The All Story

Incantation Of The Banksia Men - Sean Edward Whelan

Incantation of the Banksia Men
Synthetic polymer and gouache on board
40 x 40cm
2019

 

It’s been great to be part of the inaugural group exhibition at the new gallery and bookstore, The All Story , Newcastle NSW this month.

From the site –  Southerns is an exhibition that draws our mythic past into our present day. Over 30 local and international artists have been invited to reimagine a fictional Australian character or story.  While some artists celebrate the cultural impact of films such as Picnic at Hanging Rock and television shows such as Round The Twist, others reflect on changing social views with modern readings of the work of May Gibbs and other canonised authors.This show aims to entertain, provoke, and provide new ways of seeing your old favourites: from film and literature to urban legends.

My piece, Incantation of the Banksia Men is based on the antagonists from the May Gibbs classic mentioned above, and diverges from the descriptions and illustrations in the book. I took my inspiration from the very first of May Gibb’s books, which is considered a classic. What I found interesting about the infamous Banksia Men in the story was the way they were described as inherently evil. Framed as scheming kidnappers, their motives where never revealed, and I thought this was something that needed to be investigated in my painting.

Ello Ello

ello_icon

I’ve been branching out – And I think everyone else is on the hunt, too.
I know Ello has been around for a while, and I had an account but just let it slide for about a year. Anyway, I’m giving it another shot, and in kind, the very nice chaps at Ello have featured me on their homepage as one of their new artists. If you follow me on Instagram already, there may not be anything new to see (as yet), but I’ll be posting just completed work over there to see how it all goes. If you feel like taking it for a test drive visit www.ello.co, and you can link up with me at my account. They are 100% behind the arts community and transparent on how your personal and private data is used (i.e. it aint sold off) which good too. If you were worried. Or cared.

Peace.

London SketchBook Festival 2017

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This year I’ll be joining the London Sketchbook Festival lineup, held at The Archivist – a beautiful space west of Hoxton – and showing some of my work on projectors over the 10 day event.

As well as the featured artists, there’ll be heaps of chances to join sketchbook workshops and meet up with designers and illustrators too, all based around drawing, architecture and moving image. For more info on this year’s event, check their site.

http://www.londonsketchbookfestival.com/

 

Sept 21 – 30. 2017.
The Archivist.
N1 5ET
LONDON

Archi-Bottle Award Update

sauvignon blanc

I’m very pleased and proud to announce that I’ve taken the Cake Wines 2013 Archi-Bottle Award & my art will be featured on their Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc wine variety from today! Big thanks go out to the team at Cake Wines – a fantastic experience being part of the show and having work side by side with some amazing talent. Looking forward to having a few (glasses).

Cake Wines2013 Archi-Bottle Awardにて今年のグランプリに選ばれました!!
毎年開催されるArchi-Bottle Awardの優勝者には、Cake Winesカンパニー(オーストラリアシドニー)よりワインとして商品化されています。

今年もオーストラリア全土から300作品のエントリーがある中
「Nothing Sacred」が選ばれました!!

商品は、こちらから
Cake Wines
http://www.cakewines.com/products/sauvignon-blanc-2013

End of the World…

I will have 2 new drawings in End of the World – Thursday December 6th-30th, at Compound Gallery, Portland Oregon. If you’re close by, be sure to drop in Thursday night for the opening party. 

Above: Fractured Buildings, 34cm x 24cm, pencil on paper, 2012.

metabolism in the buildings…

Mori Art Museum in Roppongi Hills is currently holding an exhibition of various architectural work based on the concepts of metabolism pioneered by leading 1960’s architect Tange Kenzo. Based on his idea to build the city of the future where the buildings themselves could take on some of the features of their inhabitants, growing and adapting to the environment around them, his legacy and the works of other architects he subsequently inspired will be on display until late January next year. With a bit of luck, I hope to get down there myself and check it out, but in the meantime have a look for yourself, here.Mori Art Museum in Roppongi Hills is currently holding an exhibition of various architectural work based on the concepts of metabolism pioneered by leading 1960’s architect Tange Kenzo. Based on his idea to build the city of the future where the buildings themselves could take on some of the features of their inhabitants, growing and adapting to the environment around them, his legacy and the works of other architects he subsequently inspired will be on display until late January next year. With a bit of luck, I hope to get down there myself and check it out, but in the meantime have a look for yourself, here.

新潟日報夕刊 UP!

先日発行された新潟日報夕刊の記事です。このリンクからご覧になれます。Thank you! ショーン。

Translation;

Being creative with Shrines and Temples.

Sean came to Japan 5 years ago from Tasmania, Australia. Recently he has been producing art works based on shrines and temples (in Joetsu city, Niigata). During times when not taking English lessons, or when on weekends away from the conversation school where he works, he spends his time focused on his art work. Last year in September, he had his first exhibition and has plans for a second this coming December. His dream being to one day make a living from his art.

Using pencils and watercolour, he describes the tiles and wood in fine detail, rendering the scenes in deformed 3D to emphasise and immerse. Some of his influences come from Japanese manga; like Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira and Matsumoto Taiyo’s Tekkon Kinkreet. In Joetsu city, he can walk and plan his images, drawing inspiration from the roadside rocks and trees, moss and the long history of the area. In his words, he describes it as “shinpiteki”: mysterious in Japanese.

Since he was young, he has enjoyed drawing. He attended the local university art school, majoring in design and was employed at a design office soon after graduation. There he helped produce web content until the company unfortunately went bankrupt. For about 1 year following, he engaged in freelance design, but found the commercial work limiting creatively, and his enthusiasm for design was soon extinguished.

While considering his future, he recalled advice his parents had given him about broadening his horizons. An opportunity to attend an interview for a large English conversation school in Japan gave him a chance to do so.

While a child he had always had a keen interest in things Japanese; watching Astroboy during the 80’s animation boom, and having an interest in package design during his studies at art school; describing the many wrapped layers of souvenirs as like that of an onion.

The conversation school sent him to Joetsu. A peaceful city similar in size and atmosphere to his hometown, where he soon met other creative people, including illustrators and musicians, also pursuing their arts.

In May 2009, he married his girlfriend of 4 years; Ayako, and he said with some jest, “I plan on living here at the moment”.

Last year, in Australia, he had his first exhibition with an old friend and artist, displaying about 20 pieces based on popular Japanese monster and hero TV series. After some success, and after returning to Joetsu city, he decided to pursue art seriously and immediately went about setting up a studio for his new work. Now, based in Joetsu, he is able to walk around his local area sourcing material for his next exhibition. He currently keeps a blog and regularly updates on his progress; receiving approx. 300 hits a month. He is positive about the future, and hopes to share more of his art with both local audiences and those abroad.