Inspired by the vast beauty of his native country, Australian artist and photographer Bruce Peebles creates altered landscapes with a dreamlike quality. Visit his website to see more of his work.
My first group exhibition was at the age of twenty-four and this series of images was featured on the New Zealand Arts program Kaleidoscope. However, my complete venture into art, both photography and painting, began a number of years ago. It has now become my full-time passion. I exhibit regularly, have won a number of awards, and been a finalist in some major art prizes.
Over the years, I’ve had a distinguished career as an advertising photographer. I’ve shot commercials and advertisements that have appeared in glossy magazines and on television, and printed onto billboards.
Although my photography clients had required sharp and detailed images, I now find that pursuing my photography as art has allowed me to push the boundaries of photography to explore a softer, ethereal style that continues to inspire and challenge me.
Early on, I began to realise that art has everything to do with the thoughts and mindset of the artist and very little to do with the materials and equipment in use. Following this principal, I often work with longer exposure times, along with some intentional movement in the subject, the camera, or both, to explore the relationship between the subject and the background. I frequently merge the two so they become one.
These days I’m a photographer, painter, traveler and artist. My constant source of inspiration is Australia’s natural environment. You’ll find me traveling for several months each year, experiencing the wonders and contrasts that make up Australia’s vast landscape.
I marvel at the azure skies and the expansive red desert, unique rock formations, the pristine beaches and surrounding oceans. During my travels I study the landscape around me. While it reveals some of its soul, it hides so much more.
I analyse what I need from my experiences and introduce these ideas and emotions into my artworks. I’ve always been a believer that “If you can’t see it with your mind, then you’ll create nothing of interest.”
Obsessing between realistic form and abstraction, I search for elements within the landscape to form structure and texture, then use color to create atmosphere. I carefully use light and shadow to bring luminescence to the work and add movement to attach rhythm and motion to my images. Essentially, I choose to photograph elements of the landscape in a simplistic abstractive style that intuitively fits my reality.
Utilising my experience as an advertising photographer, I chase that rare combination of composition, light and color to offer the viewer a glimpse of a brief moment of beauty which I print as large artworks on artists’ canvas.
My aim is to encourage an emotional response between the viewer and the altered landscape. My aspiration is to inspire people to connect through my art with their own personal memories and dreams. I want to enhance people’s lives by acquainting beautiful imagery with their soul.
Artist Bruce Peebles invites you to follow him on Instagram, Saatchi Art and bluethumb.
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