Dave Sparkes: Luminosity
A delightful exhibition of new watercolour works by Byron Bay artist Dave Sparkes.
Luminosity is a new exhibition of watercolour works by Byron Bay artist Dave Sparkes. Dave is fascinated by sunlight, shadow and reflections, often painting from the ‘contra jour’ (into the light) viewpoint, and strives to create an atmospheric mood in his paintings.
Luminosity evokes a sense of whimsical, almost melancholy realism, an alternate world, suggesting a time before man’s interference with the landscape. Dave’s painting is a hybrid of impressionism and realism; true reality on two-dimensional paper is impossible, and his attempts at reconciling the world at large with his own impression of realism, is the essence of his art. This altered reality defines his style, and dwelling in that mysterious zone is one of the reasons he paints, rather than just taking photos of a scene. In “Illumination” he evokes a sense of whimsical, almost melancholy realism, an alternate world, suggesting a time before man’s interference with the landscape. He often paints places as they once were, just humming along in their heartbreakingly pristine state.
Dave Sparkes has been involved in various creative pursuits for many years. He has been senior writer/photographer with the iconic surfing magazine, Tracks, for over 20 years. He has had thousands of images and over 200 feature articles published and has interviewed many surfing luminaries such as Tom Curren, Occy, Sunny Garcia, Dave Rastovich and Mick Fanning.
His photographs have adorned the covers of magazines in many countries, including the US, Australia, France, New Zealand, England and Spain, and most notably he photographed the cover of the 2005 US Surfer Magazine Photo Annual. His book of words and photographs, “The Wave: Tales From the Impact Zone,” was published to rave reviews in Australia and New Zealand by Hachette Publishing in 2011.
Image credit: Dave Sparkes - Wollumbin
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