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 (22)
shutterb
Fantastic image. Love the tones and the shapes... Awesome composition...
juca
Wonderful artwork, super!!
Brian S.
Fantastic detail
JillianElf
Your trees are amazing, and this a wonderful study of shading and detail. Magnificient!
Claywoman
Beautiful and congrats on the commission!
mitchmike
great artwork! looks real natural!
verod
Very good!
A_
how, how beautiful. i love how you do different textures; i can really feel it.
TheAnimaGemini
Great drawing. Fantastic details. Excellent.
akulla
As always wonderful and inspiring, fantastic composition.
martingeorg
Graeme, the day will come I will reach your skills :) It is so delightful to see your work from time to time, thank you!
kansas
Excellent and very beautiful!
delbeke
Beautiful and expertly done
koosievantutte
fantastic drawing!
pearllt
Absolutely gorgeous!
face_off
Congratulations on being a finalist in the Moran show. We saw the exhibition in Adelaide a few weeks ago, and everyone loved your work. Better than the winner IMO.
graemeb
Thanks, I'm getting googled about 200 times a month from that which is kool.
Treform
AS a fanatic tree lover, who live in Sydney and knows these trees, what a wonderful drawing.
mmirnii
hey hey!! i know these trees!! who is my new naighbour? :)
Izabela
You make me feel the need to go and practice on my drawing. Trees... I'm learning and working on it..when I have one I like. I'll post it up.. you do an excellent job. Now.. I must go.. picks up pencils and paper on the way
helanker
OHHH MYYY!!! this is AWESOME!!!! What an artist you are. So beautiful indeed.
SimplySabis
I am most enamored of your drawings, though being a pencil artist myself might have something to do with it. You have excellent tonal range and your use of subtle texture with concise detail is very appealing to me. I've enjoyed all of your trees so far! ps- perhaps in a site mail, you could explain your art movement to me? Thank you!