ARTIST PROFILE: TIM STOKES

Our latest Artist Profile is with artist Tim Stokes, recipient of the First Prize in this year’s Small Works Art Prize.

Influenced by real world architecture, Tim creates microcities of twisting roads and looming buildings, plotting the landscape more structurally and letting his imagination take over to complete rest.

What medium(s) do you work with, and why have you chosen them?

I like working with a broad variety of mediums. This includes pigment liner pens, biro pens, coloured pencils, pastels and markers including Copic and Tombow. The surfaces I use tend to be more thicker papers that are on the 200gsm thickness. This includes cotton and normal papers. Currently, I am focused on pigment liners and enjoy using them as they allow me to draw intricately fine detailed works. The nib sizes I use tend to be on the finer scales of 0.03mm and 0.05mm size nibs.

Can you elaborate a little more on your making process — how does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?

For some of my larger artworks, I think of a concept to draw, then plan it out on the paper in pencil first. I draw the larger shapes and work on the intricate details on the fly (especially with architectural pieces such as windows and doors etc). My smaller pieces, there is not a lot of pre-planning. I visualise a lot of my artwork in my head before I start, which then I can translate to paper. 

Who or what are the biggest influences to your work?

I have been influenced from many things. Real world architecture is probably the main influence in terms of my cityscape and architectural drawings. With my pieces, I want to convey the aesthetic of architectural forms expressed through the various styles through history and interpret these elements into my works in an imaginative and complex way. In essence, I want to use architecture as a canvas itself to weave worlds.

Additionally, I find architecture as an art-form, in that structures and buildings are magnificent sculptures and for someone observing them from afar, one may not know it’s true functional purpose but to simply know it’s outward shape and beauty. 

This feeling is what I want to try capturing in my architectural pieces. 

How do you keep your creative juices flowing? How do you push past creative block?

I find that if I do more than one drawing at a time, it keeps me interested and motivated to draw. Also when I draw multiple genres as well. I like to mix up my artwork pieces from architectural, scifi, fantasy, landscapes and astronomy. I also have ingrained in my self to draw everyday no matter what and the support from social media helps to keep motivating me to draw more.

How does where you grew up, or where you live now affect your art?

I grew up in the countryside and that gave me an understanding of drawing landscapes. In juxtaposition to this, I always have had a fascination for the architecture and thus currently living in Melbourne being surrounded by beautiful buildings as well as reading about architectural history has influenced my work in some way. Another point I’d like to make is that growing up with my family has shaped me to be the artist I am today, as my father was an art teacher and graphic designer who instilled in me some understandings of art process into my upbringing.

Can you tell us a little more about your creative working environment/studio?

I currently am living in an apartment where I have my own studio space converted from a spare bedroom. While I am drawing, I like to have music or rain sounds playing in the background. 

Who would your dream collaboration be with, and why?

I have always been open to do collaborations with the art community, especially when it comes to similar subject matter. I tend to do this on my Instagram account with other like minded artists. If I was to do a dream collaboration with anyone on an architectural basis, it would likely be with famous architects such as Norman Foster or Frank Lloyd Wright. Both were visionaries of architecture and that would give me a lot of insight and I would learn a lot from them. I would also love to do collaboration with Leonardo da Vinci, as he was a visionary ahead of his time. 

If you could go on an Artist’s Residency anywhere in the world, where would that be and why?

I would love to goto Florence Italy to do an artists residency. Looking at the old renaissance style buildings in Florence would inspire me to create new works and new ways of drawing my architectural illustrations. 

What’s next for you after your time at Brunswick Street Gallery? What upcoming projects are you working on now?

I hope that I am able to put together a solo exhibition and continue delving into more architectural inspired works as well as looking at other genres. I am currently working on a large scale architectural pastel drawing as well as drawing smaller ink works. Further still, I hope that I am able to make a career full time from my works, creating a kaleidoscope of pieces for all to enjoy.

What does your selection as one of the winners of this Small Works Art Prize mean to you, and to the future of your practice?

I am very humbled at being selected as the winner of the Small works art prize which has given me a sense of pride and happiness that my artwork has been acknowledged and recognised by the art community.  I hope because of this that I will continue having a great relationship with Brunswick street gallery and the art community within Melbourne to help foster my growth in my art career in to the future. 

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The recipient of First Prize is awarded a $2000 cash prize contribution towards their future creative endeavours.

Brunswick Street Gallery wishes to thank Bryony Nainby of Craft Victoria for their generous support and thoughtful selection of this Prize.

You can see more from Tim at @timstokesart.

ARTIST PROFILE: KATE SYMONS

Our latest Artist Profile features Kate Symons, recipient of one of the Clifroy Prizes in our 2019 Small Works Art Prize. Her work explores the use of natural remnants and fibres – constructing sculptures that repurpose materials found in our own backyard in order to create something wholly new.

What medium(s) do you work with, and why have you chosen them?

I like to explore a range of mediums, currently I am enjoying natural fibres.  I do tend to enjoy working with my hands in a 3D format.

Can you elaborate a little more on your making process — how does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?

The joy of creating art comes through the process in itself.  I draw quite a bit in my sketchbook, but with the work that I am producing at the moment a lot of the final piece happens organically as I create.

Who or what are the biggest influences to your work?

The beauty of nature and the natural surroundings of the Merri creek, close to my home and studio.

How do you keep your creative juices flowing? How do you push past creative block?

Discipline and rewarding myself after getting some work done! I have a thirst for exploring new possibilities and bringing the ideas to fruition.

How does where you grew up, or where you live now affect your art?

I have been lucky to have the opportunities to travel a fair amount and live in different countries, these experiences have all affected my creative process and outcomes. 

Can you tell us a little more about your creative working environment/studio?

I tend to collect “things”! I am surrounded by these all the time.  I always have many projects on at the same time!

What’s next for you after your time at Brunswick Street Gallery? What upcoming projects are you working on now?

I have a couple of exhibitions coming up that I am working towards, using natural grasses.

What does your selection as one of the winners of this Small Works Art Prize mean to you, and to the future of your practice?

Surprisingly it really boosted my confidence. I have never been one for awards, so I was surprised how much it affected me. The recognition and validation are very encouraging. Thank you to the staff and judges at BSG.

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The recipient of a Clifroy Prize is awarded a contribution towards pursuing a solo exhibition at Brunswick Street Gallery in 2019-20.

Brunswick Street Gallery wishes to thank Clifton Hill/North Fitzroy Community Bank® Branch of Bendigo Bank for their generous support and thoughtful selection of this Prize.

ARTIST PROFILE: EMMA HEARNES

Our latest Artist Profile features Emma Hearnes, recipient of one of the Clifroy Prizes in our 2019 Small Works Art Prize.

Originally from East Gippsland, Emma Hearnes is a multidisciplinary artist whose varied work explores notions such as reality, domesticity, connection and unconventional beauty. Despite working across a diversity of subject matter and themes, she aims to generate a sense of authenticity that carries through all her work and allows it to accurately reflect the complexity of the human condition.

Now based in Melbourne, she is completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Victorian College of the Arts.

What medium(s) do you work with, and why have you chosen them?

I've recently expanded my practice in terms of the mediums I use. I used to confine my work to either oil/watercolour painting or graphite drawing, but I've now opened up to considering how my ideas would play out across a broader range of mediums. It then becomes a matter of which medium best serves the idea.

I've had lots of fun expanding into photography, sculpture and installation recently.

Can you elaborate a little more on your making process — how does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?

I tend to plan works in terms of a space I envisage them ending up in, so I am constantly sketching little exhibition designs. How works are displayed is equally important as what the actual work is for me, so often I will think about the general shape or placement of a work before I consider the specifics of subject matter and medium. 

When I do come to determine the specifics of the artwork I, of course, do a lot of looking through other artists' work (online, in books and in galleries) to find inspiration. Ideas also always seem to find me in opshops, tip shops and hard rubbish piles. I love the obscurity in the items you can find and I enjoy repurposing items that are charged with a whole unknown history.

Who or what are the biggest influences to your work?

There are too many to name, but some of the artists that are inspiring me at the moment are:

Sarah Lucas, Jason Dodge, Jaime Pitarch, Daniel Segrove, Patrick Graham, Daniel Pitin and Alena Hil.

How do you keep your creative juices flowing? How do you push past creative block?

I find it helpful to have multiple projects on the go at once, as it allows me to give up on a work for a bit if it's not working for me and move onto something else. If all my focus is on one project I tend to end up feeling too pressured and overwhelmed to be creative.

I also think it's important to be creative just for fun, outside of works you are making for assessment or exhibitions etc. Writing or doodling or building a website or doing a colouring book or altering clothes from an op shop, just for the sake of having fun with creativity is essential for me and allows me to remember why I enjoy art in the first place.

How do you keep your creative juices flowing? How do you push past creative block?

I find it helpful to have multiple projects on the go at once, as it allows me to give up on a work for a bit if it's not working for me and move onto something else. If all my focus is on one project I tend to end up feeling too pressured and overwhelmed to be creative.

I also think it's important to be creative just for fun, outside of works you are making for assessment or exhibitions etc. Writing or doodling or building a website or doing a colouring book or altering clothes from an op shop, just for the sake of having fun with creativity is essential for me and allows me to remember why I enjoy art in the first place.

Can you tell us a little more about your creative working environment/studio?

I'm currently studying at the Victorian College of the Arts, so lots of my work gets completed there. My studio there is very much organised chaos. It is filled to the brim with bits and pieces I’ve found in op shops or hard rubbish piles. To an outsider it probably looks like the den of a hoarder, but I have plans for every obscure item there.

I also do a lot of work outside the studio. Probably just as much of the process happens on the tram or in bed or on the couch while watching movies. I've never been a person that designates work to a certain space.

What’s next for you after your time at Brunswick Street Gallery? What upcoming projects are you working on now?

I'm lucky enough to have a work in Brunswick Street Gallery's group show, Portrait, which opens on the 26th of July.

I'm also showing work at RAW Artist's STELLAR showcase at the Melbourne Pavilion on the 1st of August, and working on submissions for a few other group shows. 

I'm only in my first year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts, so I have a lot of learning and exciting opportunities still to come.

What does your selection as one of the winners of this Small Works Art Prize mean to you, and to the future of your practice?

The opportunity to have a solo exhibition at Brunswick Street Gallery is an extremely exciting prospect for me. As a young artist who has just moved out of home to study, I would not have been able to have an opportunity like this without the generous contribution of the Clifton Hill/North Fitzroy Community Bank Branch of Bendigo Bank. I am extremely humbled and grateful for this opportunity and very excited to put together an exhibition.

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The recipient of a Clifroy Prize is awarded a contribution towards pursuing a solo exhibition at Brunswick Street Gallery in 2019-20.

Brunswick Street Gallery wishes to thank Clifton Hill/North Fitzroy Community Bank® Branch of Bendigo Bank for their generous support and thoughtful selection of this Prize.

ARTIST PROFILE: IVANA JOVANOVIC

Our latest Artist Profile features Ivana Jovanović, an artist, writer and curator, currently based in Sydney.

‘More and more I find my practice shifting towards engaging communities and creating inclusive spaces to feel connected to one another. Recently, I have been turning this focus inwards and attempting to reconnect with my own cultural heritage as a Serbian-Australian woman, my family and the rituals unique to our culture.’

Can you elaborate a little more on your making process — how does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?

Reading and research are incredibly important to my process, as well as seeing other art and exhibitions in my city. I always want to know what is showing, and I always question, ‘why is this important now?’ It helps me get a feel for what kind of issues are urgent, and where my practice fits in that sense of urgency. When I set out to make a body of work, behind it is all of this churning obsession around certain ideas and emotions.  

Titles are also a vital part of the making process for me, I love affective language that reads like poetry, and my works are often named like unfinished short stories. I spend a lot of time after that imagining, visualising and drawing what the works will look like in a gallery space, and if there are any components that could enhance a particular emotion or thought.

Who or what are the biggest influences to your work? 

I am really inspired by other local artists and performers, many of whom are my friends. I think sharing stories and lived experiences is a huge influence in my work, and the more I involve myself in the creative communities, the more I feel motivated to keep making work.

 For the exhibition Nek ti bog dušu oprosti (May God forgive your soul) I was influenced by very personal experiences of grief and loss, and those works came from thinking about and being with my family in Serbia and embracing all the different aspects of that culture.

How does where you grew up, or where you live now affect your art? 

I grew up in Sydney but both my parents are from Former-Yugoslavia, Serbia, from a town called Kragujevac. A lot of my memories from my childhood are growing up in a bilingual, bicultural household that had an overwhelming sense of hospitality. In my house everything is always available, and when we have people over we always over cater. I grew up with that sense of generosity and wanting to make people feel at home and welcomed.

When I was about four years old I went overseas to Serbia with my grandmother, I don’t remember much, but I do remember that I completely forgot how to speak English. This was an incredibly distressing experience for me, not to be able to communicate with people I cared about at home. A part of that experience has always stayed with me, and I have always felt a need to stay connected to both worlds, both countries and both cultures, while simultaneously feeling like I don’t belong in either.  I think this is why seeking connection in communities is such an important aspect of my work.

Last year, I lost two of my family members and while I was in the country I reconnected to Serbia through grief. This made me want to look deeper and understand the rituals we have in place everyday to honor the dead as well as celebrate life,and experience the culture of that place through my family and our history. When I got back to Australia, I felt that sense of vast distance, two countries and two cultures, really physically and psychologically.

Can you tell us a little more about your creative working environment/studio?

My home is my studio, and I am often interrupted by the pressing issue of patting my cat Charlie. Working mostly digitally, I don’t need a lot of space for my work, just a flat surface and a sharp knife for collage. I’ll often listen to music while working and some of the artists I listened to a lot while creating the works for Nek ti bog dušu oprosti (May God forgive your soul) were:

●      Predrag Živković Tozovac (a folk singer, upbeat songs about heartbreak and drinking)

●      Atomsko sklonište (translates to ‘Atomic Shelter’, a Croatian rock band that was very anti-war, formed in 1977 around the golden era of Yu-Rock or Yugoslavian Rock)

●      Divlje Jagode (translates to ‘Wild Strawberries’, formed at the same time as the previous band but in Bosnia)

●      Esma Redzepova (a Romani singer who was known as the ‘Queen of the Gypsies’)

If you could go on an Artist’s Residency anywhere in the world, where would that be and why?

 I want to go to all the countries that once made up part of Yugoslavia before war dissolved them. There are many differences between them but so many commonalities, and I think it would be incredible to understand all of the rich tapestry of peoples and cultures that once made up that country.

What’s next for you after your time at Brunswick Street Gallery? What upcoming projects are you working on now?

I’m working on a community project with people who have migrated from Serbia / Former Yugoslavia to Australia titled Dali se setiš / Do you remember. This project asks its participants how do we, as Yugoslavians / Serbians in Australia, cope with loss and distance, what brings us together, how important is our culture to us today? It seeks to collect, record and archive the stories shared by participants and present their experiences through writing and visual documentation. I am asking participants to think about these themes and respond creatively, being part of workshops and meetings that encourage collaborative making and thinking. 

Dali se setiš / Do you remember will be held at 107 Projects in Redfern, Sydney, early next year and call outs for expressions of interest are still open and welcome, through the following link: https://forms.gle/kSBdtjpHJCjy1LFj6 

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Nek ti bog dušu oprosti (May God forgive your soul) by Ivana Jovanović will be exhibited at Brunswick Street Gallery from 5 – 18 June.

ARTIST PROFILE: VIKA FIFITA

Our latest Artist Profile features Vika Fifita, a Melbourne based Tasmanian artist, and resident Brunswick Street Gallery studio artist.

Her artworks are mostly documentations of her everyday average life and memories put to paint, favouring the use of big, bright colours, layers and text. Fifita lets inspiration take her when it comes, and the results are nothing short of amazing.

What medium(s) do you work with, and why have you chosen them?

I work in acrylic, oil pastel & ink, usually on Linen, paper & blinds.

I like working on Linen, but sometimes if money is an issue, I paint on found materials such as blinds, projector screens, cardboard & plastic boxes.

Can you elaborate a little more on your making process – how does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?

For me there is never really any planning in regards to concept. If I saw something shitty through out the day and it stuck with me, then there is my painting. Or If I’m missing my housemate’s dog, then there is another for example.

Who or what are the biggest influences to your work?

I guess some of the usual suspects are Jean-Michel Basquit, Frida Kahlo, Ken Done, Mirka Mora, Mambo and Tom Polo.

How do you keep your creative juices flowing? How do you push past creative block?

I don’t. I never try and force anything, maybe that’s lazy but I will paint crazy for a couple months, then I won’t paint at all for another couple of months, this I am ok with.

How does where you grew up, or where you live now affect your art?

Like most artist, art for me was a form of escape. I grew up in a small town in Tasmania, which wasn’t a very multi cultural place…it had its flaws, especially to someone who was of mixed race.

I guess that’s where it started.

Who would your dream collaboration be with, and why?

I would love to work with a clothes designer where I would paint the fabric like any normal piece of art & they would construct a gorgeous structured garment out of it.

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Everyday. Every Day. by Vika Fifita will be exhibited at Brunswick Street Gallery from 17 May – 2 June.

ARTIST PROFILE: TYLER GRACE

‘My name is Tyler Grace, and I am a 25 years old conceptual photographic artist from Albury/Wodonga.

As a photographic artist, I have always endeavored to create unconventional and layered images that my audience will connect to on an emotional level.

Through darkness, I aim to tell my story, and the stories of those around me. My artwork is always created with a particular story in mind, however, my images are ambiguous, and can often symbolize many different things to those who view them.

My aesthetic style involves using muted, almost grey tones, and I often obscure the faces of my subjects. I obscure the face to both add mystery and to focus on creating emotion by using the rest of the body.

The visuals in my images can often be intense and disturbing to the viewer, but I find that this creates conversation, which is one of my main goals with my art.

My art is ever-evolving, and I aim to forever evolve alongside it.’

– Tyler Grace

What medium(s) do you work with, and why have you chosen them?

I work in digital photography.

I fell in love with photography in 2011, when my mother and I were at a wedding, and all of a sudden 3 people unexpectedly handed me their phones for me to take photos of the wedding with.

It was on that day that the photography spark was lit, which eventually turned into a burning passion, and is now also my career!

I would love to get into film photography at some stage, and maybe make a series out of mixing both digital and film photography together!

Who or what are the biggest influences to your work?

The two biggest influencers to my work are Benjamin Von Wong and Brooke Shaden.

Ben was the first photographer that I found whose work really struck a chord with my creative side. His work inspired me to get out of bed, and push through my illnesses to not only create photographic imagery, but to live life to the fullest.

Brooke is the main inspiration behind the dark elements of my work. Some of my work is very painterly, and that is inspired by her as well.

The work of both of Ben and Brooke is incredible, and they are also both amazing humans, who do a lot for those in need and raise awareness for different causes, which I really admire!

How does where you grew up, or where you live now affect your art?

As I live in Albury/Wodonga, I am surrounded by open fields, rivers and forests. I love to use the landscape to add extra impact and interest into my images.

Who would your dream collaboration be with, and why?

My dream collaboration would be with Brooke Shaden.
Brooke is one of my two favourite photographic artists, and was the original inspiration behind the darker elements of my work, and I think that we could create some really thought provoking and impactful imagery together.

If you could go on an Artist’s Residency anywhere in the world, where would that be and why?

I would love to go on an Artists Residency in Iceland. The beautiful and intense scenery there would be a perfect match for my style of work.
I aim to go there one day, with or without a residency to create a specific series that I have in mind.

What’s next for you after your time at Brunswick Street Gallery? What upcoming projects are you working on?

Later on in the year, once my health allows me to, I will finally be creating a series of images that will tell stories of domestic and sexual violence, to ignite conversation and hopefully lead to more action to help those who have been victims, and to hopefully aid in the prevention of these horrible acts.

 I will also continue to exhibit my work worldwide, and I aim to debut The Chronic Diaries exhibition as a whole outside of Australia.

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The Chronic Diaries by Tyler Grace will be exhibited at Brunswick Street Gallery from 5 – 18 June.

ARTIST PROFILE: JAMES RHODES

In Fond Illusion, Newcastle based artist and photographer James Rhodes presents a body of work that explores the materiality of photographs. Mirrored surfaces and surreal, overlapping imagery allows the viewer to freely create their own meanings from the pieces in front of them; sometimes quite literally making us as much a subject of the work as those within them.

What medium(s) do you work with, and why have you chosen them?

My primary medium of photography, but my work blurs the boundaries between photography and sculpture. By focusing on the importance of the materiality of the photographic object I allow the physical qualities of the work to convey the meaning of the work as much as the image. This allows me to work with ambiguous images in order to let the audience interpret the work freely, instead of imposing a message onto the viewer.  

How do you keep your creative juices flowing? How do you push past creative block?

I keep my creative juices flowing by not stopping myself from creating, even if there is a chance that the work will be bad and never see the light of day. I let the work tell me if it is bad once I’ve created it. There is a quote by Nick Cave that encapsulates this process perfectly;

“Most people wait for the muse to turn up. That's terribly unreliable. I have to sit down and pursue the muse by attempting to work.”

Can you elaborate a little more on your making process — how does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?

My making process starts quite haphazardly. Initially I grab my camera and start shooting my surroundings and pursue any idea that comes to mind. I then use a method of reflection to see what my subconscious has been drawing me to by seeing what themes are repeated in the wealth of photographs I have created. Then I explore how different materials will affect how the images are read and choose the ideas that speaks the most to me. Once I have an idea of what type of images and material I will use, I then go out and purposefully shoot the ideas in a way that is more succinct. Finally, I make them into the objects that are exhibited.

How does where you grew up, or where you live now affect your art?

I’ve always lived in banal suburban areas, and although they are not areas that naturally foster creativity, for me they are of great influence. By attempting to see the mundane, trivial aspects of the world around me in a way that repurposes them as a purely aesthetic experience for me to enjoy, inspires me to make art.

What’s next for you after your time at Brunswick Street Gallery? What upcoming projects are you working on?

For now, I will be locking myself away in my office so that I can finish writing my PhD exegesis. But the next exhibition I have planned will be at The University Gallery at Newcastle University. This exhibition will demonstrate what I have uncovered about the photographic object and its ability to convey meaning.

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Fond Illusion by James Rhodes will be exhibited at Brunswick Street Gallery from 17 May – 2 June.

ARTIST PROFILE: VERITY NUNAN

Using wild colours and loose lines, Verity Nunan weaves conversations and stories she’s undertaken with people living in the bush throughout her works – inviting us to consider the concept of ‘home’ not as any formal, physical structure, but instead as the intangible sense of belonging in a place.

What medium(s) do you work with, and why have you chosen them?

I work with acrylic pens or oil sticks, it changes but I am always attracted to mediums that allow me to draw my paintings. Immediacy is very important to me. I like getting down the idea fast in the most direct way possible so pens and sticks are fun in that sense. They keep it fresh. 

How do you keep your creative juices flowing? How do you push past creative block?

I find a wild place, in the bush or the sea,  clear my brain out and start again. 

Can you elaborate a little more on your making process — how does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?

A healthy process is more important to me than the final outcome. To make art is to be in a state of mind. Somewhere that lies between trust, surrender and confidence. A place that's less about rational and more about intuition. The more time I spend in this space, the more convincing the work is to me at the end.

How does where you grew up, or where you live now affect your art?

I grew up in China, spending almost a decade of my childhood in a different culture. I guess my interest in the human condition began here. Humans are usually the centre of my pieces, we are so incredible and so devastating at the same time. 

Who would your dream collaboration be with, and why?

Irene Entata because she's a true story teller. 

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Home without a House by Verity Nunan will be exhibited at Brunswick Street Gallery in our Top Floor Gallery and Ground Floor Gallery from 1 – 14 May.

ARTIST PROFILE: TAYLOR PARHAM

Taylor Parham notices the little things. Perfectly capturing the atmosphere of empty urban spaces growing quieter as the end of shifts roll around, Parham's photos invite the audience to consider more closely the world around us and what happens in those unappreciated moments while we sleep.

What medium(s) do you work with, and why have you chosen them? 

I work with photography, mostly digital but transitioning into some more film of late. I’ve had an interest in photography since high school as my father has been a photographer in some capacity all his life. As someone who feels creative but is unable to put that creativity into a painting or a sculpture or whatever, I found photography and using a camera to be the ideal medium.

Can you elaborate a little more on your making process — how does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?

My initial concept is a simple one, photographing a familiar location at an unfamiliar time, and as such my process of making is equally as simple. Throughout the day I’ll often stumble across a building or a location in my travels which might have potential, I’ll make a note, scout around a little and make time to revisit it outside of ‘normal’ hours. From there it’s just a matter of taking the time to photograph and get things right on location. I don’t want to spend a lot of time processing the photos; I want to document the building as is so the less I need to do in post the better. The part of the process I find most enjoyable is working slowly and methodically on location to get the shot, not sitting at the computer adjusting sliders.

Who or what are the biggest influences to your work?

My influences vary quite a bit, it’s far from photographers who influence and inspire my own work. The paintings of Jeffrey Smart are one of my biggest influences. Photographers like Mark Kimber who I’m lucky enough to be a student of have influenced this body of work in particular. Plenty of films and cinematographers, too many to list, but the composition, perspective, lighting, all that achieves the creative visuals and feel influence my process. But beyond who my influences are the urban environment itself will always be my biggest influence, I’m encouraged any time I find a new location and immediately excited about the possibility of photographing it.

How does where you grew up, or where you live now affect your art? 

I document ordinary locations in and around Adelaide and so where I live affects my art directly. Adelaide has always been my home and so there will permanently be a connection attached to the city and suburbs. I observe firsthand the change in the city, from new apartment blocks and connecting highways to smaller more temporary changes like a billboard left free of adverts or lights left on overnight at a basketball court, the city provides me all I could want or need to photograph, I just need to find it.

What’s next for you after your time at Brunswick Street Gallery? What upcoming projects are you working on now? 

I return to University to do begin a Masters in Contemporary Art. While I continue to work on documenting the city at night I’m looking forward to pursuing a few new ideas for future bodies of work. I am also very excited to undertake a Helpmann Academy Mentorship with a very talented photographer Alex Frayne throughout the first half of the year, which will afford me the opportunity to learn from someone I admire and provide another avenue to create work that might be out of my comfort zone.

am/pm by Taylor Parham is current until the 5 March 2019.