LAB Art 2012: The Artist and Gallery

Thought i'd spent a few moments telling you a bit about myself as an artist, my art style and the themes I am most interested in.

I first started out 'really' experimenting with art in 2007, my first year of university. Of course as a kid, I loved to draw, paint and do creative things, but this was that moment when I realised that art was something I wanted to make part of my life. It was kind of weird how it happened, I was looking at rock album covers on my computer and came across one that had a drawing of a lady with puppet strings attached to her, huge chest and she pretty much looked like a prostitute. So how did that inspire
me, you ask? Haha, well I looked carefully at the drawing, a brilliant executed drawing by the way, breaking the picture down into its most simplest lines, and thought I can draw that. So i picked up a permanent marker and an A3 piece of paper, and started with her eye brows. From there, the drawing came into itself and the end result was what I had hoped for, a picture that showed me I could draw.

Since that day and that moment, art has been a big part of my daily life. I am most interested in drawing people and communicating their feelings, actions and inner most demons visually and sometimes verbally. I focus on relationships between people, and how a person relates to the world, their own struggles and others. I wouldn't call my art dark but just like life, it is sometimes hard to look at or face. I try to keep it real, or at least symbolically real.

I do love painting and am trying it more and more these days, but my real passion lies in drawing and sketching cartoon/comic book style characters and situations. I draw with either pen, fine liner or permanent marker and then digitally add the colouring. So most of my art is print style at the end.

When painting my favourite medium is acrylics because they allow me super bright colours and work well with the speed in which I like to work. Once I have an idea or inspiration, I start immediately and am usually finished with the art work in at most an hour. My art is like my personality: impulsive and wrapped up in the moment.

If you haven't noticed, I love colour. The brighter, the better. At the moment I am working as an art teacher for an elementary school, and I am constantly telling my students "add more colour, make your painting pop, colour is beautiful and it is everywhere". Thats just how I like to see the world, and I hope my art communicates my viewpoint.          

To date I wonder who would my art appeal to, how can I get it out there into the world and what can I do with it. I can't stop now and so far I have not sold any artworks. I am hoping that dream oneday becomes a reality.

For now though, I am happy I have art as one of the biggest parts of my life.

As Andy Warhol once said: " An Artist is someone who produces things that people don't need to have, but that he - for some reason - thinks it would be a good idea to give them".

So from me, LAB, to you, I give you my art, my thoughts and the way I see the world.

pLAylist 2012: Selah Sue

Selah Sue released her debut self-entitled album in 2011 and it was a massive success. I came across it this year and its been on repeat on my pLAylist ever since. Her music is reggae/soul/alternative and if thats not your vibe, her voice will have you quickly coverted.

Best tracks on the album include:
- Black Part Love
- Peace of Mind
- Raggamuffin
- Crazy Vibes

She collaborated with Cee-Lo Green on the track Please. It's not my favourite track but worth a listen if you are a fan of his.

Check out Selah Sue's website for more info on this lyrically amazing lady and her jams: www.selahsue.com.

And add it to your pLAylist of course :) peace

LAB ART 2012 - Be Free