Fire Drawing: Picasso's "Woman with Yellow Hair"

Hello,

Here is the Fire Drawing for Pablo Picasso's "Woman with Yellow Hair", as seen here. Just like the previous posting, I have shown the work-in-progress stages of the Blu-Tac and the raw match sticks.

Fortunately I have YouTube for the video here, it runs for just over 1 minute. I had to double the speed of the video so it would not take too long, and I have used my half-baked video editing skills to put the original Picasso artwork in there, sort of. I hope it looks OK, I tried! The video link is here.

Fire Drawing: Picasso's "War and Peace"

Hey,

Here is the steps for how I created the Fire Drawing of Picasso's "War and Peace".

The first picture is of the drawing duplicated with Blu-Tac, before it is covered in match sticks (the second picture). The end result is curved black matches forming a very distorted and disturbing, yet still visible, image.

I did not capture the video for the fire, it was a bit of a test project. What
it proved was that it works, and it looks great. I set off two smoke alarms in my house and filled the room up with smoke, but I received positive feedback and encouragement from my sister who is a great artist.

Introducing Fire drawings

Hello,

I recently envisioned this concept where you draw, with fire. It is a form of ephemeral art, which ends up like a sculpture. The way I do it is, trace a drawing with Blu-Tac and stick on matches one after the other, standing upright. Then, as I light one end, the matches quickly ignite each other and go around the whole picture. The drawing is on fire. And then, as the matches die down, all that is left are the burnt matches. But the burnt matches are like a sculpture, beautifully and randomly curved, some broken. A shiny black colour.

I am going to take two pieces from Pablo Picasso ("Women with Yellow Hair" and "War and Peace") and turn them into fire drawings. I shall post the pictures up soon, and the video of the fire drawing will be on YouTube or something, and linked here.

Art exhibited in the US

Hi everyone!

I just heard back from the curator (Riley) for an art show/exhibition held in the US and it was a hit!

To recap, my sister (my sister who is a great artist) and I were approached to have our pieces shown at an art exhibit in the US, for the AIESEC National Conference. The theme was "Our World To Create", featuring artists that were AIESEC members, from all over the world.

It had a major impact on the delegates at the conference, all very interested in the work, the thoughts and the backgrounds of the artists.

Many people came up to me and said that all of the artists were so talented and that they could not believe that the work was of AIESECers. Many people also said they liked that they could learn more about you and your work in AIESEC.

This art exhibit has inspired a number of things: the Organising Committee for the 50th Anniversary Gala is considering doing three exhibits about AIESEC exchange for the event; and the artworks could be used for approaching companies to get sponsorship.

What an amazing compliment! Although I am only one part of the exhibit, I feel a great sense of pride and satisfaction that I contributed to what sounds like such a successful and impactful event. It has given me more confidence in my ability and potential as an artist. I can't give enough thanks to Riley, she gave me the opportunity and was so supportive of me. Thank you, Riley.

These are the art pieces displayed at the exhibit. They're all here in the weblog!

• Buddhist Temple Observes Violence
• Rene Magritte
• Beauty unintended and unappreciated (all three)
• Storm Over Fusion

There will be more updates on the exhibit soon, I'll be getting more information and feedback soon. And hopefully some photos!

Planning for my first sculpture!

Hi everyone,

Today I set out to find materials for my first sculpture project. I attempt to recreate the stunning art piece by Nike Sawas, "Atomic: full of love, full of wonder". This was an installation I saw as part of the "Adventures with Form in Space" Exhibition on the Lower Level of the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney. Thousands of small bright colourful balls are suspended in the air, filling the entire room. Fans are installed around the place, and are periodically turned on gently to create a wind, which causes the little balls to move around. It is intended to resemble atoms and particles. But the effect the art piece has is quite different. What I found upon entering the room was an overwhelming sense of happiness and excitement. I am someone who loves colour, and to see a whole massive room filled with cute little balls really made me happy. It was so simple, yet so fantastic.

When I saw this art installation I immediately thought of how I could bring this to my own home. I wanted one. I so desperately wanted one. So today I went to Riot Arts & Crafts, bought 350 small foam balls, and foam boards. I am going to try and create a miniature version of the room. The foam boards would be the walls, and the balls would be the balls! The size of the "room" is like a landscape A3. Obviously I won't be able to capture the movement of the balls, but thats fine by me - I didn't see the balls moving when I went in there, and still loved it!

Here are some pictures of what the original piece looks like.

Further experimentation sees the artist discovers tape, and learns a Gerhard Richter painting technique

This is a very recent artwork, started and completed just three days ago! It is simply an experimental piece, where I try continue to practice my blending, use tape, use rollers, apply water to paints, and use a lot of oil paints. It is a piece I really enjoyed making because I was
essentially learning throughout the piece. I used both oils and acrylics.

I apologise for the strange angle of the photo - it was the only angle I could get it at with the least amount of glare. As you can see, the oil paints down the left side of the canvas, are very shiny, and a flash would have reflected quite significantly.

About the title #1 - the NGV in Melbourne has a painting by Gerhard Richter that is so firmly ingrained into my mind. I am in awe of that artwork and its beauty, particularly the randomness of the colours and how well they went together. The oil paint on the left side of the painting bears an eerily close resemblance to it.

About the title #2 - I used tape to form the mirrored "ART?". I put that there because I am myself questioning whether this artwork is in fact art: there is no meaning or purpose to it, but it looks very good. It reflects something I've been confused about lately. What makes an artwork an artwork? What stops random stuff like shopping trolleys from being art? Can anything be art? If someone says its art - does that make it art? Is art everything?

The photo right here is just a zoom-in of the detailed top part of the canvas. My sister criticised the composition of the piece, saying it was very detailed in the top left and hence unbalanced. I would agree with her, but I don't mind this - it still looks great. I'll definitely think about composition more next time though, because poor composition is something that is evident throughout my art, I believe.

Normally at the end of my postings I tell people its unowned just in case someone wants it. But this one is mine forever. Nobody can have it!

Storm Over Fusion

Storm Over Fusion is an incomplete remake of one of my very first paintings: Fusion. Fusion was a very basic colour mixture of red and yellow using a simple brush. The intention was to show the different colours as they mix together, but was, in my opinion, unsuccessful! However, it inspired Untitled, which I believe is a decent artwork.

So, because it was unsuccessful, I decided I'd paint over it. It was started after Shadow Flower, as a more advanced demonstration of blending colours! The intention was to blend colours into each other. Here, dark blue blends into light blue, which blends into white, which blends into purple. The purple blends into orange, which blends into green, which blends into dark green and then black.

Although it is incomplete in the sense that I have not completely covered Fusion, I consider this a complete artwork. Part of its appeal is the fact that it is not finished! When I look at it, I see an entity growing, consuming, overwhelming another entity. It's like the artwork is being taken over as you look at it, or you have captured it at a point in time where it is taking over. It reminds me of storms brewing over the land, tornados evolving up above, or viruses spreading under the microscope.

The artwork is currently unowned!

First Oil Painting

Hi everyone,

So for my birthday last year (29 July) I received a lot of art stuff. This included oil paints, which I had not had been brave enough to use before. I learned that it is extremely difficult to use! Or at least, a very difficult adjustment. I think I really need to get some technique.

With this artwork the pure goal was to practice using oils and look at the cool stuff I can do with oil painting that I can't do with acrylic. It turned into a random doodle and it means nothing at all. But hey, it's important because its my first step into a new world! It may not be special to many people, but its important to me!

Assisting my sister who is a great artist's artwork

Hi everyone,

Yesterday I assisted an installation ephemeral art made by my sister who is a great artist, my sister. She's a first year Visual Arts student, a key person in my slow art education and development as an... "artist". Her sculpture project was ephemeral art, that is, art that doesn't last. Some used performance art whilst others made igloos out of ice cubes.

my sister who is a great artist catches public transport to get to and from university, and she often looks out the window bored. Her idea was to make the public transport experience more interesting for bored commuters. One of the most bland parts of the train is the tracks, and the strikingly monotonous black rocks. So, my sister who is a great artist and I took 156 rocks from the train tracks. my sister who is a great artist then painted them with bright flourescent colours: yellow, green, pink, blue and orange.

As logistics became difficult, especially with respect to the law, the location and intention of the piece changed a couple of times. No longer was it to be a surprise to the passengers on the train, but it became a surprise to those waiting on the platforms. The location moved from Heyington Station to East Malvern Station. It was to be a subtle piece, intended to confuse and amuse, attract curiousity from the commuters.

At about 1:30am, my sister who is a great artist and I were joined by Tilly and Ruth, and we all threw these rocks onto the tracks. We took up one section of the tracks about 3 metres long, slightly to the right of the main entrance. We threw the rocks evenly around the area, aiming predominantly for the middle of the two tracks. There was no pattern intended, and no pattern eventuated. It was a lot of fun!

The next day my sister who is a great artist went to the station, and the rocks were obviously still there. While most people turned left to walk up the platform, those who turned right noticed the interesting rocks. It left them with confusion and surprise.

I was very excited to be part of this project and I am happy with the work. If it were up to me I would have painted a lot more rocks, and I would have put the rocks in a more prominent position. The idea is a great one, and it simply needs to be exposed greater. A station that links and connects different lines, like Richmond or Flinders Street, would be far more effective.

These photos are from my sister who is a great artist's visit in the morning.

Beauty unintended and unappreciated

Hi everyone,

I really love these photos. Sure, they are stuff-ups, but the insane colours that are created, the smooth lines and the randomness of the photo make them fascinating to me.

People often discard these images as mistakes and/or get annoyed when they realise that the memory they wanted to capture was distorted by stuff-up. But what I don't think people realise is that they have taken a very interesting and unique photo. This combination of line and colour could not possibly be repeated anywhere. These photos are exclusive and beautiful, yet they are taken for granted.

These are just 3 examples of beauty unintended and unappreciated.

The impact of Olympism

Hello,

Exerpts from the fundamental principles of Olympism:
1. "Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethicsal principles."

This artwork is basically saying that after the 200+ years of the Olympic Games and the IOC, and a emphasis on Olympism, that nothing really has been achieved. The Olympic rings, which symbolise Olympism between the five continents and all the countries within them, is not actually happening. The colours, which represent the 5 most common colours on national flags shows that each country is in harmony, but this is not true either. Its a way of explaining all the hate in the world, the lack of peace and the instability of international relations. The fact that the Olympic Flag, a symbol that represents pride in world peace and ethical behaviour, a flag that is so iconic to the sporting world; is really only a bunch of unconnected arcs. What is normally looked at with such prestige, is nothing but an awkward uncomfortable assortment of lines that mean little to anyone.

This artwork is still in the process of being created, but it is so clear in my mind what I am doing and why I am doing it. So, I figured I'd update everyone on it!

This artwork is currently unowned as well.

Affection, Intimacy

Hi everyone,

Last night I painted about an idea that was inspired on my recent trip to Sydney. I would like to personally thank Nicky for triggering the idea off in my mind. As we were sitting at the Gate waiting for the plane, she hands me two highlighter pens and a piece of paper, "Draw something when you're on the plane!", she said to try and cheer me up. And this got me thinking...

Affection, Intimacy is an abstract expressive artwork with bright orange in the centre, surrounded by yellow/green, blue and purple. The centre interacts only slightly with its surroundings. The paint was applied all over the canvas and then spread with a painting knife. It was spread very quickly and coarsely, you can see the thin lines of where the painting knife has been, revealing the white canvas. The orange centre is thicker and fuller than its surroundings.

The artwork meant something to me at the time it was being created, and I would like to keep that meaning from public viewing. But by all means if you are curious or would like to discuss it with me, you are more than welcome to. I am relatively satisfied with the finished product, I think the colours are a bit off, particularly the orange and the yellow/green. I'm also unsure how well the overall feeling the painting matches the way I feel, or the way I was intending to feel. I may have to try and do it again...

Affection, Intimacy is currently unowned.

Rene Magritte: Subliminal Message

This canvas here is entitled "Rene Magritte: Subliminal Message". I poke fun at my original painting "Rene Magritte". In my opinion, everyone likes the painting because it looks good, and only because it looks good. I, the artist, know that there was no point to the painting - it had no message and it had no aims. In other words, it had no meaning and it had no purpose.

In this painting I am doing exactly the same thing, only I have put in a message: QUALITY ART HAS MEANING AND PURPOSE. It can only be seen by those who look closely and seriously at the painting - otherwise it looks essentially the same as the other one. So, for those who genuinely study the painting, look at it closely, care about it and respect art, will see the message. And hopefully, they will respect the piece for that. As for everyone else, they will respect it because it looks good.

The first photo is the canvas against the brick wall exterior of my house. The second photo is a zoomed shot of the message, and the third photo is the message on A4 paper. I used that as a stencil for putting the message onto the painting and I have attached this paper to the inside of the canvas.

Brugge

This is my first attempt at painting something from a photo. Rather than the abstract expressive art, I decided I'd test my ability to actually DRAW. And while the results clearly suggest I have a lot of work to do in that regard, it was largely because I found myself distracted by how I could use colour. The original photo is of a dark clouded tower in Brugge (Belgium), it was taken at night and it had an amazing sense of mystery about it.

So, I painted the tower with dark colours over a black background. The outline of the tower is coloured in with a dark maroon colour. Obviously, the lights inside are extremely bright, as is the moon. This provides an insane contrast! The moon is painted thick and is therefore quite textured.

What I tried to do was put in elements of Fauvism. This tower, by no means looks natural: there is no way a tower could be the exact same colour throughout. Similarly, it appears simply, not quite right. The colours are dark and mysterious, giving the viewer insecure, scared, dark emotions. From some angles this painting appears to be just a few yellow and white shapes on a black canvas because the blue and maroon are so dark. This adds a strong sense of mystery.

Comments from old blog:
hey that looks awesome! It almost has a "haunted" feeling to it? Is that something (an idea) that you were considering to be part of this piece of art work? I really like the yellow parts in it, gives an uplifting feel to it. Same also with the texture of the moon!! Great work!! (by Oo-KeenOnKeane-oO)

Shadow Flower

This piece was more experimentation with blending colours. Tamara Willman (my sister and soon-to-be overwhelmingly successful artist), taught me how to blend colours and it inspired me to try it. As you can see there is red in with the brown, and even some gray with the brown. Over the top of the background, is a flower. The stem is thick paint, and the flower has red, orange and yellow petals.

When I look at it now, after I painted it (which was in about August or September of 2005), I think that there is someone in the background, with her back to me. It inspired another idea of mine... a work in progress.

Thinking about it now, I don't really have much respect for this painting...

Comments from old blog:

Heya Daz You know how the stem part of the flower "blobby" bits that stand out? For me, it seems weird that the flower does not stand out as well? But I guess it makes it different... coz normally the whole flower stands out... now its a bit more abstract? Cheers Vivi (Vivi)

I enjoy the variety of your work and can see Kandinsky's influence in the musicality of your colour. I love the simplicity and purity of Shadow Flower. (2023artist)

Untitled

This very small canvas is an incredibly detailed fusion of green, blue, yellow and a bit of white and red. A number of different greens are used and combined with blue, yellow and white to create other greens, and red appears sporadically. The technique used here was to dab thick green onto the canvas before quickly putting other colours into it to create unique strokes and designs that cannot be imitated. If you look closely at the thicker parts of the painting, you can see this very clearly.

This was started and finished on the same day, and was given to Tony Willman as a gift. It looks vastly better from a distance or smaller.


Comments from old blog:

Hey Darren. Thanks for posting up some more paintings! I REALLY like the untitled one - the green, yellow, blue coloured one. It is SO SO good! It has the texture of the Rene Magritte like you said, but the great colour intensity of the Buddist Turtle Observes Violence! I LOVE IT!!!!!!! YAY! That one is a SURE keeper. Dont even touch it! Im so proud of you, your doing so well!!! :D KC
Published By KC - 12 June 7:01 PM

Nice one dazza. I like the untitled one, looks even pro like. How long did it take you to do that? Keep up the creativity~ From: Yi =)
Published By Yi - 12 June 11:42 PM

Hey. I don't know what to say or think... Vivi
Published by Vivi - 15 June 12:29AM

Rene Magritte

This was my second art piece made shortly after Buddhist Temple Observes Violence, again started and finished on the same day. This painting was intended to be a background for something else, but it received rave reviews by my peers on its own, and I thus decided to leave it as it was.

The use of blue is used, and a simple gradient technique is used as it goes from blue to white. But it is not just about the colour that makes the painting so popular. It is largely the texture that creates such interest. The whiter the painting gets, the thicker the paint and the more profound the texture.

This art piece has no intended meaning whatsoever and is an example of how people like art simply because it looks good, and not because they agree or relate to what the piece means.

It is entitled Rene Magritte because the colours simply remind me of the Rene Magritte paintings that make use of a bright cloudy blue and white sky.

This artwork was given to Huguette Willman as a gift.


Comments from old blog:

Ive been looking at Rene Magritte again, its quite good actually...... not sure how other people look at it, but for me, reminds of a pristine, deserted beach..... What's the significance of the name? Ash
Published By AshBittu - 13 June 9:27 PM

Heya Daz! I guess some people have already said this, but "Rene Magritte" reminds me of a beach. But i also imgine this is as the view from a weather sat. Cos the blue ocean seems to be under a huge cloud... part of a hurricane or something. If it was a hurricane, i'd call it "beautiful destruction" or something like that. Have you seen those books with pictures of hurricanes viewed from space? How they look so beutiful, yet you know that on ground level, its blowing things to bits... beautiful destruction/violence.... Paint on daz!! Vivi
Published by Vivi - 15 June 12:14 AM

First painting ever: Buddhist Turtle Observes Violence

This is Buddhist Turtle Observes Violence. It was the first canvas I have ever painted, started and completed on the same day in April 2005.

It was initially intended to be a calm painting to relax and comfort the viewer. There are a number of blues in calm waving strokes. But as the day went on, my family had argument after argument and it made me angry, frustrated and annoyed. Essentially, I took it out on the painting, introducing harsh strokes and blotches in dark reds and a bit of pink.

Within the painting I saw violence and anger, so I highlighted those in a dark blue colour. You can see people strangling each other in the top half of the painting, and in the bottom half there appears to be a dead person and an army tank.

In front of all this, there is a turtle watching on...

This painting has been given to Cassandra Brooks as a gift.

Comment from old blog:

Heya Daz... So if you said that about "Rene Magritte" (see feedback on "Rene Magritte"), then its quite similar to "Buddhist Turtle Observes Violence". The turtle looks very pure, I guess thats why you used white. But if you look at its smile, the painting can take on an evil aura. Like the turtle isn't a buddhist, but rahter some sadistic teenage mutant ninja turtle watching violence. Though i'd have to say that i like the buddhist turtle the most of all your paintings. Paint on daz!! Vivi

Published By Vivi - 15 June 12:14 AM

Welcome to the new home of my art

Hi guys!

Welcome to the new home of my artwork. I've moved over to Blogger because it gives me more flexibility and its much better for blogging in general. I refer you to my other blog: http://spaces.msn.com/members/darrensartblog for the developments in my learning about modern and contemporary art. This blog is purely designed to display my art and talk about what it means to me and whoever else wants to comment.

Cheers!
- Daz