I'm an Australian artist and I predominatly paint or draw but also use photoshop etc to play with photos or to see what may potentionally become a painting and sound out my ideas. As I slowly add more and more images I hope you will give me plenty of feedback.BIO We live in a time where technology has become so advanced that you no longer even need a camera to produce amazing images. For the commercial world technology is the future, for it will embrace this new medium with open arms, however I am constantly amazed at the number of artists that still use traditional mediums and methods simply because they want to.
I am one of those people, who has a compelling desire that borders on an insane obsession to paint and draw. My pictures, although appearing realistic and simple at first glance become more complex the more you delve into the image and also create a story or better still raise questions.
I like to draw the viewer in, trap them with curiosity until they think what the hell is going on here. Sometimes my work is politically motivated, or pure fantasy Sometimes I know exactly what Im going to paint, or I just start and let the trained eye slowly pick that stroke of paint or colour that is forming an interesting direction or composition. I just play on those bits until the story seems to just come out of the brush. The description I feel most comfortable with is
surrealist, as I paint in a realistic manner but the situation may be totally unrealistic. I like the fact that I can create a world that does not exist but comes from imagination. I believe imagination is the key to society because it enables us to see the future and create it or divert it.
My traditional academic and self taught skills, enables me to paint in a manner that is universally understood and the skill and dedication is clearly visible to the viewer, something that is not seen enough these days. My paintings do not need a long, superlative filled pretencious description. I feel so many contemporary paintings are no more than decorative patterns designed to match the curtains. Galleries are filled with this meaningless pumped out decor with very little pride and skill attached, this is simply flooding the art world, purchased solely because the gallery owners say it is good art.
My aim is to bring art back to the people. The people who purchase it not because they know good art or bad art but because they know what they like and can see the human endeavour and desire that went into creating it. This is one of the principal objectives of the Zooid Art Movement of which I am a founding member.
Painting has been and still is a successful way of recording history, but I feel it is also an integral part of human endeavour, the need to achieve excellence in creation.
Graeme W. Balchin
Comments (5)
crrunchyfrog
I don't think a woman has to be a model to feel this way, the aging process is more graceful for some than others and the dramatic changes that surface can run deep into the psyche. I think its only when I started seeing the 'cracks' as an outward sign of experience and maybe wisdom, that they became something good rather than in need of botox ugh!. Nice work, filled with some different ideas :) Thank you so much for sharing.
A_
very good work.. wish i could view it in real life, it must have a great impact.
ARTWITHIN
Graeme, this is stunning. It is interesting how perception is such an important part of viewing artwork. I see this as a statement about changes or transitions, and how we deal with them. Your work displays the desperation of one so attached to her surroundings that she is trapped and immobilized when she can least afford it. The runway doesn't have to crumble. She could walk to the end and go out into the light, welcoming a new dawn in her life. Excellent and provocative work of art.
drmuscle
Anything to do with the elton john song?
glenravo
Ya never cease to amaze great work ravo