Thanks for the Appel, Mr Karel Print

I’ve always been interested in art since I was a young teenager. Inside, I always knew how I wanted to paint, but never knew how to express it, until I discovered Jean Michel Basquiat and Brett Whiteley. Moving to the UK at the turn of the century was the boost I needed to finally start painting. Thanks to all the wonderful galleries and exhibitions at my doorstep for motivation. I’m completely self taught. Visiting the famous galleries of Europe, I would stare at the amazing artworks up close as possible, trying to figure out how the legendary artists would paint their strokes and techniques. I am an action painter, letting the music help guide my strokes. Very rarely do I use a brush, instead I mainly use palette knives. These tools are a perfect match for my violent, yet controlled strokes that give my work a lot of energy. Music plays an important role in my paintings. I always listen to tunes when I’m working, and if I already know what I will be painting, I will choose the right music to go with the theme. Otherwise, I’ll let the music guide my strokes. I have a strong focus on striking colour combinations and balancing these colours with the vibrant, active strokes, and to help the viewer open their minds and share the exciting journey I took to get to the finished piece. Up until 2018, I was really only painting for myself. Losing oneself in a blank canvas and painting to music helps with depression and anxiety. Nothing in the world exists when I’m focusing on a canvas. I put a focus on adding value for my collectors, and teaching people about the beauty of abstract art, and breaking the misconception that one needs a formal education in art to appreciate and understand it. My inspirations include: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Cecily Brown, Willem de Kooning, Brett Whiteley, Karel Appel and Joan Mitchell, to name a few. When I’m not painting, I’m either at the race track working in motorsport, drumming to classic rock, writing, or people watching at my local watering holes.