BA Fine Arts (Painting) - Distinction
The craziest thing you did at art school was…
I made a parody of Damien Hirst’s preserved animals using soft toys and teddy bears.
Was your education helpful, or a hindrance?
It felt like a hindrance at the time but ultimately it was helpful and I miss the art school environment.
Have you always been interested in art?
Yes.
What is your earliest memory of art?
Splattering paint on paper.
Was art a “thing” that was encouraged in your family?
Yes.
Did the place where you grew up have an influence?
Yes, I grew up in Singapore and I have been influenced by the various South East Asian cultures, which form a melting pot in that country.
What or who inspires your art?
I was very inspired by my first art teacher in Singapore – Mr Teo Eng Seng. He is a renowned artist over there and is very eccentric. I learnt much from him about art theory, particularly about overcoming boundaries.
Was there a big turning point in your art journey that caused you to think that “it’s all worthwhile”, or “oh yeah I get it…”?
When people started buying my paintings in Australia.
What caused you to choose the medium you currently work in?
I paint in flat colours. Matt acrylic is the perfect choice for this reason. It also dries quickly so I can work over the same area the same day. It is also water-based and less toxic and less malodorous than using oils with turpentine.
Has your work changed much since your early efforts? (e.g. as a student).
Yes. I’ve somehow managed to crystallize all my previous influences into my own style.
Have your artistic influences altered over time (e.g. artists.)
These days I’m more influenced by CG, digital, and fantasy art. I get more inspiration for painting from watching Lord of the Rings than by attending galleries.
You know you are successful in Visual Arts when…
Both you and others enjoy your work.
What can you tell us about your planning and making process for making art, and has that altered over the years?
I tend to see paintings in my mind in their completed form weeks or months before I start painting. I often make preparatory drawings but try not to get carried away otherwise the painting itself loses spontaneity. Sometimes I just write down an idea for a painting. In the past I would spend more time sketching and preparing to ‘execute’ the work. Things have loosened up since then. In this regard you could consider my paintings as drawings, which I have coloured in.
Does the “creative process” happen easily for you?
Yes.
Creative streaks do they come in waves for you?
Yes.
How important is the clarity of concept to you, prior to starting an artwork?
For me, it is more important to have clarity about simple concepts than complex ones. Complex concepts are best left to the subconscious and often emerge later once the work is completed.
Do you have a personal description of “Art”?
The twentieth century taught us that any attempts to define ‘Art’ simply provide an opportunity for someone else to try to break that definition. It is like a dog chasing its tail.
Have you had any commissions? Any of note etc…
Yes, I’ve had several commissions over the last few months.
How important do you think craftsmanship is to artistic creation?
Very important, although the conceptual artists would disagree.
Do you have much contact with other artists?
A few. I have a friend in Pakistan who is a Stuckist artist (Asim Butt). I love his paintings and we correspond regularly. We’ve been talking about doing a collaboration.
Any upcoming or completely new projects you want to talk about?
My next solo show will be at Breathing Colours Gallery, Balmain, from 3rd-14th June 2009. I’m currently working on several major paintings for the show.
Working towards an exhibition, is it a daunting task?
Nope, I love it.
Some say the lifespan of many “artists” post educationally is about five years, any thoughts on that?
Rubbish. You can pick up your career at any stage.
If you could have any piece of artwork in your personal collection, what would it be and why?
Any hand-painted Tibetan tangka painting. A big influence on my work.
All artists seem to have struggles, tell us about any you have had.
My main struggle has been living as a nomad most of my life. I’ve lived in several different countries and have had to re-invent myself each time I move.
Do you keep an Art Journal or Visual Diary of some kind?
Not really but I have a sketchbook for ideas.
What happens to works that “don’t work out”?
I keep reworking them until they do.
One thing you wish you had listened to from an art teacher or lecturer?
I seem to have developed more as an artist by ignoring what my teachers and lecturers told me.
Do you have a personal philosophy that underpins your work?
Be true to yourself.
Do you aim to break the rules of basic composition, layout etc or do you ignore the “rules” and just create?
There seems to be something of a taboo about having cartoonish characters in paintings in a fine art context. Some galleries have brushed me aside saying I’m an ‘illustrator’ or a ‘fabric designer’. People expect paint to be thrown at the canvas and it seems that pop art is the only acceptable way to introduce comic / cartoon type characters into a contemporary gallery. My work challenges this notion. The way I paint is the most effective means to convey what I want to say, and it really shouldn’t matter if stylistically it resembles ‘Where’s Wally’ or Leunig.
What sort of research and or reference material do you do for current works and has that changed over time?
I paint from imagination.
Musical influences?
Ravi Shankar, Tool, John Maclaughlin, Alanis Morrisette, Daft Punk, anything and everything, you name it!
Do you hope the viewer will “get” what you are trying to communicate or do you feel compelled to spell it out to them?
Often viewers understand more about my paintings than I do. I don’t set out to try to communicate something.
How important is it to you that your work communicates something to the viewer?
My aim would be to produce some sort of reaction in the viewer. If a painting communicates something specific then that would be an added bonus.
What can you say about your work that might not be evident to the viewer?
How much hard work goes into painting the larger more detailed paintings!
Respond to the notion “Art is a device for exploring the human condition”…
See above about trying to define art.
What discourages you from doing art?
Nothing at the moment.
Is motivation to work an issue for you and how do you overcome it?
No.
Do you have a challenge knowing when a work is finished?
Not with my current methodology but it was an issue in the past, so I know how it feels.
What about the role of titles with your work, some hate them others revel in them, what about you?
The title is actually very important for my paintings. Sometimes I rely on the title to throw the viewer off guard.
Are their special aspects to the making of your work that you want to share?
For me, that point of creation where you put down the initial pencil sketch for your painting – that is sacred. The rest is just colouring in.
You know you have “made it as an artist” when…
I finally admitted to myself that I was an artist after years of self-doubt.
The business or marketing side of Art can be a challenge to some, what are your thoughts?
This is challenging for me and I am endeavouring to improve in this area. It is not easy pricing paintings.
What is the most unexpected response you’ve received from a viewer of your work?
When five different people wanted to buy a painting I had already sold.
Have you had much connection post sale with purchasers of your works?
Only if the painting was sold to a friend.
Metaphors, analogies, symbols, stories, how important are they to your work?
Each of my paintings has an underlying narrative. The narrative often evolves as I paint and the meaning often only becomes apparent once the painting is completed.
Is your art, “art for art sake…” or a matter of “art for commercial viability?”
Art for arts sake.
If you have been working as an artist for a while, how do you feel about earlier works that are in people’s collections / ownership?
I’m happy that they are being enjoyed somewhere by someone.
If someone says to you “Oh your work is decorative and lacks any meaning…” your response would be…?
To ignore them.
Tell us about your studio environment (too big, too small, enough storage or not, the light, the position, how you found it etc)?
Too small at the moment, but I’m expanding it.
Is your work process fast or slow?
Fast for compositionally simple paintings, slow for compositionally complex paintings.
What would you say are the top three things that make you successful as an artist?
1) Painting what and how I want to paint,
2) Hard work,
3) Making art a process of giving as much as it is a process of self-gratification.
Art as a therapeutic device; do you think it is useful for this purpose and is your work in this category somehow?
I do feel better about myself and the world after a long painting session, so yes, in that sense it is therapeutic for me. When my paintings make other people laugh, it becomes therapeutic for them too.
Some say a measure of an artwork is the ability for it to hold a persons attention or cause the viewer to come back after an initial glance and become captivated by the work, is that so for your works or an intention of yours?
I would agree with this. However, usually if people like something they will know it straight away. People buy paintings on impulse. Chasing someone who is ambivalent or is ‘thinking about buying’ is rarely a useful exercise.
Do you have a connectedness to other art forms?
I play guitar.
Some artists are more “at home” isolated in their creative process, while others revel in being part of a group to bounce “ideas off” how about you?
I prefer to work alone.
What is one thing you need to have in your studio before you work?
Lots of light.
Are you a purist with your art materials or willing to mix things about?
My early work suffered from mixing materials around too much. These days I stick to acrylic, although I use whatever I can find that is the right colour and sometimes use emulsion paint for backgrounds.
What or how do you respond to the term “starving Artist”?
It is a cultural stereotype, you don’t need to starve to make good art.
What moves you most in life, either to inspire or upset you that might be connect to your art?
I am moved most by the behaviour of animals, particularly my cat and dog.
Which is more important to you, the subject of your painting, or the way it is executed?
The subject.
Do you prefer a perfect smooth technique or a more energetic expressive technique and why?
I combine a smooth painting technique with energetic expressive overall compositions.
Are there times of the day when you prefer to do your work?
In the evenings, but I do make myself paint from early in the morning in order to stay productive.
From your early beginnings at art school to now, how have things altered for you?
I used to be more egotistical – the paintings were all about me. Now I paint for other people.
Is the making of art all it was “cracked up to be”?
Yes.
Are you the sort of artist that seeks out promotional opportunities or one that shuns the limelight?
I am coming out of my shell – I’m now looking for ways to bring my art to a wider audience.
Do you work from life, or from photographs or from imagination or some other method?
From imagination.
When you create your work is it somehow an emotional relief as you do it or at the end?
Current paintings are always on my mind – when they are finished it is a relief.
Do you aim to make “masterpieces” with the aim of being seen in the future as an artist that really made their mark in art history?
The German philosopher Schopenhauer said that the hunger for fame was the last desire for the wise man to give up.
What do you love/hate about being an artist?
I like how being an artist makes you enigmatic.
The problem with the art scene today is…
Conceptual art.
What advice would you give to an artist just starting out?
Work hard.
Compiled and Edited by Steve Gray Contemporary Artist. © 2009+
Photo Basics
Lets look at Photographic Art as an artistic communication device and the ways you might go about using a camera to explore creative concepts, here are a bunch of points to consider when “painting with light”.
Here’s the link to read more on this article…
Steve Gray
Steve Gray from Geelong Vic Australia is a contemporary Visual Artist and has been making art for about 35 years (with some serious break’s in between) his website and blog is at www.stevegray.com.au
Interests you have other than art you feel are important to mention?
Business, family, music (I play a bit of guitar) the environment. I am fascinated by a whole range of things, from the day to day to the bigger picture.
What are the main medium/s you work in…
Acrylics, photographs and drawing with some pen and ink thrown in for exploration.
Artist’s statement…
I spend a lot of mental time evaluating things, I should do this, I can do that it’s about this and about that, then I swing 180 degrees and think the opposite, so my works float somewhere in between. In essence I always come back to universal forces and exploring the various notions this can mean. I am interested in the duality of life, a happy scene can become tragic, a dry day can become wet, $100 in the hand can be stolen etc, and a myriad of options from there.
My later works have delved into and around some of the concepts of DNA and the ways it’s portrayed visually (by scientists), I loosely started out with the promise of “What if it’s not like that at all? What if it’s a double helix but not a strict or formal structure?”
Mind you all of this is fine to say, but a day or so on from writing this I can change my mind… hmm and anyhow , how can you put visual language into words, we often fall short.
How do you describe your work, realistic, stylised, abstract, narrative, symbolic, other?
Abstract and stylised (some of my more literal landscape type images) the photo’s are clearly realistic and I aim for the an awe inspiring feel with those (although I may rarely capture that sensibility!)
Does your work have social, political, cultural and or personal messages?
Some of the works are environmentally focused, the bridges series looked at the connection (Bridges) both literal and conceptual between man, and the landscape and the way it’s been fooled around with.
What fascinates you?
Life and lots of things, I revel in an almost existential fascination for things, I will stop mid stride to check out the effect of dappled light from a tree on to a surface, then watch an ant, a fly, a flower and walk off. Oh and business that is an art in itself. I also think life is full of EM - NM (Everything Matters - Nothing Matters) It’s like a pendulum swinging between the two, and depending on your view or involvement will depend on which it is and to what degree, Therefore I can spend time thinking which is this an EM or NM situation, I thought of this myself, pretty neat hey? “Umm yeah I guess so”.
The change of seasons, so about now we are in late spring leading up to summer, and this morning there is BRILLIANT sunshine bathing everything, the plants out the front are perfectly lit (where’s that camera?) and the feeling is one of nothing can be wrong in the world. It’s brilliant, as a kid the leaves on the trees in autumn would go golden, and in the spring the new growth was a clear sign things were growing fast, so I always had a good feel for the seasons although we can have 4 seasons in one day! I am also pretty good at knowing the time without a watch, and remember being able to pick 2 pm fairly well as a kid.
As a kid I got to look after people’s places in the neighbourhood while they were away, so I got a more in depth feel for how people lived, I watered their garden, mowed the grass, fed their cat etc. Sometimes the cat would be an indoors one so you could wander about and experience the view from their lounge room, pat the cat, feed it and move on. I love seeing how people do things differently, the way they revere different things, the family photo’s the smells.
In our current house we have a view from upstairs over an elderly ladies backyard, her vegie patch, her grass, the washing on the line, the dappled light cast from her trees and so on. When she dotters and potters about the backyard it’s a glimpse of another life, another way of being… Now that’s fascination, What’s her history, what’s her story, how long will she live, what does she do, the list is endless.
That leads me to another area of fascination, day dreaming, as a kid I did it heaps (who did school work anyway?) I would watch the birds out the window in the garden, the light through the trees, imagine being elsewhere. Other kids read books to “escape” I had my own world to escape to. I figured out later in life I am ADD and so this fits, short attention span for crap in class.
You are about being “In the moment” by the sounds of things?
That’s a great way to put it… in the moment, I can get out of a car on a rainy day, my head hurtling in one direction full of things to do, places to be and all that jazz, then get caught in the moment, mesmerised by a view (wet bitumen in a car park can do that to a person)… I also like to use the word “mesmeric” I am not sure if it’s a real word but it’s a way of saying “when a thing is mesmerising” so I call it mesmeric. Dad taught me (not meaning to…) to play with words, it’s one of those joys in life people speak little of, he used to say things like “Pass me the K-nif-e” now we all know it’s pronounced nyf but spelt knife, so he would dishup the literal phonetic chunk and throw it out of amusement.
I can get captivated by those day dreamy chunks of life that are so ADD, away with the faeries not a care in the world.
Acrylic on Canvas 600 x 1200
Why are you an artist?
I could say “to avoid leading a boring life”, but really it’s about exploring the world more and keeping my hyperactive being, being, well that’s part of it, I guess I like looking at things and checking out ways it could be represented, talked about and so on.. I can’t say it’s a vital part of my life, in a sense I have had big chunks of time with no production or showing… I enjoy the engagement of the mind aspect probably the most and the tooing and froing, does this work, does that work, try this try that, push the boundaries. Then you go to see a show and find someone else has done a similar thing, and how they went about it, fascinating…
How did you get into art?
It seemed like an easy option at school (Yr 11 etc…) but it turned out to be the hardest path (in more ways than one) It was the first real time I had bothered to do any decent form of homework… Something about colour, processes and the materials engrossed me, then VOOM it all became very engaging, the notion of conceptual art… wow, the notion of creating something new… WOW! the notion of being “allowed” to explore 
!!! WOW!!!. I remember thinking why are some of the students doing art not overly interested in this? They were just plodding in an awkward way, it was a trudge, a go no where challenge. I never got that, If I sign up for something (well most things) I do it because it holds some form of fascination for me.
How important is art for you?
Very important, it gives me a range of perspectives for handling and exploring a tumultuous world.
Your art education was…?
Good, I could have pushed the boundaries more, great opportunities were lost due to laziness. I had some great teachers and some lousy ones, no names please.
On the topic of art education I think it falls short, change the title to “Aesthetics” then that would give them scope to put in more interior decoration type stuff, and cover other aspects than just “Art” and lets face it even though they call it “art” it’s often more of a “busy hands” subject, and if a teacher gives them any theory or homework shite hits the fan. Go to a parent teacher interview and watch the art teacher, often underwhelmed with visitors, people don’t generally value the arts, tough really.
Have you always been interested in art?
Not really, but now, that’s a different thing, while people swan about going to sports etc on the weekend I go to galleries (not all the time, perhaps a few times a year).
What did you do before becoming an artist?
It’s what I’ve done while being an artist that is probably more important, from a secondary art teacher, technical support staff for a photo company, a handyman, business teacher, coach and consultant, entrepreneur, etc… I love business it’s an art in itself (hey did I already say that somewhere else…) but it’s true many businesses fail, they got too loose, and in art that can happen too, so follow the rules then break them, repeat that cycle, plan do check act, it’s simple and hard all at once.
But life before art, well is that possible, hmm let’s see well I have always pulled things apart and built things, been hyper, thought “what if”, created things like Billy Carts and cubby houses, and had a vivid imagination. As a kid I would climb trees and watch the world unfold beneath me, sometimes I was able to hide from mates, I learned to hide my bike so they could not find me at times (I like my independence). So a creative being always.
What is your earliest memory of art?
Kinder, doing finger painting, and Yr 7 drawing a figure, the legs were too big but the rest was good. I did a picture with textas for mum once on a chunk of ply, I asked for it back a few months later, I think the ply was for a seat on my Billy Cart (hey it was important okay!)
Was art a “thing” that was encouraged in your family?
Simply put, no, but they put up with it. Struggle and discussion has helped, at dinner mum and I would discuss if a thing was a sculpture or not, she typed some of my early art assignments when I got stuck and helped out with a few of the structural parts of those, so that was good. The job prospects were NEVER there but over time It has had it’s uses, hey look at this blog, mind you my mum never said, you should start a blog and I will support you, my wife didn’t really either although it’s really her ideas that sparked my interest in creating it so thanks Sal. I think art needs to be encouraged, but the struggling artist thing is a great cliche to fall on to support it not being supported (did that come out right?). We are the sum total of all the things we have done, and so a rebellion against the “tres ordinare” life of my folks? Yeah probably.
Did the place where you grew up have an influence?
Yep, Yallourn in Victoria had great spring, summer and autumn days, the sun in the trees we used to climb, the innocence of the community (in the 60’s) I loved being a kid in a great place (it was a very beautiful town) and watching everything unfold with graceful elegance. I could ride my bike for hours exploring that place (and did.) I guess over time I look back with fondness and wish it was still there to explore differently. (The town was removed to remove the coal underneath it).
What or who inspires your art?
The landscape, the work of Jacko Pollock, visiting contemporary galleries (I try to get out on a gallery “crawl” as often as I can.) Science, documentaries, human frailty, human stupidity, intelligence, philosophy, nature, the Simpsons, positive people etc. Oh and Zippy the Pin Head (cartoon) great influence (or perhaps diversion) “Are we having fun yet!” Go google that and you will see where some of my sense of humor, philosophy and outlook on life has been tweaked (thanks again to Max for that one, can I mention he was an influence). Yeah one more Fluke, happenstance, synchronicity, universal forces… (those sneaky gods, what lesson are they teaching me now, or am I just being used as a guide as to what not to do?)
What caused you to choose the medium you currently work in?
Acrylics dry fast and I can get some nearly oil like effects when I want to. It suits my Hyperactive ADD nature, if I want image now, I don’t want to fuss and mess about with a long process spontaneity is a big thing for me at times, if I want to do it now I darn well will or be angry for not being able to.
Has your work changed much since your early efforts?
Yes and no… I seem go in one direction and then return to the source, then off on another tangent, I was always interested in “Universal forces”. I have slowly developed a sensibility around mark making and hope that what I do has tome “Intelligent” mark making happen.
Have your artistic influences altered over time?
Yes, I see new artists in on a gallery crawl and think YUM, and sometimes even YUK! Or I can do that, how much are they asking for it? Hmm.. I remember Kaye Green (Tasmanian Printmaker) who was one of my lecturers at the end of my vis art studies at uni say “I am interested in the perfect hill, finding it, drawing it, exploring it, creating it… That’s what am about in my work” Now that was at the time, it may have altered since then but you get the idea. I was totally taken with that level of absorption to the subject matter at the time. Then I go to a point of exploring things in other ways and search more for the essence of things, rather than trying to represent things in some way… However when it comes to landscape it can be SOOO tempting to throw in a ‘cliche’ horizon line.
You know you are successful in Visual Arts when…
You get a sense your peers are nodding in a positive way and the galleries show more than a passing glance at what you do. No stuff that it’s when people line up to buy your works and you can’t produce enough so you take on staff to assist you. No wrong, it’s when you are making $250k per year+ just from your art. Yeah that’s it, oh does that sound too much like I want to only make money from Art… Hmm, I guess I want a balance between producing amazing works that grab attention and stand on their own (whatever that might mean) and an income.
How important do you think craftsmanship is to artistic creation?
Basics are basics, well made will win out more often than not, mind you I have seen a lot of crap over the years going for top dollar in galleries, I end up saying I could do better than that! so it’s back to basics…
Creative streaks do they come in waves for you?
Yes, sometimes I get swamped, sometimes it’s a gentle current. Once I did a bunch of etchings and gave one to a mate for his 21st present, one of his “bogan mates” commented that it “looked like two bandaids jumping a barbed wire fence…” so the next day i did an etching had that title and was more literally like it says, I was so excited by the idea, the guy didn’t understand, thought I was a nut, I had a sleepless night waiting to get to the print room.
Some say the lifespan of an “artist” post educationally is about five years, any thoughts on that?
Fight it I say, ask how important is Visual Art to you and then make it happen, yeah easier said than done… It comes down to people not valuing the arts, and that falls on the education system as much as parental values and beliefs do. We should be holding artists aloft, treating them like goddesses and warriors… oh who am I kidding but it’s a nice thought, heck these people create anew, they explore boundaries, push limits, challenge our thinking, and that is VERY useful.
What has been a turning point in your career thus far and why?
Having a joint exhibition with Pete Biram, I pushed, he produced, I produced and we did it, 25 odd years after the first photo show we did together after art school, good value I got an itch to do more. The first solo show (the next year after the joint show) was also good value lots of friends and some family showed up, the friends that showed up were genuine in their support and I hope I have also been genuine in my support of them too.
Another turning point was at Uni I set up an art installation and one of the guys said “Oh your work is very existential” I then tried to figure out what he meant, that moment comes back often, and yeah he’s right. Its a branch of philosophy, with a view that things unfold day to day and my work now and then fits to that, then again so does so much other work too!
If you could have any piece of artwork in your personal collection, what would it be and why?
Blue poles by jackson Pollock, masterpieces are masterpieces full stop, I could (and have) stood and looked at it for ages. The same with most of Fred Williams work, as for a print, Melancholia by Albrecht Durer is simply sensational, the symbolism, the sense of foreboding etc… YUM! Yeah and a big indigenous piece in the Ian Potter Museum in Melbourne, it’s really long and was a joint effort between a bunch of artists, it is mind blowing!
Can you name a favourite artist or three… and why?
Pollock (clearly) Mary Tonkin (sublime landscapes) from a banal view to an exceptional concept, too good to be true. Denis Nona, lots of Indigenous works, lots my peers… Kaye Green, Euan Heng, Tim Storrier, Ray Arnold, Penelope Long, Pete Biram, Albrecht Durer, Ansel Adams, Euene Atget, Kerrie Warren, Colin Pennock (texture rocks!), and a bunch of others. I have one of Kerries, and Kayes Pieces, so vibrant.
All artists seem to have struggles, tell us about any you have had.
Life is full of “curve balls” a long break between shows and producing didn’t help I guess. I wanted to be prolific but that has come in fits and spurts, I get started and then fade, I guess I lose some interest perhaps from a lack of confidence in my own ability, I see how many artists are out there and I am only one small voice.
Do you keep an Art Journal or Visual Diary of some kind?
Only when working, I used to have a very active journal (lots of writing and not much imagery.)
Do you aim to break the rules of basic composition, layout etc or do you ignore the “rules” and just create?
Yes, rules are there to be pushed, it’s part of the “You can’t do that, mentality…” and the ensuing “Oh no? Just watch me…!”
What sort of research and or reference material do you do for current works and has that changed over time?
The internet is a source of lots of things. I draw a bit, use memory use photo’s as a sense of reference. In the good old days it was a conceptual world so not a lot of reference points were thought about, drawn, photographed etc.
I write a lot, jotting ideas down, getting strings of words together to assist me to make sense of the world, does it show that I like words? sometimes I am able to pull together a neat bunch of words and want to some how illustrate those or mimic them visually somehow.
Musical influences?
Zappa (thanks Max…) Absurd realities is what Frank was all about, I love the absurd views. Also instrumental stuff, new age sometimes, classical, but I generally work in silence. I tried having music in the darkroom as a student but I danced about too much and got little done, don’t tell anyone that! Oops…
My Brother has a band I was in one of them (playing bass many years back) the latest incarnation plays Blues, that’s been an influence, I used to also do sound and lighting for one of the earlier ones, so a lot of drinking played a part (hey can I put that down as an influence or a distraction?) Too much alcohol took its toll in various ways but a big part of the scene for me at that time.
Another influence, STOMP these guys do a stage routine that has amazing beats and rhythms that are simply wonderful, and all on junkyard scrap, amazing. Oh and Cirque Du Soliel, yes the music and the performances… BRILLIANT!
What sort of depth or meaning is there behind the work you do?
Probably the best example is the Harm series I did with text (a comment on violence and how we accept it) these have symbols I created relating to the words I have used to explore the theme. (The symbols gave me a chance to get a directly visual connection happening to the words and therefore, hopefully engage the viewer somehow more deeply.)
Do you hope the viewer will “get” what you are trying to communicate or do you feel compelled to spell it out to them?
I go back and forward on this one, but how can I know if they “Get it” or not. Some might say what is there to get?
How important is it to you that your work communicates something to the viewer?
Vital, but then again how can it not communicate anything, is it communicating the right things effectively?
Art is about entertainment, experiment, inventiveness or shock for you?
Experiment and inventiveness, entertainment? Hmm not sure but the egotist in me says yeah… Would love to shock people but apart from using a tazer on the viwers I think I might not be there quite yet.
Your first “decent” gallery representation, how did it come about?
I thought I did then I didn’t… I had a joint show an art consultant saw, we still chat but the representation thing is a hurdle, confidence? fear of failure? fear of success? Enough work? no awards… no accolades?
The business or marketing side of Art can be a challenge to some, what are your thoughts?
Business is mostly art or should I say a creative process, rather than a strict science, so art should be able to handle it conceptually and artists should go for the ride full throttle (my view). But it doesn’t happen often enough, I think there must be a lot of works under beds hidden away because of this. I guess there is not enough emphasis on the business side of art in educational institutions as it is seen as some form of “Prostitution” and you “sell out” if you sell your work, but then they talk about successful artists often in $$ terms.
Note how this swings through what I was talking about earlier, EM - NM. I think there must be many frustrated parents that have sent their “kid” to art school (because they were somehow “good at it” according to the teacher), this was covered with some thinly veiled notion of jobs being available… Lets take that for a moment and think if you spend three or more years at Uni on most other courses, you come out with a job prospect and a pay scale commensurate with doing that level of study, in Vis Arts, nup that rarely happens… Oh but go ahead and prove me wrong.
What is the most unexpected response you’ve received from a viewer of your work?
“These photographs are meaningless.” Gee Einstien thanks for that, glad you have diplomacy skills (not!) I had a giggle, he got a few mouthfuls from the crowd, the odd ooh and ahh (negatively) for that. (There goes that pendulum swinging between EM - NM again… If you don’t watch it it will knock you over…
Is your art, “art for art sake…” or a matter of “art for commercial viability?”
Sheesh! I wish I could decide and get on with it… I want it to pay it’s way, I want people to hang the works, I want to have a gallery say “more, more, MORE!” But for all the right reasons.
Your work seems to cover a range of stylistic diversions, thoughts, concepts?
Hmm yep, I like lots of things, so from a Mandala, a DNA type image, dappled light, war and harm, landscape, pure abstraction I like it all (and then some), so for me to explore all these things is great, the big thing is I have come back to art later in life and don’t have too many pressures of galleries saying I need to be consistent etc. Anyway I don’t stand too solidly by the consistency theory, I am more “art for art sake” than commercially viable, but I always struggle to handle that, perhaps it’s a response to not being represented (yet) and I am covering my lack of confidence, but then I also have forces working on the idea of “but if it’s got a decorative nature to it it will sell better? Am I looping yet?. What was the question?
If you have been working as an artist for a while, how do you feel about earlier works that are in people’s collections / ownership?
Fine, there is one piece I would like back it’s too good to be out in public/private hands… the guy that had it died so I hope his partner kept it. It’s a red scupltural piece that hangs on the wall with imagery and a waxed parcel of photocopies… I t freak my mum out as it has me wearing a blindfold holding up a mirror, she was spooked by it, so much so I had to take it off my wall at home.
Name a book or books, which may have inspired your work as an artist?
A photo book on Eugene Atget with Poems by Marcel Proust, I loved that book, it was $75 about 25 years back I read it cover to cover in two days and drooled over the photo’s… Images by Ansel Adams did the same thing, hey should I mention these guys as artistic influences or whatever? Oh and there was a photo book shop in Melb where I tried to buy $150 worth of books and I did not have that much on my credit card, it was hard to only get $50 worth, I had to choose! gee that was hard.
Shaun Tan’s books are a visual delight, they are worth a look and of course “Re-Imagine” by Tom Peters, the man is a legend in business management circles and yess ALL of it relates to art, the pasion for the subject, the passion for design, etc, it’s all there.
One other book that also stands out is by Dr David McLelland on Human Motivation, Brilliant!
Tell us about your studio environment.
At the moment I have a tight little garage space my wife wants back for the car… grr. Low light, crap space no room for much storage, but I am lucky I now want to do smaller works (rolls his eye’s).
Is your work process fast or slow?
Yes it can be. (rolls his eye’s again) But I don’t do nearly enough work, like a lot of artists I run out of room, (hey wanna buy a painting, give an old artist some more room to create?) I would like to be really prolific, but I start looping about, it goes like this… “I have to but I can’t, I can but do I want to?” repeat… Grr! again… (Steve fidgets a bit and says) So yeah it’s a conundrum, (He’s now jiggling one leg up and down rather fast, an almost nervous twitch.) So I would like to have a great situation, you know, someone supplies the canvas and the paint and I paint, or draw, or photograph, but I figure right… I would probably procrastinate,s o there is something about the struggling artist bit that makes things interesting.
Otto Dix the German artist said (in part)… “All art is exorcism…” Is that the case for you?
How can it not be? Devil be gone! But he keeps coming back, tortures the soul the prick, and if there is a god I think he (or it?) is in cahoots with the devil, they play good cop bad cop all the time, as to why they have singled me out is another thing.
Art as a therapeutic device; do you think it is useful for this purpose and is your work in this category somehow?
Yes, how can it not be… (Did I say that already?) cathartic might be a response here, see the Otto Dix statement. I am interested in how at can open dialogue between people, not that this happens much (or enough), but when it does “Watch out!” case in point when a work on a wall in a home causes a discussion and it goes back and forth for 20 mins + then that is a good thing, even if the discussion is an argument.
Some artists are more “at home” isolated in their creative process, while others revel in being part of a group to bounce “ideas off” how about you?
Deep in contemplation, no disruptions please and keep your ideas to yourself, nice that you might like it but rack off while it’s being developed.
When you get the urge to create art because something has “pushed your button/s” how compelling is it for you?
Try and stop me, it’s a hassle though, you can be a squillion miles away from the studio or your camera grr! Ever notice how many photo’s you see without a camera?
What is more important to you in your work, content or technique, concept or product?
Concept, I see it as the foundation the rest is built on, no idea, no art. End product is vital (as proof you made art).
Is the making of art all it was “cracked up to be”?
Never, it’s harder and very competitive, mind you the teachers did say that, we never belived a word of it though.
Do you connect with other art mediums and styles?
Yes lots, but printmaking and drawing (all sorts) is of perhaps deeper interest. I would like to get back into mono prints, they can be so rich, deep and alluring.
You just said it’s competitive, who are you competing with?
Myself mainly, but the big bad world of art has fresh faced graduates coming out and older ones stepping up, and mature ones coming back, and not enough galleries to go around, hey they should put a limit on how many artists there are… grr. (Rolls his eye’s and giggles.)
Do you aim to make “masterpieces” with the aim of being seen in the future as an artist that really made their mark in art history?
I wish… Masterpieces would be good, oh and how would you measure that?
What are you currently working on?
Did some pen and ink works to explore where I am at with my general imagery and concepts, it became a bit of an evolutionary process. I want to do more, some mono prints would be good, my latter paintings are very light so working in Black and white has been useful to break the bonds that provides.
You didn’t include any of the drawings or photo’s in the images for this interview, reason?
Go check them out in the album on the website (link at top), the drawings are all about exploring ideas and notional concepts of possibility, I guess they are not finished art works as such, hmm then again? the photo’s are a mix of things that interest me and a quick grab of things of value, I am so fortunate to be able to paint and photograph, draw and do whatever with all of it. My early photo’s are black and white (not on the website yet) are strongly contrasted against the colours and flightiness of the paintings and drawings.
Your blog is different from other artists blogs, how come?
Well It’s interesting, It started out as a resource to assist teachers to teach without having too, send the students here and let them do some “trawling” for resources, especially art theory at VCE level, but now the interviews have taken off and some great feedback too. I also have some web experience in other blogs and forums and have coupled that experience together and used it here, my web guy is right, he says content is king, so on start up I whacked up a bunch of articles and just kept going. So by the time people got here it looked well established, and in Blog terms it is.
Other artists start a blog to tell the world about their journey, but in essence who cares? (cynical is another trait of mine, so sorry if I have offended…) and in google search terms the idea is to keep it active and humming, many run out of things to say, many don’t have it as their home page and jump on it to chat to the world, many don’t even know how many people look at it, so after a while their interest wanes. Pity really so much that could be said, so little time.
Watch out for a fresh development a sister site (hey how come we don’t say a brother site?) with art activities and this site to have the gritty interviews etc.
Your work other than art is training and development based, how does that fit into the picture?
Well the idea was as an art student to make money making art. Then reality set in, over the years I have done a lot of things and one of the things I found I was good at was training people, so the stuff I do is about leadership, Innovation (creativity had to creep in there somewhere!) and communication. I use a lot of creative approaches to teach people, that means fun, that means more info shared effectively. Quick example of a creative training approach, I have used with groups a simple exercise to stimulate left and right brain, mind mapping and so on.
One of these activities is a physical one where you do a lot of “cross over” exercises, I coupled this with a mirroring and matching exercise build around building rapport. The end result after a few goes is a fantastic mix of the whole lot that had innovation classes with people taking the exercises to a new level and it became very 3D! (think twister with a twist.)
Oh and don’t forget the handyman stuff… problem solving all the time.
Thanks for your time Steve, Your welcome Steve, now how about a beer? Is that recorder still on? (click…)
“Hey here’s a photo of me as a kid, Interested?” No Steve it’s not professional… “Oh go on!” Oh okay if you insist.
The Monoprint as a Technique to Explore.
Some times in the Visual Arts you see things that make you go “wow”, or “OH WOW…” many years back I had one of those experiences when a group of 1st Yr Diploma students started in printmaking. I was new to the technicians role and although Mono-prints were something I knew about I soon realised that at the time I knew very little (until that time I probably didn’t see the benefit).
What stood out was the sense of wonderment this technique produced in a short time frame. Ok so here is how it was set up, on laminex tables (usually done on a plate or a toughened chunk of glass.) ink was rolled out (the sort they use for linocuts), print paper layed on top and then the students drew designs on the back. Being strong black, the light lines drawn in pencil and pen on the back of the paper, brought vibrant strong lines to life. On other tables other colours were rolled out, but the black was the most popular the contrast grabbed attention and by using a range of devices to make marks with, a range of tone and textures were created.
It’s a simple process, and on pulling a few prints in the leanly rolled ink (less seems to be better in this case), a few more rolls to bring it back to “life” and you can create a whole bunch of images. That was one WOW factor for me as ink on paper usually involved lengthy processes, now here was one print technique that happened fast, and done well on the right paper the deep velvety look of the ink can be fantastic.
The other wow factor was watching students develop ideas on the run, a few sketchy ideas and they were off. The potential therefore for a printmaker/drawer to create a vast amount of works on a theme is very possible.
So next time you want to do more than a doodle or sketch, try out some mono prints (this method is only one of a number of techniques and does not require a press).
The student, painting and costs…
As a student of the arts cost is generally a big factor, you want to paint but by the time you make a stretcher, get the canvas (heck linen is so expensive, canvas is it…) then stretch it and undercoat… PHEW it’s time to paint at last!
All very well but the cost is sending you broke… so what to do?
Q. Especially in the start of the learning process, are you about to create a masterpiece? Chances are no…
A. So why go expensive, grab a big chunk of “straw-board” whack on the undercoat and get started.
1. It’s faster to get started.
2. It’s cheaper.
3. It’s easy to store…
Lets face it even if you do a “masterpiece” on board you will probably be able to copy it in canvas anyway…
Limitations… size, no canvas texture and permanency. Other than that give it a go…
How about another idea, use canvas, but stretch it onto a board of some kind, plywood etc using drawing pins, paint let it dry and hang it using bulldog clips. You want a neater finish? hem the edges on a sewing machine…
Hey what about those cheap Chinese canvases you see in the two dollar shops? are they any good, short answer, no… but if you want cheap and are desperate to paint grab one or twenty and go for gold! some of the sizes are bigger than straw-board so that’s useful. Its cheap but storage becomes the issue (again!)
Remember this… “Make Art Have fun…” (at least some of the time.)
Art Books…
Many artists have produced art books, do a search ont he internet and I am sure you will find some great examples. The idea is simple enough, create some images that are “bound” together and you have a book. some are printed, some a drawings, some include text some are concertina style so that they can stand on their own.
Perhaps pick a theme you want to develop and explore some possibilties for content and presentation.
Artists books often stretch the notion of a book having a cover and standard content the skies the limit!
Exploring colour
One of the best things I remember at art school was being given a task to develop a range of colours for a litho print, 2 days later I had an amazing array of colours in little foil packets ready to select some for the print. Thing is I could not tell you what the print turned out like but I remember the process of mixing small amounts of sticky ink and wrapping it up for later use!
Using colour in art is important and over time I have seen various exercises that explore primary and secondary colours but going to pastel and tertiary colours is another thing, here are a few things simple projects you can do on your own or at school to explore colour more.
Colour explorer
Create a series of squares on A4 card (about 6 is good) and divide the squares in half, now put colours in each side and add contrasting colours to the other side of the square, create multiple versions of these practicing better paint application, and colour combinations. I am sure it can be done on a computer with a simple paint program, and it would save a lot of time, but if you want to be a painter the brush technique development and mixing paints is invaluable.
Other approaches - Divide the squares into three sections – Make larger squares – Make a series of five stripes of varying widths and explore the colour combinations – Use strips of coloured paper in varying widths to make a collage of coloured strips – Use overlapping coloured paper shapes to explore colour and design ideas.
Even though these seem simple the variations are endless and can help you to develop an understanding of colours that work well together and those that clash. In a sense it’s like creating your own colour swatches, the type you see in paint stores.
Want to take it further, cut up coloured strips of paper and create stylised (simplified) landscapes using the strips pastes in various combinations, try it and see what happens.
VCE+ Resources
Many teachers working with students at Yr 11 level and beyond have ideas, topics and teaching processes they use that are fantastic. I hope to share some of these with you to build a learning resource for students at all levels.
Lets face it at 2am when an art student gets the “itch” to learn or explore the last thing they need is to wait until the next art class at school! Lets create a WHOLE BUNCH of Visual Art resources these guys can tap into… Power point slides, short video’s you name it I want it (and so do they…)
Have you got some great approaches you can share? Any great ways to explore the theory side of Visual Arts? Drop me a line and I will make sure that any contributions fully acknowledge you.
Art Theory Approaches
When it comes to understanding the theory and history of Visual Arts, some teachers seem to turn into zombies at the whiteboard going “Blah, Blah Blah!” Then at end of the theory session you can then walk out thinking in much the same “Blah” way! Okay the Teacher means well but they might not have to sort of passion for the theory and or history of art that others have.
It may be that the teacher is more dedicated to the “hands on” side of art. So to give yourself the edge in your studies it can be very useful to take matters into yoru own hands. Try some of these as starting points to discovering the “Vast World of Visual Art.”
- Create a time-line of art – list the main artists from each style and basic characteristics, then on a computer, create a set format or layout and add each finding from your time line via an – add image examples for each style represented. Slowly build this up into a resource you can understand and work with. Try making it up out of sheets that when taped together make a l-o-n-g line of information that can be folded out. As a class project a teacher could set this as a section for each student to explore.
- Develop a glossary of art terms and techniques – Add your own own notes and interpretations to the research you conduct. Here’s one to start with in Word format.. glossary-of-art-terms just add to it.
- Art analysis - Create a power point presentation in point form, of how to analyse a “representational artwork” using basic composition and art principles. (There are a few outlines in here somewhere…)
- Create a guide to safety principles in art - Find creative ways of presenting the information, a video on a video website could be a start, keep it stupendously simple, maybe a power point?.
- Artist interview - Create an oral presentation on one artist of your choice. (3 – 5 mins). Ask yourself what questions would I ask them, and would they be of interest to the audience?
- 2 x 1 analysis - Create a power point presentation of two works by one artist, exploring what they may communicate, outline what else was happening in history at that point in time.
- Create a formal design guide – Using the design principles often used in photography “how to” books, create a design guide that showcases these methods and then take it further to find advanced design methods used by artists in the past. Feel free to directly copy the original design outline and use the advanced methods yourself.
Then next time your teacher says to create your own assignment around art theory or history, you will now have some where to start from.
The language of Visual Arts
For many taking on art studies at Yr 11 and beyond it’s about the creativity and “doing” side of the arts, wthen all of a sudden some one says “It’s time to do some theory” Yikes!
I remember for me the hardest part was getting my head around the language, as the terms used were not part of my vocabulary (not at that point anyway…)
A few points that may be of value here, any word you are not sure of that you hear in relation to the visual arts, write it down, then grab a dictionary and check it out. There are specific Art Dictionaries that are VERY useful. (I often found myself flipping through the art dictionary out of interest for many of the words and what they meant.)
I also found that people talking about Visual Art soon sent me to sleep, I later found out this was due to my language skills being not up to scratch. However the more I listened the more I got the gist of what they were on about. Suggestion, read (or at least scan through) any writing you can get on visual art, magazines, journals, newspaper articles, exhibition reviews, artist interviews, T.V. shows and so on, it all helps.
It takes time to learn a new language so be sure and check out ways to get a grip on the new terms and words, the proof of your learning is in the use of the words when you talk about art to people about it and both parties know what you mean.
Investigate and experiment
In the early units of study for art in secondary schools there is an emphasis on investigation and experimentation. The aim being to give you some starting points to creating and looking at art.
One of the big challenges I see with this is the time given to do it in, so often teachers do what they can and hope for the best. If you want to get ahead in the “study stakes” you might find you need to create a whole HEAP of homework for yourself! hey don’t stress out from it, just think of it in terms of “I want to do art and I want to make sure I give it my best shot” so here are a bunch of possible ways to “get ahead” and stay there.
- Visit art galleries - An easy option but too many people don’t do it, jump online (oh wait, you are already…) and start googling art galleries in your area and beyond. Go for commercial galleries and make a habit of getting to as many as you can during holidays and weekends. Analyse everything and collect postcards, invites and other information to give you ideas and ways to explore art further. Remember many galleries change the displays every 3 - 4 weeks so know when the next show is on.
- Explore a variety of techniques - Example drawing, with pencil, charcoal, crayon, pens, brushes, paint, sticks dipped in paint or ink… Check out art classes offered during holidays and weekends, they may give you access to materials and process you don’t have at school…
- Chat to artists - Find ones with websites, there might be a number of local ones you can catch up with, ask them questions, interview them, find out what makes them tick. Then use that information to give yo more starting points.
- Use a journal or visual Diary - Whatever you want to call it, put all your images, drawings, scraps etc in one place, then use it as a resource to explore visual ideas more deeply. Often you can get ideas for new works by flipping through a journal and seeing what images or concepts stand out to you.
- Explore creativity - This is not often taught in schools, many teachers may think that students that do art have some special “talent” it’s not always the case. If you have some art ability and you are studying at this level check out as many ways that you can find to be creative, check out lateral thinking, critical thinking, problem solving… do searches on these and other topics to do with the creative process and see what others are doing.
- Use words - Okay it’s visual art, so why use words? Well not all of us have a “visual mind” or if we do it may need a break from pictures and words can do that. Words, phrases, poetry, stories, metaphors, all of these can give you creative starting points to work from. One way is to look at writing or mind mapping a bunch of words on a topic and then checking out the connections that may arise from the investigation. Stories might give you a way to illustrate a theme, it might lead you to writing a story to then illustrate, either way they can be powerful starting points for you.
- Ask questions - Chat to people about art, survey them if you like, to find out what their opinions are… you might be surprised at how much people know… or don’t know about art.
If any or all of the above don’t get you thinking about ways to investigate art further then I’ll eat my hat, you will note that it gives a bunch of starting points to work with that should spark some interest for you at some stage.
More art analysis
If you have looked at the basics of analysing art, then you might find this approach a little more challenging, if the artist is not there to tell you about the art work you might have to spend some time guessing, or in a gallery you might find an Artists Statement to give you some starting points or clues to go from. To assist you further, see if any of these statements give you some good clues.
Define the purpose
• To create beauty
• To reveal truth
• To immortalise
• To express religious or other values
• To stimulate the intellect
• To create order and harmony
• To create chaos
• To reflect society and culture
• To protest injustice/raise social consciousness
• To express the universal
• To meet the personal needs of the artist.
Analysing the elements of art
• Locate the focal point (where your immediate attention/eye goes).
• Define the medium (painting, sculpture, photography, drawing etc.)
• Abstract, realistic or stylised?
• Have they used light and dark for contrast?
• Does the colour have a psychological effect or create a mood?
• What is the effect of texture, finish, materials used?
• Look at the design features, Line shape, tone, colour form, subject matter and composition as starting points. How well do these work to communicate the artists intent?
Often in analysing art you can use these starting points and couple them with further research on the artists online or in books. Imagine thinking one thing about a work, only to find the artists view is quite different…
Notice how the analysis process os not so much about “do you like it” but more about exploring the intended message. Use this as a guide to looking at art and how you can explore things more deeply.
Suggestion - If you spend a lot of time in art galleries pondering about art, it’s value’s and meanings you might find it taxing mentally and physically, so I suggest you make the process brief, checking out each work for only a few minutes (or moments) then moving on. You may even find having a quick browse and returning to works that “grab your attention” for an extended look can be useful.
Basic art analysis
Here are some techniques you can use to analyse artworks objectively.
• Analyse – Looking at works of art, designed objects, photographs etc with the aim of investigating them without putting a value judgment on them (Like it - don’t like it).
• Evaluate - Develop an objective and hopefully an informed opinion about the objects by looking at:
• What is it? Painting – sculpture etc…
• Who created it?
• What date was it created?
• What size is it?
• What materials is it made out of?
• What is the main subject matter, landscape, portrait, landscape, abstract?
• What is contained within the piece? Figures, trees, flowers?
• What, if any is the meaning the artist or designer was trying to convey?
• What techniques did they use?
• What art style does it fit to, if any?
• Context - Put the work into context. For example:
• Why was it created? (cultural - personal - other)
• When and where was it created?
• What is its purpose? (if any!)
• Is it functional, conceptual or purely aesthetic?
These are starting points you can use with any artwork, with practice over time you may start to discover greater meaning even in the most abstract of works.
Consider
- Testing the questions out on various artworks you see in books, start with reasonably realistic images you can see clearly, try doing it verbally so you can develop some spped to the analysis process.
- Go to an art gallery and try it out on artwork you have not seen before, try it in small groups to see if the others see things the same way you do.
If you are a student it can be highly valuable to analyse works fast and this is a great way to get started.
Categorising art
Categorising art, some starting points.
In art there are many types of works and categorising them into styles can be a minefield, here is a starting point to negotiating the minefield.
- Contemporary - Considered to be the cutting edge of what’s taking place in the art world… New players abound, and also artists of repute who have earned the title of contemporary artist who are heading to mature contemporary status. The new players can provide the viewer with interesting and fresh perspectives on personal, cultural and social issues. The works can range from high to low skills, to avant-garde high depth to lower decorative pieces with minimal meaning.
- Mature contemporary - These artists have been selling for years, some have passed on, some are still with us, but the work has sometimes gone from owner to owner being auctioned off in art auction houses. Usually a much lower risk for an art investor than an emergent contemporary artist and often nowhere near as expensive as a classic. The works will have stood the test of time and the artist will probably have a cult following in the art circles, not to mention solid mentions in a range of art books.
- Classics - The bigger picture of art from the past, from high-level well renowned artists to others of little note. Again, in the bigger auction houses, museums and from some antique dealers. These works are more historic and can cover from early prehistoric artefacts to works up to the 1970’s
- Leisure - The art works of people who create for enjoyment, some of these works attain a level of notoriety (often very localised) however their value is often in the technique and style rather than the ability of the works to communicate concepts at deeper levels. Often these are hobbyists that sell to help supplement their income or pay for their materials. As an investment they offer little in the way of $$ return as the artists often have little recognition in the active investment art world, any value is often sentimental. Uncle Mike might be a dab hand at painting a bunch of flowers, but beyond that the work has little value other than decoration. (With all due respect to Uncle Mike).
- Decorative - Renovation and do it yourself shows on TV, show how to ‘take a canvas and tun it into your own piece of art’ the aim is to decorate a wall or space. This is all about colour and design basics and not about art for art sake communicating cultural, social and or personal themes. The images are usually meaningless and serve only as decoration.
- Therapeutic - This can cut across a range of categories, but I wanted to give it a spot on its own. It can be in any medium and involve processes to assist the “patient” to explore, themselves, and issues relating to them.
There are probably a whole host of categories in between that fill various gaps but the above list is a starting point for you to explore.
When looking at works of art you now have a perspective from which to view and assess them. So when asked “What do you think of our latest acquisition” when Aunt Millie points to a new painting in the lounge… you can start out with a discussion using a few of the points above. “Oh Aunt Millie, its rather colourful and fits the space nicely, tell me all about it…” then listen to hear how it was purchased, and for what purpose, decoration, investment or because it is communicating something to her on a deeper basis.
From all sides the list gives a starting point to understanding so the visual arts might be more clearly defined for all parties.