Artist interview with John Edwards

1. Do you consider your art to be; fine art, folk art, or applied art? and Why?
"My passion is to spend weeks on a large canvas having a story behind the painting (Australian work of the dreamtime always comes with a story) planning the piece, watching it evolve getting a certain feel for it enjoying it. Sometimes I just cant get the image Im looking for get bored with it paint over and start again. So taking all this into account I would definately say I class it as fine art although people tend to go for the folk when they see it. Now my other art forms such as vases, boomerangs, bottles and so on I do class as folk art, they are not my passion just fun folk art I do them as a way for someone to be able to get a piece of my art for oftenly under $10. The images on these items I do solely because I know people like them. I know that if you want to make a living from art you must be flexible and be able to adapt yourself to this type of thing after all how many people do you know that have bought a large canvas in the past year? The time and materials that go into large works of art always demand a large $ figure. "

Why do you paint, photograph, etc.? " I have always been drawn to either draw or paint. When I was in the navy I would always sketch at sea to pass the time. I loved to do Koalas and one day a person comented on how good I was and I took the comment seriously and started self study at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney. When I first played with oils I was a little disapointed at the results but soon got the hang of them. I find it very relaxing to paint as well as a sense of accomplishment when I get the look Im looking for.As for photography, I never before played around with a camera until 2001 just had an urge one day to capture images fueled with feeling (first exhibition was concentration camps of Europe). Even though I prefer to do cities and man made structures I first got turned on to the camera at an exhibition of the works of Ansel Adams."

What is the meaning behind your work? " My self expression being able to use my own version of Australian style of art to catch peoples eyes. I like to use as many different colors oftenly clashing to express the way I feel in the world all the things I have seen and expierienced in one explosion so to speak its hard for me to explain really. In GA I feel like I live in an insulated society so for me its a release that I dont have to say find so necessary in Aust or Europe. So the meaning of my work is self expression to the max is the best way I can put it."