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Lunchtime In Old Town Arles by Graham (max) Walker

Features

ARTIST NOTES: A warm, sunny day in the old part of Arles generated a lot of activity from locals and visitors looking for a good luncheon spot. I was greatly taken by this restaurant in an historic, weathered building which exudes character. Light and warmth literally bounced off the building, making the space under the umbrellas a welcome retreat for enjoying something from the Provençal menu (the cuisine du soleil) and perhaps a chilled rosé.

DIMENSIONS (Height - 61.00 cm X Width - 46.00 cm )
MEDIUM ON BASE Oil on Canvas
GENRE Streetscape
REGISTERED NRN # 000-1287-0185-01
COPYRIGHT © Graham (max) Walker
PRIZES AND AWARDS No Awards
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Artist: Graham (max) Walker



ARTIST BIO

I have been painting for about thirty five years, based in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne. Whilst an art practitioner for many years, I would be described as an amateur artist - using that tag with the original (French) meaning of the word: "one who loves" an activity. In that sense, I do not seek to promote my work in an intense or broad commercial way, instead preferring to create works that are consistent with my creative ethic and then exhibit in art shows run by charities and other not-for-profit organisations. Importantly, my passion for exploring and developing my art practice is ardent and absorbing, with my artistic "motive" being to interpret distinctive, memorable moments in the landscape and urban surrounds which excite emotions and stimulate fine memories, both in me and the viewer - forming a responsive connection. That is my driving ambition.

So with my way of working, each piece is very considered and based on where I have been and what I have seen, also the emotions I have felt, whether in the recent past or in my early years. Sometimes I will use imagination to create a topic, but it will invariably be based on some life experience.

In terms of first steps into the world of art, after experimenting with various media, and after a lot of thought about what I wanted to develop in my art, I adopted oils and pastels as most suitable for what I want to express. Those media seemed to connect with me mentally and physically.

Generally, I have been attracted to landscapes and streetscapes for subject matter - things I see each day as I travel around, specifically those scenes which stimulate ideas in my imagination and make me feel happy, indeed joyful, and excited. Occasionally I do an abstract piece, using the power of colour within shape to express emotions and to explore inner reactions to life events.

Again after some experimentation, I decided to broadly structure my work as a tonalist and colourist - I believe that fidelity of the tonal relationships is the central building block to establishing a meaningful work, and then colour can be used to give a painting excitement and vitality.  However, as Marcel Proust said: "...style for the writer, no less than colour for the painter, is a question not of technique but of vision". 

In exploring my vision, subjects can be fleeting: such as a bright, evocative street scene, a grouping of people in a colourful urban environment, or a striking combination of shapes and colours in a city view. Or just a superb pose of golden afternoon sun on a range of hills. To this end, I consider my work as intimately perceptual and sensory in nature, combining observation with instinct. The words of John Berger resonnate with me: "Art is an organised response to what nature allows us to glimpse occasionally". The point is to execute the organised response using emotions and sensations as much as intellect, to capture the exciting glimpse of something beautiful.

Over the last decade or so, after visits to France, the streets, buildings and people of France provided inspiring material for me, but I find beauty and interest in many other places. In particular, I have found, and continue to find, wonderful subjects in rural South Australia, country Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand, all allowing me to develop and express ideas.

I have been influenced to varying degrees by the Australian tonalists (such as Meldrum) and the Barbizon school. Rupert Bunny and Charles Conder appeal to me, as do some of the 19th century Russian painters who exhibited such mastery of the craft - Vladimir Makovsky and Ivan Shishkin are a couple of examples. I also admire painters who just did their own thing, without reference to dogma - Maurice Utrillo comes to mind. For sheer flair and execution, I find Joaquin Sorolla's work amazing.  However, my painting style, my artistic "signature", and what I want to express to the viewer, have been my own and I am pleased to say that I am still on an exciting journey of challenge and discovery.

I sign my pictures as Max Walker, using the long-standing nick name of Max. Sobriquets are endearing as they form a special link between the person and the group of contacts or friends who use them.