Last Post:
Gallery – selected works from various series
About
Education:
1974-1986: All sorts of good stuff from my mum, the artistJ
1990-1992: Art & Design – Southwest college of TAFE, Bunbury, Western Australia
Other:
Founder of “Gallery Forrest – Shadeshape & Finearts”
Co-founder of “Paradis Studios”
Co-founder of “Tilsammans”
A little about me:
I am an Australian artist currently living in Bergen, Norway.
Most of my upbringing was spent on the Southwest coast of Western Australia.
My mother was an artist and teacher, and ensured a creative childhood environment. When we weren’t painting or sculpting, my sister and I were kept occupied with excursions and science projects.
Being a worldly person, she was disposed to bestow in us an awareness of the world beyond our gate, and at the age of 6, took us backpacking on a 3 month tour of Europe, visiting all the major museums and art galleries. The experiences and impressions from this trip were eye opening, and greatly influenced my appreciation for European art and culture.
I don’t remember ever not drawing or painting, but it wasn’t until I was a teenager that I started taking it more seriously, working on larger formats (240×120 particle boards) and exploring alternative mediums. I developed an interest for airbrushing, though missed the texture and imperfections of brushwork. I started combining the two techniques, and at 17, won 3 first prizes in a regional art competition with my “H.R.Giger” influenced impressions of the mother Mary.
As an early adolescent, I diverted from my path and went to work in the gold mines of Western Australia. This was a very dark, yet mind opening period of isolation and self exploration. I continued painting in my 2×3 living quarters, and ultimately, painting became my salvation. I started painting my dreams and after 2 years of depression, managed to paint a landscape of my future home (a house in the mountains of a faraway place), moved back to the coast and enrolled in art classes again.
Shortly after this I met and fell in love with a Norwegian girl. In the late 90′s we travelled Europe, moved to Norway, married and settled down. We bought her childhood home, nestled in the mountains of Bergen.. and added an atelier.
Moving to the other side of the world gave me distance to reflect on life, and through an extensive search for answers to ungraspable questions, was led to a fascination for quantum physics. A lot of my work since coming here, subtly references the fundamental patterns at work in our lives, and their influence on them. Making sense of these seemingly cold micro events within the fluidity of the macro world around us can be an exhausting task, and these paintings usually go hand in hand with periods of frustration. As an antidote, I often revert to my love of light and form.
I have been admiring the old rotting farm houses and industrial buildings around Bergen and am currently finding inspiration in the dauntingly beautiful process of decay. It is a Phenomenon that we can all relate to, though rarely consider. The same patterns that rot a house away, are at work, slowly decomposing religions, societies, loved ones. We say goodbye or replace them with something new. Evolve, move on and let go. Though ultimately, the entire universe is not exempt from this rule.
CV
Exhibitions/ Commissions
NORWAY
2013 – Joint exhibition at AGORA GALLERY, Chelsea, New York
September 2012 – “Selected works” at Tre Brør, Voss; Solo Exhibition
July 2012 – Joint exhibition at Gallery Forrest – Shadeshape & Fineart
September 2011 – “Owned” at Gallery Forrest, Norway; Joint Exhibition
January 2011 – “Winter Works” at Glesvær Gallery, Norway; Joint Exhibition
November 2010 – “Figurative Light” at Gallery Forrest, Norway; Solo Exhibition
April 2010 – “Selected Works” at First Hotel Marin, Norway; Joint Exhibits
June 2009 – “Fractions of 3 Dimensions” at Gallery Forrest, Norway; Joint Exhibition
September 2006 – “Commission for 8 works” at Potet Kjelleren, Norway; Commission
July 2006 – “Strekens Dans” at Finken, Norway; Solo Exhibition
August 2005 – “Gallery Opening” at Tilsammans, Norway; Solo Exhibition
October 2005 – “Commission for 15 works” at BOHA, Norway; Commission
August 2004 – “Intellectual Fashion” at Northern Soul, Norway; Joint Exhibition
August 2003 – “Selected Works” at The Cut, Norway;
Juni 2002 – “Spirit of Science” at Hvaler Kulturhus, Norway; Solo Exhibition
Mai 2002 – “Commission for 4 works” at R&B Scooter, Norway; Commission
AUSTRALIA
September 1998 – “Communications” at Telcom competition Perth National Art Gallery, Perth; Joint Exhibition
March 1998 – “Selected Works” at The Barracks Art Gallery, Bunbury; Joint Exhibition
December 1997 – “Construct – Destruct” at Gelorup Council House, Gelorup; Solo Exhibition
August 1997 – “Wall Mural” at Capel Shire, Capel; Commission
March 1997 – “Commission for 2 works” for Southwest Recycle, Dardanup; Commission
Oktober 1996 – “Southwest Survey” at Bunbury Regional Art Gallery, Bunbury; Joint Exhibition
April 1992 – “Bunbury Regional Art Show” at Bunbury Show grounds, Bunbury; Joint Exhibition
Techniques
I have experimented alot with techniques over the years. One of my favourite techniques involves carving out the whole motiv/ design on a large panel of wood. Then I lay the canvas over the wood and apply pressure to all edges and crevasses. I am left with a slight indentation of the carved design. I then make sure the canvas is completely level and spray a thick layer of thinned oil paint over the whole canvas. The paint particles seperate or accumulate within the linseed oil depending on the levels of the surface. It usually takes 1-3 months before I can touch the painting!
Due to the slow drying process, the thicker areas of paint create an interesting fractal like surface. What I like most about this technique, is the fact that I am only partially in control of the final result.
Another technique I enjoy focuses on texture. I drown the canvas with house paint and then cover it with glad wrap (cling film) and put it on a hot oven to cook. The paint starts to boil, bubble and steam under the plastic.
When the process is finished, I am left with a very intricate surface of lines and holes to continue painting on. Alternatively, I might scrape a two dimensional design or poem out of the house paint(as in “Leif”) before covering it with plastic. Then when I paint my desired motiv on the surface, it gives the impression of two seperate elements that have been superimposed.
Most of my more unusual techniques were derived from observations after accidents and then trying to understand what and how it happened.
90% of my work is done in oil paint and through this medium, it is the exploration of colour and the expression of stroke that lend to the mysterious elements of creation.
Contact



