Artistic journey
My art journey began as a young kid enthralled by the coastal landscapes I saw around Sydney, inspiring me to begin painting in early high school. Through the rough 'n tumble of those days, life and other passions like punk rock music and surfing soon got in the way and I stopped painting for a number of years.
But in the early 2000s I spent considerable time travelling in the far Outback of Australia and at times assisting with art centres in remote communities in the Pilbara and Great Sandy Desert. I also travelled extensively right across the country, from Western Australia, across the Nullarbor Plain, into remote South Australia and western NSW. These overall experiences inspired me to again pick up the brush and again start painting, eventually completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Hons.) and Masters of Fine Arts at COFA (UNSW).
Inspiration and style
Drawing inspiration from the vibrant colours and textures of the Australian environment, my work is characterised by its bold use of colour and an attempt to evoke the feelings within that such landscapes can bring. Rather than looking to create exact reproductions of landscape, I take a more impressionistic approach, almost like the way places can lodge in your memory not so much as specific images, but more as a sense of feeling or emotion. Subtle hints, fragmentary moments, nostaligia, distant memories you may have never known you had...
Connection to Bondi
I was born and raised in the Sydney beachside suburb of Bondi, learning to surf from a very young age and essentially spending my whole childhood and life ever since riding the rhythms of the beach and the ocean. Whilst the area has changed dramatically, the beach and the ocean are essentially the same as they've always been.
Still living and working in Bondi, this connection to a sense of "place" is very important to me and whilst I am heavily inspired by the Outback and desert, the beach, cliffs, and the blue of the sea and sky are all also very important to me and my artwork. Combining these factors with the inspiration gained by regular trips to the Australian desert and Outback, I seek to imbue every artwork I create with a real sense of "landscape resonance", evoking the power and transcendence of the land.
Journalism and music
In addition to my work as an artist, I am also a journalist, having worked for a wide range of Australian media outlets, working on news desks and writing on topics ranging from environmental issues to Australian culture. This career has given me a unique insight into the Australian psyche, something I feel is in turn reflected in my artwork.
Also crucial to my artistic vision is my work with my band, The Aerial Maps (pictured). The band combines my love for narrative storytelling with music and songwriting, allowing me a space to express a wider picture and vision. We have released a total of 4 albums and perform regularly around Australia, with release details and more info available here: https://theaerialmaps.bandcamp.com/
Exhibitions/recognition
My work explores landscapes and emotional connections to place. I hold a Master of Fine Arts (COFA) and a Master of Creative Writing (UTS). As frontman of The Aerial Maps and the Ark-Ark Bird, I have released 6 albums in total and toured nationally. My art has been exhibited in Australia, Finland, China, and the USA. I have published 3 poetry books, including Bondi Poems and received multiple awards, grants, and residencies, including the Australia Council Emerging Writers Grant and Arteles Art Centre residency in Finland.