The Whale Watching season is here again in Byron Bay, with the Byron Bay Lighthouse being a popular spot to view the migration of humpback whales travelling up north to the Great Barrier Reef to its warmer waters. From its lookout point you can see Julian Rocks, a protected and precious environment, some day's whales and dolphins play. This painting,"Night Play at Cosy Corner", is a celebration of the magnificence of the whale breaching. The colours and the movement in this painting are a tribute to a mammal that touches and changes our lives through its simple and powerful presence.
During a cyclone in 1921 the ship the SS Wollongbar broke
free from the old Byron Bay Pier and sank just offshore at Belongil
Beach. The Wreck lays there to this day and is a well - liked surfing
spot with excellent surf breaks. The exposed boiler provides a
physical link to the past when the SS Wollongbar was one of the fastest
ships in Australian waters carrying up to 300 passengers and cargo. The
ship was berthed at the Byron Bay jetty loaded with produce bound for
Sydney. An easterly gale created hazardous conditions however the
captain decided to release the vessel in an attempt to get her out to
sea. The anchor failed to hold the ship and it was blown inshore and
received considerable hull damage making it impossible to re-float. The
ninety crew were rescued and eventually the vessel was sold at auction
and completely dismantled.
The idea for the painting The Wreck came
about whilst walking the beach after massive storms and an unusually low tide. It was
a beautiful experience, a calm overcast day with an unusual color in the
sky. The boiler is the main feature of The Wreck, it protrudes out of the
ocean in a powerful way and is covered with rust and crustaceans. The waves
were breaking and swirling over the boiler creating magnificent clouds of spray
and movement. I was struck at how low the tide was, exposing the boilers against the
crashing waves with Julian Rocks in full view in the background.
I was lucky to be able to capture footage of 'The Pass' one evening when there was only a few people and the most committed surfers catching waves that rolled into the evening sunset. Looking through the eye of the video camera I was transported by the constantly changing light and ambience of this place. Nothing was still , so much movement and rhythm all rolling into each other. A seagull dancing on the pristine sand, dolphins playing in the golden light, surfers of all ages and experiences waiting for that perfect wave as evening falls. One guy was especially good on his ocean kayak catching waves that seem to roll on forever.
The viewing platform is called 'Fisherman's Lookout' and is loved by locals and visitors alike for its sweeping views of the bay, its rustic rock structure, and unusual bushes and trees whose branches stretch out to the sky creating a unique visual element. Visiting "The Pass" is a always a uplifting and rewarding experience.
I found this old photo from my travels overseas during the late nineties. I was in Berlin during winter and walking the streets was a surreal experience coming straight from summer in Australia. I remember finding a second hand shop, very much like St Vincent’s De Paul in Australia, looking for warm clothing as the things I'd bought with me were not suited to such biting cold and heavy snow. Luckily I found this large bright green waterproof jacket which was perfect for exploring outdoors and there was room to stow my old SLR camera which I used to snap a few photos of Berlin street life.
During my stay, there was one image that always intrigued me. It was a photo of a woman and her two dogs whom I photographed while walking through a city park alone. She was playing with her dogs and there was such joy in her face. It was obvious she was very proud of them as I am of my dog. I had a just visited the Brandenberg Gate and the austere image of this historical gateway was such a stark contrast to this simple every day occurrence that I felt the need to capture the moment.
I remember asking her if I could take a photo. She nodded pleased to show off her two four legged friends whom she scooped into her arms so that I could record their faces. As she walked away I thought she doesn't know that I come from Australia, half way around the world, neither do I recall the German names she called her dogs. As I look at them now I can't help wondering what kind of life did they lead together and were these dogs one of many canine friends who shared her life over the years.
Grass Trees ( triptech 85 x 150cm ) oil on canvas sold
When I started painting and drawing it was the beginning of an incredible journey of self-discovery. It was also a commitment to follow my passion and have faith in my creative ability. My art has developed through a combination of finding my personal vocation and my commitment to work as a full time artist, whatever the emotional and financial cost.
Uncovering issues around identity and a sense of belonging has always intrigued me. I am fascinated by the idea that the human race is one and that we are all cosmically connected despite geographical and cultural divides. Traveling has allowed me to recognize that, essentially, we all have the same hopes and dreams and I am touched by our shared stories. The people, experiences, colours and textures absorbed throughout many years of traveling I now express through my art. Painting the human condition from my personal point of view is about remembering and capturing inspired moments and interpreting them onto canvas or paper. Just hearing the sounds of life like the variety of bird calls echoing across the tree branches or walking on a bush trail and seeing a grass tree with its long black spikes can trigger a series of mental images that can be translated onto a canvas.
I always ask myself what is behind the surface of the image I am painting or drawing. I am conscious that the image has been created and can be seen literally, but what about the magic which has been left in the layers of paint that is unseen by the naked eye, but emotionally experienced? The materials and brushes have disappeared and been forgotten, the type of canvas that I am so particular about is no longer of concern, because now the image has a life of its own. I no longer have the thought that I created the painting. I am only an instrument to bring the painting into this world. From this personal principle the image is made real and projected into the world with the faith that the painting will stir an emotional response from a universal audience.
Looking in the mirror as I age I think back to a time when I was young and looking for direction. In those days art didn’t seem a possibility. I had an urge to travel so all my time was spent working to earn money for international adventures. I toured Ireland with distant relatives who introduced me to my ancestoral past. This journey led me to Europe where I discovered something that had been long missing in my life – culture! I soaked up the visual feast of architecture and art. I roamed galleries and cathedrals for hours on end, bathing in the creativity.
I remember standing a foot away from Michelangelo’s ‘David’ and looking up at this incredible sculpture in complete awe. A local man told me to stand further away to take in the whole visual so I could see the perfect perspective the artist had given the statue. He also told me that Michelangelo had created ‘David’ to help the people of Florence to overcome troubled times. This young biblical hero demonstrated the belief that inner spiritual strength can prove to be more effective than arms. I had just been given my first art lesson!
These memories and images were powerful and they had planted a seed in my psyche allowing me to imagine the power of my own creativity. The seed took a long time to germinate, maybe because of family and societal conditioning, lack of knowledge and confidence, but it was certainly there, waiting to be expressed. After years of pursuing other interests and searching for meaning in my life I got a little wiser and grew more confident and the urge to create finally came into being and I found myself painting and drawing constantly. To me a self-portrait is a way of looking into my soul, a tearing back of the layers of time. It’s about capturing a feeling of the essence of who I am rather than the roles I’ve played.
This video was created from a series of paintings I have completed over several years. The idea was to see how original art could be further developed and transformed into a new visual experience using the medium of digital art. The project originated from thinking about how original art combined with digital images and electronic music could be successfully projected onto a large projector screen for a live music gig.
Within this project I have explored and questioned a previous idea that has long fascinated me - what lies beneath the surface of the image? How do unseen rhythms, harmony and light effect a painting and how shapes and lines randomly meet to create new relationships. The original painting becomes a partner with the virtual canvas discovering new meaning in the work yet taking it to place where the essence of the original work still remains.
Although I am most 'at home' in the studio drawing or painting, the opportunity to try a different approach to creating imagery for a music gig has been a very rewarding experience. Thanks to Tracey from Rare Bird Flicks for assisting me with this process. We've used Leandra's beautiful flute music to enhance the visual experience. The song, 'Replace with Love' was taken from the album,'Freedoms Call'
One of the many wonderful aspects of living in Byron Bay is observing the majestic art of Surfing ! Very rarely is the connection between a human being and the power and beauty of nature better illustrated than when a surfer is riding a wave. We see many images of champion surfers taming huge waves or buried deep in a barrel. However one of the wonderful things of living in Byron Bay is watching surfers who are just beginners through differing skill levels to accomplished surfers.
Recently I was walking along Clarkes Beach on a particularly overcast afternoon when I observed a surfer doing everything in his power to stay balanced on a long breaking wave - he reminded me of a tightrope walker in high wind ! Watching this surfer moving around his board adopting different positions through a series of nimble steps, arm movements and body arches I suddenly realised it was like dancing on water !
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