Ian Burgess
Tell us a little bit about you?
I am originally from the UK and emigrated to Australia in 2009 mainly to be with our family who came here earlier. We settled in Sydney’s beautiful Northern Beaches, I which we love, to be near one of our daughters but recently decided to move to the Lake Macquarie area near Newcastle to be close to the other daughter.
I have always been interested in art and at first my main preoccupation was with fine art black and white photography because I love all the different shades and shapes of grey, this chiaroscuro strangely led me to appreciate artists who use strong shadows and contrast in their colourful paintings. The defining moment was when I went to the Art Gallery of New South Wales where I saw a painting by Sir Russell Drysdale, his beautiful street scene called ‘Sofala’ I was so impressed by the colours and the feeling it gave me just made me want to paint!
What is your favourite drink?
Later in the evening I might indulge in another favourite drink of craft beer as a reward for working hard!
What inspired you to painting?
I started to paint colourful landscapes with buildings, usually barns with strong contrast and shadows and I preferred the freedom to use non realistic colours, so not many with blue sky and green grass. I enjoy the work of Edward Hopper and an artist who paints nothing but barns Peter Batchelder.
These last two years I have transferred my creative outlook to more non representational and abstract pieces where I enjoy the looseness of intuitive processes and letting go of preconceived notions for a more fluid vibe.
I am completely self taught as I enjoy the freedom to paint the way I want to, be it good or bad. I paint every day after my morning coffee that sets me up for the work ahead and finish mid afternoon and unlike a lot of artists I know when a painting is finished.
What advice would you give other artists/creatives starting out?
Art Directory Australia is great way to get my work shown online and I would definitely recommend it to other artists to help their careers move forward especially new artists starting out and wanting exposure. The only advice I can give to beginners is to paint as often as possible, every day if you can and just believe in yourself as you won’t paint a masterpiece each time but just keep at and your own style and competence will come through.
Paint from your heart!
You can read more about Ian Burgess here.