Artist profile
Bernard
Greaves
Bernard Greaves is an Australian artist currently based in Sydney. His artworks are a contemporary expression of colour, movement and texture.
Each collection of works tell a narrative through the thick and instinctive application of oil paint, allowing the viewer to examine a variety of bold, playful and organic gestures.
Bernard comes to his art practice from a design background, having completed a Bachelor of Design in Architecture and working in the design and building industry for a number of years.
Bernard has completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the National Art School, Sydney.
Career Highlights
1. Darlinghurst Road Gallery - Sell out show
2. Michael Reid Southern Highlands - Sell out show
3. Completing Bachelor of Fine Arts, National Art School
Artist Interview
What medium do you work with, and why have you chosen them?
My painting are a celebration of the beautiful textures, colours and qualities unique to impasto oil paint – the initial catalyst for me leading into this series of paintings. Through this means of creating these images, detail is reduced, so the viewer of my works must draw on their own memory and so make it their own. I aim to utilise the energy and motion of the application and scraping away of paint to evoke a visceral response so that one may see, touch and smell the pigment in front of them. The paintings on canvas will draw the viewer even closer to an inspection of what is indeed the focus - paint.
How does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?
I usually work from photographs I have taken on my phone. From here I will adjust the image in photoshop to enhance colour, composition and tone. I'll use the image as a guide for my paintings - it is not a intended to be a replica of the photograph. The painting will develop organically. I usually work on the painting for a day while the paint is still wet and there will come a point where it is time to stop. The painting will take about a month to dry.
Can you tell us a little more about your creative working environment/studio?
I work out of a garage at my family home. I like to listen to podcasts or an album in full. Often my works adopt the title of a song that I have on repeat whilst I am painting.
