Faces

In some way art maybe a reflection of our relationship with the universe, or maybe our relationship with God. Some art seems quite deep and frustrated while other art can be light and frivolous. I have seen art that is so flakey, just being a mere imitation of another's work. Or art that tries to be profound, but really is a clanging gong of nonsense – I have seen a lot of that. But then again I have stood in front of art that is uncanny and insightful, almost powerful enough to separate bone from sinew.

In all of these expressions, I can’t help but think about the artist who created them. What did they know, what was their motive and how do they live? I have a book at home called  ‘1000 Faces of God’ by Rebecca Hind – it’s not a religious book, in the sense that it promotes a particular religion, but a book of images from many religions.  It’s art through history, but focusing on God, the gods or that sense of other.

Sometimes, if not at all times, it’s a good idea to read art in a different light – different to the handed down version of the critics, historians and ‘experts’. Step away from the crowd and put what you know to the test, recoil from the mainstream texts and have a closer look – put yourself in the frame.

 

You may ask yourself – “What on earth is going on, why are people so obsessed, are they stupid, why do they waste so much time on art, what’s in it for them, what are they trying to say to others or to themselves?” Are artists just vain, seeking attention or chasing money? – not much of that, for most of us. Or are they trying to make the intangible,  tangible? This maybe  the problem I have with Warhol and some  POP art – they try to make the tangible, intangible. Trying to suggest meaning where there is none – but then again this is a message in itself and reflects a certain philosophical viewpoint – or could it be me who is clueless?

 

 

Maybe, it’s just me,  my ridiculous notions and diehard stubborn nature or maybe my art is dead after all –  am I flogging a dead horse in a world of over competitive people – maybe money, art or any other thing taken to idol level are just God substitutes.

ART

 

This is a photo I took on my Dad’s SLR camera back in 1980. This was my first year at Art college and so I needed a better camera than my collection of old cameras that I had scavenged from various second hand joints.

The camera was a Miranda Sensomat RE which my Dad had bought in the early seventies at a Belgrave camera shop in Victoria. At the time it was comparable to a Pentax or an Olympus SLR – it had a pretty good lens and a sensitive light meter.

The above photo was taken without a flash, at my first student house on Vulture St. South Brisbane – this is one of the other tenants rooms, who was also an artist. In my third year of art college I did a small oil painting of this photo – I thought the composition and color tones were great – I still do.

 

This is a photo of my Dad as a young man – most likely taken with a Box Brownie camera  - the original negatives still survive. Back in art college I used a few to create interesting photo collages in the college darkrooms. Even in High School I used a few a few on a friends enlarger which I set up in our bathroom at home – using the bath to rinse the developed paper.

This is a favorite photo of my Dad, taken in the mid seventies on our farm at Yeepoon. This was a good crop of cucumbers, just freshly picked and about to be boxed and sent to the market.

Sadly, my Dad passed away on the 27th of May 2009 after a very short battle with cancer. Over the last 5 months or so, I have had very little time to be a blogger but I will labor on, trying not to miss any opportunities as life is short and yet full of surprises. My Dad had become a keen blogger himself. In the last few years we created together a private family blog, which he was very passionate about.

He always checked in on my Bird Proofer blog – not always understanding my art stuff, but always supportive and learning all the time. So from black and white Brownie to 35mm SLR and all the way to Digital imaging, it’s important to keep on learning and moving forward. Utilising new and old tools to communicate, illustrate, express and explain the diversity of life as we see it.

He will be missed.

Handling

NASA #8 - The NASA Control of Culture

Another NASA painting on the way to completion - this one is based on a Cadium Yellow, Phatho Blue and Cadium Red pallette. The painting is based on the quick sketch below. The larger character is suspended from above, who in turn suspends the smaller two characters by their heads - they look a little worse to wear because of this man handling.

The two drawings below are the next in the series. I am finding the creation of these works relatively easy and quick. There is something very life affirming about being an artist: the satisfaction of materialising your ideas from original idea to full blown statement has some sort of special function for the inner person.

NASA #9 - NASA in a Time of Drought

NASA #10 - Space Oddity Of NASA

Recently, I had a host of friends at my place for a party - happily for me I received a good response to the NASA works. I had the works arrayed as one massive display above a stairwell wall - which is the only place large enough in my house, to display them all together.

We all had a good conversation about the works - myself denying what they meant and others making suggestions on there meaning. All in all it was a very positive viewing and discussion. Whether they see the wall of a gallery is another thing, but at least I have a goal to aim for and a hope to see the works through to completion. Hopefully, I won't be man handled by the curators of culture as I expose the materialisation of my little idea.