This week we chat with poet-turned-painter Davide Angelo, whose writer’s block at the outset of COVID saw him turn to visual arts as a method of \u201clooking outward\u201d.<\/p>\n
What motivated you to become an artist?<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019ve always been creative in one way or another. For many years, I focused on writing and my poems have appeared in Australian and international publications and have been shortlisted for several national and international prizes.<\/p>\n In 2020, things took a drastic turn here and around the world, as we all know! I found I couldn\u2019t write. So, I decided to paint. I find that with poetry, I look inward and with painting, I look outward. At the time, it felt right to look outward with all that was going on with the pandemic.<\/p>\n My fraternal twin, Riccardo Angelo, has been a painter for over 30 years and I\u2019ve observed his progression with wonder and admiration. In many ways, I was daunted by picking up a brush because I couldn\u2019t possibly imagine I could produce anything interesting. One thing he taught me was to be brave.<\/p>\n How would you describe your style?<\/strong><\/p>\n I think my style could be described as simplistic or naive. My paintings are often expressed as simple and balanced compositions. I often use bold blocks of colour and outlines to anchor my designs that (I hope) are sometimes spiritual, fantastical, political, and in the tradition of modern and humanist art.<\/p>\n As I develop my paintings, I focus on an idea, an effect and a mood. My ideas and how I apply them to the canvases are seldom subtle and my intention is for the artworks to be striking and distinctive.<\/p>\n Which other artists inspire you?<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m (currently) inspired by artists like Henri Matisse, Joan Mir\u00f3, Wassily Kandinsky, Roy Lichtenstein, and Fernand L\u00e9ger. I also love looking at the sculptures of Henry Moore. Their creations resonate with me and, in their own ways, they explore emotion and expression through colour and shape.<\/p>\n What are some highlights you have from your career so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n The greatest highlight for me was when I sold my first painting. When I began to take my painting more seriously in 2020, I decided to exhibit on an online art gallery called Bluethumb.com.au<\/p>\n It was such a wonderful feeling to know someone thought something I created was good enough (to) buy and to hang on their wall. I never thought that would happen. Since then my paintings have been sold to people in Australia and overseas.<\/p>\n Another highlight has been to have one of my paintings chosen by Australian artists Ken Done and Bronwyn Bancroft as part of a curation.<\/p>\n