Q. Tell us a little bit about your journey from Wales to LA and then finally Dubai.
I first went to the USA with a friend called Simon in 1992, we were hugely into music , bmx, skating and it all came out of Southern California so it was the obvious choice and it was life changing, Dubai happened as we were asked to look after a friends cat here and we came and never left, I love this city, it has everything and is far more than many people believe.
Q. How would you describe your technique in one line ?
Graphic led popart.
Q. Having lived in so many vastly different environments, which city or country would you say has been the most inspirational for you ?
Spain I love, especially Barcelona, Los Angeles and Southern California for the lifestyle, so many different cultures and vibes.
Q. Between Photography and Art, which is your preferred method of expressing yourself ?
I love painting and creating but expressing myself I would definitely say photography and it’s something I plan to do a lot more of in the next 12 months. I photographed a lot of portraiture back in the day from rock stars to individuals I would meet randomly, I miss that sometimes.
Q. The beach seems to be a recurring theme in your work, what is the significance of the beach for you ?
I have always loved living near the beach its very important and I go everyday summer and winter its a great head clearer.. I am a morning person so I go early and see friends everyday that have business on the beach or just hang out etc, it’s a great way to start a day.
Q. Is there a specific individual in the art world whose work has served as an inspiration for your career ?
Oh so many, I love the early less known work of Andy Warhol, I have screen printed for many years and Warhol was definitely an influence to start printing, Others artists that have influenced include, Evan Hecox, Retna, David Carson, Ed Ruscha, Basquiat and many more.
Q. Living in Dubai must offer a unique blend of cultures and experiences. How has this multicultural environment influenced your artistic style and subjects ?
Yes for sure, I often drive around Al Quoz and walk around satw and other areas in Jumeirah, I take a lot of photos of old walls and textures and some are then replicated on canvas as backgrounds. Satwa especially has some great characters that I end up chatting with..
” I love painting and creating but expressing myself I would definitely say photography and it’s something I plan to do a lot more of in the next 12 months. I photographed a lot of portraiture back in the day from rock stars to individuals I would meet randomly, I miss that sometimes.”
Q. Can you share some of the specific ways in which the Middle Eastern culture and landscape have inspired your artwork or photography ?
Randomly I bought a bunch of old 35mm cameras in a thrift shop in Venice (LA) in 1992, they were in an old Orange’s fruit box, I unpacked a few month later and the bottom of the box was padded in 1980’s Lebanese newspapers and there were some really cool graphics, ads etc, A week later I met a friend in Hollywood for coffee at a place id never visited before called Mashti Malone an Iranian Ice Cream parlour and coffee shop, It had these great sun faded Arabic signs outside, so i’ve kinda been inspired since the early nineties never knowing I would end up living in the UAE.
I am constantly inspired by my surroundings in UAE, I photograph areas of Al Quoz, Satwa, Karama for inspiration, A friend told me 10 years ago, if you do not like change Dubai is not for you, it’s so sad seeing old Dubai fade away to make room for the new but that’s life, I follow a great instagram account which is worth checking out @goodbyeoldjumeirah . I also redraw old photos of UAE’s rulers and then screen print or paint them, one of my large scale paintings is in Crown Price Court in Abu Dhabi.
Q. Your work spans multiple creative disciplines. How do you balance and integrate your art, design, and photography practices ?
I often think I should have stuck with one style of work but I get sidetracked and new ideas take over whether it is an artwork, photography based or sculpture. It’s great to have diversity and stop the work getting boring. (I hope). I use metallic leaf, paint, plaster and found elements like driftwood and things found in industrial areas.. So much gets thrown away, I am fighting the landfill.
“I love the early less known work of Andy Warhol, I have screen printed for many years and Warhol was definitely an influence to start printing, Others artists that have influenced include, Evan Hecox, Retna, David Carson, Ed Ruscha, Basquiat and many more.”
Q. Could you describe your creative process, from concept development to the final product, for one of your recent projects ?
A project I really enjoyed was 4 paintings for Hyde Hotel in Downtown Dubai, I was commissioned to create the Rulers portraits for the hotel and I wanted to do them differently from what you see (the regular rulers portraits) I experimented painting different blocks of colour until I found a look I liked, they are neon , pop art style but being careful to be respectful and contemporary while being in keeping with the subject and venue, I redrew photographs and painted the rulers in acrylic over the enamel base canvas, they turned out great and are some of my favourite pieces. You can see them at @hydedubai.
Q.How do you stay motivated and inspired in your creative pursuits, especially in a dynamic and ever-evolving city like Dubai ?
I get up early and cycle / walk every morning including summer, I need the beach / ocean everyday and this definitely helps keep you motivated, also there is so much going on in Dubai to keep you on your toes.
Q. Dubai is known for its futuristic architecture and rapid development. How does this urban environment influence your artistic vision and projects ?
I tend to navigate towards the older parts of town, the same in any city. I am more interested in the history and past influence of the areas. But it blows me away the scope and speed of some of Dubai’s accomplishments, Museum of the Future is awesome as an example.
