Three Amazing Artists Who Inspire Me

Daniel Johns. Genius musician. (Source: dailytelegraph.com.au)

Le Day Job has been seriously hec-tique of late. For the past few weeks, I’ve been coming home feeling pretty hammered after a full day of editing endless reams of dreary material. Of course, I’m very grateful to have a job where I can put my writing and editing skills to use. Actually, I’m very grateful to have a job at all. But still… Probably like most writers who have a day job, I just wish I had more face time with my beloved characters!

 

Anyway, in spite of my ongoing fight against the clock, I have managed to make good progress with my sci-fi/action erotic romance. So, a few nights back, I treated myself to a little ‘net surfing session, and came across three very interesting interviews. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the interviewees (all of them exceptional artists) and I definitely draw inspiration from their various artistic achievements. Thus, I was suitably intrigued to hear of the motivations that fuel — and the inner demons that conspire to stymie — their respective artistic endeavours. I’ve linked to the interviews below. I hope you enjoy watching them as much as I did.

 

Del Kathryn Barton: Artiste Magnifico

 

I’ve been a fan of Del Kathryn Barton’s work for a few years now — ever since she won the 2008 Archibald Prize for an extraordinary family portrait she’d painted of herself and her two children. I think her art is truly amazing. Her paintings are rich with detail and gorgeous colours, and there’s something about them that comes off as eerily mystical. Looking at her work, you feel like you’re swimming in one of Tim Burton’s dreams. And the strange thing is it’s hard to pull yourself away.

 

It’s Not A Little Love Song by Del Kathryn Barton (Source: smh.com.au)

 

Del’s interview with the ABC’s Artscape program is deeply interesting from a sexual content point-of-view (Del’s work has often included strong sexual imagery, which audiences, and even certain arts ministers, are not always comfortable with). As someone who writes erotica, I am always interested to hear of how and why other artists — whether they be writers or painters or what-have-you — express sexual ideas, thoughts and dreams. That’s probably why I found her interview so fascinating. That and I particularly enjoyed Del’s line about approaching your art and its subject matter fearlessly: ‘I just think it’s really important as an artist to continually be putting yourself out there.’ Amen to that.

 

Watch Del’s interview on the ABC’s website.

 

Daniel Johns: Versatile Genius

 

Seven years after Frogstompwas unleashed, Daniel Johns, as his band’s lead songwriter, gave us the unicorn of alternative rock albums. The masterpiece, Diorama, included sonic pearls like ‘The Greatest View’, ‘Without You’, ‘World Upon Your Shoulders’ and (my all-time favourite) the peerless ‘Across the Night’. To my mind, the album was many things. Hard. Beautiful. Melancholy. Wholesomely experimental. Importantly, for me, it firmly positioned Daniel Johns as the Stravinsky of our time.

 

If one should look at the breadth of Silverchair’s music — from Frogstomp to Young Modern— and compare the evolving styles, the band’s versatility becomes frankly mindboggling. And yet, when you watch Daniel John’s 2004 interview on Enough Rope with Andrew Denton, you get the sense that, in the past, not only has he doubted the quality of his music, he has also, at times, even hated it. And himself. It seems incredible to me that someone so breathtakingly gifted could ever doubt or hate himself. Even a smidgin. But there it is. I’m just glad he’s still around, and doing well. Because the world definitely needs more of his incredible music…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hahn-Bin: Virtuoso Violinist

 

As per my New Year’s Resolution, I have started taking violin lessons. My teacher is a very delightful, very supportive Asian lady from my local music school. I absolutely adore her, and I’m loving my violin too! But I have also swiftly developed an appreciation of how much hard work it must take to achieve the towering prowess of someone like Hahn-Bin. I enjoyed his interview, I suppose, because he’s damn good at what he does and so unapologetically out there! As a fan of classical music (love me some Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Satie and Brahms), I love that Hahn-Bin is committed to connecting young audiences with the timeless greats. And in such a fresh and vibrant way, as only a true showman can! 

 

So, there they are. Three amazing artists who inspire me through their uniqueness, their fears and courage, and — above all else — their brilliance.