One of the main reasons I established my website Total Design Reviews is because I have a passion for art and design. In fact, anything creative really stimulates me to write in-depth editorials. Even though I originally graduated from University with a degree in illustration and initially worked for many high profile clients like BT (British Telecom), BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) and numerous magazines I gravitated towards fine art more recently. Certainly it is really hard to make a living from selling paintings alone and that is why it required me to explore other commercial avenues. A similar example can be found in South Australian artist/designer Timothy John who works closely with watchmakers and luxury design companies. This multi talented all rounder has even created his own range of limited edition printed neck scarves.
Originally I specialized in portraiture but after a visit to Keukenhof Gardens in Amsterdam I became fascinated with flowers. This amazing festival has over a million tulips on display and is the largest of its kind in the world. Whilst I was there I did many sketches/studies and took numerous photographs. At the time there was torrential rain, which actually worked in my favour. The tiny droplets of water on the petals added a completely new dimension to the flowers. This is clearly illustrated in my paintings entitled Keukenhof Tulip 1 and 2. For subsequent compositions I had to spray the petals to create the same aesthetic.
Flowers have a beautiful appearance because of their delicate textures and vibrant colours. I decided to focus on a close up viewpoint, filling the whole canvas with one entire flower. To achieve a luminous effect, I used many fine layers of paint (mixed with linseed oil), which took many months. I also paid particular attention to the water droplets because I wanted to give the overall composition a three dimensional quality.
For more information about my website visit: or my Adelaide gallery BMG Art
