Artist Statement
The quiet stillness descends as the sun lowers in the west under a big, silent sky.
Magpies warble softly, a lone king parrot cries out from a distant tree with its squeaky gate call.
Shadows lengthen, gather and pool together. The scattered tall trees, survivors from an old forest, catch the last golden rays, soaking them up, remembering.
This painting is based on memories as I haven’t walked the ridge for a while now, but it’s left a lasting impression on me. I avoided using a palette knife for this, using only brushes as a wanted a softer, more atmospheric and natural feel.
About the Artist
Andy is a self-taught modern impressionist artist based in Canberra, Australia. Most of his works are landscapes inspired by the hills and wild places surrounding the city and the local region, though occasionally he paints scenes from memories or imagination.
He paints to intuitively express thoughts and emotions through his works, so his landscapes are notable for dramatic skies and intense use of colour. They often convey a conservationist theme, illustrating the damage done to nature yet seeking beauty and hope in what remains.
Andy also looks to explore light in all its nuances; his paintings are typically filled with brilliant ambient light and deep rich shadows. The scenes he creates are what he imagines them to be – landscapes as viewed through the prism of his soul.
His works are created with acrylic paints and inks, as his paintings are built up quickly through countless layers which necessitates a fast drying time, and acrylics allow the freedom to apply washes and tinted glazes over thicker impasto paint.
This exhibition, The Colours I Feel, is mostly inspired by Andy’s ventures into the wilds of Canberra during the autumn and winter of 2022 and 2023. He wanted to paint, not the scenes that the city is famous for, but rather the out of the way places where he found peace and inspiration.