Chair and Pipe (2008)

Acrylic on Canvas (COPY of Vincent Van Gogh's Chair with His Pipe)

I would not normally consider copying someones work. However this was a task I was instructed to completed by my art teacher. I did thoroughly enjoy painting this. It was nice to delve into the world of Vincent Van Gogh. To study every detail of the painting to then replicate it. I believe it was a good learning experience.

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My Family Tree (2010)

Acrylic on Canvas with papier-mache, string and beads

The above is my family, from my parents to my great-grandparents. Family if extremely important to me. I wanted to express this in my art so I designed my own family tree. The tree represents myself. It is made from papier-mached crepe-paper. To represent the leaves or hair I glued individual pieces of string then added white and green leaf shaped beads. The photographs are mounted onto a think piece of foam tape that brings it off the canvas. I have this hung in my house where my grandparents can constantly see it. It brings happy tears to their eyes which I believe makes this painting mean so much more.

Please feel free to leave any comments. Feedback is always greatly appreciated. Don't be shy.

Two Bottles (2011)

Ink Wash on Stonehenge

I have never used ink before. This is my first. It is a substance quite easy to use. Stonehenge paper is best as it is thicker than normal paper. The thinner the paper the greater the chance of the paper buckling or tearing. Thicker is better. I used a brush for this but you may also use rags or wood to obtain different textures.

Please leave comments. They help me greatly. It's a way of knowing my art is appreciated. Don't be shy.

Grandfathers Parents (2010)

Pencil drawing on A2 cartridge paper

My family and I have only one photo of my grandfathers parents. It has deteriorated over the years, so I decided to draw them. To bring new life to the photo. By doing this I have immersed my self with them, I have gained understanding in them. A photo is just a photo, but one drawn by me becomes something different, it becomes personal, it becomes sentimental. I believe anyone can draw, but what they draw is what is most important.

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Drifting Past (2008)

Acrylic on Canvas

This painting is an appropriation of the amazing artist Vincent Van Gogh. I appropriated "A Starry Night", "Chair with His Pipe", "Sunflowers" and "The Bedroom" by only using parts from each painting. 

When I was in high school I was constantly told to look at established artists (specifically old artists) and draw from their ideas to then create my own. I always thought, why do I have to see an others idea to be able to make my own? So I came up with a painting to express my belief.

The ocean is a vast place where things can get lost, a place where things drift away. When objects pass the horizon, they disappear and are never seen again. This is what is happening to the objects in my painting, they are drifting away. The 'past' in the title relates to artworks from the past. They are in the past and therefore should stay there. We should not be looking to the past but to the future, at new artists of our time, not the old. The 'past' is 'drifting' away.

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My Roots (2008)

Clay sculpture with straw, feathers, leaves and paper.

In year 12, I was instructed to design and make a sculpture that represented something personal. This idea sprang from the "My Family Tree" artwork, which I will be adding soon.
As you can see the bottom half of me is a tree, specifically the roots. It symbolising the connection of oneself to the earth. Basically, it is my roots to the world, it is what binds me to everything.
I wanted the sculpture to be as natural as possible, so I stuck to using media that appeared natural or organic to the eye. Using acrylic paint and a sponge I added a light wash of green and brown to the roots then a skin colour for the upper body. I used straw that I found in an old cupboard in the school art room. I cut each strand of hair to length and glued them on individually with a glue gun. I added coloured feathers, that to me looked like dyed hair. I also threaded fabric leaves and paper flowers through the hair and glued some leaves onto the roots to bring it all together. Now is looks very native and natural. It could be left in a forest and considered part of the surroundings.

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Caged (2011)

Collagraph Print

This is another form of printmaking called collagraph. Using pieces of mountboard (which can be found at a frame makers shop) you carve out areas where you want the most ink to penetrate. This I did using a stanley knife. To add pattern or texture, using thin pieces of fabric, cotton or ribbon is considered best. This is what I used to create my print. This print is considered like a form of collage, hence the name collagraph. Once all this is completed, Shellac is used to coat both sides of the board. Two to three coats is best. This seals the board, stopping the ink from soaking in. Ink can then be applied multiple times. Printmaking such as this is extremely messy. The ink is applied generously with a small piece of card to get into all those small crevices. Once finished, the excess ink is then rubbed off with a rag or a fine meshed cloth (cheesecloth). The paper is soaked in water allowing for a good ink print. The boards are placed face-up with the paper on top and rolled through the printing press.

Just like the previous artwork. This is very personal to me. It was an emotion I was experiencing at the time of making. Please feel free to comment and express your interpretation of the artwork. I am open to all kinds of criticism.

A Touch of... (2011)

Intaglio/chine collee print

This is my first attempt at print making. Intaglio is a form of printmaking that requires you to etch on a piece of perspex using a scribe. Ink is then applied, which catches onto the etched grooves. The excess ink is then removed. The paper is soaked in water for a short time. This allows for a good ink stain on the paper. The chine collee refers to the blue paper which is water coloured and very thin. Rice glue is applied to it and let to dry. The blue paper is then placed onto the inked perspex and the soaked paper on top. It is then rolled through a printing press. The rice glue binds both papers together.

My art is very personal at times. This reflects a feeling I was experiencing at the time of making. Please feel free to interpret it however you like. Comments and feedback are greatly appreciated. Don't be shy.