Sometimes You Get Lucky

I am often scouring the local thrift shops and markets on the look out for old frames to revamp.
Last weekend I was lucky enough to buy these beautiful frames. I believe they are French in origin. They all have gilded plaster decorations. Already I can see the potential artworks I will be creating for each. I am over the moon with excitement.

Old Frames Revamped

As I have said before, I find old frames and dress them up a little by distressing them and then hitting them with gold or silver paint. Its great recycling and it gives me the incentive to create a new work to put into them. Here is a couple I have done recently.

Small Works of Tawa

Its a Labour Day holiday this weekend and I am back into my studio. As you probably know I enjoy pottering around and making art and today is no exception. My current material to recycle is old wooden pallets left at a local factory for people to take, its about a 1 minute walk from my house. I got the big plastic pallet for the last large artwork there.Initially I used the old wood pallets to make some seed boxes for the garden. I collected the off cuts thinking they are big enough to do art works on. So now while I do the large pieces, I've been setting up these off cuts and using any left over plastic to make these. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Yes that is the same frame for each...I cheated.

Finished Large Tawa On Plastic Crate

I have completed the large Tawa image for my future exhibition I learned a lot as I went and am about to start another one. I have also been playing with smaller works on books and on little bits of wood. Soon I hope to open an Etsy shop or some other to sell these online.

For now I'll enjoy playing with new ideas and seeing where they lead.

Now Just Buying Frames and Filling Them

Opportunity shops are great places to find old frames and old paints. Some of the pigment I use comes from acrylic and oils that people throw out. Mostly its when an art student finishes an arts course. The frames range in sizes, though I do try to get ones that are roughly equal in size. I have selected a few of these, removed the glass and then created an artwork for each. I just finished this one today.

A Little Countryside Scene

Just over the ridge of our valley is a lovely series of hills with little farm houses and small fields of sometimes colourful crops. What does remain constant is the hedging of each field with large trees of various shape and size. Its always a wonderful thing to sit and paint.

Landscape Recycled Plastic Bowl

I have been experimenting with some new ideas for little landscapes. This one has been created as a bowl. Again its inspired by the village landscapes of Tawa Wellington.

The main structiure is papier mache and the center colour is a orange gold.

Tawa Valley Large Work

I am currently making progress on my Tawa Valley artwork. Despite the photo not accurately capturing its beauty, I have plans to enhance the trees with radiant golden hues. The painting depicts the valley as autumn transitions to winter, with glistening gold covering the hills in the distance. The beauty of the scene constantly evolves, with one hill radiating pink or light green in an instant. I am thoroughly enjoying working on this painting.

Old Books As Canvases

I have been doing my art onto old books. Surprisingly they make very good recyclable objects to turn into art with my plastic technique. About 3 weeks ago I was talking to a friend telling her how I was going about doing this. I told her I'd do one for her and she should try and find an old children's book that her kids no longer read. A day or two later she turned up with a little semi hard back book. She said she wanted a Wellington view so I did this one and finished it today.  I hope she likes it.

Lux Pax Clutch Art

My Lux Pax range of fashion accessories is starting to show some promise. These clutch bags are starting to sell. I'm sure its to do with the now sensible prices being asked for them. I plan on getting as many designs up there as I can. I would have really loved getting involved in this type of product sooner in my design career. But I guess anytime is a good time to see your art on products.

New Work In The Rough

I am currently working on a big Tawa valley artwork as part of my new series inspired by the area. I have recently finished a two-panel piece featuring the view from Takapu Road, showcasing "The Bucket Tree". My plan is to also create a plastic painting of the Arohata prison, viewed from the Countdown car park. But for now, I am focusing on this Tawa-inspired piece. To give you an idea of my approach, the small painting below is one half of the previously mentioned "The Bucket Tree" diptych.

My Designs Now Selling On Vida

I have been very interested in using my artworks in a range of clothing and accessories lines. So having looked around for a quality online outlet, I have decided upon Vida where I sell using the Lux Pax label. I am excited at the prospect of building up a range of beautiful garments based on my recycled plastic artworks.

Larger Work For 2017

I am slowly getting better at my recycled plastic technique. I have some larger works on the way and feel now I can get one done over the course of 3 weekends. I will frame these to sell eventually but for now they are more about my learning what can be done with plastic and pigment. The bottom image here is the artwork being blocked out. I'll post it again once it is finished.

Tawa Has Been Inspirational

I live for the moment, in a beautiful village suburb outside of Wellington New Zealand. My picturesque surrounds have been a real inspiration for my art. I can see large forests of pine spread above native bush and manicured gardens that change colour throughout the day with the ever changing light in the valley. I have been busy in my garage studio creating these small works. They aren't actually framed yet, these have just been mocked up for me to get an idea how they will look. I am considering framing them with a method mentioned to me by artist Merry Sparks. I recently met her while in Queensland for my daughter's wedding. She suggested using a simple floating frame and after some research, I am thinking that I could probably build these myself. I'll let you know how it goes.

After a few more processes.

Here is the finished image after 11 secret herbs and spices have been added. Thanks to Inkscape and Fotosketcher. Suitable for cards, posters and maybe even a kids book.

Illustrating with Blender3D

For the past year, I have been commuting to work in Wellington and using my morning train rides to draw. Recently, I had an idea to combine my hand-drawn textures with 3D software to create interchangeable objects that can be used to build a variety of illustrations. I frequently use Blender 3D for my commercial animation projects, so I thought why not apply it to build a collection of objects for my illustrations. While I draw, I have noticed that I have gained a small following of curious onlookers who are used to seeing me complete my drawings on the train. However, with this new approach to drawing, I have noticed that I have puzzled my regular train audience.

I have applied these texture maps, which are known as such, to a 3D model that I have roughly modeled based on the images. Additionally, I have hand-drawn trees, buckets, and grass tufts that I plan to incorporate into the 3D scene. After rendering, the final product is a charming scene that can be rearranged and stylized differently every time.

The final render is looking good so far. I'll add more images as I go.

Large Mural For a Pizza Shop

Last year I was pleased to get the opportunity to design a large mural of the Cowboys football team mucking about at Smiles Stadium. The client was very clear about what they wanted, which is always a good thing. I really enjoyed the caricature aspect of this mural having fun with details like the two mascots and the geckos placement. This all took about 6 weeks to get right and the customer says they are over the moon with joy.

Other Than Plastic 2017

Cartoons and caricatures have always been a passion of mine, even from a young age. I used to draw my father and his coworkers at the drafting office, as well as teachers at my school, which won me popularity with my classmates. Throughout the years, I've drawn friends, family pets, and even received commissions to create caricatures of sports figures and corporate teams. Recently, I completed a series of seven drawings for managers of a government organization in New Zealand. I hope I captured their likenesses

Other Little Projects For 2017

For a good while now I've been interested in the fetishization of robots by modern society. From an early age I was fascinated by famous robot characterizations like Gigantor, Astro boy, the robot from the Forbidden Planet and Invisible boy movies and of course Silent Running and Star Wars. These pre-real robots, I feel are an homages to a technology we don't quite know or understand as social phenomenon. I find myself asking what sort of waste and refuse will be left by them as they become obsolete like mobile phones from the 90's are now. Also I tend to think we have strange expectations of robots, will they bring with them happiness and new hope or be as co-modified as computers and their peripherals. In a way, I think that the modern artistic ideology of what a robot will be, is similar to that of the Cargo Cult natives of New Guinea and their building of effigies of airplanes with the belief that these likenesses would bring prosperity and plenty. The sculptures here, are a start to a theme I would like to pursue in my art. It is a mix of the cargo cult iconography, African fetish and that expectation of our modern culture that robots will bring solutions to many needs that we find it hard to address in society like pollution, war, elderly care, loneliness and the need for growth in economy.

I am calling this theme my robot fetish.

Some New Year New Zealand Works

Seeing in the Christmas / New Year period in New Zealand, I've have had time to finish off some colourful artworks. Though the last one is unfinished by a whisker but I still wanted to post it.These are not actually in frames but I believe that I should find frames as close to the ones I have mocked up here.